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THE BOYS USUALLY CAME in for lunch and Kerry had grown into the habit of making it for them. On fine days like today, she set it out on the picnic table under the large oak tree between the barn and the house.
“What’s all this?” Robb asked as he walked up.
“Why, I thought I’d do something a little special since, well,” Kerry bit her lip, thinking maybe she presumed too much. She knew it wasn’t a real wedding, but still it should’ve been something a little bit special maybe?
“It’s your wedding day,” Justin said the big grin as he sat down at the table. “Enjoy the feast of your paramour.”
Jessica’s old beat-up truck rumbled up the driveaway and in seconds Jessica was running around the table screaming and hugging Robb and Kerry in congratulations. “You told me you didn’t know these guys,” she said. “What a bluff.”
“I didn’t know these guys,” Kerry said awkwardly. “But you know you were right; they do grow on you rather rapidly.” She giggled nervously. Jessica looked at the spread on the picnic bench. Is this your wedding feast?” she asked with a chuckle. Kerry’s face burned hot. “No. No. No. We’re not doing any celebrating. I mean, you know, the formal stuff usually associated with weddings. We wanted to get it done quickly.”
Robb gave her a warning look, but Kerry didn’t need it, she knew for this whole thing to work they had to be married and this town was too small for anything less than making it look like it was real. There could be no doubt or rumor anywhere.
“Well, this isn’t going to do,” Jessica said with a harrumph. “The most eligible bachelor in Potter Valley gets married...we need a little more than, you know, a picnic lunch. No offense, Kerry.”
“None taken.” Kerry smiled down at her lap.
“I’m offended,” Justin complained. “How did Robb get most eligible bachelor award?”
“Hush,” Robb grinned. “You can be most eligible bachelor now. I’m definitely off the table.” He moved behind Kerry and rested his arms on her shoulders.
“Well, you need to show her off to the valley,” Jessica said.
“You’re right,” Robb agreed. “We’ve just been so caught up with everything here, we haven’t had a chance to think about it. We’ve got a lot to do around the ranch.”
“Well, I’ve got time.” Jessica smiled. “We don’t want men involved in planning this anyhow.”
“Thanks, Jessica, planning a wedding reception would be great.” Robb squeezed Kerry’s shoulders.
“Are you sure, dear?” Kerry glanced up at Robb quizzically.
“Of course,” Robb smiled. “It was always my intention.”
“Okay. I just hadn’t figured we’d have one,” Kerry said.
“Are you kidding me? This town needs a reason for a party! And what better reason could there be than when Robb Foster gets married?” Jessica grinned, striking a pose. “I mean it could only be trumped by my wedding of course.”
“Somebody is waiting for Austin to get back, I can tell,” Justin said with a grin as he bit into the potato salad Kerry had served.
“Like he would be so lucky,” Jessica’s blush belied her words.
Kerry figured she had a crush or something on one of the Foster brothers, probably at some point, every girl in this valley did, the brothers she’d met so far were extremely good looking.
“Let’s just focus on the wedding at hand,” Kerry deflected the conversation for Jessica.
“Don’t tell me you don’t wanna have a wedding to celebrate your brother’s wedding and your beautiful new sister-in-law.” Jessica nudged Justin.
“You know I’m always up for a party.” Justin moved his blond mop out of his face.
“Well, I just stopped by to congratulate you. I’ll come back later so we can start making plans.” Jessica winked at Kerry.
“Well, make sure your plans don’t involve too much money,” Robb said firmly. “We’ve got to buy some new bulls soon and I’ve got a number of other expenses coming up on the ranch soon.”
“Yes, Ebenezer,” Jessica said with a giggle towards Kerry. “At least you got the oldest one. He’s probably the most difficult, but he’s got the purse strings.” She winked as she left.
After the boys were done eating and Justin had excused himself into the house, Robb stood looking at Kerry across the table. “Why did you go and do that?” he asked.
“Do what?” Kerry was clearing the table and had a decent idea of what he was talking about, but she wasn’t going to make this easy for him.
“Arrange a wedding reception,” he said.
“I didn’t,” Kerry stood up, shocked etched in her expression. “It was Jessica’s idea and you agreed to it.”
“This isn’t a real wedding,” Robb said. “It’s not a real marriage. I’ll pay you for your services but—”
“Pay me for my services?” Kerry was indignant. “I’m not from rent-a-bride,” she said. “I married you because it seemed like your family needed some help here and—”
“And you wanted to get paid. I understand. You’re going to stay here and take care of my dad and when you’re done, you’re going to leave and get paid for it,” Robb explained.
“I just need my paycheck as an in-home care nurse,” Kerry said.
“I’m telling you; I will give you a little extra money for going through the trouble of having to marry me.” Robb sounded like he was talking to a first grader who couldn’t understand a simple math problem.
“Well, it was hardly any trouble.” Kerry’s irritation echoed in her voice. How dare he make her sound cheap. “The wedding took less than three minutes. Don’t worry, Mr. Robb Foster. I’m not here for you or your ranch. I need a job. As soon as your dad is rehabilitated, I’m out and we will annul the marriage. No one will be the wiser.”
“How do you live like that? No home, just going place to place?” Robb asked.
Kerry was taken aback. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a home as you call it. Home certainly wasn’t the house I grew up in. We don’t all get so lucky as this.”
“Well, to get this lucky I had to be abandoned by both my parents,” Robb commented.
Kerry looked away. She needed to keep space between them. Not be drawn in by his dark eyes and his sad past. She certainly didn’t need to start opening up about her own life. The last thing Robb needed to know was about her childhood. “What I don’t understand,” she diverted attention to him, “is why don’t you live here?”
“Well, I do now,” Robb said. “I know you’re rehabilitating my father, but we all know he won’t have a full recovery.”
“No, he won’t,” Kerry said softly. “I know it’s difficult, but he will recover more than he has now, but you won’t see him riding the range like he used to.”
“Well, I knew I’d come back one day, and thought I’d maybe bring home a wife, but I guess that wasn’t God’s plan for me.” He shrugged.
“I don’t think I’ll ever know God’s plan for me,” Kerry murmured.
“Well, I’m grateful for what you did this morning, Kerry.” Robb stared into her eyes as he said it and her heart skipped a beat.
“It was a simple thing. I think anyone would’ve done it,” she said.
“Um, no. I don’t think anyone would’ve married a perfect stranger to help them save their family ranch,” Robb disagreed solemnly. “The only downside is by now everyone in this valley, probably the whole tri-valley region, knows I’m married. When you leave, I’m going to have to play the jilted lover card hard.”
Kerry giggled. “Don’t worry, it’ll probably get you a lot of sympathy dates.”
“I could get dates if I wanted to,” Robb said indignantly.
Kerry stood up and started clearing the table laughing. “Not anymore you can’t.” She smirked up at him. “You’re married.”
She turned and walked away listening to Robb’s laughter.
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