A Tender Touch: A Donnelley Brother's Novel (Logan Point Book 4) by Alannah Carbonneau Page A

romantic rustic feeling to the wedding and was having it at the Ranch. She had plans for the whole shebang to take place in a rented tent. I had no doubt the day would be positively lovely.
    As I stepped from the room, every girl gasped and Hadley stood to pluck at the material hanging off my body. “Oh, it’s perfect.”
    “You knew it would be.” I said with a small chuckle. “You’ve seen both Kami and Reese in the same dress.”
    Hadley narrowed her eyes on me. “If you’re going to make a big deal, about us making a big deal, about you trying on this dress, I’m going to beat you with a stick. And I’ll have the right, because I am the bride!”
    “The bride.” I nodded, poking my head around Hadley to whisper-tease. “Bridezilla!”
    “Hadley, no threats.” Gracie laughed. “Ember, careful. You don’t want to mess with a bride a month and a half before her wedding.”
    “Oops.” I winked at Hadley. “Alright, what else?”
    Hadley grinned. “As fun as it is to dress you up, that’s all for today.”
    “Damn, I was just loving playing Barbie.” I giggled.
    “Twirl.” Kami ordered and I raised a brow.
    “Did you twirl when you were in the dress?”
    “Nope.” She beamed. “That’s why I want you to twirl.”
    Reese announced, “I twirled.”
    Both Kami and I spoke at the same time. “You’re a girl.”
    “So are the both of you, if I’m not mistaking.” She eyed us with a cocked head. “Weirdo’s.”
    “But you’re girly.” Hadley replied. “Actually, we’re the girly ones.” She pointed to Kami and I. “Those two - not so much.”
    Kami snorted. “I’m girly enough.”
    “For what?” Hadley asked matter of fact.
    “Kyle.” Kami grinned triumphantly before tossing her triumphant eyes onto me. “And Ember’s all the girly that Luke needs.”
    Every woman nodded, but Reese spoke. “Very true.”
    “Okay, we’re not having this conversation again.”
    Kami addressed everyone but me. “Sometimes it can take a few times for something to stick in her head. She’s kind of got a thick skull.”
    I threw up my hands. “Alright, I’m going back into the change room.”
    Laughter sounded behind me as I closed myself in the small room in the bridal shop. My heart was racing, as it always did when the girls told me Luke had feelings for me. The more I heard it - the more I wanted it to be true - and the harder I fought it.
    ***
    I pulled up to the little cabin and felt my heart thrum with excitement as I spotted my moms dated Cavalier. It was the car she used when she wasn’t driving the paw print van and I knew she would never take the van from the Shelter in case an animal needed to be transported. The sight of the pewter paint glimmering in the sun brought me a peace I had been missing without even realizing it. I’d been missing my mom and now that she was here, we had so much to catch up on.
    Throwing my car into park, I pulled myself from the drivers seat and dashed toward the deck where my mom was sitting in a pair of shorts and a tank top. She was leaning back in the chair with her feet resting up on the banister and her eyes covered with dark tinted shades. I knew she was soaking up the warm evening sun, probably half asleep if not entirely locked in dream. I knew this because she hadn’t even shifted as I pulled up to the cabin.
    “Mom!” I called excitedly as I ran up the steps.
    I watched her body tense as she pulled her sunglasses down from her face to smile up at me. “Ember,” she stood to greet me with open arms and I dashed into them, hugging her tight. “I’ve missed you.” She pet my hair as she spoke and I sighed.
    “I missed you too, mom.” I pulled back to look into her face. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here. I totally forgot you were coming today.”
    “It’s no biggie, baby.” She squeezed my hand. “I was just relaxing anyway.”
    “How have you been?”
    “I’ve been fine, but I don’t want to talk about me. I want to talk about