Chapter Two
Three months later...
Today was going to suck. And not the good kind. Nope. The big, sweaty, hairy donkey balls variety. He thought he’d been prepared for this, but the shift in his gut said otherwise.
Biting back a sigh, Nakos Hunt glanced from the two men standing beside him to the wide open expanse of Cattenach Ranch. Two-thousand acres of rolling grasslands and high plains. The Laramie Mountains just to the south were little more than a bluish mirage in the distance, but a slightly cool breeze wafted across the basin to provide some relief from the heat.
A rare hot Wyoming sun beat down from a cloudless sky as prairie grass crackled in the wind. He shoved his index finger between his neck and the white collar of the button down shirt Olivia had forced him to wear, trying to get liberation from the upper eighties temperature. With his dark skin, courtesy of his native Arapaho tribe, he was roasting. At least she’d let him wear jeans and cowboy boots, but he felt naked without his Stetson. And she’d made him leave his hair down, too.
Only for her.
Olivia, sole owner of Cattenach Ranch where he’d served as her foreman for going on ten years, had him wrapped around her pinkie since age nine when his family had left the reservation to work for hers. As one of his best friends, she was the most stubborn, mule-headed woman in existence, but her heart was bigger than the damn state. No one deserved this happy day more than her, so he mentally got his shit together.
Again, only for her.
“Are you all right?” Nathan Roldan gave Nakos a quick head-to-toe sweep, his golden eyes glittering hard as if he’d seen the worst humanity had to offer and had fought it with his bare hands.
Then again, he truly had. Abandoned by a junkie mother, Nate had grown up in foster care, later joined a gang in his teens, and subsequently had enlisted in the Army to escape. It was there he’d met Olivia’s brother. Except, after finally having found a genuine friend, Nate had watched Justin die overseas right in front of him.
Olivia wasn’t the only one who deserved this bit of happiness. The guy was long overdue.
“I’m fine.” Nakos shifted his weight to his other foot. “Shouldn’t I be asking you? I’m not the one getting married.”
“Exactly.”
Right. This again. Because everyone in creation knew Nakos had a thing for Olivia.
He blamed it on culture shock. Having been raised with other Arapaho, catching sight of her red hair, fair skin, and freckles the first time as a kid had been like a gut-punch that never subsided. Even all these years later.
Yet, he thought he’d assuaged everyone’s concerns. Was he attracted to her? Yes. Had he sometimes wished she’d look at him with something more than affection? Yes. But it hadn’t happened and he was okay with that. Though he’d lie down and die for her, he wasn’t the man she wanted. Somewhere in the back of his mind and in the underbelly of his heart, he’d known that all along. Thus, he’d never allowed himself to pine or permit hope to build.
Well, not much, anyway.
“I wouldn’t be standing here as your best man if I wasn’t one-hundred percent behind you.” He’d said it before and he’d say it a million times more. “You’re the right guy for her.”
Another truth that had cemented in Nakos’s brain since Nate had first rode up the driveway on his Harley. And the ex-soldier had stuck. Which, ultimately, was what Justin and Olivia wanted. And what they wanted, Nakos would do everything in his power to provide. He’d gone as far as to push Olivia and Nate together when they’d stumbled over their attraction.
If that had torn Nakos’s insides to shreds like a dull, rusty blade...well, no one had to be the wiser.
Since Nate was still studying him in that assessing, silent way he was prone to do, Nakos looked him straight in the eye. “I love her. I always will. But I’m not in love with her.” Much. “And since the Cattenachs care about you, I’ve grown fond of you, as well. At the risk of you pulling out a gun and shooting me for being sentimental, I’ll say one last thing, and then we’re through with this. I’ll stand beside you as a friend and a beacon of support while both the people I love get their happy ending. Okay? We done?”
Nate’s eyes widened a fraction of a beat in surprise like they always did when someone claimed any sort of support on his behalf. Friendship, love, family...he’d never had any of those things until arriving in Meadowlark, so he was still adjusting. Nakos got that. Understood, even. And he’d meant every word. Nate, damn him, was as solid as they came.
“Thank you,” Nate muttered and rubbed his hand over his shaved head as if uncomfortable. The camo fatigues Olivia insisted he wear stretched against the bulking muscles underneath. The guy was enormous and covered in ink. Buried under all that testosterone was a good heart with noble intentions. “That means a lot.”
Rip, Nate’s boss and the town sheriff who’d be presiding over the service, ran his tongue over his yellow teeth, causing his FuManchu to twitch. “I’m getting all misty.” His sarcastic tone had Nakos rolling his eyes. “And my balls just shrank.”
“Christ.” Nate glanced heavenward. “You ever use the phrase my balls in a sentence again, I’ll force you into medical retirement.”
“I’ll help.” Expelling a breath, Nakos looked around.
Four rows of white folding chairs were set up on either side of a makeshift aisle with a lattice archway at the end. There were only roughly fifty people present, as the bride and groom wanted something small. Nakos and the two other men were waiting off to the side for the cue to start. And had been for forty-five minutes.
“What’s taking them so long?”
“Women,” Rip said by way of explanation.
As if reading Nakos’s mind, Kyle jogged around the bend toward them. He worked as one of Olivia’s ranch hands and was Amy’s little brother. Amy was the maid of honor, but Nakos hadn’t seen her today.
Kyle wiped his forehead with his arm. He didn’t have to wear a dress shirt. “They’re ready. I’m supposed to tell you to get into place.” He glanced quickly at Nakos. “You doing okay, man? Holding up?”
At Nate’s chuckle, Nakos narrowed his eyes at Kyle with a look that said he’d single-handedly put the laugh in manslaughter.
“Pretend I didn’t ask.” Kyle retreated the way he’d come, but made a hard right and claimed a chair next to Nakos’s parents.
Nate rolled his lips over his teeth, which did nothing to hide his grin.
“Shut up.”
Up went Nate’s hands. “I didn’t say a thing.”
Would this day never end? “Are you nervous?” Nakos side-glanced the groom, wishing the dude had at least a bead of perspiration from anxiety. But no. A pillar, this one.
“Hell no. I can’t wait.”
Figured, not that Nakos could blame him.
They assumed their positions based on the pithy rehearsal the day before and waited for the music to start. If anyone thought having the nuptials right outside the wrought iron gate of the Cattenach’s private cemetery was odd, they didn’t know the family very well. Olivia’s parents, along with three generations of relatives before, were buried there. As was Justin, someone who had meant the world to both the bride and groom. It was only fitting they’d want to be closer to him on their day, if merely to have his spirit nearby.
Situated off to the right, Meadowlark’s high school band began to play, notes from guitar strings and flutes floating on the breeze. Moments later, Amy stepped into view at the base of the grassy aisle and paused.
Damn, but Nakos’s airway seized. An occurrence that had been happening for a few months now in her presence.
He couldn’t wrap his head around his body’s reaction. He’d met Amy the day he’d been introduced to Olivia, and the three of them had been nearly inseparable. He knew her pretty oval face, long cocoa locks, and blue-green eyes that reminded him of a mermaid as well as he knew his own reflection. Lately, it was as if looking at her was like seeing her for the first time. Attraction and appreciation that had never been present before wrapped around his throat and squeezed.
Actually, if he were being honest, he could pinpoint exactly when the phenomena began. Three months ago, almost to the day.
Finding Amy mottled with bruises and bleeding on the dirt floor of the barn—courtesy of her ex-husband, who Nakos referred to as the Antichrist—had reset some kind of circuit in his brain. He’d always been quick on his feet and able to control his temper. But that day? He’d been this close to a homicide charge and wearing an orange jumpsuit for twenty-five to life.
For whatever reason, Amy made him a little nervous. Had since they’d been kids. Before she’d wed the douchebag, she’d been a badass, take-no-prisoners woman. She didn’t just chew men up for breakfast and spit them out. Oh, no. She’d had them for lunch and dinner, too. Nothing and no one scared her. She took life by the horns—or balls—and gave it her all.
Ergo, the way she’d clung to him the day of the assault after he’d carried her to the guestroom was like a horror movie reel on a continuous loop. He hadn’t known whether to weep or pull her in his arms. And he’d been so frightened about internal bleeding or unseen injuries he had to make himself leave her side so Doc Hank could examine her. He’d spent hours outside that room in case Amy had called for help. Gutted from the inside out and crawling out of his skin.
Nakos hadn’t seen a genuine smile pass her lush red lips in he couldn’t remember how long. The realization had his stomach aching as she stepped forward and slowly made her way toward them.
That dress was designed to be a kill switch for rational thought. Blue as the cobalt sky and strapless, it hugged her generous breasts and narrow waist, flaring to a stop just above her knees. Amy Tarcher—no, Amy Woods since she’d gone back to her maiden name—had toned legs that went on for decades. Her hair was up in a girly complicated knot of curls, exposing her regal neck as she carried white lilies. Her skin was like porcelain, and there was a lot of it exposed. Silver dangly earrings matched her shoes and reflected in the sunlight.
God save him, those heels. Strappy and high enough to maybe bring her within an inch of his chin. If she ever made it to the altar. Time seemed to have paused to a drugging slow-motion in his head.
Nate grunted and leaned close to whisper out of the side of his mouth. “My bad. Guess you really are okay. You might want to start breathing, though, before you pass out.”
Nakos slanted him an eat-shit glare. “What is this? You’re getting hitched, so now everyone else needs to be bursting with fruit flavor in love, too?”
The jackass chuckled. “I’m not the one who looks like he just got a high-five to the face with a brick...” He expelled a wheeze and went still, eyes on the aisle. “Holy shit,” he breathed.
Glancing in the same direction, Nakos suddenly understood the expletive.
And here came twenty-one years of his life in a bridal gown. Lovely as ever, Olivia’s auburn hair was loose around her shoulders and her cornflower eyes were smiling. The simple dress matched Amy’s, except it went to her ankles and was ivory-colored. Simple elegance.
Her aunt Mae, being Olivia’s only remaining blood relative, walked her down the aisle wearing a peach suit, the soft white strands of her bob ruffling in the slight breeze. Pride and happiness gleaned in her wet eyes.
When they finally made it to the lattice arch, Olivia kissed Mae, hugged Amy, then took Nakos’s hands and rose on her toes to speak into his ear. “Thank you for standing with me all these years and beside Nate now. It means so much to both of us.” She kissed his cheek, causing her rain-like scent to swirl around him. “I love you.”
He closed his eyes and drew a calming breath. Damn her. “Love you, too, little red.” The nickname he’d given her at age nine. His stomach was in a riot and his sinuses burned. After a beat, he took her hands and set them in Nate’s, clasping both sets before letting go.
And that’s just what he did. He let go. Of her. The past. Everything. She had all she needed right beside her, and that was all he’d ever wanted for her. From this point on, it was sight ahead, future bound.
Which, as he turned his head, jarringly began with mermaid eyes locked on him from the other side of the altar. Amy studied him with a mix of understanding and something he couldn’t name. Longing?
No. Couldn’t be. Maybe she was feeling melancholy after her recent divorce. Weddings could do that...make people lonely.
Nevertheless, she held him captive for several moments, and the longer they stared, the more his heart kicked rhythm. A tingle of...awareness zipped up his spine, confusing the ever-living hell out of him.
Rip had to ask twice for the rings before Nakos heard him, and when he glanced back at Amy, she’d focused on the ceremony.
Leveled, he did the same.