“Three is a big family in today’s world.” Vicky combed Emily’s long blonde hair back away from her face with her fingers.
“Hey!” Jancy poked her head in the door. “All right if I have first turn in the bathtub tonight?”
“Come on in and join us first,” Emily said. “There’s room beside Nettie.”
“You sure?” Jancy asked.
Nettie patted the pillows. “Saved this spot for you. You are positively glowin’, girl. What has happened?”
“I told Shane all of it and be hanged if he didn’t already know about the probation thing. It was on my record when he applied for a car title for that burned-out wreck.” She grinned. “And he’s fine with it and I told him that I love him. Good grief, I’m rambling.”
“Savor the moment,” Emily said.
“I love this feeling, Nettie,” Jancy said.
“Hey, this is Pick, Texas. It’s a magical place where only good things happen,” Emily said.
“That’s just rainbows and unicorns talking,” Vicky told her.
“But they’re my pretty rainbows and my pink unicorns with glitter on their horns,” Emily said.
Nettie chuckled. “For tonight y’all all can float around in the pretty fluffy clouds, but keep one foot on the ground and set firm in reality, because life is not all rainbows and unicorn farts. It’s got pain as well as joy. Remember that.”
“Will do,” Vicky, Jancy, and Emily said in unison.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
On Thursday night, their last night before the wedding preparations the next day, the four of them went to the mall in Tyler for some last-minute honeymoon items for Emily. Sarah had begged for a bridal shower and a bachelorette party, but Emily had promptly put an end to both ideas.
Music from a carousel greeted them when the two guys pushed open the doors into the mall. “Let’s ride the horses,” Emily yelled over the music.
“Are you serious? Aren’t we too tall?” Jancy was doing all kinds of things for the first time and loving every minute of it.
“Never.” Shane grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the carousel. He gave the man the money for four to ride. “Pick your pony, darlin’.”
She chose one with gold reins and a sidesaddle. Shane put a hand on each side of her waist, picked her up, and set her on the horse. She loved that flash of heat when he touched her, even in the most innocent ways. He slung a leg over the black horse right beside her and reached for her hand.
When the ride ended and Shane had helped her off the horse, Jancy bumped her hip against Shane’s. “Thank you. That was my first ever carousel ride.”
“It wasn’t m-my first, but it was the best one ever,” he said.
Emily and Ryder joined them, and she pointed toward a cotton candy kiosk. “I’ve been craving that stuff. Let’s share a big cone. After that I want to go to the food court and get a fat dill pickle, and then I’ll be ready to go to Victoria’s Secret.”
“I’ll buy two, because one won’t go around among four of us,” Ryder said. “Bag or cone for y’all, Shane?”
“Cone,” he said without hesitation. “Them bags is pre-m-made, and they ain’t as good as the warm stuff right out of the m-machine.” He lowered his voice. “M-me and Ryder will go to another store wh-when y’all go to the panty place. He’s got to pick up the rings and buy Emily a special w-weddin’ present.”
“What is it?” Jancy asked.
“Can’t tell. It’s a surprise,” he answered. “But I think she’s really goin’ to love it.”
“Are you for real or did you pop out of a romance book?” Jancy asked.
“Wh-what does that m-mean?” Shane grinned.
“You are so sweet and kind that I’m not sure you could possibly be real. I think maybe I’m dreamin’ and you are a knight in shining armor.”
One side of Shane’s mouth turned up slightly. “Ahh, honey, not a one of them fancy knights ever stuttered. I’m m-more like Shrek.”
“Maybe not, but you will always be my knight,” Jancy said.
The lady handed Ryder two huge cones of pink cotton candy. He handed one to Jancy and the other to Emily. “Where to now?”
Shane grinned. “To the food court for this pregnant lady’s pickles.”
“Hey, at least I wore shoes, so I’m not barefoot and pregnant. And I don’t crave pickles, just lots of sweet stuff.” Emily picked a handful of cotton candy.
“And after that we need half an hour in Victoria’s Secret,” Jancy said.
“Why so long?” Emily asked. “I know exactly what I want and it won’t take very long to get it all.”
“Because it will take that long,” Jancy said as they found seats in the food court and the guys went to buy bottles of water.
“Really, it won’t,” Emily argued.
“Did you get Ryder a wedding gift? Something that you give to him before the wedding? The bridesmaid is probably supposed to deliver it, since you can’t see him that day, and believe me, Nettie will stand guard outside the door with a shotgun to keep that rule in place.”
“Oh, my gosh. I didn’t even think of it,” Emily said. “What am I going to get?”
“Does he wear a tie to work?”
“He will in the office.” She nodded.
“Maybe a really nice tie tack with a personal note?”
“Jancy, you are a lifesaver.”
Vicky set a bottle of cold water on the swing between her and Nettie. Andy sat down on the top porch step and braced his back against the post. Tomorrow it would all begin, and in forty-eight hours it would be over.
“So when do you start setting up?” Nettie asked.
“The bridal tent goes up first thing tomorrow morning so the girls can do all their primping and whatever it is that goes on inside those closed doors for two days. Tell Emily I’ll get it ready and cooled down by ten o’clock. Then it’s all theirs.” He held up a six-pack of beer by the plastic ring. “Either of y’all want one? Things are about to get hectic around here. You might not have time for a beer and a relaxing hour until it’s all said and done on Saturday night.”
“I got water, but I might have one later,” Nettie said.
Vicky hopped up from the swing and crossed over to where he was sitting. “I’d love one.”
He worked one out of the plastic ring and put it in her hands. “How did your day go? I bet you were so busy that your feet are killin’ you. Will you be ready for a good foot massage after this wedding is over?”
“You have no idea, and yes.” Rather than going back to the swing, she eased down beside him. Something about his presence brought calmness into her life.
“It’s a date, then. Meet me on your front porch.” He smiled. “Where are all the kids?”
“They’ve gone to Tyler for last-minute honeymoon things, plus Ryder needs to pick up the rings and Shane said something about a wedding gift for Emily. I hope she remembers to get him something. Hey”—she bumped a shoulder against his—“thanks again for making the cake on such short notice,” she said.