The song ended and Ryder stepped up to the mic. “Toast time, everyone. Get yourself something to drink. If there’s nothing left, you can grab water from the river.”
Wyatt came over to stand with me, Alyssa holding his hand. “Do you think he’ll embarrass me?”
“Probably.”
“I’ve known Wyatt Jones since we decided to take those firecrackers he’d somehow obtained and set them off under Miss Crane’s desk.”
“That was you?”
I turned to see Mrs. Tolleson, the former Miss Crane, say.
“It was Wyatt’s idea,” Ryder said.
“Thanks for that, Ry,” Wyatt called out good-naturedly. “I’m going to be benched on my honeymoon.”
There was laughter in the crowd.
“Wyatt and I have been best friends ever since. And now my best friend and best sister are married-”
“I’m your only sister,” I called out.
“Best. Only. It’s all the same. And the two of you have my best niece. And let’s face it, I’m the very best friend, brother and uncle.” He grinned. “I love you all and wish you all the best.”
“Here, here,” the crowd cheered.
Jasper Long took the microphone from Ryder. “Now, I know I’m not in the wedding party, but I couldn’t pass up letting the wedding couple know how much me and, and I think I speak for most other farmers in Salvation, how proud of you we are. Saving family farming and taking on big moneybags like Stark should be us old coots’ responsibility, and yet these two upstarts have shown us all a thing or two about the power of saying no and in uniting. To Salvation’s newest power couple.” He held up his glass.
There was more cheering and drinking.
“Power couple?” I looked up at Wyatt.
“You’re the power, baby.” He winked at me.
“I’ve got something to say about Salvation’s power couple.”
“Oh fuck,” Wyatt said under his breath, as the over-coifed and polished Simon Stark took the microphone.
“Stark. God, we should have hired guards.”
The crowd was silent, but I got the feeling they felt more like I did; unease, not an eagerness to hear what he had to say.
Stark cleared his throat. “You think these two are out to help you, the average family farmer, but nothing could be further from the truth. This marriage is a business deal, a farce all to help Sinclair Simms become mayor.”
“It’s deputy mayor Jones, to you,” Trina shouted.
“Boo,” my brother called out.
“I’m the one that’s offering to help you out of your financial woes-”
“Can it, Stark. No one wants to hear your bullshit,” someone else yelled
.
“I’m telling you; your bride and groom are only out for themselves. They’ve duped you all and what’s worse, they’ve brought a young innocent girl into their scam.”
“That’s it,” Wyatt seethed as he made his way up to the microphone.
“Yeah, Wyatt, tell that asswipe what’s up,” a man called from the back.