A Baby for the Rancher

Author:Margaret Daley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2015-04-08T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

“You may kiss the bride,” Pastor Mathers announced to the small gathering Friday, not long after six.

Ben stood next to his brother, who wrapped his arms around Chloe and kissed his new wife. The whole time through the short ceremony, Ben had been happy for Grady. The smiles on the bride’s and groom’s faces touched a lonely place in Ben. He wanted that, but no one he’d dated all these years had come close to capturing his love. He wanted someone who would stick by him even through the bad times. He loved his mother, but she’d abandoned his dad when he was dealing with pain. There were always two sides of an issue, and until his coma, he hadn’t seen his father’s. Pain didn’t make it okay to be grumpy and mean most of the time, but it did explain what had happened in their marriage.

When Grady and Chloe parted, their grins encompassed their whole faces. Ben couldn’t help but do the same. His gaze latched on to Lucy’s. In his eyes her beauty surpassed Chloe’s. He didn’t get that many chances to see her in a dress, but the pale green of her outfit made her eyes stand out.

She broke eye contact and hugged Chloe. “I’m so excited for you.”

“Thanks.” Chloe turned to Grandma Mamie and enveloped her in her embrace. “I appreciate all you’ve done to make me feel a part of the Stillwater family.” Then she swept around and looked right at him. “I’m glad you have recovered. We didn’t want to get married without you here.”

Ben nodded. “I aim to please.”

“So when are you going to get hitched?” Grady asked in the sanctuary.

“I was just waiting. You know how you like to be first, big brother.” Ben clapped Grady on his back. “Enough of this. Let’s go celebrate. Martha Rose, Eva and Grandma have been working for the past few days on this shindig.”

Grady and Chloe led the wedding party out of the church. At Grady’s car, he opened the door for Chloe. “We may just take the long way home.”

Mamie stopped next to Ben. “No, you aren’t. You have a lifetime with Chloe. You have guests waiting at the ranch to congratulate y’all.”

Ben could tell by the barely contained grin that Grady had said that just to tease their grandmother. “If you don’t show up, I’ll eat your share, so don’t worry, none of the food will go to waste. Grandma, you can ride with Lucy and me.” He’d picked Lucy up earlier, insisting it was his duty to make sure the maid of honor got to the church on time.

“I’m going with Pastor Mathers. Someone has to keep him company on the drive.”

As Grady and Chloe drove out of the parking lot, Ben turned to Lucy. “My chariot awaits.” He swept his arm toward his truck, at least cleaned with no signs of the dust and dirt from the day before.

“I could have driven myself.” Lucy strolled toward his vehicle.

“The least I could do for the wedding party is pick you up and take you home.

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