“Love isn’t always easy,” the officiant said, “but it’s always worth fighting for.”
Connor’s finger tightened almost imperceptibly around mine. I held my breath, afraid that any movement might break whatever was happening between us.
The ceremony concluded with cheers and applause as the newlyweds kissed. I reluctantly pulled my hand away as we stood with the rest of the guests, clapping until my palms stung. When I glanced at Connor, he was watching me instead of the happy couple, something unreadable in his dark eyes.
“What?” I asked, suddenly self-conscious.
“Nothing,” he said, but his eyes said otherwise. “Just thinking.”
“About?”
He shook his head slightly. “Not here.”
The crowd began to move toward the reception area, where tables had been set up under strands of twinkling lights. Connor’s hand found the small of my back, innocently guiding me through the crowd with a gentle pressure that sent electricity up my spine.
“I should say congratulations,” I said, nodding toward Cole and Jesse, who were accepting well-wishes from a line of guests. “Want to come with me?”
Connor hesitated, his hand dropping from my back. “I don’t know them.”
“I’ll introduce you,” I offered. “You know Evelyn, so I’m sure they’ll want to meet you too.”
Connor seemed to consider it for a moment, his dark eyes scanning the crowd before returning to my face.
“Alright,” he finally said, “but just for a minute.”
I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face as I led him toward the happy couple. It felt surreal having him here beside me, keeping his word when no one else ever had. I found myself hyperaware of his presence. I felt the subtle warmth radiating from him, the careful way he navigated through the guests, but he always stayed close enough that I felt protected but never so close that anyone would suspect anything inappropriate.
When we reached Cole and Jesse, they both broke into wide smiles.
“Ryder! You made it,” Cole exclaimed, pulling me into a quick hug. “Your dad told Evelyn you weren’t coming.”
“My dad says a lot of things,” I replied with a forced lightness. “Congratulations to both of you. The ceremony was beautiful.”
Jesse shook my hand warmly. “Thanks for coming. It means a lot, especially considering...”
He didn’t finish the sentence, but he didn’t need to. Everyone knew how my father felt about their relationship.
“I wanted to introduce you to someone,” I said, stepping aside slightly. “This is Connor. He works at our ranch.”
Connor extended his hand, his posture shifting subtly into something more formal. “Congratulations to you both. It was a lovely ceremony.”
“Connor’s one of the good ones,” I added, unable to stop myself from singing his praises. “Best roper we’ve had in years.”
Cole’s eyebrows raised slightly as he shook Connor’s hand. “Nice to meet you. Any friend of Ryder’s is welcome here.”
“Evelyn’s mentioned you,” Jesse added with a knowing smile that made me wonder exactly what she’d said. “Says you’re quite skilled with horses.”
Connor nodded, looking uncomfortable with the attention. “Just doing my job.”
“Well, we’re glad you could come,” Cole said warmly. “Please, enjoy yourselves. There’s food, drinks, dancing—the works.”
As we moved away to let the next guests offer their congratulations, I felt Connor relax slightly beside me.
“They seem nice,” he murmured.
“They are,” I confirmed. “Cole’s known me since I was a kid. His dad and mine used to be friends. He was always a bit like a big brother to me.”
Connor’s eyes softened at that. “Must be good to see him so happy then.”
