A Cadence Creek Christmas (Cadence Creek Cowboys) by Donna Alward Page A

going to ask her when she was going to do her duty and provide some more grandchildren. Her father’s opinions were clear enough and pretty much paralleled with what John’s had been. Personal and professional failure. And if not failure, at the least disappointment.
    When the dance was over Rhys gave her a wide berth and she attempted to perk up her mood by spending a half hour with the pregnant Clara, chatting about Angela’s charity foundation Butterfly House, and the other initiatives the Diamonds were involved in. It was all quite fascinating and before she knew it, the call went up for the single women to gather on the floor for the throwing of the bouquet.
    She was not going to do that. Not in a million years.
    Except Avery put up the call and every eye was on her. “Come on, Taylor, you, too!” Taylor spied Rhys standing against a pillar, his arms folded smugly as his eyes teased her, daring her to take part in the silly custom. She lifted her chin and ran her hands down her skirt before joining the half-dozen or so women ready to do battle for the mythical status of the next to be married. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of backing out. Not that she’d actively try to catch it...
    When Avery let the bouquet fly, Taylor had a heart-stopping moment when she realized it was heading right for her. Without thinking she simply reacted, raising her hands. But just before the ribbon-wrapped stems reached her, another hand neatly plucked it from the air.
    Cheers went up when Amy Wilson held up the bouquet in a sign of victory.
    Taylor was really ready to leave now. As she backed off the dance floor, she looked over at her mother, smiling from the sidelines, still cradling a sleeping Nell in her arms. Taylor wondered if her mom knew how much Taylor admired her. It was always her dad in the spotlight, but Taylor knew how hard her mom worked to keep the ship on course. Once, when she’d been about ten years old, she’d discovered her mother in the kitchen, making lists for an upcoming party they were hosting. That was when Taylor understood how, when everything seemed smooth and effortless on the surface, it was because of a well-oiled, well-organized machine running things behind the scenes. The machine, in that case, had been her mother, who handled everything from start to finish and still found time to run the kids to sports and especially Jack to his ski meets.
    Maybe her dad was the one with his picture in the business magazines, but it was her mother Taylor truly admired. Her mother was the reason she’d chosen event planning as her career. Taylor hated how her father minimized the hard work she did, so why did her mother not resent his attitude? Why had it never been an issue for them?
    There was another loud shout and Taylor lifted her head to see a stunned Rhys holding the bridal garter. According to tradition, Amy then took the chair in the middle of the dance floor while Rhys slid the garter on her leg. Taylor stifled a laugh. He didn’t look too happy about it, especially when the DJ announced that the next dance was for the “lucky couple.” Served him right.
    As the music started, she headed toward her parents. “I don’t suppose you’re heading back to the B&B anytime soon, are you?” she asked, kneeling by her mom’s chair.
    “As a matter of fact, I was just suggesting to your dad that we should take Nell and go. She’s staying with us tonight so Callum and Avery can have the place to themselves before they all fly out tomorrow. Poor little mite’s had enough excitement for today.”
    “So has this big mite. I’m beat. Mind if I catch a lift?”
    “Of course not, but don’t you want to stay at the party?”
    Taylor saw Rhys and Amy out of the corner of her eye. For all he said he didn’t date local girls, Amy sure was snuggled close to him, her arms wrapped around his ribs and her head nestled into his shoulder. “I’m sure. I’ve had a long few days and this will pretty much