jeans and a tank top, slipped into a soft chambray work shirt, and headed for the kitchen.
Maverick was putting a platter of biscuits on the table. “Did you stay out all night again?”
“Nope, I was too tired to do anything more than send a text to Alana and tell her good night, and then I fell right to sleep.” Pax poured himself a cup of coffee and turned to Bridget. “She says the wedding invitations are going out today, and that y’all have an appointment at the bridal shop tomorrow afternoon.”
“That means you two better get the hay baled,” Bridget said, “because Maverick is going to Amarillo with me. He’s going to take Laela to the park while Alana and I both try on dresses, so it’s either get the job done today or you’ll be doing it on your own tomorrow afternoon, Pax.”
“I’ll hold down the fort,” Pax offered.
“Thanks.” Bridget put the rest of the breakfast on the table.
“Wedding invitations?” Maverick asked. “You really are serious about this, aren’t you?”
Pax put two biscuits on his plate and passed them on to Maverick. “Maybe when you go get fitted for the tux, you’ll believe me.”
“You mean it’s going to be that formal? So us guys will have to wear one of those hot monkey suits?” Maverick frowned.
“Yes, but Alana says you can wear your cowboy boots if they’re black. And she’s going to let the girls wear boots too. She says that’s only right since it’s a barn wedding,” Pax said.
“Guess I’ll be shopping for cowboy boots today too, then.” Bridget smiled. “I’ve wanted a pair for a while, and this gives me the perfect excuse to buy them.”
“Wonderful,” Pax said. “You’re turning into a real Texan.” Anything to change the subject, because Pax would be glad when the wedding was over and done with so everyone would stop talking about it.
An hour later, he was in the cab of an air-conditioned tractor mowing hay, and all he could think about was the wedding. It seemed like every song that came on his favorite country station that morning had to do with weddings. First Thomas Rhett sang “Marry Me.” The lyrics reminded Pax that he would likely have to sit by someday and watch Alana marry someone else.
A shot of jealousy ran through him. He didn’t want to be the one sitting at the back of the church when she was saying her I dos. He didn’t even want her walking by with a wedding ring on her finger that had been put there by another man.
Then Scotty McCreery came in with “This Is It.” The words talked about a bride walking down the aisle and how the two of them would be on top of the world together forever. Pax knew that Scotty had written the song for his own wife, and Pax would see Alana walking down the aisle, but there would be none of that forever stuff for them.
When Blake Shelton started singing “God Gave Me You,” Pax turned the radio off and called Alana.
She answered on the first ring, and he could hear the beat of music in the background. “I hear a tractor. Are you rakin’ or cuttin’?” she sniffled.
“Are you crying?” he asked. “Is it Matt? Is he all right?”
“He’s fine, but he told me this morning, he’s got a doctor’s appointment every Tuesday. He won’t let me go with him.” She broke down and sobbed.
“Do I need to come over there?” he asked.
“No, I was thinking about a song for the daughter-daddy dance at the wedding,” Alana answered, “and found one by Heartland called ‘I Loved Her First.’ It’s perfect, but it reminds me that he’ll never see his grandchildren, and he won’t be there when I get married for real,” Alana said. “The real reason behind this wedding makes it as heartbreaking as a funeral.”
“I should stop this tractor and come over there. You need me,” he said.
“I’m in a tractor too. Lucas and I are raking hay. First and foremost right now, we’re ranchers, and you can’t come runnin’ every single time I’m sad, so keep working. Talk to me,” she said.
“Turn off the music,” he suggested. “I had to turn off my radio.”
“Okay,” she said, “but then my thoughts make me cry. I’m going to put on a good audiobook I’ve been listening to. Maybe that will take my mind off things,” she said. “I’ll call you when I’m not such a mess.”