Page 8 of A Nice Day for a Cowboy Wedding

Shane shook his head, walking down the hall feeling like he was heading for the electric chair. “We have to be smart about this. Careful. Mom’s not stupid.”

“Except when it comes to this dipshit,” Gavin muttered.

“Yeah, well . . .”

They stepped into the dining room. Shane’s youngest sister, Lindsay, was setting the table. Molly was probably in the kitchen with Mom and Grandma helping with food.

Lindsay’s blue eyes darted to the doorway to the kitchen, then back to Gavin and Shane. “Gossip time,” she whispered. “Mom’s moving up the date of the wedding.”

“What?” Shane demanded.

“Shh,” Lindsay admonished. “She’s calling the wedding planner out tomorrow to see the soonest possible date they can have the wedding of her dreams. That’s what she’s going to announce, and the reason I’m telling you right now is so you don’t tackle Ben over the dinner table.”

“Tackling sounds like a plan,” Gavin offered.

“No, Gavin,” Shane said evenly, even though the announcement sparked his temper. “You know we can’t do that. We remain calm, we agree with whatever she says, and then we get serious about proving that man is a no good, useless piece of—”

“Evening, gentlemen,” Ben greeted cheerfully, stepping into the dining room from behind them. “Evening, Lindsay,” he offered, all smiles and charm at Lindsay’s wide-eyed look and all-too-obvious blush at the thought of Ben’s possibly overhearing them.

Shane didn’t particularly care. He wasn’t big on hiding his judgment of lazy assholes who acted like they owned the place when they should be grateful they had a job at all. But for tonight, for his long-term goal, he’d try to force some of that judgment away.

Shane struggled with a polite smile. “Evening, Donahue. Glad you could join us.”

“Well, itisa family dinner,” he replied with a wink.

As if he belonged. Which was on purpose. He wastryingto get under Shane’s and Gavin’s skin. Trying to provoke a fight, because that would get him even better on Mom’s side.

Shane wouldn’t fall for it, and he nudged his brother to remind Gavin not to fall for it either.

Molly and Grandma came out from the kitchen area, Molly carrying a tray of ham. She smiled at Shane and Gavin, and Shane was quite certain Ben had no idea the smile she gavehimwas considerably dimmer in comparison.

“Hey, guys. Have a seat. Dinner is ready.”

Grandma settled herself in her usual chair next to Mom’s place at the head of the table. Before Shane could take his usual seat across from Grandma, Ben slid in.

It was Gavin’s turn to give Shane a little nudge, and Shane forced the muscles in his jaw to relax. Mom appeared with another tray carrying bowls of potatoes, green beans, and rolls as Shane took the seat next to Grandma, usurping Molly’s usual spot.

Molly frowned at him, so he nodded toward the seat next to Ben. Molly might not like Ben either, but she wasn’t liable to haul off and punch him.

Shane wasn’t so sure he could keep his fists to himself, and heknewhe couldn’t trust Gavin to.

“What’s with the big-ass ham, Mom?” Gavin asked, taking the seat next to Shane.

“Do not swear at my table, Gavin Louis. Besides, what’s wrong with ham?”

“Nothing is wrong with ham. It’s just usually ham means bad news,” Gavin replied.

“But turkey is worse. Turkey means someone is dead or about to croak,” Lindsay offered with a grin.

Mom shook her head and began to pass food around the table. “You all are delusional. There is no hierarchy of meat and what it means.”

“Meatloaf is the worst. It means Mom’s about to give us more work than any one person can handle,” Molly said, her smile softer than Lindsay’s, but no less pleased with herself.

“You lot can always handle more work,” Mom said firmly. “Now, isn’t this nice, having everyone home for dinner?”

There was an uncomfortable silence, considering everyonewasn’thome, not with Boone absent, but marinating in that wouldn’t do any good.

“Gav and I got the whole herd separated today. We’ll be moving the heifers to the south pasture first thing tomorrow. Well . . .” Shane slid his most innocent look at Ben. “If we’ve got the fencing all mended.”

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