Page 73 of The Wedding Ranch
“I made a mistake,” he said to Pam. He glanced at Lorri; she wasn’t going to bail him out this time though. “I thought your friend here crashed the wedding. I asked her to leave.”
“Bwah!” Pam stepped back and laughed even louder. “Priceless. You really don’t know my best friend at all yet. She’s the rule follower in this group.”
“Well, I hope she’s also the forgiving one. I could use a get out of jail free card right now.”
“You’re handsome.” Pam took a sip of her champagne. “I’m sure she’ll give you another chance, but you better not mess up again, or you’ll have me to deal with. I’ve been known to break rules.” Pam nudged Lorri. “Let it go. Honest mistake. Right?”
Lorri shook her head, but then the line that had thinned her lips relaxed just a smidge.
He jumped at the opportunity. “Think I can talk you into that dance with you that Cody promised?”
Lorri let him lift her hand. “Really? You dance?”
“I’m rusty, but there was a time when I could really impress a gal out there.” He took her soft hand in his and guided her out to the dance floor.
“I’m willing to give it a try, but you better watch your toes.”
Pam let out a whoop, and Ryder lifted his arm, spinning Lorri, then moving her with purpose in a dance he hoped she wouldn’t soon forget.
Chapter Twenty-one
Lorri melted into Ryder’s lead, dancing in perfect time to the music. It was as if they’d been dancing together for years. When he twirled her, she hitched a breath as she got lost in his blue eyes for a fleeting second. She and Craig had danced in high school, but once they got married it was all she could do to shame him into even a slow dance. She’d missed dancing.
She and Ryder danced the whole song, barely realizing the band had moved on to a different one.
By the time the second song wound down she needed to catch her breath. She let go of his hand, ready to walk off the dance floor.
“No, ma’am.” He closed his fingers around her hand. “Let’s keep dancing.”
“Longer?”
“Until you forgive me.” He spun around with her in his arms, dipping her back just a few inches, his mouth a mere whisper from hers. “How long do you think that’s going to take?”
You’re forgiven.But she didn’t say that. “I don’t know. Guess you’ll just have to keep trying.”
He nodded. “Okay. I’m all right with that.”
When they finally came off the dance floor three songs later, it was only because they started playing the bunny hop and Ryder quickly informed her that he was no bunny hopper.
Lorri heard a man say to Ryder, “I haven’t seen you dance like that since you last danced with your wife. Good to see you, boy.”
When she turned to see who had said it, she realized it was the pastor. The old white-haired man was beaming. Ryder hadn’t mentioned being married. It would probably make a whole lot less sense if he’d never been married at his age, but it bothered her a little that she didn’t know. She wondered why they split up. Had the same pastor performed the wedding ceremony for Ryder and his wife? There was so much she didn’t know.
She followed him over to the food.
“Best barbecue in the state,” he said, picking up a plate.
She wondered if he was going to explain the pastor’s comment. “Sounds good. I haven’t eaten all day.” She started piling on a bit of this and a portion of that.
He used the silver tongs to pull a hefty serving of the fresh pork onto his plate, opting for the home-cooked local specialties on the spread.
They carried their plates to a small four-topper. A server came by with mason jars of sweet tea, which they both greedily slurped down before eating.
“I really am sorry I jumped to conclusions,” he said. “But really, what are the odds you’d be friends with Cody Tuggle?”
“I get it. I’d have probably thought the same thing, but if we’re going to be friends we need to trust each other. Let’s just forget about it, and promise to be better friends than that in the future. Deal?”
“Count on it.” Ryder ate a few more bites then placed his napkin in his lap. “You know, I went looking for you at the fair that Sunday. At the quilt sale.”
