“I do…”
“You said you wanted to get married at the ranch with all of us around you. You wanted…”
“Sweet Williams, Buttercups, and Black-eyed Susans,” she whispers, naming the wildflowers that she wanted in her bouquet.
“And you wanted to ride off into the sunset on the back of your palomino with a man who would love you as much as you loved him. You said you wanted someone who wouldn’t see any other woman but you in a crowded room.”
“Well, that can’t happen. I don’t have a horse anymore and Tommy is not the type to ride one regardless. It was just a silly dream, White.”
“It was what you wanted. You deserve that wedding, Kayla. Let me help you have it.”
“You mean have my wedding at your mom’s house?”
“Why not?”
“Well, I mean Tommy’s family… and, well, Green hates Tommy.”
“But he is marrying you, honey. If he cares about you, he will make it work,” I tell her, knowing fucking well the bastard won’t.
“You really think it would be okay?”
“It would be more than okay.” Yeah, I’m probably skating major asshole-ism.
“Shouldn’t I talk to Ida Sue?”
“I already have.”
“Why would you do that, White?”
“Because I want you to be happy and I know in my heart that unless you get the wedding of your dreams, you won’t be.”
“Tommy won’t be happy.” Despite her words, I see the excitement in her eyes. She wants this.
“He’s marrying you. He’s getting a dream right there, honey. He should give you yours,” I tell her, letting my fingers brush the loose hair from her face. “You know this is what you really want.”
“It really is,” she agrees. I watch as her lips spread into a smile and those brown eyes heat up with happiness. Kayla is beautiful. I guess I’ve always known, but I’ve never taken the time to notice before. She’s sweet, too, and she doesn’t have a conniving bone in her body. Like right now, she’s staring at me like I’ve captured the moon for her. It’s almost as if she thinks I can do anything, make anything possible. A man could get addicted to a look like that…
“Then let’s do it. Let’s have our wedding at Mom’s.”
Her body tenses up, “Ours?” she questions.
“I mean yours,” I tell her, feeling stupid. All this wedding and family talk is obviously getting to me a little too much. I should go out with the boys tonight since I’m back in Dallas. I haven’t even told anyone I’m back. I’ve been too intent on trying to stop this wedding.
“I’ll talk to Tommy tonight about it,” Kayla says, but I can hear the doubt in her voice.
“Don’t back down, Kayla. You deserve this,” I encourage her and fuck, I almost wince as I say it. It’s official. I am an asshole.
CHAPTER 7
KAYLA
“Absolutely not.”
“Tommy, you’re not being reasonable.”
“I am not having my wedding to my new wife at the home of Cynthia’s ex.”
“They’re my family.”
“They are not. Not really. Any of those places on the list I gave you were beautiful spots to have a wedding, Kayla. I will not agree to have a wedding at Green’s parent’s home. No way.”
“They are the only real family I’ve ever had and I love them. I want them there and I want the wedding at their house.”
“I said no.”
“Just like that? You don’t even want to consider it? Even knowing how important it is to me?”
“Quit being melodramatic, Kayla.”
His words are like a slap in the face. Melodramatic?
“I don’t think I’m being melodramatic at all. I only plan on getting married once, Tommy.”
“I know that. I didn’t mean to imply otherwise,” he starts, but I cut him off.
“And I’ve always wanted a wedding on the Lucas farm. It’s where my favorite memories are. It’s where I finally felt part of a family. It’s important to me.” I finally think I’m getting through because Tommy listens to me and then he pulls me close. Immediately, I feel guilty because with Tommy, there’s none of the heat or excitement that happens like when White does the same thing. There’s no breath that lodges in my throat, no quickening heartbeat. There’s just nothing, and the fear that I’ve chosen wrong and made a mistake settles once again deep inside of me.
“Kayla, you have to let the past go. We’re going to make our own memories and those memories will have nothing to do with the Lucas family. They will involve only you and me and the family we will have around us,” he says while looking at me, and it’s strange. His eyes are the same color as White’s, but they don’t hold the same intensity. They’re cool, not warm.
“Your family hates me.”
“They don’t know you.”
“They don’t want to. And I don’t want Cynthia to be at our wedding.”
His face goes grim at my words, his jawline tightening, and I can see the disapproval that washes over him.