Hitched(13)

Cassie laughs. “How did he propose?”

“Was it magical?” Olivia asks, her words practically sparkling in the sunshine.

“I would say I can’t believe you’re mucking stalls on your wedding day,” Cassie adds. “But of course you are.”

“We can’t wait to throw you a reception.” The baby squirms in the sling between us, and Olivia pulls back to coo at her. “We all want to celebrate their joy. Don’t we, darling girl? Yes, we do.”

Cassie stares at me expectantly, her big blue eyes warm and excited. “I heard you were sitting on the courthouse steps in a wedding dress and there were dandelions involved and then Blake showed up. That’s all the gossip I’ve managed to score so far, so spill it, woman!”

“Well, I…” I shrug, wheels frantically turning, but no explanation pops to mind, so I stall. “I’ve always loved dandelions. They were originally called lion’s tooth because they’re so tough they can grow almost anywhere. They thrive even when people do their best to weed them out. That always spoke to me, so I decided when I was twelve that they were the flower for me.”

I do love dandelions. But even at twelve, I knew marriage wasn’t in my genes.

Olivia nods while this year’s batch of baby goats bleat in excitement in their pen behind me, knowing it’s getting close to pasture frolic time. “That’s lovely. And just like a dandelion, you and Blake are ready to thrive together.”

I wince, but thankfully neither of them notices.

“But why didn’t you tell us you were finally seeing each other?” Cassie asks. “You know we can keep secrets, right? Even Baby Clover Dawn.”

Olivia nods seriously and cradles the infant through the sling. “She’s very good at secrets. And she will continue to be. Secret-keeper is written all over her star chart.”

“Well, I… Um, I…” I trail off, uncertain what to say next, and turn to check on the goats instead. Because goats are simple and uncomplicated and everything I need right now.

“Hope?” Cassie says gently. “This is a good thing, isn’t it? You and Blake?”

“Of course. I’m just nervous because no one in my family has ever done marriage right,” I blurt. “So I’m probably going to screw it all up.”

“There’s no one right formula for marriage,” Cassie tells me gently.

“It’s true,” Olivia agrees. “Every relationship is unique.”

“But my ancestors were trying to poison each other with mutual marital animosity on their way over on the Mayflower,” I say. “A trend the St. Claires of recent generations have totally embraced. I have literally never seen a healthy relationship up close.”

Cassie’s lips part, but before she can speak the dogs start barking outside, a warning chorus that makes it clear whoever’s approaching isn’t a friend. But it’s not a stranger, either. The Stranger Danger bark is deeper, sharper.

I excuse myself, moving out of the barn in time to see my cousin picking his way across the lawn in his three-hundred-dollar loafers, the expression on his face making it obvious that he’s revolted by mud, grass, animals, and the possibility of stepping in something natural an animal might have left behind.

This might be the first time those shoes have made contact with anything that wasn’t plush carpet, wide-plank wood, or their shrine in Kyle’s closet.

Instantly, I break out in an even more intense sweat while I cross the short distance to where the dogs have gathered at the fence line. “Shh. It’s okay, Buddy. Good girl, Sunshine. I’ve got him, Rambo. Good dogs.”

But I’m pretty sure he has me, not the other way around.

Plus, I have to get Olivia and Cassie out of here before Kyle throws more doubt on my state of wedded bliss. I can’t bear to explain to my friends what a failure I’m going to be in the marriage department. Especially since they’re related by marriage to my fake husband.

I duck my head back into the goat barn. “Ugh. Kyle’s coming. You guys should dash. Clover doesn’t need to breathe in his bad aura.”

They both pull faces—even Olivia, who hastily says, “But maybe she could improve the balance of his heart chakra.”

“No, really—I don’t want to bring you guys down with his grouchy snootiness.”

“You’re sure you don’t want us to stay for backup?” Cassie asks. “I’m not afraid of jerks, you know.”

“Neither are we,” Olivia says. “Clover seems to like them, actually. Grouchy people make her giggle.” Clover burbles and flashes a gummy grin my way, as if to assure me that she can handle my craptastic cousin.

I smile, because she’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen without fur and four legs. “No, you guys make a run for it. He’s probably here on family business we should discuss privately. And the sooner we start, the sooner he’ll leave.”

“All right, but call me later,” Cassie says, scooting toward the back door. “I’ve got your back, sister. I’ll share all my top-secret tips to a happy marriage with an O’Dell man and you’ll feel ready to rock the newlywed thing in no time.”

“Me too. And trust the universe. This was written in the stars and the stars don’t lie,” Olivia says, following Cassie out the back with one last wiggle of her fingers.