Chapter 42
Speaking the truth made Brit feel lighter, a lot lighter. She’d admitted to Ella that Trent’s declaration of love terrified her. Now he knew her real motivation for living apart. Since she’d bound them together for life, he needed to understand she was a big fat coward.
As Trent backed into a parking spot, she checked her puffy eyes again in the visor mirror. She’d been blessed with dark lashes and didn’t use mascara, which saved her from looking like a raccoon on the few times she got weepy.
The puffiness was mostly gone and her hat would shade her red eyes. That was helpful because she’d just figured out her mom and Doc Bradbury would also park in the overflow lot.
Trent opened her door. “I’ll take the chips.” He tucked them in one arm and helped her down.
“We need to look for Doc Bradbury’s white SUV.”
“I see several.”
“Look for a license plate that says PRLYWHT.”
“Then you’re in luck. They just pulled in.”
“Good. We can walk down there with them and won’t have to hunt through the crowd to find them.”
“If you’ll go over so they’ll know we’re here, I’ll text my folks and see if they can save us two more seats. They only planned on saving two.”
“And I thought we’d be there in time to save two more.”
“My fault.”
She gazed at him, warmth filling her chest. “We screwed it up together. It’ll work out.” Waving her arms in the air, she hurried toward the SUV.
Her mom and Elaine came toward her holding Tupperware containers.
“Love the hat.” Her mom’s gaze swept over her. “Where’s your purse?”
“Decided I didn’t need one.”
“What about tissues? You’re going to a wedding, and?—”
“Good point.” It wasn’t the wedding she needed them for.
“Take some.” Her mom handed her a couple.
She tucked them in her pocket. “I see you guys remembered to make a dish. We forgot and had to bring chips.”
Her mom grinned. “Don’t admit it. Just say it was the most practical choice.”
“You sound like Trent. He’s texting his folks to save four seats near the front.”
“That’s great,” Elaine said, “but why are you in the overflow? I thought you’d already be down there.”
Her mom gave the doc a nudge.
“Never mind.” Her eyes twinkled. “Priorities.”
Brit flushed. “That’s not why. Let’s go get Trent and start down.”
“I’m right here.” He came up beside her, the chips still tucked against his chest. He shoved his phone in his pocket and tipped his hat. “Nice to see you again, Margaret. And you must be Doc Bradbury.”
“Elaine.” She balanced the Tupperware and shook his hand. “I’ve had the pleasure of having your brother in my chair.”
“I promise to make an appointment. I’ve been meaning to, but?—”
“No pressure.” She smiled. “Folks always get apologetic around me, like I’m evaluating their teeth for signs of neglect.”
“You don’t?”
“Oh, I do, but I’d never say anything. Yours are beautiful, by the way.”
He blushed. “Thank you. Hey, I hear the band starting up, so we’d better take off. My folks did save four seats, but we don’t want to get in at the last minute.”
“You two lead the way,” her mom said. “You know the layout.”
‘Yes, ma’am.” Trent reached for Brit’s hand, slid his fingers through hers and started off, his stride shorter than usual.
She hadn’t noticed that before. Those long legs could cover more ground, but he adjusted his pace when they walked together. “I can take one of those chips.”
“I’ve got ’em.” He squeezed her hand.
She squeezed back. Was he dreading this wedding? Maybe not anymore, but she couldn’t ask since they weren’t alone. The music grew louder as they approached the curve in the road.
“Hey, Brit, have you seen Nick Reynolds?”
She glanced over her shoulder at her mother. “Who?”
“Nick Reynolds. Cheyenne and Clint’s dad. The actor. He’s supposed to be here.”
“Haven’t seen him.”
“How about Derek Sanders, Bret and Gil’s dad? I heard he was coming, too. I might not recognize him but I’d sure recognize Nick.”
“I’ve got nuthin’, Mom. Sorry.” She looked over at Trent. “Have you heard anything about random dads showing up for the wedding?”
“No, ma’am. But since we’re on the subject, do you know anything about Rance’s dad? He’s never said a word about him, which makes me afraid to ask.”
Her mom snorted. “Don’t bother. I feel sorry for Rance. He drew the short straw.”
“What do you mean?”
“His dad’s Irving Quick. He writes thrillers, so I started reading them. They weren’t bad, but I’ll never read another one.”
“Why not?”
“After several years, when he hadn’t returned as far as I knew, I researched him online and found an interview where he raved about his wife and two kids. No mention of Rance.”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah. You know Rance has looked him up, too. Has to hurt.”
“That’s a shame.” Brit glanced at Trent. “But at least you know not to bring it up.”
“Yep. Thanks, Margaret.”
Nobody tried to talk after that because the curve was dead ahead and the bandstand wasn’t far from it. House Wine was playing a sweet country tune with no lyrics, but they had the volume turned up so the music would reach all the way to the house.
When Brit walked around the curve, she sucked in a breath. She’d watched the venue take shape, but now, with the band playing and the benches nearly filled, the importance of the event finally registered. “Wow.”
Behind her, Elaine gasped, too. “Oh, my. It looks like a movie set complete with all the extras.”
Cecily hurried toward them, followed by two other servers from the Buffalo who divested them of the Tupperware and the chips. A large tent across from the bandstand and dance floor had been turned into a kitchen, complete with two refrigerators and a stovetop.
Cecily flashed Trent a teasing grin and raised her voice to be heard over the band. “Chips? Really?”
He laughed. “Uh-huh. Put you to work, did they?”
“I volunteered. Desiree’s one of my all-time favorite customers. Go grab your seats, guys. We’re close to kickoff.”
Trent scanned the crowd. “I see my folks. This way.” He led them down the left side aisle.
His folks sat on the end of the front bench. Two broad-shouldered men in Western jackets perched on the end closest to the center aisle, leaving the middle open with four paper plates held down with rocks.
Brit smiled. “Who do you suppose came up with the plate and rock routine?”
“My mom. She’d do that at Little League games for my grandparents.”
“Whoa, front row seats.” Elaine chuckled. “It’s nice to have connections.”
“Hang on.” Brit’s mom grabbed Trent’s arm before he’d reached his parents.
He stopped and glanced back at her. “Problem?”
“No, I just want to be sure. Yep. The guy next to the guy on the end is Nick. The other one is probably Derek. I just wanted to make sure before I say hello.”
Brit blinked. “You know them?”
“Not Derek, but Nick used to come in to get his teeth cleaned.”
“Oh. Okay.” The sparkle of anticipation in her mother’s eyes startled her. If she didn’t know better, she’d say her mom had a crush on Nick Reynolds.
When Trent made their presence known, Trent’s dad stood and Brit quickly introduced her mom and Elaine to the Armstrongs. After some discussion about who should sit where, Harry and Vanessa moved to the middle of the group. Brit’s mom and Elaine took the right side with her mom next to Vanessa.
Brit ended up sandwiched between Harry and Trent. Good thing they were in the front row or she wouldn’t have been able to see a thing. She searched for a neutral topic to discuss with Harry. “So, Harry, how’s the weather back home?”
He gave her a smile. “Terrible. Late snow storm. Good thing they got it instead of us, huh?”
“Sure is. We lucked out.” And she was out of topics.
“I hear you were the high school mascot.”
Again with the mascot? She looked at Trent.
“I didn’t tell him. Must have been one of the McLintocks.”
“Desiree. Naturally she was at all the games. Her kids were in everything. Impressive bunch.”
“Absolutely.”
“She has some footage of you in the cougar suit, but we didn’t have time to look at it. She said your mom likely has even more. They used to sit together at the games.”
“Footage.” Trent gave her arm a nudge. “That’s what I’m talking about. Movie night. All we need is the popcorn.”
She made a face and he laughed. Was he doing okay? Sure seemed like it. But if the ceremony got to him, she was there to help him through it.
Right. She was likely the person who’d require support. With her emotions veering from despair to laughter at the drop of a hat, she cherished the firm grip of his hand and the solid bulk of him next to her.
He knew the truth about her now, and he hadn’t pulled away in disgust. If anything, he’d doubled down. Was he really, truly in love with her? Slowly, cautiously, she mentally peeked through her spread fingers at the vision he’d laid out.
She didn’t believe in it yet. But oh, how she wanted to.