“Beau Turner?” Pastor Mike’s eyebrows shot up. “The ranch owner? I met him briefly yesterday when I was driving around getting to know the area. Lovely man. So, it’s his wedding?”
“Yep,” I confirmed. “He’s marrying my best friend, Lucas.”
There was a beat of silence as Pastor Mike processed this information. I braced myself for the shift in his expression, for the moment when that cheerful acceptance would crack and reveal the judgment underneath. It’s what always happened with religious types, no matter how progressive they claimed to be.
But Pastor Mike just kept smiling. “Two grooms. That’s wonderful. I’ll make sure to bring a nice gift.” He glanced between Marcus and me again, and this time his smile turned genuinely warm. “You know, I think I’m going to like it here inSagebrush. Seems like an accepting community that knows how to take care of each other.”
Before I could respond, Dolly appeared with two steaming plates of chicken fried steak. “Here you go, boys. And Pastor Mike, your sandwich to go should be ready in just a minute.”
“Thanks, Dolly.” He straightened up from the counter, giving us both a friendly nod. “It was nice meeting you both. Sheriff, I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around town. And Xavier, I look forward to seeing your handiwork at the wedding this weekend.”
“Looking forward to it,” I said, and was surprised to find I actually meant it.
As Pastor Mike moved back to his seat at the end of the bar, I felt Marcus let out a breath he’d been holding. His hand was still wrapped around mine under the counter, warm and solid and real.
“Well,” he murmured, picking up his fork with his free hand. “That went better than expected.”
“Did you see the way he looked at us?” I asked quietly, cutting into my steak. “He knew. And he didn’t care.”
“Yeah.” Marcus’s voice held a note of wonder. “I noticed that too.”
“But he’sdisgustinglycheerful,” I added, taking another sip of my tea. “Too much time near him and I’d develop diabetes.”
“I think you’ve got a better chance with that sweet tea than Pastor Mike,” Marcus grinned. “But at least he’s a nice guy. That’s what’s important.”
“You’re right,” I sighed, turning to my food. “He’s alright, I guess.”
We ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes, the noise of the diner washing over us. I was acutely aware of every point where our bodies touched—shoulders, knees, hands. It felt both terrifying and exhilarating to be this close to Marcus in public, even if most people probably weren’t paying attention.
“So,” I said eventually, keeping my voice low enough that only Marcus could hear. “Wedding details?”
He smiled, that crooked grin that made my stomach flip. “I figured it was a good excuse to spend the afternoon together. Unless you actually have wedding stuff to do?”
“Everything’s done,” I admitted. “Has been for days. I’ve just been obsessively checking and rechecking to make sure nothing falls through.”
“Sounds about right for you.” His thumb traced circles on my palm again, that simple touch sending warmth spreading through my chest. “So, what do you say? Want to spend the afternoon with me?”
I looked at him.Reallylooked at him. At the man who’d been terrified to be himself, who’d spent his whole life hiding, who was now sitting in the middle of a crowded diner holding my hand where anyone could see. The man who’d hurt me and then done everything possible to make it right. The man who’d let me in, let me see all the vulnerable parts he kept locked away from everyone else.
The man I was falling in love with, even though I only had two days left in this town and I wasn’t brave enough to admit it.
“Yeah,” I said softly. “I’d like that.”
At that moment, Marcus’s phone rang in his pocket. He unlaced his fingers from mine and answered it.
“Something wrong, Mrs. Baxter?” he asked. Then he nodded a couple of times, his brow furrowed. “Alright. Well, make sure you put out a post on all the social media accounts and send an email as well. I’m at the diner right now, so I’ll make sure to let Dolly know and she can spread the word.” He nodded again. “Thank you, Mrs. Baxter.”
When he pulled the phone away, I looked up at him, my food forgotten. “Something wrong?”
“Storm warning came in,” he said, slipping his phone back in his pocket. “Possible tornado tonight.”
“Jesus… you guys get those here?” I’d never seen a tornado in my life except on television.
“Not very often,” he answered. “These spring storms can be unpredictable. One minute they’re calling for a tornado, the next it’s sunshine and not a cloud in the sky.” He gave me a shrug. “Hopefully it turns out to be nothin’. But best to be prepared just in case.”
“I’ll give Lucas a call and let him know. We’ll start moving anything we can into the barns or the house to keep it safe.”
“Good idea.” Marcus grabbed my hand, pulling it to his lips for a quick kiss. “You go help him and I’ll stay here in town to help everyone else.” He paused for a moment, staring into my eyes. “Sorry to interrupt our day together.”
