How to Rope a Real Man by Melissa Cutler Page B

making a break for it.
    The truth hit Jenna at the same time it did Matt. “You didn’t write a speech, did you?” she asked.
    Another curse. “I thought something would come to me, but then with what happened to Nick, I . . .” He shook his head, his eyes back on his clasped hands. “What am I supposed to say about Kellan? It’s not like the two of us have spent much time together in the past twenty years.” He closed his fingers into a fist around the empty water bottle, crushing it.
    To Matt’s way of thinking, there was only one thing to be done in a crisis like this. “Jenna, could you reach under your seat? There should be a pad of paper there.”
    He grabbed one of the pens he kept stashed in his center console. Over the years, his car had morphed into a rolling office since most of his business was conducted from the road. He preferred to meet homeowners dealing with oil issues at their houses, where they were most comfortable and he could look at the land in question.
    He clicked the pen, then tossed it to the backseat along with one of the candy bars left over from the all-nighter at Carpe Diem. “Okay, Jake. Brace yourself. It’s time to get mushy.”

Chapter Six
    Matt, Jenna, and Jake hightailed it from the parking lot into the lobby of the Tucumcari Civic Center with thirty minutes until showtime with the photographer.
    Jenna had phoned Rachel and Kellan with an E.T.A. fifteen minutes earlier and confirmed that Jenna’s bridesmaid dress and boots were waiting for her in the bridal suite down the right-hand hallway from the ballroom, along with the hairdresser. Vaughn and Kellan were waiting with Matt and Jake’s tuxedos in the groom’s suite down the hall on the opposite side of the ballroom.
    Tara emerged into the lobby from the ballroom’s double doors. Her hair was in disarray behind the red bandanna she’d fashioned into a headband and her cheeks were flushed from exertion. Her tank top was covered in pollen and petals, and her red, swollen nose and eyes dripped with moisture.
    “Well?” Jenna asked. “How’d you do?”
    Tara flashed a thumbs-up and a watery smile. “It’s ready. We did it.”
    She was on her way to hugging Jenna when she noticed Jake and pulled back. “Oh.”
    Jake squared his shoulders and gave her a once-over. “Oh, yourself.”
    Matt had no idea what oh meant, and neither Jake’s nor Tara’s expression was giving much away.
    “Who’s this, Jenna?” Jake asked.
    Jenna fumbled through an introduction. “Um, Tara, this is Jake. Jake, this is Matt’s sister, Tara.”
    Jake crossed his arms over his chest, his gaze raking over her tattoos. “So you’re the new flower lady that saved the day?”
    Tara wiped her drippy nose with the back of her hand. “That’s me.”
    “Your clothes are a mess and your face is leaking. What, are you allergic to flowers or something?”
    Tara planted her hands on her hips and looked about as confident as a woman could with puffy sinuses and a shirt covered in flower debris. “Maybe I am. And you must be the best man who almost missed his brother’s wedding.”
    “That’s me.” Jake’s eyes gleamed and his face morphed into either a scowl or a smile. With Jake, it was impossible to tell.
    Matt wasn’t sure what was going on, but he was getting some weird vibes from the two of them so he stepped between them. “Tara, you said you’re done with the flowers. Are you hitting the road soon?”
    She tore her gaze from the staring contest with Jake. “No. Ira called. He’s taking the kids to his house for the rest of the weekend so they can swim in his complex’s pool. Kellan invited me to stay. Mom and Dad are stopping by my place to pick me up a dress for tonight and one of the bridesmaids gave me the key to her hotel room so I can shower and primp.”
    Their parents were coming to the wedding because they’d sold a handful of horses to Kellan over the years and, from what Matt could tell, he’d pretty much invited