Best Man Under the Mistletoe

The sound of approaching vehicles had both women turning toward the large entrance to the barn. Brandee headed toward it and Chelsea followed.

As soon as she stepped outside, Chelsea’s mouth dropped. There were six, brand-new, shiny white vans and three large pickup trucks sitting in the drive of the Hope Springs Ranch. The driver of the first van got out and crossed the yard toward Brandee.

“I’m looking for Ms. Lawson.”

Brandee shielded her eyes from the sun. “That’s me.”

The middle-aged man held out a clipboard and pen. “I just need you to sign for the shipment of vehicles and let me know where you’d like them all parked. Do you want the keys left in the ignition or brought to you?”

“Excuse me?” she asked. “I didn’t... I’m not sure...”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” he said with a smile. “These are all paid in full from a Mr. Walsh. He said this was your wedding gift.”

What in the world had Gabe done? All of this? He’d paid for every single vehicle here? They were brand-new, not a speck of dirt on any of them, and they were all for Brandee.

Chelsea’s heart flipped.

“He said he had something being delivered, but...” Brandee trailed off as she stared at the fleet of new vehicles. “I can’t believe he did this.”

Chelsea was absolutely stunned. She couldn’t take in everything at once. This was a...a wedding gift? Weren’t you just supposed to get the bride and groom toasters and towels? This went so far above the items on any wedding registry, Chelsea didn’t even know what to think.

Gabe had done all of this without fanfare and without mentioning a word to her. He hadn’t wanted the recognition or the praise. The man had legitimately wanted to help out with Brandee’s work with the teens. How could Chelsea sustain her anger toward him when he kept proving over and over how selfless he was?

Chelsea took in each vehicle as Brandee pointed to where they could be parked. The dollar signs were scrolling through her head. She’d known Gabe was wealthy—from his expensive loft apartment to his luxury cars to his expensive taste in bourbon—but she’d never thought for a second he could do something like this.

“Can you believe this?” Brandee asked when she came back to stand beside Chelsea. “He told me he was having something delivered. I thought maybe it was... I don’t know, a horse.”

Brandee laughed and raked her hand through her long hair. “I don’t even know what to say. A thank-you card isn’t even enough. These vehicles will make a huge difference in the camp for my teens. We’ll be able to take in more kids.”

Brandee’s voice broke as she dissolved into tears. “Sorry,” she said as she wiped her cheeks. “I’m an emotional mess with the wedding.”

Chelsea turned to her friend and pulled her into a hug. “It’s understandable. This is a big step in your life. You’re entitled to a meltdown. And Gabe’s gift was a bit unexpected.”

Brandee eased back and smiled. “He’s such a great guy, Chels. I spoke with him yesterday and he seemed...”

Chelsea stilled. “What?”

“I don’t think it’s a stretch to say he’s interested in you.”

Her friend’s misty eyes met Chelsea’s. She truly didn’t want to have this conversation with anyone, let alone the woman standing there with cupid silhouettes practically bulging out of her eyes.

“He’s a guy and I’m single.” Chelsea figured shrugging it off would be safest at this point. “But, to answer your veiled question, we’re just friends.”

Friends who made out like teens in a dressing room. Why didn’t she have a friend like him before?

Oh, right. She hadn’t trusted him before.

The barrier she’d kept around her soul where Gabe was concerned cracked a little. Okay, more than a little. The very foundation shook. She wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, and had actually started to.

“You’re interested in him, too,” Brandee murmured. “Don’t bother denying it. This is more than a friendship.”

Chelsea jerked her attention back to the moment. “You have too much love and wedding bliss on the mind to think clearly.”

But her friend was absolutely correct. Whatever Chelsea and Gabe had going on, it was so much more than friendship. When he’d said there hadn’t been a label created for them yet, he’d been accurate. Because they weren’t really friends. She didn’t trust him. Did she?

Chelsea said farewell to Brandee and headed out to her car. At this point she didn’t not trust Gabe. The mental sparring match she continued to have with herself was exhausting.

As she drove toward downtown Royal, she realized she was tired of something else, too.