Read On the Way to a Wedding for Free Online

tray on his table and smiled at him. One of her best PR smiles. He smiled back, looking like he couldn’t believe his good luck.
    “Hi,” she said, extending her hand.
    He eagerly took her hand and started to stand up. A real gentleman.
    “I’m Catherine Forsythe,” she announced. “I’m Ryder’s fiancée.”
    His smile faltered. She’d been right. He’d thought she was interested . In him. As if that could happen.
    He quickly recovered his smile, sat again and folded the newspaper, making room for her tray. “So,” he said, “we finally meet.”
    “It’s about time, since you’re going to be―”
    “Ryder’s partner. Yes, I’m Ryder’s partner.” He was smiling more now and nodding his head up and down.
    It was done? “You mean he finally signed the papers?”
    “Well, actually, no. He hasn’t signed the agreement yet. His lawyer wants to go over a few more things.”
    One more time. She didn’t like Prometheus Jones. Normally Ryder listened to her opinion, but apparently only on house details or wedding details. He wasn’t taking her advice about his business. She said, “I guess you’re in charge today.”
    “On the site, you mean?”
    “Yes. Ryder won’t be there.”
    “He won’t?”
    “Doesn’t he tell you anything?”
    “Not unless it’s really important.”
    She laughed, happy to hear Jimmy admit that. “Then I’m not the only one. He never tells me anything, either. Unless I force it out of him.”
    Jimmy grinned.
    And then she made her proposal. “We should keep each other updated.”
    “We should,” he agreed. “So where is he today? Going shopping with you?”
    “Hardly.” Ryder shopping? The notion was laughable. “He left last night.”
    Jimmy stared at her for a second. “Left?”
    Not left, you idiot. As if Ryder could ever leave her. “His jerk lawyer has a cabin in the Kananaskis,” she explained. “Loaned it to him for a few days. Said he needed some time to think.”
    Jimmy tipped his head and looked at the table, as if considering what she’d said. “That’s good.” He nodded. “Ryder needs a break. He did say he might take a day off this week.” He lifted his coffee mug and took a drink. “How long will he be gone?”
    She shrugged. “I don’t know. I can’t see Ryder staying away from a job site for more than twenty-four hours.”
    Jimmy took a bite of his bagel, chewed and swallowed. “Why didn’t you go to the cabin with him?”
    “A cabin? In the wilderness? I don’t think so.” She started to cut her muffin into pieces. “I’m not sure it even has flush toilets.” She laughed then, realizing she felt relieved. She hadn’t wanted to go. “You can’t take a Cadillac into Jeep country, I always say.”
    “No,” Jimmy agreed, “you certainly can’t.”
    And besides—she inhaled deeply, as her last conversation with Ryder replayed in her head—she hadn’t been invited.
    · · · · ·
    The trees dripped water on the cabin’s roof, but the rain had stopped. The sun was shining through the leaded windows.
    Ryder smiled to himself, remembering. And realizing that it felt good to put the world on hold. To have the world gone.
    And for some reason it also felt good to be crowded on this sagging couch, sleeping with this stranded bimbo waif. Who ate too many peaches and got drunk.
    During the night, he’d roused her every couple of hours. And she’d woken up—enough to assure him she wasn’t drifting into unconsciousness. She’d told him to go away the first time, and then she’d called him “Isabelle” the next time, and the last time, she’d said, “Not now , Mom.”
    He’d got up twice to load wood into the stove, and each time he’d returned to lie beside her on the edge of the couch, she’d snuggled into him, like she belonged there.
    Maybe Pro had been right. About getting away for a few days. Nothing could be done, for now, about Jim redesigning the partnership agreement. And nothing could be done, for the