The Wedding Crasher and the Cowboy Read online

  Impossible. He still saw her occasionally in his thoughts, even after all these years. “I hope you brought some appropriate footwear,” he countered, falling in step beside her. He didn’t want her to trip and dirty those nice white pants. Yeah, you do, the devil on his shoulder said.

  “Don’t worry about what I did or didn’t bring with me.”

  “I give consideration to every guest who stays on this property.” Technically, guest relations fell to his older brother Cole and sister-in-law Bethany, but Kennedy didn’t need to know that.

  “Isn’t there a mule you need to see to?” she huffed out.

  Eventually. Not while he had Kennedy exasperated. Which got him thinking further… “Jeans and cowboy boots don’t seem like your style.”

  “You know nothing about my style.”

  He knew something. In college, Mondays were black pencil skirts and heels, like she had a corporate job to go to after class. Fridays were casual pants and heels. On the occasion he ran into her over the weekend, she’d wear a flowery dress and heels. Not that he ever took notice of those things…much.

  “I know the wedding we have scheduled this week is the reason you’re here.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  “Okay, I suspect that’s the reason, given what I overheard.”

  She stopped dead in her high-heeled tracks. Pushed her shoulders back like that might gift her a few inches in stature. Nice try, but nope. She still came eye level to his chest. “It’s very rude to eavesdrop.”

  “Is it eavesdropping if I’m standing in clear view a few feet away?”

  “What exactly did you overhear?”

  “You know the groom and…” He studied her pretty face. “You’re worried he’s making a mistake.”

  Her lips parted in surprise, her head tilting a few degrees to the left. A couple of seconds of silence ticked by before she said, “Please disregard everything you heard.”

  Something in her tone had him heeding her dismissal instead. “I can’t do that.”

  “You mean you won’t.”

  He ran a hand through his hair. He didn’t want any trouble, and he was certain he was looking at it. She hadn’t been invited to the wedding, yet here she stood. She and Reed obviously had history. The kind of history to warrant questionable, albeit compassionate behavior. She cared about people, always had, but what were her motives here?

  Maverick should just walk away. Take her suggestion and forget they’d ever crossed paths. The problem was, the ranch had a reputation to uphold. Weddings were a lucrative business, and his family prided themselves on top-notch service that delivered on the happily ever after.

  Kennedy looked up at the trees, down at the blades of grass, past the inn toward the ocean. He wondered what she saw as she looked around. The ranch had been in his family for over one hundred years. Three generations of blood, sweat, and tears to make it a multi-award-winning inn in the heart of the “happiest seaside and mountain town in California.”

  The people who came revered the rural setting like they’d found a slice of heaven.

  “I mean we can’t afford to have any drama,” he said.

  She held his gaze with confidence. “You won’t. I…”

  “Promise?”

  Contemplating her response before speaking again, she said, “Remember that time in college when we had a PowerPoint presentation for Professor Banks and I crashed your group because mine wasn’t taking it seriously, and I promised to play nice?”

  He nodded. He remembered everything about their interactions.

  She smiled up at him. “This is like that.” Meaning she’d try to abide by his rules.

  “You do remember I watched you like a hawk.”

  Her face scrunched into a skeptical expression. “You did?”

  “Of course I did. I didn’t trust you for a second.”

  She waved away his opinion. “There’s no reason not to trust me now. You keep doing your ranch thing, and Andrew and I will do the wedding thing.”

  “And never the two shall meet?”

  “Exactly.”

  He did prefer to keep his distance. And it really wasn’t any of his business how she knew Reed. But it all came back to the inn’s professional standing. “There’s one main problem with that.”

  “Which is?”

  “The two are intertwined. I can look away, but if I catch you doing something unforgivable, we’ll have a problem.”

  “You won’t catch me,” she said with a small grin.

  Maverick inwardly groaned. His wedding crasher had just issued a challenge whether she realized it or not. One he found impossible to ignore.

  Three years ago…

  Dear Nicole,

  At night I fall into bed and imagine you’re still here with me. That if I just turn my head, I’ll find you on the pillow next to mine, looking at me with love in your eyes before you drift off to sleep. It always amazed me how quickly you could fall asleep. Two seconds after your head hit the pillow, you’d be out.

  I never told you this, but I’d often just watch you sleep, feeling so lucky to be the man in bed with you. I miss that so damn much.

  It still doesn’t seem real that you’re gone. It’s been a month and I’ve picked up my phone to text you every day. I keep expecting you to walk through the door with takeout. Yesterday, I swear I heard your voice in the kitchen, humming your favorite song while you made coffee. There’s so much heaviness in my heart it’s crushing, and I don’t think it will ever go away.

  Miss you like crazy,

  Maverick

  Chapter Five

  Six days until the wedding

  Kennedy fell onto one of the two queen-size beds in room number six. “That man is the worst,” she complained to Andrew. “He thinks he knows everything, and okay, in this case, he knows we’re crashing the wedding, but as long as we behave, he claims he won’t say anything.”

  “What do you mean by ‘behave’?” Andrew asked, lying on his bed, a guilty edge to his voice.

  She blew a strand of hair off her face. “Please tell me I don’t have anything to worry about.”

  He turned to his side to face her. “You don’t have anything to worry about.”

  “Andrew.”

  “Okay, don’t be mad, but I used my Australian accent when I met the man of honor and I might have told him I was Chris Hemsworth’s stunt double.”

  “I knew it!” She threw one of the pillows on the bed at him. “I knew you’d decided to get into some character when you came back looking like you’d won an Academy Award.”

  “Sorry,” he said sincerely. “The accent just came out so I went with it. And like I said, Liam made me feel something. This is the perfect opportunity to hone my improv skills and get over Joaquin at the same time.”

  “Where does this leave us with Maverick? If he hears you using an accent…”

  “He won’t. I’ve got this. But speaking of Maverick, holy mother of cowboys, did he always look that good?”

  She buried her face in the covers. “I don’t want to talk about him,” she mumbled.

  “What?”

  “Let’s not talk about him,” she voiced, rolling onto her back.

  “Okay, let’s talk about tonight, then. The wedding party is meeting at a bar in town called Sutter’s, and I thought we could crash it.”

  “Andrew. You don’t seem to understand the concept of talking to Reed in private. I don’t want to upset him or his fiancée. We can’t crash something like that.”

  “He and Elle won’t be there. I heard Liam say they’re having a romantic dinner alone, so we’re free and clear. It’s a good opportunity to get some intel on their relationship, though, don’t you think?”

  “I think you want to see Liam again.”

  “That too.”

/>   “I don’t know.” She laid her hand over her pounding heart. Once again, cool as a cucumber in an ER, but at a country inn where everyone suddenly knew everyone, she couldn’t seem to keep her pulse in check.

  “Come on, I’ve got your back. You know that.”

  “I know, and thank you.” Her breathing slowed. “Do I have to use an Australian accent, too?”

  “I haven’t worked that bit out yet, but…maybe.”

  “Then there’s no way I can go. I could milk a cow before I could speak with an accent.”

  “Look at you,” he said with enthusiasm, “embracing this ranch crashing like a champ.”

  She waved him off with an exasperated pfftt.

  “You can do anything you set your mind to, you know that, but I understand. This is all on me.”

  “Not all. I did drag you here.”

  “Not even close. I’m happy to be here, and to help make things easier for you, I’ll be your caffeine and doughnut dealer every morning.”

  “You’re the best.”

  “I know.” He grinned. “Do you mind if I go tonight?” His sweet tone combined with his puppy dog eyes made it impossible to say no. Not that she would anyway.

  “Of course not. I want you to enjoy yourself.”

  He bounced off the bed. “You’re the best, too. Love you.” He kissed her cheek. “I’m going to take a shower and then head out.”

  At the sound of running water, Kennedy sat up to call Ava. “Hey,” she said to her sister.

  “Hi! Did you get there safe and sound?”

  “We did. How was your day?”

  “Good. I finished my term paper so yay!”

  “Congrats. So, there’s been a change in plans and Andrew and I are staying for the week.” She went on to explain the situation.

  Ava laughed. “Yesterday you did an interview without wearing pants, and today you’re crashing a wedding. I’m a little worried about tomorrow.”

  In all honesty, so was she. “I’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, would you mind feeding Mrs. White’s fish? I told her I’d do it while she was visiting her grandson. Her key is on the hook in the kitchen. She said the food is next to the fishbowl and to drop in only two tiny flakes a day.”

  “No problem.”

  “Thanks. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  “Okay. Love you.”

  “Love you, too.” Kennedy placed her phone on the nightstand, then walked to the single French door. The ground-level room, decorated in classic country blue and white, included antique furniture and plush rugs on the hardwood floor. She opened the door and stepped onto a private patio overlooking a garden. A woman in her early to mid-twenties with garden shears in her hands worked among the rose bushes.

  “Hi!” the woman said.

  “Hi.” Kennedy gave a short wave. The small gate to her left stood open, so she ventured out for a closer look at the garden. Rows and rows of flowers formed a circle around a large three-tiered fountain. She took a deep breath in through her nose, enjoying the floral scent.

  “It’s beautiful here,” Kennedy said to the woman.

  “Thank you. I’m Nova Owens. It’s nice to meet you.” She dropped her shears and slipped off her heavy-duty gardening glove for a handshake.

  “Nice to meet you, too.” Kennedy knew nothing about Maverick’s family, but this was obviously his sister, given the last name and startling blue eyes like her brother’s. It seemed weird to think she’d spent four years at college with the man, and the only personal information she knew about him was that he came from a ranch in a small town. Wait. She also knew he loved animals. While they were both premed, he’d had plans to go to veterinary school. Had he done that?

  “Are you here for the wedding?”

  “Y-Yes.” Get a grip. She was here for the wedding. Or at least the days leading up to the wedding.

  “Well, I hope you enjoy your stay, and if there’s anything I can do, please let me know. The garden is my specialty, but I’m good for suggesting places to see, restaurants to check out, and getting you acquainted with the ranch and all its offerings.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks.”

  Nova slipped her glove back on and took a step back. She immediately teetered, then hissed as if in pain. Kennedy looked down. Nova had stepped on the gardening shears with her bare foot, the long, sharp tip of the tool poking through the top of her foot at an angle. Nova fell onto her bottom and pulled her foot free before Kennedy could give a warning to wait. She winced in sympathy for Nova and glanced down at her high heels, feeling a ghost of sharpness in her foot. Most puncture wounds to that part of the body didn’t cause much bleeding, but if an artery was nicked…

  Blood spilled out of the gash as Nova wrapped her arms around herself. “Ow, ow, ow,” she cried in pain.

  Kennedy dropped to her knees. “Can I help?” she asked. “If you were going to do this in front of anyone, you picked the right person. I’m a doctor.”

  “Please,” she said through a wince. Tears spilled down her cheeks. “I can’t believe I did that. My mom is going to kill me. She’s always telling me to put shoes on and I never listen.”

  “Can I have the bandanna in your hair?” Kennedy didn’t wait for an answer. She quickly slipped it free from Nova’s head. First things first; she had to stop the bleeding.

  She tied the bandanna around Nova’s foot and applied pressure. “I’m sorry if this is uncomfortable.”

  “It’s okay.” Clearly it wasn’t, though, as Nova sucked in her bottom lip and the color drained from her face.

  “If I can get the bleeding to stop, we’ll take a look at it. If not, we’re going to have to inspect it after we get you to the ER.”

  “The closest ER is thirty minutes away, but Dr. Choi can help. His office is in town.”

  “Okay, good.” Kennedy glanced at the shears. They were dirty, slightly rusted. Not good. “Have you had a tetanus shot in the last few years?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t think so, though.” She brought up the knee on her injury-free leg and squeezed her arms around her shin.

  “No worries. I’m sure Dr. Choi can give you one. Tell me about him.” In Kennedy’s experience, if she could keep a patient’s mind off their injury, the easier it was to treat them.

  “He’s been the town’s doctor since before I was born. He does it all, and everyone loves him. He’s also going to yell at me for not wearing shoes so if it’s possible to keep that part between us, I’d be grateful.”

  “I’ll do the best I can.”

  “Everyone in town likes to be up in his business, too, so no doubt they’ll all know about my stupidity if we head to his office.”

  “I wouldn’t call it stupidity, not at all. Accidents happen. Besides, I think this is partly my fault. I distracted you and you put the shears down. If I hadn’t done that, you’d still be pruning away.” Blood soaked through the bandanna, the wetness reaching Kennedy’s palm. The direct pressure seemed to be doing very little.

  “Thanks,” Nova said softly.

  “Unfortunately, the bleeding isn’t stopping, Nova. And with the brief glance I got, the wound looked deep. The shears aren’t clean, either, and that combination can lead to infection, so we need to get you to the doctor’s office where they’ve got the proper medical supplies. Think you can stand if I help?”

  “What if Doc Choi came here?” She took off her gloves, then lifted her bottom and pulled a phone from the back pocket of her cutoff shorts. “Please? I really don’t want to move.”

  Kennedy nodded, applied a bit more pressure.

  Nova made the call, and luck sided with them: Dr. Choi said he could be there in five minutes.

  “Can you hold this for a minute?” Kennedy asked, nodding at the soaked bandanna. “I’m going to go grab a washcloth inside the room.” She wiped her hands
down her pants, then pressed on the back of Nova’s hands so she’d know how much pressure to apply.

  Not thirty seconds later, she returned and took over, placing the washcloth on top of the bandanna. “Thank you,” she told Nova. “You did fantastic. When Dr. Choi gets here, we’ll have you fixed up in no time.”

  “This is the last thing I need with a wedding here this week. I’ve got so much to do and a florist to coordinate with and”—she let out a defeated sigh—“the timing really sucks.”

  “Your foot is going to be tender and sore for a few weeks, but we’ll get you up and walking around by tomorrow, okay?”

  “Promise?”

  “Yes.” She pictured Nova in a medical walking shoe for several days, and if Kennedy had to drive to the nearest city to get one herself, she would.

  After a few minutes of quiet camaraderie, Doc Choi arrived with a large black medical bag in his hand. “Good afternoon, ladies. What have we got here?” His kind, optimistic voice and aura of compassion immediately made Kennedy feel at ease. She imagined he’d seen just about everything if he was the only doctor in a twenty-mile radius.

  Kennedy introduced herself and filled him in. Once they got the bleeding to stop, Kennedy grabbed the nearby hose so they could rinse the wound until it appeared dirt free.

  “What do you think, Dr. Martin?” Doc asked.

  Grateful for the question, she didn’t hesitate. “The cut is deeper than a quarter of an inch and the lateral plantar nerve is visible, so stitches are required.”

  “Agreed. Would you like the honors?” He opened his bag of medical tricks.

  “I would.”

  She donned sterile gloves and got to work, cleaning the wound with Hibiclens, placing sterile drapes around Nova’s foot and ankle, numbing the site with lidocaine, and sharing every step aloud with Nova. Kennedy zoned in on the task at hand, so in tune to Nova’s comfort level that when she lifted her head after the last suture, she was surprised to see they had an audience.

  “My family,” Nova said, affection so apparent, it made Kennedy’s chest warm.