for breakfast.”
“Please bring it in. It smells heavenly.”'
The waiter pushed the service cart inside of the room. He took everything and placed it on the small table. Vitoria handed him a tip after he set the tray on the table.
“Thank you ma’am,” he said as he turned to leave.
Vitoria sat down and inspected the contents. She picked up her fork, prepared to eat some of the fluffy scrambled eggs when her phone started to ring. Who was calling her now? Ginnifer's face flashed across the screen of her phone. A soft smile formed on her face—her best friend always a welcome interruption. She ran her finger across the accept button and put it on speaker to leave her hands free.
“Hello, Ginny.”
She set her fork down, picked up her toast, and spread some strawberry jam on each slice.
“I thought you might be awake.” Her best friend’s laugh floated through the phone.
“You’re interrupting my breakfast.”
Vitoria took a bite of her eggs while she listened to Ginnifer talk. She didn’t have time to eat after the call, and it would be cold if she let it sit until later.
“Really? I figured you would have already eaten and run out of your room by now. You’re not on top of your game this morning.”
“You’re right, and it’s all your fault,” Vitoria exclaimed.
“Me? What did I do?” Ginnifer gave her the most innocent-sounding tone in her repertoire.
“Did you have to send Wes after me? That odious man hates me.”
She could hear Ginnifer sigh. “I would think you both had gotten over that ridiculous feud by now.”
“I tried, really I did.” Vitoria stared down at her fingernails and remembered she needed to get a manicure—it kept slipping her mind. Talking about Wes irritated her, and she tried to feign boredom, but he riled something inside of her. She couldn’t do anything about those unwanted feelings. Fixing a physical imperfection was much easier. “He won’t let it go. Which reminds me, do you know someone named Eric?”
“No, should I?” Ginnifer asked.
“Not necessarily. Wes mentioned him. It was almost as if he expected me to know him. I thought you might, ’cause you’ve been living on the ranch for a while now.”
“I’m sorry, I have no idea who he is. I could ask Dallas.”
Vitoria considered her options. Did she really want to bring Ginnifer into her feud with Wes? She was about to marry his brother. It wouldn’t be conducive to holiday gatherings if they were not getting along. “I appreciate your offer of help, but I don’t think it’s necessary. Forget I asked.”
“If you change your mind—”
“I won’t,” Vitoria interrupted. “Is there another reason you called?”
“Well…”
“Wait, let me guess. You’ve had a change of heart and decided against marrying Dallas. You need my help to make a quick escape. Say no more. I will be there in three clicks of my heels.”
She could hear Ginny’s chuckles get louder as she gasped for breath. “You’re being silly now. Of course I haven’t decided against marrying Dallas.”
“Are you sure? I could arrange to have horses on hand for a quick escape at the wedding. I know a handsome rancher.” A smile formed on Tori’s face as she pressed her tongue to the inside of her cheek with amusement.
“I’m quite sure. I love him—this is the happiest I’ve ever been in my life.”
“Good. I’m glad we cleared that up. I’d hate for you to get to the altar and suddenly realize you’d made a horrible mistake. I spent an awful lot of money on a bridesmaid dress already.”
“I’m quite sure, Tori,” Ginnifer’s voice was overflowing with happiness. “I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life. I promise.”
Vitoria believed her. Ginnifer did really love her fiancé. She saw it whenever Ginny looked at him. It spilled out of her eyes, showing bright and clear for anyone to see. No one had ever given her friend such unadulterated bliss before.
“All right, since we have
“Please bring it in. It smells heavenly.”'
The waiter pushed the service cart inside of the room. He took everything and placed it on the small table. Vitoria handed him a tip after he set the tray on the table.
“Thank you ma’am,” he said as he turned to leave.
Vitoria sat down and inspected the contents. She picked up her fork, prepared to eat some of the fluffy scrambled eggs when her phone started to ring. Who was calling her now? Ginnifer's face flashed across the screen of her phone. A soft smile formed on her face—her best friend always a welcome interruption. She ran her finger across the accept button and put it on speaker to leave her hands free.
“Hello, Ginny.”
She set her fork down, picked up her toast, and spread some strawberry jam on each slice.
“I thought you might be awake.” Her best friend’s laugh floated through the phone.
“You’re interrupting my breakfast.”
Vitoria took a bite of her eggs while she listened to Ginnifer talk. She didn’t have time to eat after the call, and it would be cold if she let it sit until later.
“Really? I figured you would have already eaten and run out of your room by now. You’re not on top of your game this morning.”
“You’re right, and it’s all your fault,” Vitoria exclaimed.
“Me? What did I do?” Ginnifer gave her the most innocent-sounding tone in her repertoire.
“Did you have to send Wes after me? That odious man hates me.”
She could hear Ginnifer sigh. “I would think you both had gotten over that ridiculous feud by now.”
“I tried, really I did.” Vitoria stared down at her fingernails and remembered she needed to get a manicure—it kept slipping her mind. Talking about Wes irritated her, and she tried to feign boredom, but he riled something inside of her. She couldn’t do anything about those unwanted feelings. Fixing a physical imperfection was much easier. “He won’t let it go. Which reminds me, do you know someone named Eric?”
“No, should I?” Ginnifer asked.
“Not necessarily. Wes mentioned him. It was almost as if he expected me to know him. I thought you might, ’cause you’ve been living on the ranch for a while now.”
“I’m sorry, I have no idea who he is. I could ask Dallas.”
Vitoria considered her options. Did she really want to bring Ginnifer into her feud with Wes? She was about to marry his brother. It wouldn’t be conducive to holiday gatherings if they were not getting along. “I appreciate your offer of help, but I don’t think it’s necessary. Forget I asked.”
“If you change your mind—”
“I won’t,” Vitoria interrupted. “Is there another reason you called?”
“Well…”
“Wait, let me guess. You’ve had a change of heart and decided against marrying Dallas. You need my help to make a quick escape. Say no more. I will be there in three clicks of my heels.”
She could hear Ginny’s chuckles get louder as she gasped for breath. “You’re being silly now. Of course I haven’t decided against marrying Dallas.”
“Are you sure? I could arrange to have horses on hand for a quick escape at the wedding. I know a handsome rancher.” A smile formed on Tori’s face as she pressed her tongue to the inside of her cheek with amusement.
“I’m quite sure. I love him—this is the happiest I’ve ever been in my life.”
“Good. I’m glad we cleared that up. I’d hate for you to get to the altar and suddenly realize you’d made a horrible mistake. I spent an awful lot of money on a bridesmaid dress already.”
“I’m quite sure, Tori,” Ginnifer’s voice was overflowing with happiness. “I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life. I promise.”
Vitoria believed her. Ginnifer did really love her fiancé. She saw it whenever Ginny looked at him. It spilled out of her eyes, showing bright and clear for anyone to see. No one had ever given her friend such unadulterated bliss before.
“All right, since we have
Similar Books
