Page 74 of Bad For Me (Rock Canyon, Idaho 5)

Disappointment coursed through her. Despite her protests that she didn’t care about dresses and smooth hair, she’d actually been excited for Everett’s face when he saw her.

Oh, well, he’d see her soon enough.

Callie saw Justin helping another guest move one of the benches, cursing when he knocked off some kind of decoration on the end. The benches had no backs, but someone had nailed cornucopia horns filled with beautiful arrays of flowers to each end. Callie almost giggled when Justin picked up the decoration he’d dropped and all the flowers fell out. His face flushed an unhealthy shade of purple until Ellie Willis ran over, gathered up the flowers, and patted his arm. If Callie knew Ellie, she was probably telling him to calm the fuck down, and by the way Justin laughed, it had worked.

Farther down the aisle sat a simple white arch, covered with flowers of orange and deep purple and woven through with green vines. Callie looked up toward the hayloft to admire the twinkling white lights and crepe-paper decorations, which prettied up the old barn-wood ceiling and walls. Pictures of Justin and Valerie were hanging around the room in white frames, including one of Justin kneeling in front of Valerie, kissing her stomach.

Just then she spotted Dalton inside one of the empty stalls, working on some wires for the speakers. She headed over to him slowly, walking carefully in the heels Gracie had picked for her, to avoid tweaking her ankle again just when it was starting to feel better.

“How’s it going?”

“Almost ready; I just have to—” Dalton looked up at her and stopped talking, his eyes bugging out of his head.

“What?” Callie self-consciously tugged her dress up and then down.

“You . . . you look . . . holy shit.”

Callie laughed. “Thanks, I think.”

She walked around him and pulled her laptop out of the messenger bag she was carrying. Once she was finished hooking up all the wires and cords, she looked up and realized Dalton was still staring at her. “Dalton! Why are you staring at me like that?”

“I’m sorry, it’s just . . . you don’t look like you. I mean, you’re always pretty, but tonight you’re . . . ”

“Beautiful,” a deep voice said.

Callie turned and found Everett standing a few feet away, dressed in a black tux that looked tailor-made for him.

“Wow,” she said.

“I was thinking the same thing.” He began walking toward her with purpose, and her stomach dropped out, anticipation sending tremors through her body as she waited for him to take her in his arms and kiss her in front of God and everyone.

“Everett! I need your help over here!” Justin yelled from across the barn, and Everett stopped, much to Callie’s disappointment.

“I’ll be back.” He gave her a last, heated once-over before loping away.

Dalton made some kind of choking noise, and Callie turned to him, irritated that Everett hadn’t even taken the time to kiss her. “What?”

“Nothing.” Dalton flipped out a pocket knife to

work on some wires.

“Come on, out with it, kid,” Callie said playfully.

“I’m not a kid.” Dalton jerked to his feet suddenly. “And if you’d dressed up like that for me, I would have taken the time to kiss you.”

Callie’s mouth dropped open as Dalton walked away. Everett had been right about Dalton’s little crush. And she had hurt his feelings.

A few minutes later, people started filing into the barn and were shown which side to sit on. When Dalton came back to finish the setup, neither of them said anything. Callie clicked on the folder labeled “Pre-Ceremony Music” and the instrumental music for “I Cross My Heart” by George Strait flowed out of the speakers.

Callie searched for Everett and found him helping a stooped older woman to her seat. He looked up, as if sensing she was watching him, and his eyes lit her on fire. The woman said something to him, drawing his attention away once more, and Callie checked the time, her hands shaking.

Her reaction to Everett was sometimes terrifying and more intense than anything she’d ever experienced.

Even with Tristan.

With one minute to the start of the ceremony, Callie got on the mic. “Good evening, ladies and gentleman. We’re about ready to start the bridal procession, so if you could please take your seats, we can get this show on the road.”

Everett and Justin took their places under the arbor, along with another man in a tux who must have been Justin’s best friend, Jared. Watching Everett’s expression as he touched Justin’s shoulder—the sheer happiness lighting his smile—brought tears to her eyes. He dropped his hand from Justin’s shoulder and took a formal position, his gaze straying her way, with that joy still in his smile. Suddenly, she wondered how he’d look at his own wedding. Would he wait for his bride patiently, or would he come down the steps to meet her?

---