Page 31 of Ropers Can’t Tie Knots (Kissing Ridge Cowboys #3)

nineteen

Gabe

“ H onestly, Riley, make sure we have hot dogs. I’m fine with it.”

My best friend huffs and glares at Hunter. “You can’t serve only hot dogs at a wedding reception. These people will be drinking and partying with you. Don’t you want something…nicer?”

Riley’s tone is full of hope, and I try not to laugh, but he won’t win this battle.

“You said it’s our wedding and we can do what we want,” Hunter says in an accusing tone. “I want hot dogs, and Gabe agrees.”

Riley groans, and I finally let the laughter break free. “Rye, I told you. It’s settled.”

Jackson laughs along with me as he and Hunter stand. “Have fancy pickles and mustard. Will that help?” Hunter adds, and Riley sags with defeat. “Whoever did the buffet you arranged at the first wedding was great. Just do that again. I loved it.”

His face softens as his gaze finds mine. The only thing we agreed to keep the same as the first wedding day was the hot dogs, because not only was it his favourite, but it was a gesture I made for him that he appreciated .

“I can’t believe I’m planning a hot dog buffet for my best friend’s wedding. What’s next? A build-your-own poutine?”

Hunter cocks his head as he considers.

“That’s actually a great idea,” I say. “Let’s do it.”

Hunter bends for a kiss. “I knew you were the one. See you later, babe. You can make the choices and fill me in later.” He kisses me again before leaving with Jackson. They have work to do in the rodeo barn now that the weather is warming up. Spring will be here soon, and I, for one, can’t wait.

Riley returns Jackson’s kiss and then turns his pout at me.

“Hot dogs and poutine.” Riley shakes his head, but softens his gaze. “He’s so damn different now, Gabe. He loves you to the moon, and while I’m relieved to know he has a heart, sometimes it’s weird to see.”

“He is literally my dream man, Rye. I’d do anything for him, and if it’s hot dogs and poutine at a wedding, then so be it.”

Riley sits back, leaving the wedding plan for a moment. “How are you doing, waiting for the divorce?”

I fucking hate hearing that word and it instantly flips my mood.

“Okay-ish. I mean, we’re planning a wedding while waiting for a divorce, and technically, he still hasn’t proposed properly, like he said he would.

” He promised he would, and I don’t doubt him…

but it’s eating at me while I wait. “I’m excited and anxious.

I’m always wondering if he’s changing his mind and the divorce will be final, and he’ll be gone.

Wedding planning or not, it’s just a stupid anxiety that I can’t shake. ”

Shit. I shouldn’t have said that out loud. Now that I have, though, I feel better getting it off my chest .

“Gabe…you don’t think he’d change his mind for real, do you? He put his foot down for a hot dog and poutine dinner. That’s serious.”

I hate feeling insecure. It’s new to me because I’ve never had someone like Hunter before. I don’t doubt he loves me, and I can’t even explain why I feel like this. It’s just there gnawing at me every day.

“No, I don’t think he’ll change his mind.

If he does, then I’m a huge fool, and he deserves to win an Oscar for Best Actor.

But signing those papers for a divorce was…

so fucking hard, Riley. But I did it for him, you know?

He wanted to break from that day with all his grandfather’s bullshit, and I understand.

Honestly, I get it.” In my haste to make Hunter happy, I failed to consider how this would affect me long term.

Initially, I thought it would go away, but it hasn’t.

“I don’t think I’ll feel right until he slides a ring on my finger for real. ”

“Does he know it bothers you this much?”

“Some. I’ve never told him the whole thing. He already feels bad about asking for the divorce. I don’t want him to coddle my insecure ass.”

He’s incredibly thoughtful and kind. I know my anxiety is unfounded. I know it, but I can’t keep the unsettled feeling away. The closer our wedding day gets, the more excited I should be, and I can’t make heads or tails of why this keeps bothering me.

“I bet if you told him how you feel, he’d make it right.

” Riley picks up the planning notebook. “Now that we have food settled, I can get the caterer scheduled. Is the rodeo barn still going to work, or do you want me to book a space in town? Have you thought about if it rains? Tell me all the things. If we’re aiming for June, I’m running out of time to make changes. ”

I know Riley’s change of topic is to get me back to the happy space I was just in, and I appreciate it.

Hunter and I have discussed this and agree we want to be married here with the horses and the ranch.

It’s where we learned our true feelings despite him insisting he had none.

We’ve made this a happy place now, and it means so much for him to let go of the ugly memories here.

By marrying here, it’s like sticking our flag in a conquered country.

A final middle finger to the past that made his life hell.

Even with my unfounded anxiety, I have the best memories here. He gifted me a horse here, took me on my first horseback ride, and we’ve shared so many evenings on the porch swing. I love it here.

“No changes, Rye. It’s here. Maybe a tent for the field where we’ll say our vows. Any luck on a new minister?”

Since Hunter and I aren’t religious, we don’t want to be married in a church or with any sort of religious overtones. Riley assured me it could be done.

“Well…yes. Sort of.” He sips from his coffee cup and clears his throat. “I, uh, found a former priest who will do it.”

Narrowing my eyes, I wait for more. “Former? So no bible readings or whatnot? He understands that?”

“Oh, very much so. He’s a nice guy, and we spoke on the phone. He’s from out of the province, but he’ll totally do it. He, uh, asked for a bizarre payment, though.”

“Okay…”

“Chocolate chip cookies. For his husband. I’ve already asked Diamond if he could bake them, and he’s thrilled. ”

“He wants payment in cookies?”

“Said he didn’t want any money.” Riley passes me a printout with his bio and a photo.

“Charles likes to travel with his husband, and prefers daytime ceremonies,” I read aloud.

“While most people prefer to pay in cash, we prefer cookies and baked goods. My husband is a foodie, and it’s his goal to sample baking across Canada. ”

Riley bites his lip. “I know it’s weird. I know…but everyone is booked or pregnant for the date. So…”

With a small laugh, I pass the paper back to Riley. “Yeah. Do it. As long as he can legally marry us, I don’t care if he wants to be paid with nickels.”

Riley and I review a few more details before calling it a day. There isn’t a lot left except to wait for the day to arrive. Which, so far, I’m the only one nervous about.

Jackson and Hunter stomp back into the house, laughing, and it’s a sound I’ve grown to love. Hunter’s deep laugh, paired with Jackson’s rumbling one, always makes me smile. We rise from the living room to greet them as Hunter hangs his jacket on the hook.

“Jackson just reminded me how busy it gets on Valentine’s Day at the restaurants, and I have an idea.” He removes his gear while Jackson holds Riley’s coat for him. “Do you want to have an early Valentine’s Day?”

“What did you have in mind?”

Hunter grins as he reaches for me. “Dancing at the Happy Badger. We never got to go back there for our missed date.”

We tried to get there for a New Year’s Eve Party, but it never happened. Margie invited us over for Scrabble and pie, and Hunter never said yes so fast to an invitation in his life .

“A double date, if you don’t mind,” Jackson adds, and I look over to find Riley absolutely beaming at this spontaneous invitation.

“I’d love to. Dinner first?”

“I thought we could give that new place in town a try. That steak place, Eat More Meat.” Hunter supplies, and we all agree to meet there in a few hours.

Once Riley and Jackson have left, Hunter grabs a blanket off the couch and peeks out the porch door.

“It’s a gorgeous sunny day, and the snow is melting. False spring.” He chuckles. “Want to sit on the swing for a while?”

“Are you and the blanket keeping me warm?”

“Of course.” He pushes his feet into a pair of slippers nearby and pulls on my hand. “Come on, counsellor. Come with me.”

He bats his brown eyes with his best puppy-dog face, and I’d never say no, but that pout will always work.

“Yes, I’m coming with you.”

Stepping on the back porch, he sets the blanket on the bench for me first so I can sit on a part and wrap more around myself before snuggling up to him.

The sun shines warmly today for early February, and the snow drips off the porch roof.

Hunter pushes a foot off so we rock slowly, the chains squeaking a rusty tune.

“Did you and Riley make progress?”

“I think so. There isn’t much for us to do. He has the details. We need to get the invitations out asap. That won’t take us long since it’s a small wedding. I just need to buy some stamps.”

Hunter hums. A contented sound, and he drops a kiss to the top of my head. “How about we get the invitations done tomorrow and send them off? We’ll take a horse ride inside the ring and get you ready for the summer after that.”

He promised to teach me how to ride better so I could run with Mack, and I’m excited about that almost as much as the warm weather on the horizon.

“That sounds like a perfect day.”

“I agree.”

We sit for a while longer and swing, the gentle motion rocking me to sleep like a baby, and I drift off to that place that’s not quite sleep, but not quite awake, and my heart feels so full it might burst.