Free Cattleman's Courtship by Carolyne Aarsen Page A

supper menu?”
    Lorne blew out his breath and got up. “If you’re getting a caterer, they can take care of that, can’t they?”
    Cara bit back a sigh and chanced a look at Nicholas, who was rolling his eyes again. Then their gazes caught and she let slip a smile of commiseration.
    “We live a ways out of town for a caterer to come,” Nicholas said. “We could get one of those people with a portable barbecue thing.”
    “Sounds good.” Lorne looked relieved.
    “It’s a bit casual,” Nicholas warned.
    “Casual is what we’re going for, right, babe?” Lorne said, with a wink in Trista’s direction.
    She smiled back, nodding. “Yeah. But I still want it nice.”
    “It will be nice,” Lorne said. “Nice and easy.” He glanced from Cara to Nicholas. “So what else do we need to talk about?”
    “The ceremony?” Cara asked.
    “We’re meeting with the minister on Tuesday.”
    “Sound system?” Nicholas put in.
    “My brother has one. From his band days.”
    Lorne seemed to have an answer for everything, Cara thought, but his remarks were so glib and offhand. As if he were simply going through the motions of planning this wedding so he could get on to other things. “And photographer?”
    “That’s why I wanted to go riding,” Lorne said. “So we could find a place to take pictures. I don’t want the usual studio stuff.”

    “But you’d have to bring the photographer out there, too,” Cara said, puzzled at his insistence that they go out on horses to find the perfect spot, when there were some equally lovely places here on the ranch.
    “That’s fine,” Trista added, seemingly okay with the plan. “The photographer suggested it himself when he found out where we were having the wedding.”
    “So you’re good with all of this?” Cara asked.
    Trista nodded, but Cara could see faint lines of tension around her mouth.
    “Then I think we got everything we need,” Cara said, sensing her friend needed a break. “I guess you guys can go look for your picture spot.”
    “I want you to come, too,” Trista said to Cara.
    “Why?” Cara hadn’t figured on that.
    “I need your advice. Maid of honor, remember?” Trista tossed Cara a pleading look.
    Cara remembered another time she had gone riding with Nicholas. They had ridden up into the mountains and had a picnic overlooking a lake nestled in the valley. And had shared numerous kisses, which had more than made up for the slight fear she had felt while riding. She loved working with horses on the ground, not so much in the saddle.
    “I don’t think—”
    Trista cut of her protest. “Please come. Please?”
    Cara pushed down the memory of the kisses, avoiding looking at Nicholas for fear he would notice the flush in her cheeks.
    “Okay. I guess I can come,” she conceded, sensing Trista needed the emotional support.
    “Are you sure we got everything covered?” Nicholas asked.

    “We can talk a bit more on the ride if we need to,” Cara said.
    “Lorne and I will get the horses ready then,” Nicholas said, getting up from the table. “So you’re coming riding?” Nicholas glanced at Cara.
    She nodded, wondering if she would regret doing this.
    “That’s great. I’ll saddle up Two Bits,” he said, a smile teasing one corner of his mouth. “You’ll be okay on him.”
    “I hope so,” she said.
    “You can trust him.”
    She knew he was talking about the horse, yet sensed an underlying meaning that created a tiny frisson of expectation.
    “You coming, Chapman?” Lorne called out from the porch.
    “Trista and I will clean up,” Cara said, gathering up the mugs.
    Nicholas held her gaze a split second longer than necessary and then left.
    Trista was already filling the sink with water, staring out the window overlooking the yard. Cara could see Lorne and Nicholas walking toward the corral, Nicholas’s long strides easily catching up to Lorne. It looked as if he could be talking to Lorne and Cara hoped, for Trista’s sake, he