Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
Tripp yanked out the chair with a frustrated sigh. “Another one,” he muttered.
“Shh,” Leo murmured but there was no missing the grin on his face.
“You can’t be telling me that this is normal. What is going on with your brother, man? How many of these events are we expected to attend?” Tripp glanced around the private room at the Steer House. There were less people here than at the last pre-wedding event.
One person specifically was absent.
Every time another person entered the room, Tripp glanced in that direction. His heart would race and his breathing stalled. But then he’d see yet another one of his cousins.
Mack and Lacey were the current source of his disappointment. They smiled at those already in attendance. The table was filling up and now that Tripp was paying attention, he noted there weren’t nearly enough chairs for the number of people who were at the first barbeque.
He leaned closer to Leo. “Who’s supposed to come to this one? We’re missing chairs.”
Leo cut a glance at Tripp. “This is just for the brides’ maids and the groomsmen.”
Tripp nodded.
“Stop,” Leo muttered. “Your glee is showing.”
“What?” Tripp asked. “I’m not doing anything.”
“You’re smiling.”
A scoffing sound escaped his chest. “Now I’m not allowed to smile? I thought I was supposed to be on my best behavior.” He gave his cousin his most obnoxious smile. “That means I need to pretend I want to be here.”
“Oh, I can tell you’re enjoying yourself,” Leo muttered under his breath. “You’re just planning something and that’s what I’m worried about.”
“Aww,” Tripp crooned, “you’re worried about me.”
“No,” Leo corrected. “I’m worried about what Wendy is going to do when she gets fed up with you.”
The smile on Tripp’s face faltered. Leo wasn’t wrong. Had he heard about their little altercation at the antique shop? He couldn’t have.
Could he?
Shoot.
Tripp slumped into his seat, his arms folded and his legs sprawled out beneath the table.
Leo had made a good point. There was no telling what Wendy would do if he overstepped.
The worst part was that he’d gone from being excited to see her so he could finally get the upper hand to being crushed as he was reminded that wouldn’t be a likely scenario.
The reason for this dinner entered. Reese held Serenity’s hand in his. The two of them looked sickeningly happy together. But to be fair, so did everyone else at the table.
Not one other couple in the wedding party wasn’t married to their counterpart—or at least engaged.
There were five couples.
Mack and Lacey.
Leo and Kat.
Caleb and Sammie.
Noah and Jane.
And last but not least, himself paired with Wendy.
From what he recalled, Serenity had another sister, but she was pregnant. Again. Not only that, but she had young kids which made it more than difficult to attend all the fun events where children weren’t invited.
“Thanks for coming,” Reese called out, tapping his glass with the edge of his spoon.
Tripp straightened in his seat and shot a look at the chair to his right. Wendy wasn’t here. Wasn’t she supposed to attend?
“Tonight, we wanted to discuss the other activities we have planned for next week. As you all know, most of the events will be hosted at Sagebrush. Bo has graciously allowed us to take full advantage of the space and amenities they have available.” He tossed his fiancée a loving look.
“Serenity didn’t grow up on a ranch like most of us.
So we thought it would be only fitting to get the full ranch experience.
Horse riding along with some country competitions.
But we also wanted to have a bonfire and some light camping if we can manage it… ”
Tripp tuned Reese out, his hard stare trained on the empty chair.
If he had to be here, then Wendy should have to be, too.
How was this even fair? He might not have a plan for the war she started, but that didn’t mean he was happy that she had started to avoid him.
Mind games were just as good as outward pranks.
He’d had time to come to terms with the fact that Wendy could bring her A-game. And he was ready for it.
But none of that would happen if the girl couldn’t show up for a—
Tripp’s thoughts stalled when the door to their private party opened and the woman herself entered. She mouthed the word, ‘sorry’ to Serenity as she passed. Then her gaze swept over the table until it landed on the only available chair.
The one next to him.
A knowing smirk touched his lips as he leaned back again and laced his fingers behind his head. Wendy’s eyes only briefly landed on him before she rolled her eyes, adjusted the purse on her shoulder, then took her place at his side.
“You do realize that being fashionably late doesn’t exist if you arrive later than the guest of honor, right?”
She kept her mouth clamped shut but the growing blush spurred him onward.
“Better late than never, though, I suppose.”
Wendy cut him a seething glance.
“How does it feel to have every pair of eyes on you when you interrupt a speech from the groom? You’re not going to make a habit of it, are you? The bride is supposed to be the last one down the aisle. Somehow, I don’t think Reese and Serenity want to see you running down the aisle after the vows—”
“Oh, shut up,” she muttered. But she didn’t say it nearly as quietly as she probably thought. A few eyes turned their way, and her blush deepened enough to match the red wine that had already been served. Wendy slumped down and turned her eyes to her hands in her lap.
Tripp chuckled. So, the woman didn’t like to be put on the spot when she was the one being judged. Interesting. He’d thought that she didn’t care about what others thought of her. But this? It made more sense.
They had more in common than he’d initially realized.
Then again, her embarrassment could be related strictly to being late. Yeah, that made more sense. Something told him that if he attempted to make a scene, she’d go head-to-head with him, no problem.
Stumped, Tripp continued to observe her. Reese finished up his little speech and the table returned to their usual chatter.
Wendy leaned forward to get Serenity’s attention and when the bride to be turned toward her, Wendy asked, “Where’s Hallie?”
“Oh, she’s not in the wedding party. She’s doing my hair and makeup, though. She’ll be at the bachelorette party.”
Wendy nodded, but the disappointment was noticeable. She was the only single woman at the table. Tripp could relate to a degree. Seeing as his father and everyone else in this room wanted him to keep his distance from Wendy, he was as single as they came.
Tripp leaned a little closer to his non-date. “What was so important that you couldn’t bother being on time to any of these events?”
That blush returned and he found he absolutely loved seeing it on her.
“That’s none of your business,” she snapped.
He chuckled. “The kitty has claws.”
She scoffed. Then she looked around the table. “Where are the menus?”
“Too late for you to order, sweetheart. But it’s okay because I ordered for you.” He cast her a wicked grin. “Hope you like shellfish.”
Wendy paused and he could have sworn he saw the cogs in her mind whirring. She was up to something, that much was clear. Not only that, but she didn’t seem the least bit upset with his food choice. When her eyes lifted to meet his, she smiled just as sweet as ever. “I’m not picky.”
Tripp could feel Leo’s curious stare. While the conversation with Wendy had been quiet, the tension in the room was unmistakable.
Something was brewing and even Leo could sense it.
Tripp couldn’t bring himself to look over at Leo, knowing full-well that if the man wasn’t already judging him, he was waiting for something to hit the fan and it wasn’t going to be good.
Wendy kept her attention to the conversation she engaged Lacey with on her other side. Tripp listened with half an ear. In truth, he was more interested in watching the woman.
When Wendy actually liked a person, she was perfection. She had the manners of a woman who went to boarding school. Her southern charm was almost too sweet. She even garnered a few interested looks from his other cousins.
Too bad. They were all taken.
And one day he’d be the one to capture her attention like she’d captured theirs.
He stiffened at that thought.
Strange, he’d never been possessive about a woman before.
Why her?
Wendy tucked a strand of white-blonde hair behind her ear and laughed at something Mack had said.
The sound was melodic in every sense of the word.
Why couldn’t she laugh with him like that?
The laughs she saved for him were biting and cold.
Sure, he could appreciate them for what they were, but if he could make her smile like the way the others were?
Maybe being possessive of her attention wouldn’t be such a bad thing.
Their food arrived and a plate of scallops was placed in front of both him and Wendy. She stared down at the food and hesitated for just a moment.
“I thought you said you weren’t picky,” Tripp mused quietly, more to himself than anyone else. “Do I need to order you a kid’s meal with chicken tenders and French fries? Would that be more up your alley?”
“You know, I didn’t realize they served fish here,” Wendy mused to Lacey.
“We have a couple dishes. Most of the time they’re served with the steak for a surf and turf sort of thing. Those scallops were the chef’s special this week.”
Oh, right. Lacey worked at this restaurant. She didn’t seem put off by the fact that Serenity picked this place. There weren’t many other options for nice sit-down eateries.
Tripp picked up his fork and plucked a scallop from his plate. “Dig in,” he murmured.