sniffed and then fanned her face with her hands.
Hope left the table and rushed over to her. “What’s wrong? Are you worried about the weather?”
“N-no.” She sniffed again and wiped her eyes carefully as if trying not to smudge her mascara. “It was when he said both moms. That got to me, being included in the mom category.”
“Aw.” Hope wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “That’s sweet.”
“I so want Phil to think of me as her mom, even if I’m really not.”
“I’m sure she does think of you as her mom.” Hope had no idea if that was true or not, but it seemed like the right thing to say.
“You are her mom in every way that counts.” Rosie came over to give Edie a hug, too. “She told me how thrilled she is that you love Damon and are excited about this wedding. She isn’t into clothes shopping, so—”
“Tell me about it!”
“She said you were a lifesaver when she had to pick out a dress.”
“She did?” Edie dabbed at her eyes again. “That’s...that’s so nice to hear. I thought it was a chore for her.”
“It might have been if you hadn’t been there to help.”
Cade stood there shifting from one booted foot to the other, looking uncomfortable. “So, uh, does that mean you two can come out and take a look at the arbor thing or what?”
“Yes.” Rosie winked at Hope. “We’ll all come out. The more, the merrier.”
Hope appreciated that suggestion more than Rosie could ever know. She was like a schoolgirl with a crush when it came to Liam. If Cade hadn’t shown up, she would have found some excuse to go out and check the progress on the tent.
But as they all trouped outside, she thought about Edie’s emotional reaction to being accepted as Phil’s mom. Hope had a loving mother, and she’d taken that blessing for granted. In the past year, she’d shut her mom out. Talking about the breakup wasn’t her favorite thing, but her mother must be worried about her.
After the week with Liam, she’d go home and give both her parents a clearer picture of what had happened. They knew only that she’d stopped writing, quit her job in Cheyenne and moved to Cody. They had to have figured out that the breakup had prompted her behavior, but she’d confided nothing.
Yet they hadn’t pestered her for details. That must have taken loving restraint, something she hadn’t fully appreciated until now. They’d raised her, educated her and loved her unconditionally. They deserved better.
Lexi and Cade teased each other the entire way to the meadow. Hope got a kick out of it. She thought they probably belonged together, but Lexi wasn’t ready to commit. Hope was on her side. A woman had to be absolutely sure that she’d found the right guy before handing him her heart. Or her cherished manuscript.
10
L IAM HAD SPENT most of breakfast waiting for Hope to appear. Eventually he’d had no choice but to leave the ranch house where she was sleeping right down the hall and help his brothers and Phil put up the wedding tent. Distracted as he was, he wasn’t sure how much use he’d been.
He’d tried to be quiet as he slipped into the cabin the night before, but Grady had woken up, anyway. They’d talked for a while, and Grady had offered to switch places with Hope and take her room in the house, but that seemed a little obvious. Liam wanted to be with her, but he’d rather not turn it into a drama involving everyone.
Still, he hungered for a glimpse of her. Knowing she was nearby but not within touching distance drove him crazy. Any second he expected her to magically appear. And then what? How should they act toward each other?
When Cade had been sent up to the house to fetch the two moms, Liam had wondered if Hope would come along. Fortunately she had. Cade, Rosie and Edie led the parade with Lexi and Hope following.
Liam’s body tightened with yearning as she came closer, her golden hair shining in the sun. Had he seriously promised to walk away after a week if that
Hope left the table and rushed over to her. “What’s wrong? Are you worried about the weather?”
“N-no.” She sniffed again and wiped her eyes carefully as if trying not to smudge her mascara. “It was when he said both moms. That got to me, being included in the mom category.”
“Aw.” Hope wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “That’s sweet.”
“I so want Phil to think of me as her mom, even if I’m really not.”
“I’m sure she does think of you as her mom.” Hope had no idea if that was true or not, but it seemed like the right thing to say.
“You are her mom in every way that counts.” Rosie came over to give Edie a hug, too. “She told me how thrilled she is that you love Damon and are excited about this wedding. She isn’t into clothes shopping, so—”
“Tell me about it!”
“She said you were a lifesaver when she had to pick out a dress.”
“She did?” Edie dabbed at her eyes again. “That’s...that’s so nice to hear. I thought it was a chore for her.”
“It might have been if you hadn’t been there to help.”
Cade stood there shifting from one booted foot to the other, looking uncomfortable. “So, uh, does that mean you two can come out and take a look at the arbor thing or what?”
“Yes.” Rosie winked at Hope. “We’ll all come out. The more, the merrier.”
Hope appreciated that suggestion more than Rosie could ever know. She was like a schoolgirl with a crush when it came to Liam. If Cade hadn’t shown up, she would have found some excuse to go out and check the progress on the tent.
But as they all trouped outside, she thought about Edie’s emotional reaction to being accepted as Phil’s mom. Hope had a loving mother, and she’d taken that blessing for granted. In the past year, she’d shut her mom out. Talking about the breakup wasn’t her favorite thing, but her mother must be worried about her.
After the week with Liam, she’d go home and give both her parents a clearer picture of what had happened. They knew only that she’d stopped writing, quit her job in Cheyenne and moved to Cody. They had to have figured out that the breakup had prompted her behavior, but she’d confided nothing.
Yet they hadn’t pestered her for details. That must have taken loving restraint, something she hadn’t fully appreciated until now. They’d raised her, educated her and loved her unconditionally. They deserved better.
Lexi and Cade teased each other the entire way to the meadow. Hope got a kick out of it. She thought they probably belonged together, but Lexi wasn’t ready to commit. Hope was on her side. A woman had to be absolutely sure that she’d found the right guy before handing him her heart. Or her cherished manuscript.
10
L IAM HAD SPENT most of breakfast waiting for Hope to appear. Eventually he’d had no choice but to leave the ranch house where she was sleeping right down the hall and help his brothers and Phil put up the wedding tent. Distracted as he was, he wasn’t sure how much use he’d been.
He’d tried to be quiet as he slipped into the cabin the night before, but Grady had woken up, anyway. They’d talked for a while, and Grady had offered to switch places with Hope and take her room in the house, but that seemed a little obvious. Liam wanted to be with her, but he’d rather not turn it into a drama involving everyone.
Still, he hungered for a glimpse of her. Knowing she was nearby but not within touching distance drove him crazy. Any second he expected her to magically appear. And then what? How should they act toward each other?
When Cade had been sent up to the house to fetch the two moms, Liam had wondered if Hope would come along. Fortunately she had. Cade, Rosie and Edie led the parade with Lexi and Hope following.
Liam’s body tightened with yearning as she came closer, her golden hair shining in the sun. Had he seriously promised to walk away after a week if that
Similar Books
