Tumbleweed Weddings (56 page)

“Really?” Cheyenne stood and looked at the roof. Sure enough, the entire thing was pockmarked. “Skinny, can I look at another car?”

“Hey, I’ll subtract a hundred dollars for the damage.”

Cheyenne glanced at Derek. With a frown, he gave a slight shake of his head. She turned to the car salesman. “I think I’d rather look at another one.”

“Okay.” He gave Derek a dark look. “Let’s walk down here.”

She followed him to a wine-colored car, and Derek walked by her side.

“You’ll like this one, Cheyenne.” Skinny placed his hand on the roof. “Wonderful car! A 2003 Cavalier with low mileage.” He tapped the sticker price in the back window. “It’s a little higher than your dad wanted to pay, but a real steal at this price.”

Derek looked at the sticker before walking around the car.

Skinny opened the driver’s door. “Take a seat, Cheyenne. We’ll take this one for a spin.”

Within five minutes, they were on the road. Skinny sat in the passenger seat, talking the entire time. Derek sat in the back. After riding around the streets of Douglas, she drove the car back on the lot.

“Nice, huh?” Skinny smiled at her. “Let’s go inside, and we can fill out the paperwork.”

Cheyenne got out and whispered to Derek. “What do you think?”

“Looks like a good car.” He raised his eyebrows. “Do you want it?”

She studied the sticker price. “I like it, but it’s so much money—about a thousand more than I can afford.”

Derek turned to Skinny. “Take off a thousand dollars, and she’ll take it.”

“A thousand?” Skinny shook his head. “Five hundred is all I can afford to subtract on this beauty. It’s such a good car. A real steal at this price already.”

Derek turned to Cheyenne. “I saw a couple other used car places when we were—”

“Okay!” Skinny turned to the office. “A thousand off. Let’s do the paperwork.”

Cheyenne smiled at Derek as they walked together. “Thanks, Derek. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

“Hey, that’s what friends are for.” Placing his arm around her shoulders, he gave her a squeeze.

She looked up at him. For an instant their gazes held, and then he opened the door for her.

Cheyenne walked inside, her heart thumping.

Would she ever have that kind of chemistry with Rex?

On Thursday afternoon, Derek walked into the mudroom and pulled off his boots. The good smell of fried chicken wafted out from the kitchen. His stomach growled, and he glanced at his watch. Mom would have supper ready in twenty minutes, and that would give him just enough time to take a shower.

Wiping his shirtsleeve across his forehead, he entered the kitchen. His mom and Tonya sat at the table talking. They both turned to him.

“Oh good, you’re here.” Mom stood and lifted a pan lid on the stove. “Is Dad coming?”

“Yeah, he was cleaning up.” Derek raised his eyebrows at Tonya. “Hey, sis. What are you doing here?”

“Murray is working a two-day shift, so Mom invited me over for supper.” She glanced at his dirty jeans. “Hard day with the sheep?”

He shrugged. “Normal day. I spent all afternoon checking for cuts and cleaning them.” He walked to the dining room door, ready to go upstairs.

“Derek, guess what?”

He turned back.

Tonya’s dark eyes took on a sudden shine. “This morning I signed the contract to get my cookbook published!”

“Wow, congratulations!” She had been working on writing her own cookbook for years. “So when are we going to see the published book?”

“It won’t come out until next year. But this never would have happened if Lane Hutchins wasn’t my brother-in-law. He got me in with his agent.”

Mom laid her hand on Tonya’s shoulder. “You don’t know that, honey. You might have been published without Lane’s help. God works in mysterious ways.”

“Maybe.” Tonya gave a happy sigh. “I’m just glad the Lord let it happen.”

Derek grinned. “Another published author in the family. Congrats again, sis.” Turning, he ambled through the dining room. As he entered the living room, he heard Tonya ask Mom about their new neighbor.

“His name is Rex Pierson,” Mom said. “He’s dating Cheyenne.”

Derek stopped beside the piano and glanced back the way he had come.

“Yeah, I noticed them sitting together at church.” Tonya’s voice sounded far away, but Derek could hear her clearly. “What do you know about him?”

“Dad and I went over to his ranch last week.” The sounds of a drawer opening and silverware clinking competed with Mom’s voice. “That place has been vacant for so long, it was a mess. But Rex is a hard worker.”

“Is he raising sheep?”

“Cattle. He brought eight cows with him from Montana then went to auction yesterday and bought ninety-two head. So now he’ll have an even hundred. They’re supposed to be delivered on Friday.”

Derek already knew all that, so he continued to the stairway. He shouldn’t be eavesdropping anyway. But as he stepped on the first stair, Tonya’s voice stopped him.

“I heard that Rex is in the market for a wife. Gloria Schutzenhofer says he has his sights set on Cheyenne.”

“Well, she deserves a good husband.” Mom’s voice softened, and Derek crept back to the dining room. “We had always hoped she’d end up as Derek’s wife, but I guess that wasn’t to be.”

“That’s what Callie and I were hoping.” Tonya sighed. “Don’t know what’s wrong with that guy.”

A chair scraped on the kitchen tile. “Derek thinks the Lord wants him to remain single so he can serve Him.”

“What? That’s crazy. He doesn’t have to remain single to serve the Lord.”

“I know, but that’s what he wants to do.” Mom sighed. “Did Gloria have anything else to say about Rex?”

“He and his wife were married for eighteen years, but they didn’t have any children.” Tonya paused. “I guess she was a sickly woman, and Rex took care of her. She died two years ago.”

“That’s sad. I hope he gets a good wife.”

Derek walked to the stairway, not waiting for Tonya’s reply.
Cheyenne would make a fantastic wife
.

He thought of the sparks of electricity that often arced between them. Did she have that kind of chemistry with Rex? Did he appreciate her? Her beauty, her friendliness, her kindness?

A frown pulled at his mouth as he climbed the stairs.
I should steal her away from that guy
.

Startled by the thought, he stopped. His mind drifted back to the conversation he’d had with his dad last week.

“So you stole her right under Kyle’s nose, and she willingly ran into your arms.”

“I wish. Unfortunately I didn’t have the gumption to do that.”

Derek continued on his way upstairs.

Gumption
.

Did he have the nerve, the courage to win Cheyenne? Or was he just jealous?

Lord, what is Your will?
Maybe the good Lord brought Rex Pierson to Wyoming just to marry Cheyenne Wilkins. And maybe Derek would remain single for life.

Is that what I really want?

Reaching the top of the stairs, he said a silent prayer. He was more confused than ever.

E
arly on the last Monday of July, Cheyenne drove her car under the Rocking B Ranch archway and down the long driveway to the Brandt home. Callie had invited her to join their family for the pancake breakfast at Cheyenne Frontier Days and spend the rest of the day at the rodeo.

Last year Cheyenne had gone with the Brandt family, spending the entire day hanging around with Derek. She looked back on that day with fond memories, but it hadn’t changed their relationship much.

This year she thought she would go to Frontier Days with Rex, but he was busy getting his ranch settled. The cattle he bought at auction had arrived, plus he was interviewing several men today for “hired hand” positions.

Five dates
. That was the extent of their relationship, plus sitting beside him in church, and Rex had yet to kiss her good night. But he always hugged her, and she enjoyed talking to him, getting to know him. He entered her thoughts more often, and she was beginning to view him as her future husband. If they could get married by the end of this year and have a child next year, that would take care of Grandmother’s will.

She gave a little shiver. When her thirtieth birthday rolled around, she would be a millionaire—with her husband and child. The thought made her head spin.

But today Cheyenne would forget about Grandmother’s will. She would relax and enjoy some “girl time” with Callie.

Exiting the car, she took a deep breath of warm Wyoming air. A few birds twittered in the large oak tree by the two-story farmhouse. Besides that, the place was quiet. Peaceful. She looked up at the expansive sky, still streaked with pink and orange from the sunrise. Cheyenne gazed at the rolling hills spreading to the east as far as her eye could see. Rex’s ranch was over there somewhere. Someday, hopefully soon, she would live on that ranch, and the Brandts would call her “neighbor.”

The front door of the house opened, and Yvette Brandt walked out carrying a light jacket. “Hi, Cheyenne!” Her slim figure sported jeans and a green T-shirt. Even in her fifties, Yvette was a beautiful woman. She descended the three porch steps. “I think you’re the first one to arrive. We’re going to take the family minivan so we have plenty of room.”

“Sounds good.” Cheyenne smiled. “Thanks for inviting me.”

Jake Brandt walked out of the house, pulling the front door shut behind him. “Looks like a beautiful day.” He rounded the house toward the detached garage. “I’ll pull out the minivan so you ladies can climb in easily.”

“Thanks, honey.” Yvette turned to Cheyenne. “I’m glad it’s not raining. Jake and Derek got soaked last Friday afternoon at the rodeo.”

“But the show goes on—rain or shine.”

“Yes it does.” Yvette placed her hand on Cheyenne’s arm. “Oh, I wanted to tell you—this Friday is Tonya’s birthday. We’re planning a surprise party for her at our house at five o’clock. Can you come?”

“I’d love to. I know Tonya likes surprises.”

“She does. We’re planning it for five o’clock because she thinks she and Murray are just coming for dinner.” Yvette smiled, creasing the crow’s-feet by her eyes. “But the dinner will expand into a party, and the biggest surprise is that all her siblings will be here. We’re turning it into a family reunion.”

“Wow.”
And I’ve been included!
“I’m sure you’re looking forward to having all your children at home.”

“Yes. I’m counting the days.”

Jake pulled the minivan into the sunshine and parked. When he cut the engine, Cheyenne heard the sound of another car heading down the driveway. She recognized Lane’s Mazda as it approached.

“Oh good. Callie and Lane are here.” Yvette waved to them as they pulled up. “Now we just have to wait for Derek and Kandi.” She walked to the minivan.

Cheyenne raised her eyebrows.
Kandi?
Derek must still be dating her.

A tiny pinprick of jealousy stabbed her, but she reminded herself that she had Rex.

Callie got out of the car and hugged Cheyenne. “I’m so glad you’re coming with us, Chey. We’re going to have so much fun today.”

“I can’t wait!” Cheyenne grinned. “I hope Lane doesn’t mind if we run off to buy souvenirs.”

“Yay for souvenirs!” Callie laughed. “That’s the most fun thing about CFD to me. And don’t worry about Lane. He wants to write a book about rodeos in America, so he’ll be busy taking notes.”

They walked together to the minivan.

“Hi, Mom.” Callie hugged her. “Where’s Derek?”

“He left about an hour ago to pick up Kandi.” Yvette looked at her watch. “They should have been here by now. I hope they won’t be too late.”

Cheyenne ignored the clenching of her stomach as she followed Callie into the minivan. Lane was already sitting on the backseat in the corner, jotting a few thoughts in a small notebook, and they took seats next to him.

Girl time
. That’s how Cheyenne would frame this day, and Derek would be out of the picture.

Derek drove his pickup under the archway. As he crested the hill on the driveway, he noticed Mom and Dad, along with Lane, Callie, and Cheyenne, already sitting in the minivan.