Free Once Tempted by Laura Moore Page B

either.” Adele’s voice was clipped and infinitely disapproving.
    “Ha!” Quinn laughed. “You guys have short memories. That fiasco was nothing compared to the wedding before that one. Remember the screaming match that erupted between the bride and groom?” She turned to Tess. “The groom—a marine—on special leave from God knows what hellhole tour of duty, had returned just in time for the rehearsal dinner. Which was when he discovered, because his bride-to-be was silly or guilty enough to wear a spandex dress tight enough to make aKardashian blush, that she was four and a half months pregnant—”
    “And the poor schmuck had been deployed for his tour of duty six months earlier. With no leave,” Reid cut in. Shaking his head, he continued. “Yeah. I’d completely blocked that horror out. Ward was the hero that night. We were all worried the poor guy was going to lose it completely, but you talked him down. Once he was fairly calm, and not threatening to go on a rampage, you saddled up Rio and Sheikh and took him out on a trail ride past dawn. By then the guy was probably too tired to kill anyone.”
    “Dealing with the groom couldn’t have been easy for you, Ward, especially since Erica had just—” With the abruptness of a car colliding into a brick wall, Quinn stopped. Sending her older brother an anguished look, she whispered, “Sorry.”
    Ward’s expression betrayed nothing—the man could make a stone seem expressive. Whatever Quinn had alluded to when she mentioned this Erica person didn’t seem to faze him. They could have been discussing the wine cellar’s inventory or how many positive reviews they’d received on a travel website and he’d have shown more emotion.
    It was the other family members’ expressions that made Tess wonder. The worry in them spoke volumes.
    And Ward Knowles was not a man who inspired people to worry about him.
    Ward could hardly miss his family’s collective consternation, but all he said was, “Let’s get back to the important topic here—Brian and Carrie.”
    “Whom we love dearly and who will have a lovely, happy wedding—” Adele said brightly.
    “Which might break our current rotten-nuptial streak,” Quinn interjected.
    Adele ignored Quinn’s interruption. “Of course we’d be delighted to host the wedding here. Right, Daniel?”
    “Brian’s grown into a fine man.”
    His wife smiled. “Thanks in large part to you, darling,” she said.
    Daniel shrugged easily. “I’d say we all helped Brian when he needed it most. So, when can they get back to us with a date?”
    “Already did, Dad,” Ward said. “They’d like to have the wedding in June—this June.”
    “What? That’s less than five months away,” Reid said.
    Ward nodded.
    A heavy silence descended. Tess might be new to the hotel business, but she’d had plenty of experience working for an events company. She knew how difficult it would be to organize a wedding in such a short period. She glanced over at Macie Paulsen, who was in charge of the special events for the ranch. The redhead was looking distinctly unwell, as if the goat’s milk cheesecake had turned to acid sludge in her stomach. Tess felt a spurt of sympathy for her.
    Phil didn’t look much happier. He’d already pushed his plate out of the way and pulled his iPad closer, fingers skimming its sleek surface. “Which weekend?” he asked, staring at the illuminated screen.
    “Brian mentioned the first one.”
    Phil shook his head. “We’re already more than half-full. How big a wedding are they planning?”
    “Maybe they want an intimate affair,” Adele said with a determined note of optimism.
    “They’re up to a rough count of sixty guests but haven’t conferred with the mothers yet. Brian gave a ballpark figure of one hundred.”
    Quinn snorted. “So much for breaking our rotten streak. Man, I really hate weddings.”
    Adele looked at Ward with dismay. Then she turnedto her husband, and the two exchanged