“Me, too.”
“And I haven’t seen enough of your mother. How is Susanne doing? She must be so proud of you.”
“She is.” Brooke was lucky to have such a supportive mom, even if she was having trouble giving Brooke her freedom. “And she’s well. It was hard in the beginning, but now we’re all just trying to keep Dad alive in our hearts.”
Mrs. Ellis patted Brooke’s forearm. “That’s the way, now isn’t it? You must be close to finishing college.”
“One more year to go until I graduate with my bachelor’s degree.” She couldn’t wait.
Mrs. Ellis leaned in. “And is there a special young man?”
Brooke’s cheeks warmed. “No.” Just Cody. But he wasn’t hers. No matter how hard she tried or wished it were true.
“Well”—Mrs. Ellis nudged her shoulder—“the right one will come along soon enough.”
Yeah, I already found him. He’s just not into me. Not in that way.
Her mom, Susanne, made her way over to them. “Betty, don’t you look lovely.”
Mrs. Ellis’s sleeveless, fuchsia-colored sheath dress complemented her dark hair and green eyes while showing off a nice pair of toned arms. Mrs. Ellis must work out, because she was in good shape.
Mrs. Ellis waved off Brooke’s mother’s compliment. “Thank you, Susanne. You’re as beautiful as ever. That turquoise dress just makes you glow.” The women shared a quick embrace and kiss on the cheek.
“I’ve missed you,” Susanne confessed.
Her mom had retreated from her friends after Harland’s death, lost in her grief. But over the past year, she’d slowly started to really live again and reconnect with old friends.
Brooke loved that the party had brought these two back together.
Mrs. Ellis held her hand out toward Brooke. “I nearly didn’t recognize your beautiful daughter.”
“They grow up so fast.” Her mom smiled, even if a bit of sadness crept into her eyes that time had passed too quickly and soon Brooke would be off to school again.
“Yes, they do.” Mrs. Ellis was probably thinking of her two children. “Thank you for inviting us to the party.”
“Oh,” her mother said, “I’m so happy you’re here, but the event”—Susanne looked around at all the people, decorations, and buffet nearby—“this was all Brooke’s doing.”
And today Cody would see she could handle a party of this size and scale and make it enticing for all these people to show up and be here for him. All she’d had to do was call up the governor’s wife and tell her how much she hoped she and her husband would attend, and that her stepfather Harland had loved her pecan pie. Mrs. Harris had won first place in the state fair three years in a row and took great pride in showing off her version of the official state pie. She had graciously agreed to not only come to the picnic but to bring a dozen of her homemadepies herself. From there, it had been simple to let others know the governor would be attending, and the RSVPs had rolled in. Not that these people wouldn’t come because they respected Harland and Cody. They would. They did. But it never hurt to have a little incentive for those who thrived on being seen in the right circles.
And she’d do anything for Cody.
Mrs. Ellis’s smile grew as her gaze shifted to Brooke. “I should hire you for the mayor’s next event.”
Pride swelled in her heart. She’d worked hard on this picnic. And Mrs. Ellis’s approval meant a lot. She attended a ton of events each year. She’d know if something was done well, or fell short. “Unfortunately, I’ll have my nose stuck in books for the next couple semesters.”
“You should think about becoming an event planner.”
Mrs. Ellis’s suggestion was nice, but Brooke had other plans. And they included running the ranch with Cody.
Unfortunately, she wouldn’t have Cody all to herself. His girlfriend, Kristi Randall, beelined it across the patio toward her and she inwardly cringed.
Kristi barely got out, “Sorry to interrupt, Susanne, Mrs. Ellis.” She turned to Brooke. “Have you seen your brother?” Kristi stood before her, searching the crowd with barely a glance for her.
Kristi had never liked her. The feeling was mutual. Kristi wanted all of Cody’s attention on her. Brooke? Same. Still, you’d think Kristi would want to befriend Cody’s best friend.
Not Kristi. She saw other women as competition.
And while Brooke loved Cody, she also knew she wasn’t in the running to be anything more than what she already was to him.
