Page 13 of The Wedding Ranch
Lorri, Pam, and Kelsey lifted their glasses, and Stacy looked confused, but finally raised hers. “I guess that means you’re not going to his wedding,” Stacy mumbled.
Beyond the cheerful, silly toast there hung an awkward silence. “Okay, I’m just going to ask,” Carmen said. “Had you heard they’re getting married?” Carmen glared across the table at Stacy. “I mean before just now?”
Stacy shrugged, mouthing the word “Sorry.”
Lorri lifted her gaze to the ceiling.Even after the divorce he can still find a way to ruin my day.
That he was marrying Miss Tiffany with the teacup Yorkiewhen the ink had barely dried on their divorce papers shouldn’t have come as a surprise, but it did. “Um. No, but I wouldn’t have expected to be on the guest list either. Maybe they’ll have her little doggie be the flower girl in the wedding.”
“I heard they bought real pearls from Tiffany’s in New York City for her dog to wear in the wedding. Tiffany’s two-year-old is going to walk the dog down the aisle. I bet she’ll be the cutest little flower girl.” Stacy clapped her hands over her mouth. “I’m sorry. Who cares? That’s so tacky, right? Subject change. I swear I’m just going to shut up. How is the new house?”
Pam shoved the bowl of bread in front of Stacy. “Have a roll.”
“Did all of you get invitations?” Lorri knew Carmen’s husband worked with Craig so she wasn’t surprised when Carmen nodded.
“I didn’t,” said Kelsey, “but then I was the lawyer who made sure he didn’t get half your stuff, so I’m probably his least favorite person.”
“Get in line behind me,” Lorri said.
“Probably in front of you,” Kelsey said with pride. “Don’t mind it either.”
Pam placed her hand on Lorri’s arm. “I didn’t get an invite, but Bobby heard it from one of their golfing buddies. I was going to tell you.”
Pam and Bobby got married the same year as Lorri and Craig. They were their first real “couple” friends, and although Bobby had tired of Craig’s ego years ago, she and Pam had remained steadfast friends ever since they met in high school.
“We’re divorced. What’s the difference?” But the words hung in Lorri’s heart.
“I’m sure I only got invited because they moved into our neighborhood,” Stacy said. “They’re at the country club all the time. He and Donald might even be golfing today.”
Craig moved into the most expensive neighborhood in town?No wonder they were on a budget. Being house poor had never been something Lorri was willing to be. But Craig was all about the image. “It’s fine. We’re divorced. He can do whatever he wants.”
“So, you wouldn’t care if I went to the wedding?” Stacy had no doubt already been planning to go.
“Why would I care?”
“I just thought… well, great, because I’ve been dying to see that wedding venue. It’s not that far from where you live. Have you been there? It’s called The Wedding Ranch.”
Lorri lifted her glass and sipped to the count of three. Heard of it? She’d designed the logo for the business. It was just a few country miles away from her house.
“Oh gosh, it’s so gorgeous,” Stacy rattled on. “Totally rustic, in this big barn, but with chandeliers and horse-drawn carriages or old antique cars to sweep the bride and groom away. I wish Donald and I had done something like that. Maybe we’ll renew our vows. Can anyone just do that?” Stacy shifted her gaze to each woman as if one would ring in to answer like on a game show. “Does anyone know?”
“Don’t look at me. I don’t know a darn thing about renewing vows,” Lorri said.
“Hmmph. Seems like it would be fun,” Stacy said. “Maybemore people should do that. Donald would do anything for me. If The Wedding Ranch is half as beautiful as everyone says, I may just book it and plan the party of the year. You can come too since it’s so close to your house. Wouldn’t that be great?”
“So great.” Lorri worked up yet another fake smile.
Pam kicked her under the table, and they both tried to contain their giggles. Poor Stacy was so clueless sometimes. You just had to love her in that “bless her heart” kind of way.
Chapter Four
Ryder sat down in his usual spot at the counter of Pastrami Joe’s, still ticked about the near accident. The red leather stool squeaked beneath him as he read the specials written on the board in colored chalk.
The helix of red, white, and blue stripes out front was original to the first owner of this address, one of the oldest structures in Dalton Mill. Joe had left it as a salute to days gone by even though he could’ve sold the antique for a nice profit.
Ryder remembered when he was just a kid and this place had been crumbling to the point of danger. Even then Joe used to dream of owning the old Barber Shop building someday. It took Joe years to talk the town into selling it to him for next to nothing so he could bring it up to code. He’d done that and more to stabilize the structure and repurpose it.
Now the corner address had impressive character. All three stories had been completely renovated. On the ground floor, Joe had opened the deli like the one his granddaddy had ownedup north, and on the second and third floors he’d built out apartments.
