Page 51 of Cowboy Friend Zone for Christmas

“I believe you would.” His normally condescending manner was gone. In its place was a man whose circumstances had brought him to his knees. Even his suit jacket was hanging looser than normal. He’d lost weight since Noelle had last seen him.

Flint appeared in the doorway to collect Shelly. “Never a dull moment with you, sis.” He cocked his head at her. “Everything okay in here?”

She knew it was his way of asking if she minded being left alone with her father. Sort of alone. Laura was still in the room.

“Never better,” she assured him. “Thank you.” She drew a deep breath. “For everything.”

“You betcha!” With one last hard look at Denver Ward, Flint led Shelly away.

“Thank you for being here,” Noelle murmured, taking her father’s arm.

“Thank you for having me.” He cleared his throat. “There’s no place I’d rather be right now.” He reached over to wipe away the lone tear that slid down his daughter’s cheek. “If you value my life at all, save the rest of your tears. Please.”

She gave a sobbing chuckle at the moisture glinting in his own eyes. “This is the best wedding gift ever, Dad.” Nash had really outdone himself this time.

Things were going to be different between her and her parents going forward. Probably not perfect, but better. She could sense the change in them, and it felt real this time. Hope welled in her like a geyser about to erupt.

Ames straightened his silver bolo over his white dress shirt and yanked the ends of his blazer in place. Talk about a last-minute change of plans! Just thinking about escorting Laura down the aisle was making him sweat. For months, he’d been trying to work up the courage to tell her how he felt about her, but it never seemed to be the right time.

For one thing, she was still nursing a broken heart. He had her ex-boyfriend to thank for that, a guy who’d been unwilling to even attempt a long distance relationship with her after her family had relocated to Pinetop.

At first, Ames hadn’t minded taking things slowly and getting to know her better. After more than seven months of being friends, though, he was more than ready to pick up the pace a little. Lately, all he’d been able to think about was their first kiss — a kiss he’d yet to give her. He couldn’t stop daydreaming about when he would do it, where he would do it, and what it would feel like. The need to know was eating him alive.

Unfortunately, he had no idea if she felt the same way about him. And if she didn’t return his feelings, one kiss could spell the beginning of the end of everything between them.

He deposited the sniffling Mrs. Ward on the front row of the church, unable to summon much sympathy for her emotional display. As far as he could tell, she’d been a poor mother to his soon-to-be sister-in-law. The woman was going to have to do more than shed a few tears to change his opinion of her.

He made his last trip up the aisle before the wedding ceremony began, this time to fetch the woman who owned his heart. She didn’t know it yet, and he didn’t know when he was going to break the news to her. All he knew was that it needed to be soon.

She was waiting for him in the rear of the vestibule, her breath coming in short gasps.

Forgetting his own misgivings, he rushed her way. “What’s wrong?” He reached for her shoulders, gently cupping them as he dipped his head to get a better look at her.

“I’ve never been in a wedding before.” Unless he was mistaken, she was close to dissolving into a full-blown panic attack.

“It’s okay. I’ve got you.” His fingers tightened around her delicate shoulders.

“I was supposed to be in one a year ago.” She gave a violent shudder. “Mine.”

Good gravy! He stared in shock at her, wondering why she’d never told him this before. He’d always just assumed her ex had been her boyfriend. The fact that she’d been engaged to the guy put things in a very different light. Ames was suddenly dying to know what other details she’d left out about her ex, but now wasn’t the time to ask. At the moment, he just needed her to be okay.

“Look at me and take a slow, deep breath.” He did it with her. “Now let it out.”

She drew a shuddering breath that wasn’t as slow as he would’ve liked, then blew it out.

“Again,” he instructed in a husky voice. “Slower this time.”

She nodded and closed her eyes to concentrate. This time, she did a better job of controlling her breathing.

“One more time,” he coaxed.

She drew in another breath and let it out. “I’m good now.” Her eyelids fluttered open. Though she was still pale, her eyes were dry. The trusting way she slipped her hand around his arm went straight to his heart. “Sorry about that,” she murmured.

He placed his hand over hers. “No apology needed.” He would be here for her. Always. Surely, she knew that by now.

“Thank you.” She briefly leaned her head against his shoulder. “I’m glad you’re the one walking me down the aisle today.”

“Me, too.” They took their positions at the entrance of the sanctuary and waited for the pianist to play their cue. Unless he was mistaken, they’d missed it. He waited until the pianist repeated it a second time before moving forward with Laura.

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