“Ah . . . beg your pardon, Robbie?” Jake asked. “You haven’t?” And proceeded to tell, above Robin’s objections, how their first face-to-face meeting occurred. In jail.
“Long story,” Rebecca said to Matt’s curious look.
“You have no idea how long,” Jake said, laughing.
When Matt finally said he had to leave, Rebecca followed him outside. “Great night,” he said, opening his car door. “I really like Robin a lot. She’s . . . well, she’s . . .”
“I know,” Rebecca assured him. “Don’t try and explain it. You’ll never think of the right word, trust me.”
Matt leaned over, kissed her good night. “Get some sleep. I know you are in knots about this deal, but everything’s going to be fine.”
She watched him drive away, walked back into the house where Robin was waiting for her. “He’s the one,” her sister said flatly. “And before you give me some song and dance, you better say yes, because he’s perfect for you! I adore him! And he’s smart, and funny, and he’s so laid back—”
“All right,” Rebecca said, laughing. “I will admit that he’s definitely the top contender for the rest of my life. There’s just one little thing.”
“What? Robin demanded.
“Dad,” Rebecca said, pushing her sister toward the kitchen. “He hasn’t met Dad yet.”
“Oooh,” Robin said, and sadly shook her head. “Jesus, I hope he doesn’t dump you. Where is Dad, anyway?”
“In town,” Rebecca said with a roll of her eyes. “He said he was getting in too late to come all the way out here, and said he wouldn’t come out tomorrow, either, because he doesn’t want to be stuck and have to stay all night.” She sighed loudly. “I think he’s really looking forward to this!” she said in a sarcastically sing-song voice.
“Consider yourself lucky,” Robin said. “You won’t have him in your hair all day.”
It turned out that Robin was right; the next day was too wild to have tried to fit Dad in—there were so many last minute details to attend, so many sudden cancellations and sudden requests for tickets.
Rebecca made a run out to the ranch, went over everything one last time with Harold, who had proven to be the best stage manager in the western hemisphere. “Efficiency is my middle name,” he’d once told her in all seriousness. He was also terribly excited to be part of the event, and when they began to set up tables, he told Rebecca to go home. “I’ve got it under control, Ms. Lear,” he said firmly, turning her about and, hands on her shoulders, marching her toward the parking lot. “You just come back as your divine self, and your stage will be ready.”
Rebecca couldn’t argue—she barely had time as it was to get home and change. It seemed like one moment she was feeding the dogs in the early morning, and the next, she was getting dressed for the night and a stellar event for a man she couldn’t vote for.
Rebecca dressed carefully; she chose a pale turquoise silk chiffon dress, with a deep, draping neckline and beaded shoulder straps. It hugged her figure, then flared at the hips into a full skirt that swung above her knees over an underskirt of magenta. She wore Stuart Weitzman pumps that were the exact match of turquoise and aquamarine and diamond drop earrings and matching pendant necklace that rested at her throat.
Robin helped her put up her hair in a chignon, which she held in place with two diamond-studded pins. “Oh my . . . you look gorgeous, Rebecca,” Robin said as she stepped back to admire her, a look of awe on her face. “God, you still piss me off after all these years!”
“How so?”
“Because,” Robin said, smiling as she checked her reflection in the mirror, “you were always so much prettier than me and Rachel, and all the boys drooled over you—”
“Honestly, Robbie. You were the one who went through them by the dozens.”
“Yeah, because I found out all of them really wanted to be with my little sister.”
Rebecca laughed. Robin had a vivid imagination.
They finished primping and went to meet the guys, who were waiting for them in the great room, both dressed in Texas formal per the invitation. Jake looked very dapper in his tuxedo coat and cummerbund over Wranglers and black boots. But Matt looked even better in his tails and formal waistcoat over a pair of Levi’s and boots.
As Robin and Rebecca walked into the room, Jake let out a low whistle for Robin, but Matt seemed to have trouble rising to his feet. He couldn’t take his eyes off Rebecca and stood there speechless for so long that she felt herself begin to color.
“Matt, say something,” Robin urged him, voicing Rebecca’s thoughts out loud.