Page 72 of The Wedding Ranch
Lorri’s nostrils flared slightly and he wondered what kind of scene she was about to make, but she didn’t. She laughed and stepped closer to him. “Cody, you have got to meet my new friend, Ryder. He grew up in this town. He’s part of the family business that’s hosting your wedding.”
Cody shook his hand. “Thanks for the excellent transportation. That was awesome. My mom went crazy. She’s a horse lady, you know. You’ll have to talk to her. She’s over the moon about your gray horse.”
“Thunder. He’s a good horse. I’ll look for her.”
“She’ll love that.” Cody clapped his hands together. “I hope you don’t mind, but I wanted to grab my two favorite dance partners for a quick twirl for old time’s sake. We went to high school together. Kasey has heard me tell this story no less than one hundred and fifty times and still doesn’t believe it. She’s going to die!”
“He was like our big brother back then. We knew him before he was famous, when he still hit the wrong chords and la-la-la’d through the verses he hadn’t written yet,” Lorri teased.
“It’s true. They knew me when I was the geeky guitar dude.” He put his hands out to each of them. “Come on, Ryder, you can cut in when we’re done. I know Lorri would love to dance all night.”
“Y’all go on. I was leaving. I was just here to offer transportation.” He felt about two inches tall. If there was ever a time that he could disappear, right about now would be nice timing.
Cody’s deep voice boomed. “Don’t be silly. Any friend ofLorri’s is a friend of mine. You get on in here with us. There’s fun to be had.”
It didn’t look like Cody expected to not get his way, so Ryder followed them inside. Cody clapped him on the shoulder like an old buddy. “Really nice to meet you. Lorri is amazing. I’m glad she’s meeting good people here in Dalton Mill.”
Cody signaled to the guys on the band platform and they started playing his hit song “A Mother’s Love.”
Cody and Kasey danced their first dance. Everyone gathered around the dance floor, swaying to the music. Ryder could almost read the thought bubbles above the dreamy-eyed females in attendance wishing and hoping they’d have a wedding even half as beautiful as this one someday.
When the song ended, Pete announced from the stage, “Mr. and Mrs. Cody Tuggle. One more round of applause.” As the cheers began to die, Pete said, “This next song we’re going to play is a special little something for you, Kasey. I think you’re in for a treat. I know I’m anxious to see it myself. Here’s to seeing is believing.”
Kasey turned and looked at Cody with a questioning look. “Do you know what this is about?”
Pete strummed the first few chords and the band switched into an up-tempo song. Cody walked out to the middle of the dance floor, leaving Kasey watching from the side. He hooked his finger toward Lorri and Pam who rushed out, giggling the whole way.
Ryder felt like a complete jerk as he watched Lorri walk out to join them. Of course she wouldn’t crash a wedding.What has gotten into me?
“Here we go,” Cody’s voice boomed and then the three ofthem eased into a well-choreographed two-step kind of dance including spins and dips and switches. He’d never seen anything like it. There was no disputing those three had been close friends for years, and this was not their first dance rodeo.
Idiot.He felt the red rush of heat climb his neck again.
The song ended and Lorri walked off the dance floor toward him.
“I’msosorry,” he said.
“I’m honestly not sure if I should be flattered that you’d think I might crash a wedding, or mad that you didn’t think enough of me to just outright ask before jumping to conclusions.”
“I’d love to roll back the clock, but then I might miss that dance and I’m so glad I didn’t.”
“I would have given you the courtesy to have at least asked you about something like that.”
He blinked but didn’t say a word.
“I appreciate how much you care about your niece and nephew and their business,” she went on. “It’s an admirable trait to care that much about your family. But friends are just as special, and I thought we were building a friendship. I’ve enjoyed my time with you, but I don’t think you’re the kind of friend I need.” She turned to walk away.
“Wait. Lorri.”
She stopped but didn’t turn to face him.
“I really am sorry,” he said. “I think you’re great. It hurt my feelings to think you’d break that trust. I overreacted. I’m sorry. Please give me a chance to make it up to you.”
Pam walked over still out of breath, laughing as she put her hand on Lorri’s arm. “Oh my gosh. That was too fun.” Shemust’ve noticed the tension between him and Lorri because Pam stopped laughing almost immediately. “Is everything okay?”
Lorri didn’t answer, instead she turned and narrowed her gaze on Ryder.
He almost choked on that look.
