Page 91

Thea wrapped her arms around him and kissed him hard. “Let’s do it.”

Chapter23

Thea

Thea finished the last of her lunch with a contented sigh. “This is amazing.”

Everly sat across from Thea at one of the long tables in the dining hall. “Her chicken and rice is the perfect comfort food. I added it to the offerings menu for weddings this year, and three couples have already requested it for their receptions.”

“I don’t blame them, but now I need a nap,” Thea said.

“You need a ride home?” Everly asked.

The wedding planner at the ranch had become another fast friend to Thea, even though her workload was massive due to the upcoming wedding season.

“That’s sweet of you, but I actually have a doctor’s appointment soon.” Thea looked at her watch. “Hadley is taking me. She’s supposed to meet me here.”

Everly locked the tablet she’d been tapping on all through lunch and stored it in her bag. “Don’t forget about tonight.”

Thea smiled. “How could I forget?”

After hearing about the church service Brett had put together at the ranch on Sunday, Everly had arranged for the adult Wednesday night class to meet at her house so Thea could attend.

It would be her first trip off the ranch that wasn’t a quick follow-up doctor visit, and she was more than ready to hang out with her old friends and meet a few new ones. Everly had been sure to tell everyone to be secretive about Thea’s whereabouts.

“Thanks for having lunch with me too,” Thea said as she stood with her empty plate.

“Don’t mention it. I had a blast. Hopefully, we’ll be seeing more of each other.” Everly winked and lifted the strap of her bag onto her shoulder.

With Brett and Thea’s decision to stay at the ranch out in the open, everyone had been quick to include her. She’d called her boss in Alabama, and the three-hour phone call was emotionally draining, but Misty had been so understanding.

And supportive. Misty knew a lot about Thea’s past, and her old boss was happy to know Thea was making a new life in Wyoming.

Hopefully, this visit with the doctor would end with permission to fly, and she and Brett could take a quick trip to Alabama to gather the rest of her stuff. She didn’t have much worth worrying over, but she wanted to say a proper good-bye to her friends and the horses.

She’d also come clean to Gage through Hadley and let him in on everything she was planning with Brett. Her brother hadn’t exactly been thrilled, but he promised to help with anything they needed.

Thea followed Everly to the trash bin, and they tossed their plates in just as Vera stepped out of the kitchen.

“That chicken and rice was amazing. Can you teach me how to make it?” Thea asked.

Vera grinned and wiped her hands on her apron. “Of course. I’ll put it on the menu for the week after next, and you can help me prep it.”

Thea rounded the trash bin to wrap her arms around the sweet woman. Vera’s heart was as pure as fresh snow, and she’d turned into a quiet shoulder to cry on when Thea missed her mother.

Vera might not have had any children of her own, but she had a nurturing heart, and Thea gladly let herself be pulled under the older woman’s wing.

Everly waved as she left. “See you later. Five-thirty, Thea.”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Thea said as she checked her watch again. “Speaking of missing something, where is Hadley? We need to get on the road.”

Rhythmic, thundering booms came from outside, making both Thea and Vera turn.

The dining hall door flew open, and Abby ran in, followed quickly by Hadley.

Vera rested a hand on her chest. “Good grief, I thought there was a herd of buffalo outside.”

Hadley doubled over, resting her hands on her knees. “This isn’t over,” she panted.