“If you move slowly and be really quiet,” Bronson came to stand beside my cousin, “you might be able to give him a little pat.” He fished a piece of carrot out of his pocket, then handed it to her. “Especially if you give him this.”
“The possum is cute,” Madison muttered as she came to stand beside me. “But the guys are cuter. Tell me these guys are the groomsmen we’re being matched with in the bridal party.”
“Only if you promise to keep it in your pants.” My cousin’s grin widened. “Madison!”
“What happens in Australia, stays in Australia,” she said, then looked Bronson up and down as Emily patted the little possum. “I know what I want to pet and it’s not some flying mouse.”
“Everything OK?” Troy appeared at my shoulder, having some instinctive awareness of when I needed support. “I set your uncles up on the veranda with a beer.”
The men were all sitting around with Scotty, sipping beer and telling tall stories, if their wild gestures were anything to go by.
“Thanks, and yes, everything is fine.” Rolling my eyes to meet his, I couldn’t help but smile. “But you might need to warn your brothers that it appears at least one of my cousins is on the prowl.”
“Billy and Bronson?” He shrugged. “They’re big enough and ugly enough to look after themselves.”
“Not sure if Madison agrees on the ugly part…” I said, eyeing the way she was talking to Billy. Playing with her hair, leaning in closer was all classic Madison.
“Maybe it’ll just bring our families together.” He grinned down at me. “She wouldn’t be the first American girl to come Down Under and decide she likes the scenery.”
“The trees are very nice,” I said, making a show of inspecting them. “And the animals are adorable. Then there’s all the cute?—”
“I’ll give you cute.”
Swept up into his arms, he made for the front door, my protests ignored.
“Isn’t that supposed to happen after the wedding?” one of my aunts asked Mom.
“Before, after.” Mom shrugged as she waved to me. “Not such a big deal now, or back when we were young. Madison was born seven months after you married George, right?”
“We need to get out there.” I tried to push past Troy when he set me down in our room. “My family has just arrived.”
“After this.” Hands went to my jaw, tilting it up, right before his lips claimed mine. “In two short days, you’re going to become my wife, and I, for one, can’t wait.”
All the stress, all the preparations we’d been doing for weeks if not months, fell away the moment his mouth touched mine. The feel of him, the minty taste, it wouldn’t allow any other thoughts get closer to Troy. But right as things were getting ‘interesting’ there was a thump on my door.
“Stop kissing your hunky husband-to-be and show us the damn dress, cuz!”
“Duty calls.” His hands clung to mine as I went to pull away. “You and Charlie finished your tux alterations, right?’
“Don’t worry about us.” I opened a mouth to protest, but he shook his head. “I’ve never been more prepared for something in my life.”
“More than a heat wave? More than a drought?”
I couldn’t help but smile as I asked each question.
“More than any natural disaster,” he assured me. “The minute you blundered into my bull’s paddock, love, you claimed my heart. I’ll be up in the top paddock with bells on tomorrow.”
“But not with actual bells, right?” I opened the door, but didn’t step through, needing the reassurance. “Troy, not with actual bells?”
He chuckled and walked past me, but did not stop to confirm.
“Go and show your family that no doubt beautiful dress you selected and I’ll make sure my brothers don’t get your uncles too drunk before the rehearsal dinner.”
“Drunk…” Shaking my head, I made it out into the living room to find my female relatives all waiting with bated breath. “So the dress?”
“Let’s see it,” Mom said, grabbing my hand and following me down the hallway.
Chapter 39
