Two Weddings: Canyon Road, #3

By Thea Thomas

Two Weddings

No matter how wildly Millicent rides the giant black beauty, Thor, she cannot escape the pain of Michael marrying someone else. And not just any someone else, but beautiful, kind, Sage, her friend, and boss.

To add salt to the wound, Millicent has been commissioned by Sage and Michael to oversee their wedding. She knows she'll do an excellent job. She knows she'll keep her broken heart hidden.

But what she doesn't know is that her protective shell around love is about to be broken by an adorable little dog. Will Millicent's new "best friend" bring her out of her cocoon enough to see that love—true love—is standing right beside her?

Read Two Weddings to discover Millicent's challenging-yet-heartwarming journey to love, accompanied by an adorable little dog, who opens her heart—and eyes!—to the wonders of love.

Though the winding path is sometimes very steep—love will prevail!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Emerson and Tilman
• Release date: Nov 21, 2020
• ISBN: 9781947151420

Thea Thomas

Thea Thomas is a full-time writer, living in the greater Portland, Oregon area, creating the worlds in her novels. Having lived in a variety of locations around the world, she happily settled in the Northwest. The rainy weather, lush green terrain, stunning water falls, mountains, ocean, charming neighborhoods and a strong writing community all make being a writer here completely yummy!

Book preview

Two Weddings

The Canyon Road Love Series

Book 3:

Canyon Road Love Stories

Contemporary Sweet Romance

Thea Thomas

Books by Thea Thomas

The Canyon Road series:

Canyon Road

One Love

Two Weddings

Three Proposals

YA:

The People in the Mirror

Millie in the Mirror

The Angel in the Mirror

Dark Urban:

Amethyst Dream

Porcelain Claws

Two Weddings

Thea Thomas

Emerson & Tilman, Publishers

129 Pendleton Way #55

Washougal, WA 98671

All Rights Reserved

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted

in any form, or by any means, including photocopying, recording,

or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior

written permission of the author, except brief quotations

in critical reviews and other noncommercial

uses permitted by copyright law.

This is a work of fiction.

Names, characters, places, and incidents are fictional.

Book & cover design by Emerson & Tilman

Two Weddings

[e-mail]

EmersonandTilman.com/TheaThomas

Copyright © Thea Thomas/Emerson & Tilman

[1. FICTION/Romance/Contemporary

2. FICTION/Contemporary Women

3. FICTION/Romance/General] I. Title.

BIC: FM

First Edition

DEDICATION:

To All Who Believe

In the Comfort of Love

Chapter 1

Millicent

If Millicent could spur Thor on to a faster run, she would. Could she escape her broken heart by going faster? No, she knew she couldn’t. It would be her lifelong secret, her lifelong pain.

As she flew by the row of stately oaks on the hillside, she looked down at Anthony’s mansion. Anthony and Alison’s mansion now, since they’d been reunited.

Thor made a right angle turn toward the stables. Millicent let him have his rein, they’d had a good run.

Even if his flight didn’t take her away from the pain of losing Michael, the ride at least helped her release some of her pent up anger. Anger with herself for falling in love with someone at first sight she always knew she could never have, anger with Michael, who had never seen that she loved him. And those nagging frustrations over Sage, who was, no one could argue, the perfect match for Michael.

She’d never been so vexed in her life as now with her completely-at-odds feelings of sisterly love and not-quite-hate for Sage. Who, to add muddle to conundrum, had also become her boss.

As Thor stormed up to the stable, a man stepped out, watching them intently. Disconcerting. Who was this stranger daring to stare at her? Although, she reasoned, he was probably staring at Thor, a stunning specimen of horseflesh. An unusually gigantic Arabian, black as a moonless night sky, and powerful, Thor was a beautiful sight in motion.

She reigned him in as they neared the stable, pulling him up to stop some distance from the stranger. She wanted, needed, privacy as she unsaddled her mount. The stranger ambled over. Millicent flung the reins around the fence and started to un-cinch the saddle.

What a sight, he said, friendly enough.

How so? Millicent struggled with the saddle. She didn’t want to admit it, but the crazed ride had taken more out of her than she realized.

A petite woman flying across the sky on that gigantic black devil.

He’s not a devil, Millicent answered, not making much headway with the cinch.

No. I know, he’s a big pussy cat. The stranger came right up by her. Here, let me, he moved her hands and swift as birds, un-cinched the saddle. I’m not being patronizing, I can see that you’re sort of shaking. And I know dinner’s pretty soon, and that you need to get up to the house. By the way, my name’s Eric. He took one of his hands off the cinch, extending it to her.

She took his hand, Millicent, she replied, distracted by his observation. Now that he mentioned it, she did feel shaky. She glanced at her watch. It was much later than she’d thought. Millicent wobbled over into Thor’s side, he shifted and the edge of his foot slipped off the edge of her foot.

Oh! she stifled a cry.

What hap … oh, no, he stepped on you, didn’t he?

I’m all right. She winced internally, keeping a brave outward face. But you’re right, I’m going to be late for dinner. I’d be extremely grateful if you wouldn’t mind putting Thor up.

I’d love it, actually. But are you sure about your foot? This is a lot of horse to be stepped on.

I’m fine. She finally let herself make eye-contact with the stranger. What amazing blue eyes—as if the sky behind him had flowed right into them. I—I’m fine. Thanks for taking care of Thor.

No problem.

She tried not to limp as she walked toward the mansion, feeling the stranger watching her. As soon as she rounded the corner of the stable, she hobbled quickly through one of the back doors and crept silently up the back stairs to her guest room.

Refusing to look at her foot, she took a quick shower and dressed for dinner in the pale peach gauzy, floor-length dress she’d brought for formal dinner, then slipped on her peach sandals, her injured foot already bruising. She took three ibuprofen for the pain that throbbed in her foot. It was all her own fault, she reprimanded herself, distracted by thoughts of Michael, and her frustration with the stranger for invading her privacy.

Everything about Michael had always been a distraction. Getting stepped on by a horse was yet another event in a long string of bad choices and negative circumstances. If she could to be objective, the best thing that ever happened to her through knowing Michael was meeting Sage.

But she didn’t want to be objective.

She sat in front of the dresser mirror brushing her shoulder-length brown hair until it shone, then applied a hint of mascara and peach lip gloss. Since she began working for Sage, she’d been able to get the dental work she’d needed all her life. She’d gotten invisible braces and, even though they were still doing their work behind the scenes as she called it, she had to admit, they already made a big difference in her smile.

Looking at the clock, she left the guest room and limped down the sweeping front stairs, glad no one saw her pained movement.

At the doorway of the dining room, she took a deep breath, gathered her strength, and glided to her chair.

You look lovely, Millicent, Alison said. Doesn’t she, Anthony?

She does, indeed.

Thank you, she replied. Sorry I’m a bit late. I lost track of time. Thor does that to me, it seems.

Alison laughed lightly. Not to worry, my dear. We’ve just come in ourselves.

Millicent noticed no other place settings. I thought there were to be other guests?

Eric had planned to join us. But he just called the house and said Twinkle Toes is demanding his attention.

Oh—is she about to foal?

It’s early, Anthony answered, but he seems to think she might be, yes.

That’s exciting. After Thor, Twinkle Toes, a delicate-boned palomino beauty, had become Millicent’s favorite horse in Anthony’s stable. The palomino had a perfect white blaze and a dusting of white on all four hooves, for which she’d been named. I hope she’ll be all right.

Me too, Alison answered as Eaton came in with a serving tray. It’s fortunate Eric happens to be here, he’s quite intuitive with horses.

Always has been, Anthony added.

As the chit-chat continued about the horses, Millicent contributed what she could. She knew she was forestalling the central reason why she was here for the first time in almost two weeks. The elegant-yet-simple meal and the congenial company were so entirely pleasant, Millicent resisted turning the talk to the impending wedding of Michael and Sage. It was all she’d been thinking about for weeks now, and the break from it, even with the throbbing pain in her foot, was a pleasure.

But she and Alison needed to fine-tune the event’s details tonight. It could not be put off.

Alison broke into Millicent’s thoughts as if she’d been reading her mind. I suppose we’d better get down to brass tacks, and sort out the remaining details of the wedding,

Yes, Millicent nodded, thinking, I’d really rather not.

Have you talked with Tina recently?

Day before yesterday, yes. They’ve gotten all the food issues ironed out. They had to import something-something. She certainly can go on about it! I never knew anyone who loved edible things quite as much as Tina. I confess I reached a point of mentally begging her to say some form of ‘and the problem is solved.’ Finally, much to my relief, she did.

Alison and Anthony both chuckled.

That’s our Tina, Anthony said.

Millicent looked from Anthony to Alison wondering, how do people find one another? They were so perfectly matched. But they’d had their problems, too, she reminded herself, having been apart for years. Fate, through Sage and Michael, had brought them together again.

There was always hope for love, she thought, not quite convinced.

She realized that Alison had gone on talking about the centerpieces, which were to be exotic affairs with southwest flowers and plants in Zuni woven baskets and containing other small Zuni works of art. Millicent had been responsible for obtaining all the centerpiece plants and flowers.

Do you think we need to hire someone to arrange the centerpieces, since there are all these different components?

I don’t think so. I’ve shown the florist pictures of the baskets and artwork, and she assured me the centerpieces will be stunning. I believe they’re looking forward to doing the arrangements. Not as much for the money, as for the artistic challenge.

Excellent …. Alison paused thoughtfully. Even though this whole event is really just a drama for the locals now.

What do you mean? Millicent asked.

Since they got married last weekend by the tribal chief.

What do you mean? Millicent asked again, confused.

Alison’s eyebrows went up in surprise. Didn’t you read Sage’s last email?

Ahm, I thought I did. I … the phone must have rung or something to interrupt me. I don’t recall … and I would have.

Of course you would have. She wrote that she and Michael felt it important to be tribally married, and, as it’s not such a big to-do as we’re making here, they had the ceremony last weekend. I would have called her, but I’ve been so busy. She said a few pictures will be forthcoming today—I haven’t seen them yet.

So …. Millicent shoved her shock underneath the pain welling up in her heart, "they’re … married."

Apparently so, yes, Anthony said, practically glowing, sharing his nephew’s happiness.

Sorry not to join you, someone said in the doorway to the dining room. Still sorting out her shock and confusion, Millicent turned to see Eric, his hat in his hand, in his stocking feet and disheveled looking. But that girl is taking all my attention.

How’s she doing? Anthony asked.

Okay, I think. But she’s nervous. So I gotta get back out to her pretty soon. Just wanted to step in and apologize.

No need, Alison said. I’ll have Eaton take you out some dinner. I didn’t do that yet, hoping you might be able to spend some time with us.

He nodded, then looked directly at Millicent. How’s your foot?

Oh! She said, embarrassed. It … frankly, it hurts, but I’m all right.

Her foot? Alison said, alarmed, What happened?

Thor stepped on her.

Oh dear, Alison’s alarm rose. Let me see.

No, please, I don’t want to disrupt dinner. Millicent felt overwhelmed—her throbbing foot, the wedding plans, this Eric-person staring at her, and … Michael—married. Now. Already.

Too much input! It felt like a nice moment to start screaming like a teenaged girl in a horror film.

You might as well show her your foot, Anthony said. We won’t be eating a bite until you do.

Resigned—yet not screaming—Millicent brought her foot out from under the table and lifted the skirt of her dress to reveal her lovely peach-colored sandals and one purple and green, hugely swollen, foot.

Everyone, including Millicent, gasped.

Oh, that’s too terrible, Alison cried.

I had no idea it had swollen so much, Millicent protested weakly, feeling a bit faint at the sight of her foot. I didn’t want to interrupt our lovely dinner.

Eric hurried across the room and swept Millicent up. Which room is hers? Call the doctor and get Eaton to bring up a bucket of ice.

Millicent, helplessly in the grip of this complete stranger, attempted to protest. No, please. It’s not that big of a deal. I’m fine, really.

Talking over her, Allison said, Second floor, the third room on the left. Even before she finished her sentence, Allison was on