Page 81 of Contingently Yours
CHAPTER 31
Lucas
I swear that’s Andrew. In a cowboy hat and boots. Is he…wearing fringe?
I set my cake down and start toward him. Everyone has risen from their places and started mingling around the cake line or the bar. It’s like one of those movies where the crowd parts…until Julia slams into my side. The next thing I know, I’ve lost sight of Andrew.
“Is that Renegade?” she shrieks in my ear so loud my eardrum throbs.
Chuckling, I give her hand a squeeze on my arm. I hardly believed it myself when Mason called me before I was going into the church this morning. I was so blown away by his offer to come play at the reception that I didn’t even think to ask how he knew we needed entertainment until the call was almost over.
Andrew. Of course, it was Andrew. How else would he have found out?
I’ve been waiting for this day for almost a year, but all I could think about during the ceremony was that Andrew gave a damn enough to call Mason for me. I wasn’t about to tell the girls until I knew it was a sure thing. I’d only told them Imight haveacquired a band at the last minute and that their friends wouldn’t have to wing it by streaming songs all night. Seeing the gear set up over at the side of the room when we walkedin, though, had me laughing under my breath; I was so damn relieved.
I had a message from Andrew last night saying he had the problem solved, but I sure as shit didn’t think this is what he meant. I mean…it’s Andrew. Then, when Mason called this morning, I had no clue what I’d even say to Andrew after the way I dressed him down the other day on the phone. I have a lot of crow to eat.
“Renegade isreallyplaying at my wedding?” Julia asks again, bouncing up and down energetically.
“I heard your band canceled,” comes a familiar voice, and there he is. His gaze shifts from Julia to me, and he continues somberly. “They were the only one I knew. I hope that’s okay.”
Is he…asking for my permission? God, he looks good. Stupid, but good.
“You look familiar,” Julia pipes in, glancing between us strangely.
“Um…this is Andrew. We…work together.”
And he touches me.And I like it, I don’t add.
“And you just called up Renegade and made it happen?” she asks with a hint of her usual mirth.
“I know how this one worries,” he teases, crooking his thumb at me. “Nothing but the best for his baby sisters.”
I donotworry. I’m just…responsible.
Great. Why is Julia looking at us with that weird little grin?
“Well, you’re not at all what I expected,” she says, taking a gander at his get-up and giving me a look that says she bets twenty bucks it came from Bob’s Emporium. I shake my head, asking her not to go there right now and get another of those peculiar looks.
“Thank you,” she finally adds, remembering the manners I taught her.
“Congratulations.” Andrew nods, tipping his hat like he’s taken on some cowboy persona by wearing that outfit.
Flashing me a smile with a twinkle in her eye, she grabs the skirt of her dress and twirls off to no doubt freak out with her sister and the boys. That leaves me and Andrew. Alone. In public. In a room full of my family. Andrew…in my world. I still can’t believe he’s here.
“Hi,” he says, sounding more vulnerable with one syllable than I’ve ever heard him.
“Hi,” I parrot back, and then we stand in an awkward silence. I take him in slowly again, from the fringe across his chest to the pointed toes of his cowboy boots. “What are you wearing?”
“Distinguished country gentleman shining armor. I can explain later.”
Am I supposed to know what that means?
Before I can find more small talk to get to the things I want to say, he lets out in a rush, “I’m here to help. What do you need?”
Is he kidding me? He already did me the biggest solid anyone’s ever done in my life. I nod toward where Mason and his guys are tuning their instruments and then shake my head. “Nothing. Um…I’m sorry, I didn’t get a chance to call and thank you.”
Nodding, he just smiles at me, looking pacified. “You look good,” his voice comes softly.
