Mom zeroes in on me. “Are you going to be able to dial back that attitude with him?”
“Did he deny you backstage access or something?” Emmett throws in, grinning because he has no idea how close he is to the truth. No doubt he’s heard the rumors from someone in the family about the first time I was backstage and got delivered home at six in the morning.
“No,” I say, forcing a shrug. “I just… don’t think he’s all that anymore. I’m allowed to change my mind.”
Emmett’s brows lift, but I don’t give him the satisfaction of a reaction.
“I’ll put on a nice face.” I grin, big and fake, stretching it wide as if they can’t tell.
Sighs echo around the table. It would be so easy to spit out the news and let the silence descend. I should warn them that their shiny opportunity might implode the second I tell Zander he’s going to be a father. That he’ll run. That this entire video shoot will be over before it begins.
“How long did they say they’d be here?” I ask.
Scarlett pauses, flicking a glance at Lottie. She suspects I’ve told her why I’m like this. She’s right, but Lottie would never breathe a word to her. Lottie just shifts slightly, as though she wants to carry some of this for me.
“For the entire gap we have in the schedule. We’re lucky we had no events booked and could accommodate them when they approached us.” Scarlett passes papers around the table. “This is the current plan. I’m still working with Beau, Zander’s manager, to finalize the rest. His team’s coming in tomorrow, so we’ll have a full crew meeting for intros.”
Jude groans. “I don’t have time for this. The maze is a mess, and the cattle schedule is stacked.”
Ben raises a hand. “I’m in the middle of football season at the high school. Do I really need to be here for all this?”
“We all agreed to do what it would take to make this work,” Scarlett says pointedly. “Well—everyone but Romy.”
“I didn’t think he’d care about the cattle ranch. Now he wants to play cowboy too?” Jude shoves his paper away with a grumble.
He’s always so grumpy—except with his wife, Sadie, and baby girl.
“I’ll do it with him,” Emmett volunteers. “Probably better if Jude doesn’t interact with Zander. Dealing with Romy will be bad enough.”
I snap my gaze toward Emmett, scowling.
He laughs. “Just saying, you’re usually a sweetheart, but you looked ready to throat-punch the guy.”
“I get it,” Lottie cuts in gently. “She’s just protective. The Knotted Barn is hers, and who knows what kind of circus they’re planning to bring into it.”
I offer her a silent thank you.
“She’s taking the brunt of this, and she didn’t get a chance to agree to it,” Poppy adds. “The least the rest of us can do is handle our small parts.”
Emmett puts up his hands in defense. “All right, girl army, calm down. It was just an observation.”
“Anything else?” Uncle Bruce stands from his chair as though we’re already done. He’s never been one for distractions during these meetings. He likes them clear-cut and to the point.
“No, that’s it. You have your itineraries. Just everyone be available tomorrow night. Jensen is going to cook an old west cookout for us all to get to know one another.”
My cousin Jensen has done that for a few of the dude ranches we’ve put on that Emmett and Briar have organized, but never for this many people. My family is pulling out all the stops.
“Thanks, Jensen,” Emmett says. “I hope you’re making that brisket.”
“Not for your sorry ass,” he says, standing to leave as well.
As the room clears, chairs scrape and boots shuffle, and a new weight settles on me. The pressure to pretend. The dread of what’s coming. What will the next meeting look like? I’ll probably have all eyes on me, thinking I ruined it for them.
“Romy, can you stay for a sec?” Scarlett asks.
Lottie pauses, silently asking if I need her. I shake my head.
As they leave, I hear Ben joke, “So what does the big ol’ sheriff think about all this ruckus in his town?”
