“Yeah.” Ean looked around at Vaughn. “As much as we love Ramona and Quincy, and they love us, we all agreed we’d choke each other if we were together in the same house for more than a weekend.”
Darius chuckled. “I can believe that.”
“I’m glad Quincy and Ramona are making it back for our wedding.” Alonzo pour himself more iced tea. “Doreen would have been very disappointed if they weren’t there.”
“You would’ve been disappointed, too.” Juan chuckled.
“True,” Alonzo conceded.
Vaughn held a board in place while Jackson hammered it. “Speaking of weddings, do you think Quincy will propose while he and Ramona are at Harmony Cabins or wait until they visit his parents in Florida?”
“Quincy won’t be ready to propose this summer.” Darius position another four-by-four to cut.
“He’d better not wait much longer.” Ean marked another board to cut. “Megan said Ramona’s getting impatient.”
“Is Ramona the only one getting impatient?” Darius arched an eyebrow at Ean. “You and Megan have been together for more than two and a half years now.”
Ean shrugged. “Thirty months, but who’s counting?”
“Is your wedding on track, Alonzo?” Jackson asked.
“Everything’s great, now that Benita’s in charge.” Alonzo drank his iced tea. “Doreen and I are glad she insisted on planning our wedding.”
Vaughn’s chest swelled with pride. “Benita’s always had a talent for organizing events and keeping projects on schedule.”
Darius sent Vaughn a curious look. “What about your musical? How’re things going with you and Benita managing the production together?”
“Things are working well.” Vaughn nodded. “Benny and I are fine. Nessa gave us a hard time at first, but things worked out.”
“Nessa feeds on conflict.” Jackson hunkered down to adjust something on the bottom of the farmer’s buggy. “She isn’t happy if other people are happy. I don’t understand people like that.”
“Neither do I.” Juan nailed together the top of the fake tree.
Alonz
o crouched to lift his nearly completed tree model into position. “She criticized Doreen and me for not being married. Once we were engaged, she criticized us for planning our wedding.”
“Alonzo, you’re getting married and retiring.” Vaughn held a four-by-four steady for Jackson. “The rest of us should have such success planning for our futures.”
Darius’s expression was a mixture of curiosity and amusement. “What’s in your future?”
Vaughn shrugged. “Producing my musical and buying a house for starters.”
“Are you planning on settling down with a woman as well?” Juan asked.
“If the right one comes along.” Vaughn avoided meeting his friends’ discerning gazes.
“Are you sure she isn’t here already?” Ean asked.
“When it comes to Benny, I’m not sure of anything.” Thursday night, he’d thought he and Benita could try again. But after their argument Friday morning about showing some Los Angeles producer his play, he wondered if she would ever admit that Trinity Falls was home.
Alonzo glanced over his shoulder at Vaughn. “Don’t wait your whole life to tell Benita how you feel. Living without love is not living at all.”
Vaughn couldn’t fathom how the sheriff had spent so many decades without the woman of his dreams. He wasn’t anxious to find himself in the same situation.
He turned toward Jackson. “You offered to leave Trinity Falls and move to Los Angeles to be with Audra. How did you know you were willing to make that move?”
Jackson looked up from the prop wagon. “I knew I wanted to be with her. It didn’t matter where.”