Spurs 'n Surrender (Operation Cowboy Book 2)(59)
Across from him Boyd and Garrett were having a low discussion. Wydell strained to hear, his alarm bells ringing. But soon the whispers turned to laughter, and he knew all was well. His friends were all fighters too. Even if they were battling their own demons, they’d come through the fires as he did.
“Wydell, I’d like to discuss a business plan with you.”
He looked around to Anya’s father, who’d asked Wydell to call him Clark. “Sure.”
“It seems this town just needs a small boost to get it back on its feet. The camaraderie and the heart here aren’t weeds to be snuffed out without water. You’re hardy.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You and Anya have a great thing going with the vacation homes. She spoke with Marty about handling the real estate marketing and selling. But people will need certain conveniences. A grocery store, even a small one. A gas station.”
“And a medical clinic,” Anya piped up, leaning across Wydell to speak to her father. “If we’d had one here, maybe something could have been done for Danica.”
“So let’s do it.” Clark’s tone roused excitement in Wydell.
“It’s not a project I can take on myself.”
“Of course not, especially since you’ll be busy with your own house. I’ll provide enough funds for you to hire crews. I’ll start an account for you both as soon as I get home.”
Anya jumped into Wydell’s lap in order to hug her father. Several people laughed at that, but Wydell wasn’t laughing. With her sweet, round ass in his lap, he was instantly hard. And seated beside Clark, there was no way he’d get away with fingering her beneath the table. Not that she’d ever remain quiet.
With a supreme amount of willpower, he gently set her back in her seat. The only satisfaction to be had at this moment was that she was a little breathless and flushed.
As Pastor Kent stood to deliver a blessing, a truck engine made them all look toward the road. Wydell’s heart flexed as he spotted Brodie’s vehicle. The Bells were rising above their fresh loss and taking part in the celebrations.
They were all where they belonged.
Epilogue
“I don’t know how you got through this stage, Danica.” Anya’s voice echoed from the inside of the toilet bowl. Her wedding gown was hitched around her knees, held there by her maid of honor. Together, they barely fit inside the bathroom stall of the brand new church. Especially with Danica’s enormous belly.
“It’s twice as bad with twins,” Danica said cheerfully. “Maybe you’re having twins too.”
“Don’t even joke about it. Instead of exchanging vows, I’m going to be telling Wydell he’s sleeping in the barn from now on so he can’t knock me up again.” Who could have guessed that his swimmers were stronger than her birth control pills? Another full-body heave emptied her stomach of the few crackers she’d eaten earlier.
Danica’s soft laugh didn’t improve Anya’s mood any. But the cool cloth on the back of her sticky neck did. She sighed. “That has to be my momma’s doing.”
“I’m here, love. What a terrible time for morning sickness. Are you sure this isn’t pre-wedding jitters?”
“Totally sure,” Anya said, though her weakened voice didn’t sound as convincing as she’d hoped. But when she thought of her hunky man out there in a dress blues waiting for her, her stomach hatched butterflies of another sort.
She was going to be his wife. The mother of his child. Tonight, after a huge reception with the whole town of Los Vista, which had now doubled in population, Wydell would carry her across the threshold of their very own home.
And lay her on their king-sized bed and make love to her.
Her hormonal body did a wild swing from nauseated to aroused. God, she’d have to ask Danica if this was normal. No way would she talk to her mother about it.
She pushed away from the toilet and managed to get to her feet. Her gown cascaded around her thighs and fell to her feet.
“Not even wrinkled. You still look lovely. Here, rinse your mouth.” Her mother handed her a bottle of water. Anya rinsed and spit into the sink. After washing her hands and patting the perspiration off her forehead, she looked at her mother and best friend. “I’m ready.”
“You are,” Danica said, glowing in a navy blue sheath dress that managed to hug her baby bump and make her look as if she’d just walked off the red carpet. “Here, suck on this mint.” Danica pushed one into her hand. “They got me through the worst of the nausea.”
The faint strains of the opening wedding songs trickled into the bathroom.
“Oh no. Now the wedding jitters are hitting.” She felt like running back into the stall.
“Anya, you are lovely and there is a beautiful and good man waiting out there for you. Now straighten your shoulders and walk out there like the pageant queen you are.” Her mother’s eyes danced with mirth, having heard the stories about how Wydell had believed her to be a stuck-up prima donna.
In a whirlwind she would hardly remember later, Anya walked proudly to the head of the long aisle running the length of the new church. The oak pews on either side were stuffed with the growing residents of Los Vista and friends and family.
Anya’s gaze hit her man’s. Even from thirty paces away, energy crackled between them. She flexed her fingers around the bouquet she couldn’t recall picking up, feeling as if she’d touched the new electric fence on their property for their small cattle herd.