Annette Broadrick - The Groom, I Presume?

So Chris had contented himself with being a part of a small group of friends who spent their time together, never letting on to anyone how he truly felt about Maribeth.

He’d just been grateful for both of their friendships. Without them, his childhood would have been very lonely.

Bobby had given Maribeth an engagement ring for Christmas their senior year in college. Not that anyone who knew them had been surprised. They’d been talking about getting married someday as far back as high school, but for some reason, the ring made everything more real to Chris, symbolizing all that he would never be able to share with her.

Once the three of them had graduated from college, Chris had deliberately stayed away from Agua Verde. He’d recognized that the time had come for him to make a clean break and to get on with his life.

No doubt Maribeth had made the right choice for her. He couldn’t really say that his heart had been broken. How could it be? They had never been more than friends. She’d never given him any reason to suggest that she saw him as anyone other than Bobby’s best friend.

No. His heart wasn’t broken. Maybe dented a little, but there had never been any doubt in his mind that he would recover.

Bobby should be here now, not me, Chris thought with more than a little frustration. He’d lost track of the many times in their lives when he’d wanted to wring Bobby’s neck, but never had he felt the urge more strongly than today.

“Hello, Maribeth,” he finally said to the woman he’d come to see. He kept his voice low in order not to startle either the woman or the colt.

At the sound of the familiar deep voice Maribeth froze. She hadn’t heard it in years, but once heard, Chris Cochran’s voice could never be forgotten.

She spun around and saw him standing in the shadows of the barn. For a moment she forgot to breathe. What in the world was the matter with her? This was Bobby’s friend, Chris.

He looked different, somehow, standing there watching her impassively. His youthful good looks had matured into a formidably handsome, mysterious man. She recalled that nobody had been able to figure out what Chris was thinking. He made a great poker player for that reason.

A tiny shiver danced along her spine. He’d always affected her that way. She wasn’t certain why. There was just an air about him, an aloofness that had always made her feel the slightest twinge of nervousness whenever he was around. And yet…there was no one in her life whom she trusted more.

“Chris,” she whispered, almost to herself, while she slipped through the gate to where he stood. She paused, gripping the currycomb tighter. “You’re early!” Then she felt really stupid to have blurted out such a statement. “I mean, you must be here to visit your mother and grandparents. It’s good to see you.”

His dark eyes always seemed to look deep into her soul. She felt as though any secrets she might have would be easy for him to read.

“Looks like life’s been treating you fair enough,” he said, deliberately covering his intense reaction to her. “You look as frisky as one of those fillies out there.” He motioned to one of the enclosed pastures with a nod of his head.

She chuckled nervously, and used the back of her wrist to shove wisps of curls off her forehead. “I look like a saddle tramp, and I know it. As you can see, I wasn’t expecting company.” She looked around as though unsure of what to do next. “I, uh, didn’t expect to see you for another couple of days. I suppose Bobby told you the wedding rehearsal and dinner are scheduled for Friday.” She turned away and began to straighten various items hanging on the side of the stall.

“Yeah, he told me.” He glanced around the barn. “Looks like you’ve got enough to keep you busy these days.”

She picked up a saddle blanket and motioned him to follow her back to the tack room. “Well, I needed to do something. Once Bobby decided to follow in Travis’s footsteps and take up the rodeo circuit, Travis offered to give me a job as one of the trainers.”

“He’s doing well, isn’t he?”

“Travis? You bet. Things couldn’t be better.”

“I was thinking about Bobby.”

She continued to be too busy to look at him. “Yes. He’s making a real name for himself.”

Maribeth put the currycomb and saddle blanket away before leading the way to the entrance of the barn. Pausing in the wide doorway, she looked out at the view.

“You know, Chris, sometimes it’s hard for me to realize that the three of us are twenty-six years old. You and Bobby left and started working on your careers, while I seem to have gotten caught up in some kind of time warp.” She turned and faced him, wrapping her arms around her waist. “All I’ve done is stay here on the ranch. I’ve spent most of my life here.” She gave her head a tiny shake. “Not that I’m complaining. Bobby and I always planned to live on his family’s place after we got married. It’s the only life I know, after all. It just seems a little strange to realize that four years have gone by and I’ve done nothing more with my life.”

“When was the last time you talked to Bobby?”

She tilted her head back and closed her eyes. “Let me think. He called last week. He was in Nashville at the time. He’d done well and was high on his success. However, he made a cross-his-heart-and-hope-to-die promise that he would be here no later than noon on Friday.” She looked at him as though daring him to doubt Bobby’s word.

Chris nodded, unwilling to comment on that particular subject at the moment. “He’s still winning a goodly share of the bull-riding events, I suppose.”

“Yep, trying his best to win world champion. You know that’s been his dream for years.” She grinned at Chris. “I doubt that he’ll ever beat Travis’s record, but he sure wants to try. He deserves that chance.”

Chris had his own opinion of what Bobby deserved, but once again, he refrained from sharing it with her. Instead he motioned to the new pastures and their occupants with a sweeping arm gesture. “Speaking of Travis, this is quite an operation he’s got going here. I’m impressed.”

“Isn’t it amazing? He’s really done well. Of course he’d built a name for himself in the business while he was following the circuit, which didn’t hurt when he decided to stay home. Every time I ask Bobby when he’s going to head back home, he reminds me of the legend of Travis Kane and how much effort he needs to work in order to make as big a splash.”

“I guess I’ve lost touch with what’s been happening in Agua Verde county these past few years. I thought Bobby was already working with his dad until he called to ask me to be his best man at the wedding. I guess I’d sort of figured you’d gone ahead and gotten married without inviting me.”

“You should know better than that, Chris. Bobby would never get married without you by his side. Y’all used to talk about that. You’d each be there for the other.”

“I remember. I’ll admit I was surprised to find out he’d been traveling for most of these years. It must have been hard on you.”

Maribeth heard the sympathy in his voice. Darn it. Seeing Chris again so unexpectedly was bringing up all kinds of emotions that she wasn’t ready to deal with. But wasn’t that normal for a bride-to-be? She wasn’t having any doubts. Of course not. Why, she’d loved Bobby forever and then some. In three days she would be married, after years of making plans.

“I’ll admit that I’ve missed him during some of his longer road trips. At first, he’d come home every week or two. Then later, it was mostly a month at a time before he’d make it home.” She could no longer hold Chris’s steady gaze and looked away. “It will be different once we’re married.”