"Yeah, I'm good."
"You don't look it."
"I'm yet again realizing what an idiot I've been."
"What happened?"
"Just family stuff."
"Ah, okay." She took the hint and tried to ease out of his grasp, but for some reason he held on.
"I used to think that knowing right from wrong, and black from white, was the only way to live. I thought that if I stuck with those certainties, then I wouldn't go wrong or stray from the right path."
"And there's nothing wrong with that."
"But there is. You end up blinkered, and you hurt people."
She cupped his cheek. "Real bigots never realize that, Blue, so I think you're doing okay. There's nothing wrong with having standards and principles. Where would we be without them?"
He slowly exhaled. "When did you get so sensible?"
"Just lucky, I guess." Her mouth quirked up at the corner. "And about twenty thousand dollars of family therapy during my childhood. I'm very good at handing out advice."
"Do you know what Ruth's idea of family therapy was? Cleaning out the barn together. She had a theory that if she wore us all out, we wouldn't have the energy to fight or be miserable."
"Did it work?"
"Yeah. She and Chase somehow got the rest of us through our childhood. Maybe I need to work harder."
"I can think of one way for you to expend some energy."
"Right here and right now?" He waggled his eyebrows at her. "What was that about being discreet?"
"I meant you could help Chase with setting up the dais, idiot, but I see Ry is already helping him."
He kissed her on the nose. "Come on, I'll introduce you to my little brother. He's the quiet one of the family."
"Well, one of you had to be. He's tall. I can't believe he rode bulls."
"Yeah. I'll need to get a ladder if I want to get in his face."
"Or stand on a chair."
They'd reached his brothers, and he was still holding Jenna's hand.
"Ry. This is Jenna. She's one of the McDonalds."
Jenna smiled. "Nice to meet you."
"What's up?" Ry looked from her to Blue. "You're Dave's sister, right?"
"No, his cousin."
"She's from the prettier side of the family." Blue wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed her tight. "And she's a damn fine vet."
"Nice."
"She's helping us get the horses ready for the guest ranch," Chase chimed in as he finished haphazardly banging in a nail Blue was fairly certain he was going to have to replace if he didn't want the dais to collapse.
"Cool."
As they walked away, Jenna looked up at Blue. "You're right, he doesn't say much. I like him already, and he has such pretty eyes. They're almost as golden as his hair."
"Hmmph." Blue considered his younger brother. "I hadn't noticed."
"Don't worry, all the women will."
"Yeah, but five seconds of conversation with him, and they'll all be running for the hills."
Jenna cast a speculative glance back at Ry over her shoulder. "I dunno about that. Sometimes you don't want them to talk much."
"Jenna McDonald . . ."
She grinned at Blue and backed away. "Just kidding. Gotta go help January before she has a meltdown."
Blue slowly shook his head. Every time he was with her, she surprised him. It was like watching a tight flower bud unfurl into something glorious. He almost laughed at himself. Where had that come from? He sounded all romantic and shit. But he'd never had such strong feelings for anyone before in his life.
Ruth was beckoning imperiously and he knew better than to ignore her. There were lights to string around the trees and a parking lot to organize. Hopefully, after that he'd be able to get a shower and change into something clean. There was only an hour before the official start of the party, so he'd better get a move on.
* * *
"Do I look okay?"
Jenna turned from adding another layer of mascara to find January right behind her.
"You look beautiful."
January worried at her lip. "Really? Because I want to look nice for Chase and I'm not used to wearing expensive clothing, and I'm worried I look like an imposter."
"Yvonne helped you choose this dress, right?"
"Yes."
"And is she ever wrong about anything concerning clothes?"
"No."
"Which is why you can be sure you look beautiful," Jenna said firmly. "And Chase wouldn't notice if you turned up in a feed sack. He's totally in love with you."
January finally smiled. "He is, isn't he? God knows why."
"Because you are awesome." Jenna patted January's shoulder. "Believe."
"It's hard sometimes because Kevin-"
"Kevin was and continues to be a first-class douche."
"True." January nodded. "Thanks for reminding me." She sat down at the vanity and smoothed moisturizer on her face. "You look great, too."
"Oh, this old thing." Jenna was wearing her favorite green dress. Blue had already seen it twice, but she didn't have the funds or the time to go shopping, and Yvonne wouldn't let her go on her own.
She took out her cell to check the time, as she had been given the responsibility of getting January to the party, and noticed a screen full of messages.
"Wow, Chase set up five-minute alerts to keep me on track."
"He would. The big nerd."
Jenna's smile died as she scrolled past Chase's texts to another set she'd missed while she was busy setting up the party.
"Oh dear God, no," Jenna breathed.
"What?" January swiveled around in her seat. "Is something wrong? Has Kevin turned up?"
"No, you're good . . . it's just that . . ." Jenna could barely form words. "My parents gave my sister my address, and apparently she's passing through, and . . ."
"Cool! You can invite her to the party." January paused. "Or tell her you have the plague, whatever works best for you."
"She knows about the party." Jenna sucked in a breath. "She's asking whether you'd mind if she and her boyfriend dropped by."
"If you don't want her here, I can always say no, and you can blame the bridezilla." January fixed her gaze on Jenna. "Is she a problem?"
"No, she's . . . gorgeous and successful, and self-confident, and I usually need a week to prepare myself to deal with her, you know? She's very fond of me and wants me to be happy, but she doesn't see any way but her way."
"Sounds a bit like the Morgans."
"I suppose she is." Jenna sat on the edge of the bed. "I'll have to see her. If I don't, she'll get worried and report back to Mom, and then my parents will come up here to see if I'm really okay and . . ." She waved her hand around in a spiraling gesture. "All hell will break loose."
"Then tell her she's welcome."
Jenna tapped in a reply, pressed Send, and held her breath.
"She's coming, She'll be here around six thirty."
* * *
Blue took a moment to walk around the perimeter of the parking lot and make sure the two Hayes boys he'd hired to direct traffic knew what they were doing. He had no doubt they'd do a good job. They were almost professionals after the spring branding season and their stints working the Morgantown festival. And he was paying them, which sometimes their parents didn't.
Looking back at the soft lights decorating the California oaks that reflected on the water in the creek made him smile. It was one hell of a place to hold a party. He must ask Chase and January if they'd decided to do weddings at the new guest ranch. He'd bet they'd make a killing.
It was good to be home, and these quiet moments before all the guests descended on the place were extra special. Being able to share this evening with his brothers, his grandma, and Maria made him more thankful than he could ever have imagined. And then there was Jenna. The frosting on his particular cake, the unexpected missing part of him that made sense of everything he was.
Bad timing-what with leaving the Marines, finding out he had a daughter, and starting a whole new adventure with the family ranch-but too good to let go. The roar of a V8 engine punctured the silence, and the familiar blue of Chase's massive truck turned into the parking area and drew up almost beside him.
Chase got out followed by Ry, who appeared to have exchanged one faded T-shirt for another one and possibly washed his hair in preparation for the event.
"Hey," Ry acknowledged him and then turned to open the door to help Ruth out. She was wearing a dress that he thought he recognized from his going-to-church days as a kid.
"Where's January?" Blue asked as Ruth started handing him stuff out of the truck and issuing orders nineteen to the dozen.
"She's coming with Jenna."
Chase's usual relaxed expression was absent as they walked toward the dais.
"You worried she won't turn up?" Blue teased.
"Yeah."
"It's not your wedding day." Blue punched his arm. "Dude, she loves you, anyone can see that."