A Cowboy's Christmas Proposal. Cathy McDavid
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Homer’s officiated. A tacky chapel in Reno probably appealed to him.”
“I wish you hadn’t said ‘tacky.’ Poor Grandma.”
“What do you bet she doesn’t care? When you’re in love, you see the beauty in everything.”
Molly sent him a skeptical look. “That’s a rather romantic sentiment for a guy.”
“I recently started marrying people for a living. Comes with the territory.”
They stopped in the foyer. Cody and Marisa immediately descended on the bowl of birdseed packets.
“Hey, hands off,” Owen scolded.
“Daddy, can we feed the birds?” Cody begged.
“Please,” Marisa added.
He supposed they deserved a small reward for behaving reasonably well during his practice session with Molly, but it was up to her. “Do you mind?”
She bent at the waist, putting herself on eye level with the kids. “Two each. Okay?”
Ah. More softening around the edges. Nice. “You heard Miss Molly. Two each.”
Jackets donned and their treasures clasped tight in their hands, Cody and Marisa dashed outside, competing to be the one to open the heavy front door. Owen and Molly followed. They stood on the veranda watching as the kids tossed handfuls of seeds onto the lawn, their loud antics scaring the birds instead of enticing them nearer.
Owen followed Molly’s gaze as it wandered to the distant mountains. This time of year, at the start of winter, the greens and yellows that had previously blanketed the slopes were now a dull brown. Even so, the mountains were majestic, with Pinnacle Peak like a giant hand reaching heavenward.
“You look like you’re somewhere else,” he observed.
Molly shook herself. “I was, I guess.”
“At your grandmother and Uncle Homer’s wedding?”
She exhaled slowly. “It’s hard for me to accept that she chose eloping over a wedding at Sweetheart Ranch with all her family and friends there. I keep telling myself it’s her special day, she can do whatever she chooses.”
“Except she chose to exclude you.”
“I’m being selfish.”
“No, you’re not.” Owen absently adjusted the blanket he’d thrown over Willa. “You love her. You want to be there. It’s natural.”
“I’m so glad they’ll be home for Christmas.”
“The holidays aren’t the same without family. I’d hate to spend mine away from the kids.”
“Grandma and Homer are going to renew their vows on New Year’s Day and throw a big party.”
“I know. Uncle Homer asked me to officiate.”
“Why did I not see that coming?”
Molly laughed and, all at once, Owen glimpsed the vivacious and engaging woman hidden behind the guard she diligently maintained. Almost immediately, he began reconsidering his commitment to avoid any romantic entanglements. She was that appealing.
“Speaking of exchanging vows.” She checked her watch again, and the moment vanished as quickly as it had appeared. “I have someone else’s to coordinate.”
“And I need to practice.”
Owen called for Cody and Marisa to hurry up. They’d run out of birdseed and were climbing an antique pony cart used for a lawn ornament. No sooner had they reached the veranda steps than Nora threw open the front door.
“Molly! Hurry. We got big trouble.”
“What’s wrong?”
“The wireless internet’s down.”
Everyone rushed inside, Willa bouncing awake in Owen’s arms. They all crowded around the registration desk and stared at Molly’s computer with its ominous message in the center of the screen.
“Is losing the internet really such a big deal?” Owen asked, attempting to settle a now cranky Willa.
“Tasha and Wayne are planning to live stream their wedding.” Molly wrung her hands. “We assured them it wouldn’t be a problem.”
Nora shook her head dismally. “I swear, what else could go wrong?”
Don’t ask, Owen thought. He wasn’t as superstitious as many of his rodeo buddies but neither did he believe in inviting trouble.
* * *
IF MOLLY THOUGHT crying would help, she’d produce racking sobs on the spot. But after twenty minutes of her asking nicely, insisting firmly, pleading her case and reading from the guarantee the internet company had given her when the equipment was installed, the representative on the other end of the line had refused to budge.
They simply couldn’t get a technician out until tomorrow. Period. Sorry. Sunday was a bad day for losing internet service. They were shorthanded and had a truck in the shop for repairs. Mustang Valley was outside the general service area. The excuses went on and on.
“We can have a technician there tomorrow,” the man with zero compassion assured her.
A fat lot of good that did them, thought Molly.
“What time?” she asked.
“Between noon and six p.m.”
She started to argue only to clamp her mouth shut. Her energy was better spent finding an alternate means of streaming today’s wedding.
The representative gave her a confirmation number and then asked, “Is there anything else I can help you with?”
He hadn’t helped her much in the first place. “No, thanks.”
Molly hung up just as the satisfaction survey started playing. They really didn’t want her feedback.
“What are you going to do?” Owen asked.
He stood on the other side of the registration counter. His children had gone with Nora to “help” her finish prepping the cabins for their newest guests.
“I’m not sure yet.”
“Do you have a mobile hotspot?”
“We keep one for backup. It’s not great. Cell phone signals this far north are unreliable.” She came out from behind the counter, dreading her next task. “I need to call the bride and groom, let them know they can’t stream the service.”
“Do you think they’ll cancel?”
“Not at this late date. But they and their long-distance family members will be disappointed.” She closed her eyes, wishing the throbbing in her temples would cease. “So much for the positive comments on our social media page and the TV news segment last night.”
“Wait. Don’t panic yet.” Owen took her hand and drew her with him to the bench against the wall. “I may have a solution.”
He pulled her down onto the seat beside him. She’d barely registered the sensation of his strong, warm fingers enveloping hers when he let go and pulled out his cell phone.
“There’s someone I know who might be able to help,” he said.
“Help how?” She stared at her hand. It didn’t look any different.
“He’s part owner of an IT consulting company in Phoenix and pretty savvy about this stuff.”
Owen had her attention. “He can fix our internet?”
“That’s what I’m hoping.” Owen swiped his phone screen and searched his contacts.
“Is he a former Waverly customer?”
“We