The Last Cowboy In Texas (16 page)

* * *

After they’d found just the right dress for Paige, they stopped at a café for coffee. The more she learned about Aggie, the more confused she became that this woman would have chosen JT to be her mate. Jason, successful career and all, was really a simple sort of man; a total opposite to the erudite Agatha Kingfisher.

“Aggie, I know you’re in a family way and you think you love Jason. But really, have you thought this out beyond the birth of your baby?”

“What do you mean, Paige? I don’t think I love Jason. I do love him. Very much.”

Paige shrugged. “Man and wife until death do you part is a long time, Aggie. You’ve shown me you have impeccable taste in clothing, your manners are beyond reproach, and it’s clear you fit into lofty social circles, a place where JT will never feel comfortable.”

“I don’t plan to spend another day in that so-called society, Paige. My parents are nothing more than slaves to an out-dated concept. They think they’re so high and mighty, but put them in a group with someone with more toys and money and they quake with fear. Just watching them makes me sick.”

“Is that why you’ve not called them to tell them your good news?”

“Partly.” Aggie rubbed her brows, covering her face with her hand as she did. “I guess.” She focused on Paige’s eyes. “I’m just as afraid as they are of a social situation I don’t know how to control.”

“Aggie, we can’t control every moment of our lives. But we can avoid lots of problems by facing them head on. They usually aren’t as bad as we think.”

“Well, this one just may be. I know I got myself into this by my own actions. And I suppose I’ll have to face it sooner or later.”

Paige laughed. “You have got that right. Better sooner, I say.”

“I’ve been thinking a lot about that. Is it better for me to get married and then let my folks know what I did? Or should I call them now and invite them to my wedding?”

“Make the call, Aggie. There’ll come a day you’ll be glad you did.”

“They won’t come. My mom will assume I’m marrying JT because I’m pregnant. No way will she be able to face that kind of embarrassment.”

Paige shook her head. “It’s not her embarrassment. If anything, it would be yours, though I get the feeling you’re not the least embarrassed over this. Well, other than cold feet when it comes to ‘fessing up to your folks.”

“Yeah.” Aggie looked like her eyes could rain tears at any moment.

An idea popped into Paige’s head. “Hey! Why don’t you do like the government does? When they have bad news, they don’t go out on the dais and spill their guts. They use a staged release scheme. Give your folks part of the bad news now and withhold the rest of it for later.”

“You mean, I should tell my parents I’m getting married but not that I’m about to make them grandparents?”

“Bingo.”

“Paige! That’s almost like lying. I can’t do that. Besides, one look at me and Mom will know there’s more in my belly than went in through my face.”

Paige roared. “That’s funny, Ag! You have a great sense of humor for a woman who’s been thinking her life is ruined.”

“I don’t think my life is ruined. Just the part of it with my family.”

“Well I don’t agree with you on that. And you’re not showing yet. Not even close. With that gorgeous gown you selected, nobody will know if you don’t spill the beans.”

“Unless I get sick in front of the preacher?”

“That would be spilling the beans all right. If you do that, just tell them it’s new bride fever.”

“New bride fever? What the hell is that?”

“A bad case of nerves over the huge changes about to take place in your life.”

“Oh.” Aggie’s expression turned contemplative. “That would work, I guess.”

“Damn right it would. Or you can turn from the preacher after he says, ‘man and wife’, and tell the whole assemblage that you’ve got yourself knocked up and that’s why you went along with this crazy marriage thing.”

“Paige! That would be dumb.”

“Dumb or dumber. Which is it going to be, Aggie?”

“I’ll make the call. I already said I would.”

“Your phone or mine?”

“Damn it, Paige, do you have to be so pushy?”

“In this case, yes. You’re already weeks behind making the call. Pick up your phone and start dialing.”

Aggie grumped while digging through her purse for her cell phone. When she had it in hand, she hit a key and put the device to her ear. “Hi, Mom. Aggie. How are you and Dad? The find? Oh, I had to call that off. Turned out to be a big misunderstanding…

“When am I coming home? Mom, that’s why I called. I, uh, met a really fantastic guy down here so I’m going to stay here awhile…

“No, he’s not another of those loser types I always end up with. Mom, just shut up and listen. I’m getting married.”

Once the words were out, Aggie gasped but, other than elevated breathing and eyes the size of silver dollars, kept her composure. Something her mom on the other end of the line was apparently not doing. She held the phone out so Paige could hear the loud sobs and wails of anguish from
St. Louis
County
.

After a few seconds, she put the phone to her face and said, “Mom? Please don’t cry. I want you to be happy for me…What? No, I didn’t get drunk or hit my head on something. Damn it, Mom, I love JT with all my heart. He’s the dream man I’ve always looked for all over the world, and I found him down here…

“He’s rich and famous, so you don’t have to worry about any damn wolf at my door… JT’s a famous country music singer. He’s famous, Mom. He has the number one hit in the whole damn country right now. And a big wall covered with gold and platinum records for his work. I think you’ll find him damned acceptable, financially. Even as we speak, JT is signing the papers to have a mansion built right here for me. For me, Mom. He’s building a huge home. For me. And, no damn it, I won’t stop swearing.”

Again, she held the phone out. Her mom’s tone had changed in the blink of an eye. “Aggie, honey, can you tell me how a professional person could have gotten trapped in the music industry, other than being a recording executive or some such?”

“Mom, I love you but you’re being stupid. I won’t listen to this crap any longer. He’s a singer, not a paper-pusher. Now, shut up and listen to what I have to say. I’m getting married in Branson on Saturday. Yes, next weekend. I have my gown and a great friend down here,” she winked at Paige, “who’ll be my maid of honor. I want you and Dad to come if you will.”

Mrs. Kingfisher said, “Of course we want to participate in your wedding, young lady. Not that we’re happy you’ve been so impulsive about this-”

“Mom! Stop it, will you?”

“Don’t you talk to me with that tone, Agatha. We’re your-”

Aggie snarled, “Since you won’t shut up, you may as well know the rest of it. I’m going to have a baby. JT’s baby. And, I’m not sorry for it. Proud, do you hear me, Mrs. King-of-society-fucking-fisher. I’m proud!

“I finally found a wonderful man who worships me, who’ll spend every minute of every day finding ways to make me happy. And you know what; I’ll do the same for him. If that’s not true love, I’ll take it until the real thing comes along.

“And no, I’m not showing yet. Nobody will be embarrassed at the ceremony. If you want to come, it’s at the Believers’
Worship
Center
in the southwestern corner of Branson. If you don’t want to come, that’s up to you.”

After a long pause, her mom asked, “What time is the ceremony?”

“Two o’clock on Saturday. There’s a reception dinner afterward where you can get acquainted with my newfound friends. And I’d like for you to get to know the love of my life. Mom, I’m so happy I could just bust.”

Paige grinned at the redhead’s mimic of her lover and listened as she told her mom she loved her and said goodbye. “Wow. That was some conversation.”

Aggie smiled serenely. “Yeah. You could say that.”

“So much for controlled release of information. What did she say to your being with child?”

“Shocked at first. Then she began going through a list of all I’d need to think of before I’m a mom. I love her, Paige, but really; I’m a grown woman. I can handle this.”

It was Paige’s turn to smile. “And so you just did. I’m proud of you, Aggie.”

“I have the strangest feeling right now. Like I just lost a hundred pounds or something. Is that the truth setting me free, or what?”

“I think so. Well, it’s done and they’re invited. Now we’ll see if they show.”

“They will. The loving tone in my mom’s voice is one I haven’t heard for more than a decade. Somehow, the wall that’s divided us as a family just came tumbling down. Right or wrong, my mom’s on my side now. I’m not worried about Dad. When he hears all this from her, he’ll be on my side too. Now if I could only transform JT’s speech into something compatible with my parents’ ability to understand English.”

Paige guffawed. “Now you’re really asking for a miracle. They’ll accept him as he is, my friend. A lovable man who worships their daughter, no matter how badly he butchers the Kingfisher’s English. I think we’re ready now for a fantastic wedding.”

Aggie’s face went somber. “I hope so.”

Paige stared. “Anything else stuck in that pretty head of yours, Aggie?”

“What do you mean?”

“I have no idea. Are you hiding any more dark secrets that need to come out?”

Aggie looked away and cleared her throat. “I—don’t think so.”

“Well, I hope not. You need to get your head clear so we can plan the wedding.”

Her face lit up. “Right. Well, my head’s nice and clear now, so let’s have dinner on the way back and talk about the wedding.”

* * *

Cil was surprised when, days later, she got an email message from the publisher she’d sent Paige’s novel to. The message was terse, only a sparse few words. But positive words, they were.
Manuscript received. Forwarded to an editor. Will respond with assessment.
And then an enigmatic postscript.
Looks like our kind of novel.
And there was a smiley face.

She smiled and put the post in a new file. Waiting would be hell, but she had a good feeling that her daughter’s fiction career stood at a launch point. How much better could it get than that?

* * *

They’d been able to organize a wedding rehearsal for Friday night, with a special supper for the wedding party to be held after the rehearsal. Paige assumed the entire party would consist of JT, Aggie, and JT’s best man, identity still unknown. She figured it had to be one of his musician buddies who’d been with him for years.

She’d figured wrong. Shortly after meeting Aggie in the foyer of the huge
Believers
Worship
Center
, she heard a familiar voice. Troy Roberts, walking up the aisle with JT.

Spinning around, Paige confronted Aggie. “Is
he
going to be JT’s best man?”

The redhead dropped her gaze to the blood-red carpet. “Yes. I’m sorry, Paige. I wanted to tell you but I was afraid you’d back out if you knew.”

Knowing Aggie was right, Paige wanted to cry. Or laugh. Right now she wasn’t sure which.
 
She grated, “So there
was
something else stuck in your craw. Any more last minute surprises, my dear friend?”

“No. That’s the list. All of it. You angry with me?”

Paige took a deep breath and held it for a count of ten while she took inventory of her emotions. Amazingly, she was not angry. Or hurt. Or any of a hundred things she could have expected to be.

“Paige?”

“No, Aggie. Not angry. Surprised, but I can handle it. I’m a big girl, or so I’ve been told.”

“You certainly are that.”
Troy
had come up behind her.

She turned to him and smiled. “Hello,
Troy
. So you’re the mysterious best man I’ve been wondering about.”