Chapter 19
W ilder Glover pulled out a case of Diet Mountain Dew only a moment before a knock sounded on the door to his suite. “Come in!” he called, his pulse blipping through his body.
Smiles entered the apartment, and the world righted for Wilder. He missed his cousin so stinking much, and he latched onto the taller cowboy and held him tight while Smiles chuckled and pounded him on the back.
Wilder sucked back on his emotions as they separated. Smiles would see it, so Wilder ducked his head toward the kitchen. “I got out drinks.”
“Who else is coming?” he asked.
“Robbie,” Wilder said. “Betty, Pearl Jo, Fawn, Chaz, Heather, and Sunny.”
“Really? My sisters are coming?” Smiles glanced toward the door. “I just left home, and they weren’t there.”
“They’re coming from Aunt Etta’s,” Wilder said.
“Ah, got it. She told me to stop by before I go back to school.”
“Yeah, because she’ll send you with enough groceries and freezer meals to make it to Christmas.” Wilder opened the box of sodas and handed one to Smiles. “You datin’ anyone at school?”
Smiles popped the top on his soda can, and well, smiled. “A girl here and there.”
“But no one serious,” Wilder said, relieved in a way that made no sense. He should be happy for his cousins who’d found someone they loved—and who loved them. But the need to do the same for himself gnawed at him in a terribly uncomfortable way.
Unfortunately, every woman he’d gone out with in the past few months—only two—hadn’t held his interest for more than a couple of dates.
“So Gun and Rock are going to get engaged,” Smiles said.
Wilder realized he’d moved into the living room and taken a seat on the couch. “Yeah,” he said. “Rock said he absolutely didn’t need any help from, and I quote, anyone on this ranch. But Gun is over here every day going over some new harebrained idea for how he can ask Camila to marry him.”
He grabbed his own can of soda and joined Smiles on the couch. “Pearl Jo is sick of listening to him, so she called this mastermind.”
Smiles nodded, then twisted as Wilder’s door opened again. Fawn entered first, laughing about something Pearl Jo or Betty, who came with her, had said. She faced him, and Wilder got to his feet to go greet his sister and cousins.
“Hey, guys.” He gestured for them to come into the kitchen. “Drinks here.”
“Hey, Wild.” Fawn gave him a side hug. “How you holding up?”
“Just fine,” Wilder said. “Harvest is over, and no one died, so.”
“You know who asked about you?” Betty took a can of soda and cracked it open. She wore a wicked smile and didn’t immediately divulge who’d asked about him—which meant no one had.
She was Uncle Preacher and Aunt Charlie’s oldest, and she’d just graduated in sound design.
She worked for an audiobook company, mastering files and adding sound effects, but she could do it from home.
So she’d returned to Three Rivers, and she currently lived in town with Judy and Georgia.
The three of them rented a pretty house in a quiet suburb, and Aunt Ida’s daughter, Judy, worked as a makeup artist and Georgia, Uncle Bishop’s daughter, had just landed an online TV spot with Wildlife America, and she filmed three spots per week about the wildlife happenings around the country.
Georgia had gotten a dual degree in wildlife management and journalism, and the job really was perfect for her.
Again, she could do it online from anywhere in the world, but she’d chosen to stay in Three Rivers.
Together with Betty, they’d set up a sound studio in the house on Pheasant Feathers Drive, and they both worked out of the room in their own home.
“Smiles is here,” Pearl Jo said, and everyone rushed over to say hello to him. Wilder stayed out of the way, because he’d learned to rotate around the sun that was Smiles.
Wilder turned to the door as someone knocked, assuming that to be Chaz. Heather and Sunny would walk in the way the other girls had, so he wasn’t surprised to open the door and find Chaz standing there. “Howdy, Chaz.”
His face brightened. “Hey.” He moved into the East Wing, and closed the door behind him. “Thanks for inviting me.”
“Yeah, of course,” Wilder said, his eyes catching on Chaz’s. He paused, seeing something there. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing.” Chaz turned away and continued into the apartment. Before Wilder could follow and press him further, the door opened again, and Heather, Sunny, and Robbie all entered. They each carried a bag in each hand, and Wilder blinked at them.
“Aunt Etta,” Heather said by way of explanation.
“She heard we were having a little party tonight,” Sunny said. “She wanted to send some food.”
“It’s not a party,” Wilder said.
“It kind of is,” Robbie said as he lifted the bags he carried onto the counter. He worked as a truck mechanic in town, and whenever Wilder had a question about their farm equipment, he went to Robbie first.
“No, it’s not,” Wilder said. “If it was a party, I’d have invited everyone.” He looked at Chaz again, wondering if that was why he was glad to be invited.
“Well, Judy wishes she could be here,” Betty said. “And she’s going out with Trooper again, so that’s saying something.”
“She’s going out with him again?” Fawn asked. “What is this? Like, date four or five?”
“Five,” Betty said. “She seems to like him, and he’s totally in love with her already.”
Wilder so didn’t want to hear about yet another cousin who’d found Their One—unless it was him. He wasn’t sure why this bothered him so much, only that his blood felt like it had been lit on fire.
Jealousy never felt good, and Wilder pushed it away. He was only twenty-five years old, had a great job, an amazing family, lived in his own place, and literally had nothing to complain about. Absolutely nothing.
“She might take him home to meet Aunt Ida and Uncle Brady for Christmas,” Georgia said.
“Wow, already?” Sunny asked as she pulled out an aluminum casserole pan and took off the lid. “This is tater tot casserole.”
“I have the cheesy chicken tenders.” Heather started opening drawers to find the utensils. Wilder hadn’t realized he’d be hosting a dinner party tonight, but he really should know better by now. He was a Glover, after all.
He came from one of the smaller branches, though, and his parents had done a great job of creating a smaller bubble for just him, Fawn, and them. Four people was such a far cry from the whole Glover clan.
“I’m telling you, you guys,” Betty said. “Trooper really likes her, and they talk all the time.”
“I thought they just started dating,” Heather said.
“A couple of weeks, yeah,” Georgia said. “But they’re to date five already. He comes over a lot too.”
“Already?” Wilder asked, and he realized too late how aggressive he sounded. Thankfully, he masked it by stepping around Robbie to help Heather find the plates and silverware. He let the conversation continue around him, latching onto a meditation technique he’d used in the past.
I am a window , he thought as the voices around him chatted. Things just move through me. They don’t bother me. I’m transparent, and everything just moves through me.
He went through the line and got food, because no one in their right mind passed up food Aunt Etta had made.
Once they’d all sat down somewhere—either at the dining room table or in the nearby living room—Pearl Jo said, “All right, guys. We need to come up with two or three really good ideas I can take to Gun.” She popped a tater tot into her mouth.
“Otherwise, I think I might choke him next time he shows up and starts pining over Camila.”
“He’s pretty bad,” Fawn said. “And he stays so late.”
Both she and Pearl Jo worked around the ranch, and yes, that required an early morning.
“Yeah, because he comes over after he drops her off.” Pearl Jo sighed. “I told him to just ask her already, but he says it has to be a whole production.”
“He’s not wrong,” Smiles said. “A buddy of mine just proposed to his girlfriend, and they rode a pair of horses out to Bald Rock, where he had a three-course meal served by waiters in tuxes.”
“You’re kidding,” Chaz said.
Wilder, too, found that to be absolutely ridiculous. “Why can’t we just buy a diamond and get down on one knee?”
“A diamond, Wild?” Fawn shook her head. “No, thank you.”
“No diamonds?” He gaped at his sister. “What do you want, then?”
“The man-made gems are so much better,” Pearl Jo said, and Fawn nodded enthusiastically, her mouth now full of food. “I want Moissanite. It sparkles way better than diamonds, and it has a rainbow sheen.”
“It’s way prettier,” Betty said.
Wilder felt whipped around, because he’d never heard of Moissanite.
He looked over to Smiles, who definitely had more life experiences than Wilder, and while he was smiling, Wilder had learned that he used that thing to hide all kinds of things.
Stuff he didn’t know. Stuff he did. His real feelings. Lots and lots of things.
So Wilder had no idea if Smiles had ever heard of Moissanite before. Or what he thought about this news about Judy quickly developing relationship with Trooper Bailey. He wondered how many Glover weddings he’d have to attend before his own.
Longing streamed through him, and he quietly tried to push it away. He had no right to be unhappy with his life, and he wasn’t. Not really.
But you are , he told himself, and he felt like he needed to repent. He wanted more, and his parents had taught him to be happy with what he had and not covet more. At the same time, they also taught that God loved marriage, and Wilder couldn’t reconcile the two right now.
“Camila loves her job, her friends at school, all the kids,” Fawn said. “Gun should propose to her at school, in front of everyone there.”
“I told him that,” Pearl Jo said. “He said he doesn’t want to have so many eyes on him.”
“Camila’s not really like that either,” Heather said. “Is she? I mean, she’s nice and bubbly, but she doesn’t seek being the center of attention.” She looked around the table, where Wilder had sat.
“Y’all know her?” Smiles asked.
“Gun’s been bringing her to family stuff,” Chaz said. “So yeah, she’s been up here a few times.”
“I just can’t believe it’s going to be another Glover-Walker wedding,” Betty said. “I need me a Walker.” She grinned and cut another bite of chicken. “Who else do they have down there?”
“Easton and Austin,” Chaz said.
“Jason,” Robbie said. “He’s close to your age.”
Betty made a quick face. “They’re nice enough, I guess.”
“Camila’s brothers,” Fawn said with a wide grin. “Pearl, you should go out with Sawyer or Gideon.”
“There’s Trap too,” Wilder said, because he’d actually thought of asking out one of the ladies in the Walker family. After all, Gun had known Camila for years. They’d been friends, even. And then one day, they ran into each other in town, and he asked her out, and there’d been a new spark there.
But Wilder had already tried going out with Elaine, and the only other woman close to his age—beside Camila herself—was Daisy, Micah and Simone’s daughter. But Daisy didn’t even live in Three Rivers, and what was Wilder going to do? Hunt her down online and try to force something?
He shook his head even as Pearl Jo said, “We’re off-track. We’re focusing on Gun and Camila. Come on.” She looked over to Wilder. “You have to have an idea.”
“If I did, I would’ve told Gun already,” Wilder said, once again letting his grumpy tone emerge. “I think he should take her to a nice restaurant and tell her he loves her and wants to be with her forever. Then break out the ring, get down on one knee, and just ask her.”
“It doesn’t have to be a production to be special,” Smiles said, finally letting his opinion be known. “Is that really what women want?”
“I think it depends,” Sunny said. “On the man.”
“Gun is the restaurant-ring-proposal type of man,” Wilder said. “He’s not going to set up this huge thing. That’s why he hasn’t asked her.”
“So maybe we should be encouraging him to be himself,” Chaz said.
“Mm, he’s got it.” Smiles pointed his fork at him. “I can guarantee you Rock isn’t going to do a big thing.”
“What is Rock going to do?” Fawn asked. “And why won’t he bring Clover to anything?”
“Probably because y’all would eat her alive,” Wilder said dryly.
“Hey, we would not.” Pearl Jo nudged him with her elbow. “It’s not our generation that prevents him from bringing her.”
Wilder grinned at her. “Can you imagine Rock introducing Clover to his parents? She’d take one look at Uncle Bear and know exactly what her future will be.” He chuckled as everyone else did too.
“My daddy has a heart of gold,” Smiles said.
“Yeah, of course he does,” Wilder said. “Rock does too.” And Wilder had been out on double-dates with him and Clover. They were really good together, and Clover allowed Rock to be himself, and he tended to her every need, want, or desire in the most effortless way.
“And then there’s this,” Heather said. “Where are they going to live? They both work here at the ranch.”
“Oh, I’m sure my daddy’ll just build them a house somewhere,” Robbie said with a grin. “Here’s my idea for Gun and Clover: He should take her breakfast over the Thanksgiving break and tell her he can’t stand to live one more day without being engaged to her.”
“That so sounds like Gun,” Pearl Jo said with a grin.
“And just ask her.” Robbie nodded like that would do, and Wilder happened to agree.
“Hey, Wild, it’s me.”
Wilder’s pulse skipped at the sound of Gun’s voice, and he twisted toward the front door. His cousin and best friend walked in, slowing when he saw the crowd. “What’s going on here?”
“We’re talking about you,” Wilder said, going straight for the truth. “Pearl Jo has some great ideas for how you can propose to Camila.”
Gun frowned, but he came closer to the table. Wilder got up and gave him a quick hug. “Sit there. I’ll get you some food.” He did that while Gun took his seat.
He folded his arms and glared at his sister. “All right, then. Tell me what you’ve got.”
A hush settled over the group, and Wilder couldn’t wait to hear what Pearl Jo would say…and how Gun would react.