“Right. Right. We’ve got this. No problem.”

  Stoney nodded and grinned at him, all crookedy.

  Mason had to laugh, but he kept it low. And now he had thirty seconds. Fifteen. Ten. He walked to the kitchen, evincing calm.

  “…butter pecan, and then there’s a cherry nut. Are any of the guests vegan? I can make a coconut milk based dark chocolate that’s orgasmic.”

  Geoff was his hero.

  “No one is vegan, but we do have one vegetarian who doesn’t eat eggs. Milk, yeah, but not eggs.”

  “Let’s do the dark chocolate, then. That will be safe all around.”

  “Sounds good. I have to tell you, this is an amazing cookie.”

  Looked like food soothed the savage businessman.

  “I’m glad you like them. I have them here all the time. I’ve never met a hater.”

  “No? I bet my Aunt Ginnie will automatically hate them, then. She’s a tough nut.”

  “We’ll find something she likes, then, won’t we, Geoff?” He stepped into the room with a smile. “Is there any of the pecan? The smell is stunning. I just want a bite.”

  “Here you go.” Geoff served him up a tasting portion.

  “Thank you.” He offered Geoff a smile, then asked Mr. Fuckhead, “Which is your favorite so far?”

  “Cherry nut.” Wright didn’t smile back, but he looked more relaxed.

  “Exceptional. Did you want to continue your taste test or start your tour?” See him. See him be the calmest ever.

  “I’ll taste. This is too good to give up.” Now Wright did smile, and God, the expression lit up his whole face.

  Too bad Mason knew now that the guy would probably kick his ass as well as deal with it. He was pretty but kinda deadly like a moth or a caterpillar or something….

  The idea made Mason grin back.

  Look at them, smiling like idiots.

  “See? Ice cream, the great lactose-driven equalizer.” Geoff chuckled softly. “Does your sister like strawberry? Strawberry champagne sorbet sounds perfectly wedding-y.”

  “It does. And she loves Poteet strawberries.”

  What the hell was that? Poteet? Shit. Mason did not need another impossible mission.

  “Oh, that’s grand!” Geoff beamed at Wright like he wasn’t the world’s biggest turd. “I’ll make some up as a surprise.”

  “You’re a miracle worker, buddy,” he muttered under his breath before shutting himself up with a bite of ice cream.

  Wright’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t call Mason on anything. He just ate a cherry out of the bowl Geoff had on the counter.

  “Did you find your cabin to your liking?” he asked.

  “It’s great,” Noah conceded. “Really great, and the bed is amazing.”

  “This is a fabulous resort.” Ah, small talk. He didn’t have time for this. “I’ve got a few things to deal with. Holler at me when you want your tour.”

  “I can go now if I can take this with me.” Noah held up another taster cup of ice cream.

  “I trust you, Mr. Noah. You can take it.”

  Dammit, Geoff.

  “Lead on, then.” Wright gestured for him to go ahead.

  His phone beeped, and Mason pulled it out to check.

  Bride cabin ready enough to inspect.

  U rock , he shot back.

  “Would you like to start with the bridal cabin, Mr. Wright? There are still a few odds and ends to complete, of course.”

  “Of course.” The tone was heavy with irony. “Why not?”

  “We’ve got your sister in this larger cabin. There’s a sitting area attached where she can have her bridesmaids in privacy and comfort.”

  “That sounds nice. What were you going to do with it with two grooms?”

  “A bathhouse, of course.” Goddamn it, Mason! Stop that shit. “Seriously, it was going to be a sitting area for the wedding party.”

  “Just more… manly?”

  Was that teasing? He thought maybe that was teasing, not ugliness.

  “Less feminine.” He could give as good as he got, for sure.

  “My sister does have a pair of brass balls.” Wright shook his head. “I have to admit, you’re nicer when you loosen up.”

  “I wouldn’t let my clients’ big day be ruined. Not under any circumstance.” He loved his job, as insane as it was, and he intended to keep his baby business afloat.

  “No. No, I bet you wouldn’t.”

  They stepped into the bridal cabin, and Mason sagged a little with relief. The place looked amazing. Redneck, but classy, and understatedly feminine. The bedspreads were a bright white, the bed runner a crisp red gingham.

  “Y’all have recovered pretty damn well, considering.”

  “It’s a lovely venue.”

  “Yeah, but I didn’t expect these kinds of results so fast. Okay, show me the sitting area.”

  “We’re still very much in process with that one.” He hoped Stoney and Ford had done anything. Anything at all.

  “It was really set up for all dudes, then.” Wright chuckled. “I’d still like to see the space.”

  “Of course, Mr. Wright. This way.” He opened the door, and the place looked empty—all the tables pushed to the walls and covered with white cloths.

  Tanner stood in the middle of the room, a clipboard in his hand, his bowed legs bent like parentheses. “Oh, hey, Mr. Mason. I was just making notes. Is this Mr. Wright? Maybe you can help me, sir. We got a ton of furniture we can move in here. Would your sister like lodgepole pine better, or would she like dark wood antique stuff?”

  “Lodgepole pine. Absolutely.”

  Wright’s confident words eased him just a little more. That meant even more of his plans would work. This was a redneck…. The saddles. They needed to make sure the tack was white and black, not black and black.

  He tugged out his phone and made a note. “The Pendleton blanket cushions, Tanner. Lots of places to sit, the one mini fridge for the wine bottles.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  He added wineglasses to the beer glasses he’d already planned on, plus something suitably charming for a wedding morning breakfast. Maybe Texas toast french toast or even something more Colorado. He’d talk to Geoff. “Is there anything she would like for snacks? A music selection for the room? We have all sorts of wireless capabilities, so we could just put in an Amazon Echo….”

  Wright rolled his eyes. “Just handle it. She’s in Tibet right now. She doesn’t even land in the country until Wednesday.”

  “Of course.” It was like coordinating ghosts with money.

  “Okay. When they filled out the paperwork, they did indicate a fondness for Miranda Lambert. Oh! Speaking of paperwork, I understand there’s to be a canine ring bearer. Is he all right with horses?”

  “I have… a what?”

  “A canine. A dog?” He spread his hands. “They indicated a hound of some sort, so I think we’ll need a leash if that’s the case.”

  “Oh, for fuck’s sake. Seriously? Sammy has a ten-year-old basset. You’ll be lucky if Frankenfurter doesn’t eat the cake, fart, and fall asleep in the aisle walking down it.”

  “Does he need a top hat with a sunflower on it?” A basset hound. Named Frankenfurter. Sounded fun. And totally out of his control.

  “Only if you duct tape it to his head. They take a Christmas card picture of him every year. He wears the headband long enough for them to snap a pic, then flings it off and demands his treat.”

  “I’m on it.” So, headband, dog treats, poop bags, dog wrangler. He’d pay Stoney’s son twenty dollars an hour for the privilege. “Did you want to see the groom’s quarters and the yurts?”

  “Yurts. You bet I do.” Wright was looking downright tickled now, which worried Mason more than a little.

  The Tickled Texan. That could be a book. Maybe it already was.

  It was probably porn.

  “Come with me. Tanner, thank you. I’ll be back in ten to match our lists.”

  “You got it.” Tanner tipped his hat. “Pleasure to meet you, sir.”

  “Same.” Wright followed Mason out into the sunshine just as Ford popped out of the old bunkhouse where the bridesmaids would be staying.

  “Well, hey! I’m Ford Nixel. You must be Noah Wright. Pleasure to meet you. We’re in the process of luxe-ing it up in here for the ladies if you want to come see.”

  Ford looked… stunning. The man was covered in glitter and strings, and Mason was fairly sure there were flower petals in his hair. He had to snap a picture of this. Had to.

  Stoney would never forgive him if he missed it.

  He took the photo just as Ford and Noah Wright shook hands. Nice.

  Ford glared for half a second over Wright’s shoulder, and Mason smiled.

  Yeah, yeah. He had to do it.

  Wright followed Ford into the long low building, leaving Mason to breathe a moment. He texted Trev. Where are you?

  Glenwood. Do you want this too? A picture popped up of embroidered denim covered in wildflowers.

  God yes. They could totally work with that. If nothing else, they could cover some pillows in it.

  Good deal. Be there soon.

  He nodded and jogged over to the cabin where Tanner was working. They needed to deal with the tack and make sure there were carpets down where the bride was mounting.

  The bride. Christ. He hadn’t done a straight wedding in two years.

  “Hey.” Tanner’s face lit up with a smile when Mason ducked inside. “What a thing, huh?”

  “You have no idea, man. Talk about a rude shock, huh?”

  “Yeah. Good thing we have all that girly stuff from those two ladies who got married in April.”

  “I’m not sure Miss Val would appreciate being called girly….” Stoney walked in with an armful of vases. “She made Angie look like a fairy.”

  “They still had dainty stuff compared to what we were doing for this one.” Tanner checked something off his list. “What you need, Mason?”

  “Tack. Do we have something more feminine than not?”

  “If we don’t, Angie will know where to find something on the fly. We have a couple of days for that.” Stoney winked at him. “Mason’s hiding from the big, bad Texan.”

  “Shut up.” He was not. He was working. “He’s with your man. See?” Mason queued up the picture on his phone.

  Stoney’s lips twisted; then the grin got bigger. “Oh, that’s precious. Quartz is going to ride his ass for days.”

  “Right?” He might have to print this out and give it to Stoney to hang in the breakroom at the ranch house.

  “So, are you feeling a little less panicked, buddy?”

  “Fortunately a wedding is a wedding, and this one is a redneck… the mason jars. Fuck.” He grabbed his phone. “Trev! Stop at the Target and buy me a box of mason jars—if they have the ones with handles, buy two. Then get me an assortment of shit to make bride and groom cups. Etching, chalkboard tape, glass paint. Whatever you can find. Grab a cake server from the bridal department too.”

  “I’ll get one of everything.” Trev sounded out of breath but cheerful. Trev did love to shop.

  “I have plenty of ribbons of all sorts in that tote in the car, so we’re good there.” The birdseed bundles were all done already, the enamelware would work no matter what, and everything was labeled Sammy and Doug that he could think of.

  He’d double-check that when Trev arrived.

  “Okay. I got the tulle at the fabric shop, so I won’t get any cut stuff here. I’m going to buy some gift bags just in case.” He could hear Trev’s panic easing, and that made Mason want to whap the little shit.

  “Grab me two twelve-packs of Diet Dr Pepper and a Snickers bar?”

  Geoff would fuss, but he needed the boost.

  Chapter 5

  T he clusterfuck that had been going on when he arrived was well taken care of, and Noah would never admit it to hot little Mason O’Reilly, but by the day Sammy and Doug were supposed to show, he was suitably impressed.

  Maydell arrived first, pulling up in a jaunty little Jeep she’d rented at Enterprise. Sammy and Doug were driving up with Frank the hound. Their ring bearer. Holy shit.

  Maydell looked suitably cowed, he thought, even though she maintained she hadn’t done a thing wrong. Noah had jogged out to the parking lot to meet her, carry her bags inside.

  Now she was sitting in the front room of the ranch after her long nap, her feet on a stool, a fire in the fireplace. In June. “When did you say Momma and Daddy were coming in?”

  “They’re leaving Denver first thing in the morning, and your Uncle Tom is flying in to drive them in. I imagine fully half of the flights coming into Grand Junction are for this.”

  “I bet.” He chuckled, thinking how those airport folks would think there was an invasion of north Texans and a metric shit-ton of UT alumni.

  “Is there anything you need me to do? Did you tell me this place was going to shuttle us back and forth to Aspen?”

  “The Friday night of the rehearsal dinner and Saturday all day.”

  “Well, that will be a real help.”

  Noah nodded. “They’ll also have vans up from the parking area down at the main road.”

  Stoney came walking in, carrying a tray of drinks and nibbles. “At least it’s not snowing. We’d have to use the sleigh.”

  “It’s June !” Maydell sounded like Stoney had just whipped his dick out in front of her.

  “Yes, ma’am. We don’t feel safe until after the Fourth of July.”

  “And then only until Labor Day.” Ford Nixel walked in, dapper as always. “Good afternoon, ma’am. Welcome to the Leanin’ N.” He reached out and kissed her hand when she offered it over.

  She fluttered a little, her smile wide. “Pleased to meet you. Now, what do you boys need me to do?”

  Stoney presented the tray. “Try these canapés?”

  “Oh, y’all.” She took one, then began to fan herself. “Lovely. Is that barbecue?”

  “It is. Geoff got a smoker for Christmas. That’s our chef. You can meet him on the tour.”

  Noah let the guys entertain Maydell and moved off to touch base with Sammy. He texted her: Where y’at?

  Aspen. Having coffee and a puppy pee break.

  Good deal. Ready to get this show on the road.

  Is it beautiful?

  Stunning. Maybe not like Tibet.

  Tibet was kinda sad in places, Ark. So filled with rich people’s trash. This will be better.

  He didn’t remind her that it was the Wright fortune that allowed her to wander around the world being philanthropic. Nor did he point out that the cost of this wedding could probably feed a small third-world country. He would, but Momma and Daddy were on their way and might just kill him.

  Besides, he had plenty of time after she got married to poke and prod her into running the charity arm of Wright International. Then she could do good in a tangible way and have babies at the same time. At least that’s what she wanted the last time they spoke. You never knew with Sammy.

  I’m here waiting for you. Hurry up.

  Frank is old, Ark. Be there in an hour.

  Right. He looked around for O’Reilly. “Where the hell is he?”

  “Who?” Stoney looked honestly confused.

  “Wedding planner. Shouldn’t he be here?”

  “His name is Mason,” Ford said drily. “He’s in the kitchen with Geoff. They’re playing alchemy or something.”

  “Be right back. I have to make sure he’s dealt with a few things.”

  “Sure.” Stoney gave him that look, the one he knew as Texan for “Be nice.”

  Apparently Mr. Not-So-Into-Research was stressing it a little.

  Too bad. He was paying O’Reilly for a single perfect experience, and he wanted it done right. Noah headed to the kitchen, not even sure why he was ready to tear the guy a new asshole. He just was, all of a sudden.

  He turned the corner, and as he expected, O’Reilly was in the kitchen. What he didn’t expect was for him to have his head on the table, sleeping away.

  Geoff glanced up from where he sat at his little command center making notes, and smiled. He put a finger to his lips. “He just needs a catnap,” Geoff whispered.

  He felt his eyebrow rise and rise and rise. “Sammy is going to be here in less than an hour! This is her wedding, and the man I’m paying to handle everything is asleep on the job ?”

  Noah slammed his hand down on the table, and Mason stood straight up, stumbling back a few steps before Geoff caught him.

  “Wh-what do you need, Mr. Wright?”

  “I need you to be on the damned ball. Maydell is here. Sammy is in Aspen. Where do we stand? Have you dealt with someone to watch the dog? She’s bringing him, but he’s going to need constant supervision.”

  “Quartz is willing, and Stoney has assigned a hand to help. Would you like to meet him? His name is Avery, and apparently he’s had bassets.” Mason was standing up straight now and frowning.

  “Yes, they’ll be here in an hour.” He wanted to make sure someone was going to be available.

  “Give me a couple of minutes to text him.”

  “Thanks.” Noah refused to feel bad, even if Geoff was staring.

  “You, uh, hungry?” Geoff asked.

  “No.” No, he was surprisingly nervous. This was his baby sister, and he was in charge of all this. If it was messed up, no one would remember anything but that it was his fault. “Are there snacks available for when they get here?”

  “You bet. Those ones I sent to Maydell were the experiments. Stoney said she seemed the barbecue type.” Geoff’s gaze was surprisingly knowing.

  “She is. They’ll be coming in fits and starts from now on. My parents, my aunts and uncles, my granny. Doug has his folks and three brothers, his grandfather.”

  “It’s going to be so much fun!”

  “A joy.” God, he didn’t know if he could do this.

  Mason came over to put a hand on his arm, almost shocking him to death right there. “Have some brisket. I’ll go grab Avery and Quartz. I’ll double-check the bride and groom cabins and make sure your folks have everything in place. Your uncle will be staying in Aspen?”