Page 22 of Aisle Be The Groom (Bristlecone Springs #1)

OZZIE

“ I ’m sorry I can’t stick around, Gertie.” I handed her the apron I’d been using, feeling a little guilty at my fib. I wasn’t sorry at all. While I didn’t mind helping in the kitchen—and I’d been the one to suggest it—I had a date with Gray in about an hour. A date! The concept wasn’t new, but Gray was, and he made dates special the way they were supposed to.

“Don’t apologize.” Gertie patted my hand. “You’ve been a big help to me since you’ve been here. I should be the one to apologize for manipulating all your time, which you need to prepare for your wedding.”

My stomach dropped. A wedding that wasn’t happening. I giggled sheepishly. This was the part of dating Gray that I didn’t like. Carter wasn’t around, so I couldn’t tell him the wedding was off and that I was seeing his father. Breaking the two pieces of news to him at the same time might not be best, but I was too happy with Gray to pretend any longer. It was better to get everything out in the open.

Being with him made my chest light. I’d forgotten what it felt like to glow from the inside out. But…we owed Carter the truth.

I’ll talk to Gray about it after our date.

I didn’t want to ruin our outing.

“I don’t mind helping.” I pushed back a lock of damp hair from my forehead. The heat was unbearable. “Giving me something to do has filled my days. And I like your stories about the town folk. I feel as if I’m friends with everybody.”

Gertie laughed, folded the apron, and placed it neatly on the counter. “You’re sweeter than a jar of honey. How’s the wedding preparation going? Your folks gonna be down soon?”

“My moms are on vacation right now.” Since I left the house, they’d grown closer and were so head over heels in love with each other they sometimes forgot Earth’s population wasn’t a grand total of two. “They’re coming down the weekend before the wedding.”

“Just two weeks away.” She clicked her tongue. “Aye, that’s such a short time, and I haven’t seen you do much yet. Is it Gray?”

She knew about my affair with Gray? My mouth fell open, and I got light-headed as if all the blood had drained out of my head. “What-what do you mean?”

“Well, it’s obvious what’s going on. Don’t look so shocked. This isn’t on you, sugar pie. Gray should be ashamed of himself. Do you want me to talk to him for you?”

I shook my head, gaping like a fish. “I, uh, no, I—” I swallowed and tried again, “You can’t blame Gray. It’s not his fault. Truly. He tried his best. We both did, but we didn’t expect to have these powerful feelings for each other. And I know it’s wrong because I’m engaged to Carter, but I’m going to call off the wedding. I just can’t do it over the phone, so I have to wait for him to…” Gertie’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline, and her mouth formed a perfect O . “Oh dear god, you weren’t talking about Gray and me sleeping together, were you?”

She tried to speak, but no sound came. She shook her head and clutched the counter.

“Gertie?” Had I given her a heart attack? “I swear we didn’t plan for this to happen. When we first slept together—why do I keep saying that?—umm, when we first got together, it was all innocent. You see, we were trapped in the barn because of the rain, and we spent the night together, but we didn’t have sex then, I swear. Oh god, I can’t breathe.”

I sat down heavily on a stool and dragged painful breaths into my lungs, clutching my chest. The room spun dizzyingly around me. I was suffocating under the weight of guilt and shock that had come crashing down with Gertie’s disbelief.

She hated me, and it was all my fault. She was probably thinking that I wasn’t such a sweet boy at all. Did they still call people harlots for what I was doing with his dad?

“Oh, dear.” Gertie snapped out of her daze, fluttered around the kitchen, and shoved a glass of water in my hand. “Drink.”

Tears burned my eyes as I did as she bid, choking back the cool liquid.

“Breathe, Ozzie. What’s done is done. Like my grandpa used to say when I was a girl, ‘You can’t unscramble an egg, but you can eat it and enjoy it.’”

I blinked several times. Was Gertie saying…?

“Well, don’t look at me like that, sugar pie. You shocked the bejeebers out of me. I thought Gray was being an ass in not supporting the wedding, but I won’t judge. I would be the last person to, given my colorful past. Got more colors than in the rainbow.”

“You mean you don’t hate me or think I’m a…?” My cheeks burned.

“Of course not. I haven’t known you for long, but I can tell you’re a decent young man. Despite what you have going on with Gray, I think you tried your best. And I’ve known Gray for almost two decades. He’s not a man who would do something like this lightly, which means he genuinely cares about you.”

I dropped my eyes and gripped the glass in my hand harder. “Isn’t it too soon for love?”

“There’s no timeline on love, sugar pie. I knew my Georgie was the one the day we met. We slept together that same night, got engaged two weeks later, and within two months, we were married.”

“That’s a sweet story.”

“Honey, I can tell the sneaking around bothers you. You and Gray should come clean. Things might not exactly have turned out as you hoped, but I believe it’s for the best. I don’t want to be a busybody, but the fact that Carter isn’t even here to help you with your wedding says a lot. Surely you see that?”

Feeling sheepish, I dropped my gaze. “I must have seemed foolish.”

“No, not foolish. Hopeful. Sure, this is probably going to be the hot topic in town for a while, but as long as you and Gray are sure of each other, you can overcome it.” She winked. “Gossip only lasts until the next scandal comes along. Besides, the only two people who need to be happy with a relationship are the couple themselves.”

“Thank you, Gertie. You’re a wise woman.”

“Is that your way of saying I’m old?”

I laughed, feeling better, using her words to steel my nerves. “No, no. That’s my way of saying… experienced. I should get out of your hair. Gray wants us to go somewhere together.”

“Now don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. In case you don’t know what that means, it means very little.”

Chuckling, I walked out of the kitchen, but I glanced back. Gertie was bent over the stove, humming a tune. Like this house, the ranch, and the town, she had grown on me, and I thanked my lucky stars she didn’t see me as a villain despite what I’d done. Maybe other people wouldn’t judge us too harshly either.

If only. Gertie’s one of a kind.

I had just finished dressing when Gray messaged me, asking for fifteen more minutes. I replied with a thumbs-up emoji and told him I’d wait on the porch. As I wandered down the hallway, my gaze fell on the photographs adorning the walls, each capturing life on the ranch. I easily recognized Carter and Matty as kids. Several images depicted an older couple, their smiling faces warm and weathered.

But it was the pictures of a younger Gray that held my attention the longest. He looked so much like Carter. In each shot, he exuded confidence, his trademark smirk ever-present. One photo showed him bareback riding, dust kicking up under his horse’s hooves. Others captured him while roping cattle, his lasso taut and his focus intense, bull riding, and sitting by a campfire with a blade of grass in his mouth and a guitar resting in his lap. Did he play? He looked so carefree. There was so much I still didn’t know about him.

In the photos, Gray was about the same age as Carter was now. Maybe one day Carter would grow up, but he wasn’t ready for the commitment I required.

The final photograph was a family picture so perfect my heart ached. Gray stood next to Carter’s mother with his arm around her waist. Carter and Matty, around eight and ten years old, stood in front of them. The picture of a perfect Southern family. Yet Gray only got along with one son, while struggling to connect with the other, and he had a bizarre relationship with his wife.

Dear god, Gray was still married. What if he doesn’t intend to divorce his wife? Am I throwing away my chance at happiness by choosing Gray?

At least I knew what to expect from Carter and that I could put up with his behavior. But this wasn’t about Gray. Even if things didn’t work out between us, I could never be with Carter. I needed someone who treated me better.

My confidence in what I wanted soared, and I stepped away from the pictures and strolled onto the porch. The first couple of nights, the sounds of the ranch had kept me awake, but now the cadence of the neighing horses, shouting ranch hands, and clinking tools was music to my ears.

“Oh, hey, Hudson!” I waved to the man. His frown was deeper than usual. Shit. My face fell. I’d forgotten Gertie told me that his wife had left him and his three-year-old daughter.

“Ozzie.” He nodded and continued walking.

“Wait!” I rushed down the steps, tripping on the last one. Hudson caught me, preventing me from falling. “Oh shit, I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

He looked genuinely confused as if he didn’t notice my weight leaning against him. I’d busted my face pretty badly once when I’d tried grabbing Carter to break a fall. He’d stepped away.

Oh god, I almost married someone who would rather I fall than catch me. The realization was like a punch to the gut, and I pulled away from Hudson, steadying myself.

I shook my head as Hudson still seemed to wait for a response. “Nothing. Just…how are you? Do you need anything?”

He scowled. “You heard, didn’t you?”

“About your wife? Yes. I’m sorry about that. Maybe she’ll see what a horrible mistake she’s made and return.”

“Best thing she can do for us is to stay away.” Bitterness dripped like acid from his tongue. “I’ll be able to give our daughter some stability.”

But he couldn’t be happy with the arrangement when his brows were knitted like that, and his eyes held a shadow of hurt. He swiped a hand over his face and let out a sigh.

“Okay.” What else could I say?

“I won’t miss my wife, Ozzie.” He pulled his hat lower over his brow. “My problem is finding someone to watch Ivy while I work. I can’t afford to miss a day, especially not now, since Heather cleaned out my accounts.”

“Shit.”

“Just forget I said anything.”

I grabbed his hand. “I can’t forget. Please let me help.”

“How? Are you going to babysit while I work?” His tone was sarcastic and biting.

“Yes.”

He rolled his eyes. “Be serious, Ozzie.”

“I am serious.” I gave his hand a squeeze. “If you don’t mind my lack of experience, but back in DC, one of our friends had two kids, and sometimes I watched them while they all went out. Last I checked, they still had ten toes and ten fingers.”

“But did they still have all their teeth?”

“Well, I can’t be blamed for that. It was already loose so—”

Hudson let out a chuckle, his usual stoic demeanor momentarily slipping.

“Oh, you’re teasing me!” But it was good to see him smile. He didn’t do that often.

“I’m going to ask you again, Ozzie. Are you sure? I was going to take a few days off to find a new babysitter, but if Ivy can stay here, it would be perfect. I could see her while I’m working, ensure she’s fine.”

Aww, he seemed like such a good dad, and I could tell how much he loved his little girl. Carter never wanted kids, something I’d told myself I could live without, but I was already excited about watching Hudson’s daughter.

“Then it’s decided. Bring her by tomorrow. I’ll take excellent care of her, you’ll see.”

“She’s the sweetest little angel there is, so I must warn you. Don’t go getting too attached. Next thing you know, you’ll be canceling your wedding because of me.”

“Why would Ozzie cancel his wedding for you?”

I jumped at the sharp tone as Matty walked over, his face twisted in anger. Damn, for such a handsome guy, he was sure mad a lot.

“It’s none of your fucking business.” Hudson’s snarl matched Matty’s rage, their heated gazes locking in a silent battle of wills. Neither seemed willing to back down. Tension crackled between them, ready to snap. I glanced from Matty to Hudson.

Oh my.

Oh my.

Was that what all this was about?

“It’s my business if my brother’s fiancé runs off with the help.” Matty turned to me. “You’re not stupid enough to fall for his tricks, are you? You should be aware he’s known for taking back the things he says, so don’t get your hopes up with this one.”

“Fuck you, Matty.” Hudson shoved him hard in the chest. “Don’t bring Ozzie into this.”

“ You brought him into this.”

“Will you guys just kiss already?” Two angry men glared at me, and I flinched. Okay, maybe that didn’t lighten the mood at all. In fact, they seemed even more hostile toward each other.

“I ain’t got nothing more to say to you,” Matty said. “Get off my ranch.”

Hudson snorted. “I don’t work for you.”

“But someday you will, and then your ass will be mine.” Color rushed into Matty’s face, and he spluttered. “I d-didn’t mean it the way it sounded.”

Hudson smirked. “In your dreams, cowboy.” He tipped his hat. “See you around, Ozzie.”

Hudson turned on his heel and stalked toward his truck. Matty stared after him, the anger in his eyes replaced by something else. Sadness. Hurt. He looked like he wanted to go after Hudson.

Do it. Do it. I silently urged him, but he didn’t budge.

“Stay away from him,” he snapped. “He’s not for you.”

“And he won’t be for you either if you keep being so nasty to him. And to me. ”

“You know why I don’t like you, Ozzie?” Matty tilted his head to the side. “Because you have this sweet butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-your-mouth crap going on, but you don’t fool me. You were only here one night, and you were already fooling around with someone else.”

I gasped, my hand flying up to my mouth. He knew? “You don’t understand.”

“What’s there to understand? You’re a whore who sleeps around on your fiancé, and my brother might be an ass, but he doesn’t deserve that.”

“Matty, enough!” Gray’s voice cut through the air like a knife, and it took everything out of me not to run to him.