Chapter 7
Kristy could have curled up and fallen asleep right there on the bench in the Mexican restaurant, but for the company she was with. Ariel, on the other hand, had seemed to get a second wind and was discussing her vegetarian philosophy while she perused the menu.
“These men are from cattle country. They ranch,” Kristy reminded her cousin.
“I don’t hold it against them, as I’m sure they don’t hold it against me that I don’t eat beef. Do you?” Ariel tilted her head in the men’s direction.
“No, ma’am.” Mel chuckled.
Stetson leaned forward. “I’m not a rancher, and I don’t hold it against you one bit. But I’m going to order the steak compadres, so I hope you won’t hold that against me.” He winked at Ariel.
A rosy pink suffused Ariel’s face.
Mel closed his menu. “Sounds good to me. Don’t mind saying I worked up an appetite.”
“I’m just glad they have veggie fajitas.” Ariel wrinkled her nose.
“Did you see they have spinach and veggie enchiladas too?” Mel, who sat next to Ariel in the booth, tapped his finger on her menu.
Ariel beamed. “Thanks for pointing that out.”
He nodded and smiled back.
Maybe Ariel had found a friend. Kristy glanced across at Rusty. “I’m going to try the steak fajitas.” One of her favorites.
“Sounds good to me.” Rusty winked, and a flutter erupted in her stomach.
Maybe it hadn’t been such a good idea to take Rusty up on his offer to help her move in. It had certainly solved a big problem for her, but he seemed to have taken it as encouragement. And why shouldn’t he have?
Trouble was, she was attracted to him. He seemed kind and caring and always willing to help. Going up the steps behind him as he’d held one end of the sofa while Stetson held the other, Kristy had viewed a nice butt, sinewy legs, and bulging deltoids. It had made climbing those stairs so much easier. And truth be told, her mind had wandered to a naked body, a shared shower, and a tumble into bed.
Fantasizing was not a crime. Nor a commitment.
If her life hadn’t unraveled, she’d probably have jumped at the chance to explore more. But the idea of starting over when her heart was still bruised by betrayal, and when she was overwhelmed by business, seemed too much to handle. Just thinking about it caused her stomach to crush inward.
She peeked over her menu at his handsome face, blue eyes, and kissable mouth. Maybe someday.
The waitress took their orders and, within minutes, came back with the drinks. The guys had beers, while she and Ariel had sodas. Kristy was so tired that if she had any alcohol, she’d no doubt fall asleep at the table. Her arms and legs ached, and her head felt fuzzy enough as it was. Plus, she had to go back to an apartment crammed with boxes.
“So you guys are event planners, like weddings?” Stetson took a sip of beer.
“Yup,” Kristy replied. “We coordinated our first Gillette wedding a few weekends ago. With Rusty’s help.” Kristy would never forget that, without hesitation, he’d stepped in and parked cars.
“And are so many people getting married that you think you can make a go of it?” Mel seemed genuinely perplexed. “When my brother got married, they held it in the bride’s family’s backyard, and the two mothers cooked all the food. Not much to plan.”
Mel’s response was a common one.
“That’s certainly an option,” Ariel answered. “But if people want something a little more involved, something unique, they can hire us to deliver that for them.”
“And we aren’t just for weddings. People use planners for big events, including family reunions, charity fundraisers, corporate conferences, conventions…” Kristy shrugged. “Just about any big gathering.”
“You should have seen the inside of the VA hall after these two got done. You wouldn’t have recognized it.” Rusty tipped his beer bottle in Kristy’s direction.
Stetson snorted. “Because it was clean?”
“It was clean, but they’d transformed it into a banquet hall worthy of a palace. They did a remarkable job.”
“Your check is in the mail.” Kristy winked. And instantly felt her cheeks heat at Rusty’s wide smile.
“So how exactly did Rusty help you at this wedding?” Mel asked.
“I delivered flowers.” Rusty took a swig of beer.
“That would be how Junie helped her. She specifically referenced you,” Stetson said.
“He didn’t tell you?” Kristy was surprised. It had been such a generous act.
“Apparently not.” Mel frowned.
“My college-aged car parkers called in sick. Ariel and I would have been parking cars, but Rusty offered, and we took him up on it. And boy, did we need his help.”
“Rusty here worked as a valet?” Stetson practically guffawed the words.
“I helped them out with parking cars. Any reason why I shouldn’t have?”
“Ah, maybe because you’re not a college kid, and you certainly don’t need the money.”
Rusty’s frowning glance in Stetson’s direction seemed designed to quell any more comments. “I didn’t do it for the money. I did it to help out someone.”
“A lady in distress. Your predictable MO.”
“I like being helpful. Nothing wrong in that.” He looked in Kristy’s direction, and the frown turned upward. “You should have seen this one jockey vehicles.” He pointed to her, his grin widening. “She was in spiked heels and trying to power walk her way to the cars.”
“It was tough.” But working alongside Rusty had somehow made it fun.
“And then she put on a pair of old sneakers I had in the pickup.” He chuckled, and she giggled.
She must have looked like a crazy person in those too-big shoes. “I was desperate. High heels and power walking do not mix.”
“You looked like you were trying out for the circus in a pair of clown shoes.” He guffawed.
Her giggle turned into a laugh at that image. “I’ll never forget the sound of them slapping the pavement.”
Now they were both laughing, and tears streamed down her face. She hadn’t felt so relaxed in a long time. She turned to view the others.
No one was laughing. Just smiling at them like they had both lost it. She looked at Rusty. He was trying to squelch his laughter, leaving just a big grin on his face.
“Guess you had to be there.” He glanced at her from under his brows, as if they shared a secret, a look that made her feel warm and cozy inside. Sigh.
The waitress appeared carrying a heavy tray laden with plated food.
“Dig in, people,” Rusty said, as if to close the conversation.
He really was a good guy. And charming, to boot.
Kristy looked around the new apartment, took a deep breath, and brought her hands into a prayerful pose in front of her face. The living area was crammed with boxes, a small sofa, a wooden stand for the TV, and a new coffee table, a gift from her mother, in which the lid raised up to table height. Her mother had felt that last item a necessity when she’d learned there was no designated space for a dining table.
But it wasn’t just the boxes all over the floor, or the empty shelves, or the kitchen that hadn’t been set up yet that had caused the sinking feeling in Kristy’s stomach. Dinner with Rusty and the guys might have taken her mind off her situation for a few moments, but now that she and Ariel were in the apartment and surrounded by boxes, she had to face reality. She had moved hours away from her parents, from her previous clients, and from ex-fiancée to take on a huge project without Marcia to lead the way.
Ariel touched Kristy’s shoulder, as if signaling solidarity. “I’m glad you have furniture. I had to buy a bedroom set, which won’t be delivered until tomorrow.”
“Just glad it fit in here, but then my other apartment had been a tiny one bedroom.” Kristy hadn’t shared digs since her college days, thanks, in part, to her father’s help.
“Well, roomie”—Ariel swept her arm in arc—“I think this calls for a little celebration. I’ve got a nice bottle of wine chilling in our fridge. And paper cups, since I haven’t a clue where you may have packed the dishes. So glad you have all this stuff.”
Kristy sighed. As much as she valued Ariel’s creative skills, her cousin’s laissez faire attitude about… well, just about everything was the exact opposite of Kristy’s button-it-up instincts. “Shouldn’t we unpack a few things before celebrating? I mean, we can barely walk in here for all the boxes. And if I have some wine, I’ll be asleep in like a minute.”
Ariel shrugged. “I’m sharing your bed tonight, which is already made up, and that’s all I care about for the moment. I think we should celebrate. Our new positions, the move. Maybe a new client.”
Kristy winced. The second prospective wedding client had balked at the expense. While Kristy had given the first client, Lisa Wilson, a discount to get started, she couldn’t continue the practice if they were going to meet the business goals. Of course, having no clients wouldn’t meet the goals either. And with that thought settling in her head…
“A glass of wine sounds good. This can wait until tomorrow.” She waved a hand, as if she could magically make it all disappear. It didn’t.
“Ha! I’m rubbing off on you already, cuz. Maybe you’ll be up for some fun now that we’re here.” With a look of satisfaction, Ariel pulled the wine bottle from the fridge, rustled up some paper cups from a bag, and sat down on the stool as she poured.
“Maybe you will be good for me.” Lord knew she struggled under the weight of seriousness. She’d never been the bubbly type, and laughter didn’t come easily. Except with Rusty, for some reason. Between her father and Dean, she’d been steeped in taking life seriously and playing to win. It was draining. She took a cup and sipped. “Nice Pinot.”
“And not too expensive either.” Ariel raised her plastic cup. “To An Affair to Remember… and may we each have one.”
Kristy almost spurted out the gulp of wine in her mouth. Struggling to swallow without choking, she managed the feat. “The last thing I want is an affair.”
“Not just any affair—one to remember. And take it from me—that red-haired guy is my choice to give you one.”
“He’s… he’s got baggage, I’m sure.” And likely too much for her to handle.
“Don’t we all? What kind of baggage would be so bad that you would turn down a tumble?”
Kristy shook her head. “Found out he was in Special Forces in the air force. That can’t have been a walk in the park. And for ten years. And now he’s angling to be a policeman. A brutal job where all you see is the underbelly of humanity. And he says his family has forgiven him for not wanting to take on the family ranch, but it seems he’s carrying around a lot of guilt from it.”
“Sounds like he’s human. What is your perfect guy then? No issues, so into you that nothing else matters?”
That was harsh. “You make me sound like I’m narcissistic. It’s just, I’ve got so many issues of my own that I’m not sure I have any bandwidth left for someone else’s. At least not at this moment.”
“Dean the Weasel hurt you that much? You really didn’t know what was going on?”
Ariel had coined the “Dean the Weasel” moniker after Kristy had broken up with him. It certainly fit.
Kristy sipped the wine. “Nope. Of course, after I found out, all those little things that had been niggling away at me made sense. But when you’re in love, or think you’re in love, if there is any doubt, you brush that doubt away and deny that things aren’t perfect.”
“I wouldn’t know. Sadly, I’ve never been in love. They say, better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” Ariel raised her glass and took a long sip.
“I don’t know if that’s true. I’m so leery now of opening myself up to loving anyone again. I mean, how can I trust anyone? Especially now that I realize Dean was going through the motions because he wanted my father’s help, not because of me.”
“I don’t think it was just for your father’s help, but maybe you have to find someone who wouldn’t need your father’s help at all.”
“And wouldn’t that let Rusty out? He’s going to be a cop, so who knows where that will lead. Maybe he’ll want to be in the state police. Or on the governor’s detail.”
“Or just a cop in Gillette, his home base.”
Kristy shrugged. “Regardless. I’ve barely had enough energy to move, much less date someone. And it’s only going to get worse.”
“Your call. Looks like I’m going to have a roomie for quite a while, which is a good thing, considering how my own love life has been going.”
Kristy leaned over and gave Ariel a hug. “Looks like we’re stuck with each other, cuz.”
***
From his seat at his sister’s kitchen table, Rusty sipped his coffee as he watched Lexi pace. She clasped a cell phone to her ear, and the only words coming out of her mouth were an occasional yes and no.
“I hope she’s good. We can’t afford a mistake.” Lexi put down the phone and sighed.
“What’s got you all worked up like a hen that’s lost her chicks?”
Lexi slid into the seat beside him. “Cort and I are vice-chairs of the Boots and Bells event, along with the Matthews, who are the chairs. The head of the company we hired, An Affair to Remember, will be out of commission until after the gala. That leaves your friend and the other woman to run the whole thing, because it’s too late to try to bid it out to someone else.”
Rusty sat up at attention. “Kristy’s boss? What happened?”
“Apparently she had a heart attack, and they had to do open-heart surgery. Regardless, it means we are stuck.”
“I’m sure Kristy and Ariel will do a great job. Have you met them yet?”
Lexi nodded. “We met with them the other day, and Marcia, their boss, didn’t show. I thought it was odd, but they said she had an emergency.” Lexi shrugged. “I guess having a heart attack and open-heart surgery qualify as an emergency. What do you know about Kristy?”
“Not too much.” Though he’d like to know more.
Lexi leaned across the table. “Tell me she’s good.”
“The firm did an amazing job with the VA hall for a wedding.”
“That old honky-tonk?” She sniffed. “Well, just cleaning up the place would be an improvement.”
Rusty fished his cell phone out of his pocket. “Let me show you.” He tapped the screen, found the picture he’d taken for just such an occasion, and flashed it before Lexi.
She let out a low whistle. “It looks like a fairy-tale palace. Did Junie do the flowers, because they are stunning?”
“Yup.”
“And you delivered those flowers?”
“Yup.”
Lexi sat back, a gloating smile on her face. “So are you interested in her?”
Interference was his sister’s middle name, but the last thing he wanted was her help.
“She’s too much into her work. Both women are.”
“Well, that’s good for us. She’s pretty.”
“Not too hard to look at.” He couldn’t lie about that.
Lexi gave him the side-eye. “Send me that picture of the room. If the committee sees this, it may keep a lid on some of the anxiety that will surely bubble up when they get news of Marcia Graham’s hospitalization.” Lexi looked him over. “You always encouraged me in my career. Don’t tell me you’ve gone all Cro-Magnon on me and are against career women?”
“She made it very clear that she doesn’t have time for dating. At least with me.” Saying it made it sting all over again.
Lexi raised her eyebrows. “I see. Well, I’m sorry about that. And the other woman? Ariel, I think her name is? She’s cute. Not interested in her?”
He shrugged. No comparison in his book, nice as Ariel was.
She patted his hand. “You’ll find someone. Just keep looking, and when you least expect it…” She waved her hand. “Look what happened to me.”
“I’m not looking for a serious relationship, anyway.”
“Everyone says that, until they find the one.”