Page 73 of Operation: Discovery

“So? He’ll still need help oiling and maintaining his chair. I don’t mind doing it.”

“And you’ll still be doing the job. My main concern is the rules.” He stood and went over to the plaque on the wall.

Those ten rules had been there before Sam came to Wayside, and he assumed they’d be there when he retired. “Those rules are so ingrained in everyone here that you could take down every one of those and we’d all still follow them.”

“Brendon doesn’t agree with them.”

“What?” He’d never heard Brendon say anything like that.

“He thinks the rules should be the original ten, not my ‘made up’ ones. This situation makes me wonder if I’m being tested. As you can see, I chose you and Kelly over my rules, so we’ll have to see what happens once she gets here.”

“When will she arrive?” He still wasn’t sure what he would do since he’d learned for years that you don’t help a guest by touching them unless they ask, you don’t joke in a flirty way, you don’t let any of your speech or physical actions make a guest feel like you’re making a romantic overture in any way. That was the rule. Then again, if he didn’t really want to do his second-chance mission, then the rule could stay just as it was.

“Well, I’ve got some good news for you. You can keep your rules and help Kelly because I don’t want her back in my life in any romantic way.” The sight of her wrapped around the man through the window went through his mind again, and he reminded himself that he couldn’t trust his own heart to choose wisely. “I’m not in this for a relationship.”

And seeing Kelly would not change that.

ChapterThirty

Two weeks later

Dee looked at Ali, wrangler Eric’s fiancé, in the eyes as she applied makeup over the scars on her face. “Any hope that I won’t see myself in these pictures?” She tried to joke, but her heart broke right along with the words.

She’d prayed for years for the chance to marry Brendon, to have and to hold him as her helper and best friend. Every bride wanted to cherish her wedding photos, but hers would show what she’d been through at the hands of a monster.

Ali gripped her shoulders and gave a slight shake. “Stop. You’re beautiful, and Brendon is marrying you. Just you. All you. He loves who you are, as you are.”

She wanted to cover up her face instead of showing herself to anyone out there. She’d been hiding at Wayside, unwilling to go to town or visit with others since she’d come home from the hospital. Ali had returned to Wayside a week before and, despite the petite blonde’s beauty, they’d formed an immediate friendship. Dee had felt comfortable almost from the start.

“I don’t know …”

“I do.” Ali took the makeup brush and flicked it over her cheeks lightly. “You look beautiful. Let’s get you in that dress.”

She’d ordered a wedding dress online, which had also been a diversion from what she’d planned to do all her life if and when the big event ever came. How many brides logged in to a website to order the dress for the biggest day of their lives? But shopping in public was uncomfortable with people staring at her. It was a two-piece dress that was mainly a knee-length gown that held tight to her body. She’d chosen it because she didn’t want Brendon to have to worry about running over the extra fabric of a floor-length gown. It had a removable piece that acted as a floor-length wide skirt. She’d planned to wear that just for the ceremony, then take it off for the reception.

Someone knocked on the door as she pulled her gown off the hanger. Lacy popped her head into the room. “Oh, you look so beautiful!” She grinned. “Brendon is going to be speechless and that’s saying something. I wanted to tell you that the DJ just arrived, and he’ll be setting up in the dining room if you happen to hear any loud noises.”

The people at Wayside were so used to warning everyone about noise or visitors that Lacy’s warning only came as a partial surprise. “I didn’t order a DJ. Brendon will not want that. He hates the idea of dancing.” And even though she’d confessed to him what had really happened when she’d danced with the other man, he’d still been hurt at Ahab’s just seeing her reaction to people dancing. Their wedding day wasn’t the day to rehash the pain.

“Well, I’m not sure who ordered him, but he’s here. I’ll go ask Brendon. Maybe he knows. Youdidexpect him to do half the planning. Maybe he thought he’d surprise you.”

She closed her eyes and willed the tears away before they could ruin her makeup. This couldn’t be happening. Suddenly, the scars on her face seemed like nothing compared to what might happen in a few hours. After the ceremony and food, she’d planned to ride off with her hero into the sunset and spend time with him. Now, she’d have to convince him that dancing, even though she’d enjoyed it immensely, wasn’t even something she wanted to do anymore if she couldn’t do it with him.

She finished putting on the dress and Ali helped fix her hair, but nothing could calm her nerves. This was it, the day she’d been waiting for since she was a brand-new nurse. The day she’d get to marry the man she loved. Hopefully, he was getting the same dream come true.

She slowly headed outside, where they’d planned to take a few pictures before the wedding. Brendon was already out there in his suit. The end of October with its barren trees didn’t make for such great landscape shots, but Wayside had plenty of evergreens to offer some color. He sat in front of the little chapel, surrounded by all the men of Wayside. They were joking, yet when the photographer asked for seriousness, they complied.

A moment later, Brendon noticed her standing there and she saw a change come over his face, an awe that was so pure she choked up instantly. Yes, he loved her. Scars and all.

The day seemed to fly by. One moment they were taking pictures and the next she was seated at a long banquet table, next to her husband. How had she seemed to miss the whole event? It was a whirlwind.

A few of the men went to the far corner where the DJ was, but she’d tried to forget he was there. Brendon hadn’t said anything, but he couldn’t have missed the man as he’d set up large blinking lights and speakers during their dinner. Ignoring that would be impossible.

“Brendon?”

He took her hand in his and smiled at her. “Yes?”

“I don’t know who ordered a DJ for our reception, but it wasn’t me. I wouldn’t do that to you. I’m so sorry. I should’ve tried to stop it as soon as I heard, but I was getting ready and there was a schedule. I didn’t know who to talk to.”

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