Waiting For Love (Love In Montana Book 2)

"This is so exciting. I've known the Wilson's all my life. Jenny's a good friend of mine," said granny Stacey. "So is Ember attending your wedding?" She asked more curious than before. 

"Yes, she's my bridesmaid," informed Adelaide. 

"That's great. Will you do me a favor dear?" Asked granny, expectantly. 

"Yes, granny. I'll do anything you ask me to do," she promised. 

"We both are old and very worried about Ember. The girl has lost the zeal to live. She cannot trust any man after what she went through. She has sworn off marriage and men and it's bothering us. What will happen to her after we're gone? I want to see her happily settled down in life. Does your fiancé have any friend or brother who's single?" Asked granny, knowing perfectly well that Rex was still single. She had kept an eye on Rex for the last few years without Ember's knowledge.

Adelaide smiled. "Yes, Rhett's twin Rex is single. Ember used to like him before going to Chicago. She had asked me to introduce her to Rex but then she went away and so did I. I could introduce her to Rex but she wouldn't come to Rhett's house with me," said Adelaide. 

"Hmm, it's going to be difficult to convince her. She has never gone out anywhere in the last five years," said granny. 

"I'll keep trying, don't worry, granny," said Adelaide. Ember came out wearing a black shorts and a pale pink top. 

"Sorry to keep you waiting, " she told her. "Wanna have a drink?" She offered.

"Nothing alcoholic please. I have to go home and make dinner for granny and me, " said Adelaide. Ember served a fruity mocktail along with some mozzarella sticks that granny had made. They talked about what happened at the hospital in Adelaide's absence. They discussed the wedding which would take place at Wildcreek Ranch. Granny left when she received a phone call from Ember's grandfather who was at a friend's house in the neighborhood. 

"Ember, you have to come over at least once to coordinate with everyone," Adelaide told her. Ember's eyes widened with panic. 

"Everyone will hate me when they know what happened to me. I'm useless Adel. Why are you insisting on involving me in your wedding? I'm just bad luck," she told her brokenly. Adelaide stared at her dumbfounded by her words. She had no idea how much all this had affected Ember. 

She hugged her friend. "No Ember, it wasn't your fault. No one will hate you. Everyone has a past. It's part and parcel of our lives. We have to learn to live with them, " said Adelaide, trying her best to comfort her friend.

The next two weeks Adelaide was busy with her wedding preparations and Ember took an update from her everyday. Rihanna was her maid of honor while Renée and Ember were her bridesmaids. Although Ember wanted to help, she was too apprehensive to go to the Wildcreek Ranch knowing that Rex was there. She didn't waht to meet him in this condition, with a broken body and mind. Adelaide and the Wilson family had gone to a seamstress in Helena for their wedding dresses. Adelaide gave Ember's measurements too since she couldn't convince her to come along.

She hadn't been able to convince Ember to accompany her to Rhett's house yet. Eager to see her reaction to Rex's pictures, she had clicked several family photographs during the weekend to show Ember. She saw Ember as usual in the morning and greeted her warmly. Everyday she asked for an update on her wedding plans and Adelaide enthusiastically complied. 

"I'm glad Rhett takes so much care of you Adel," said Ember. "So how many bridesmaids do you have?" She asked curiously. 

Adelaide produced her mobile phone and showed her the group photographs of all Rhett's siblings and cousins, watching Ember closely. "This is Rihanna, Rhett's sister. She's my maid of honor. These are Renée and Raine, they're my bridesmaids too. These are Ryan, Ryder and Ronald and this is you know who,  Rex," she said softly. Ember stared at Rex's photograph with a small smile on her lips. Rex had a playful smile on his face as he fixed his hair which Renée had her hands upon. 

"You still like him, don't you?" Asked Adelaide, watching her. Ember looked up at her, taken aback by her sudden question. She blushed and shook her head. 

"I don't like anyone. I I have to go Adel. Catch up afterwards," she said, escaping from the nursing station as quickly as her legs would carry her. Adelaide was sure that she had seen Ember's eyes light up when she saw Rex's picture. Should she go ahead and try to fix them up? She should consult Rhett about it. 

The whole day went by and she didn't see Ember. After work, Rhett came to take her home like everyday. He drove her to his ranch.

"Tomorrow's the first fitting. We're all going to Helena after work. Inform your friend that she too needs to go," said Rhett. Adelaide nodded. 

"I'll try to convince her. Tell me, is Rex available? Should we introduce him to Ember?" Asked Adelaide. Rhett grinned.

"Why not?" He said. Adelaide smiled.

"Why is Rex still single? Did he never find anyone?" Asked Adelaide out of curiosity. 

"You ask him that. I've sworn off never to tell a soul as long as I'm alive, " he told her. Adelaide's interest was piqued. She would definitely ask him now. Rhett smiled but didn't say a word as he had promised Rex never to tell anyone about his fixation with a pair of emerald eyes that haunted him in his sleep too.

The next day, Adelaide was eager to convince Ember that she needed to go for her first fitting. "If you don't come along, I'll cancel the appointment," she pouted. Ember's eyes widened. 

"Please don't cancel your first fitting, Adel. Okay, I'll come with you, " she said warily. Adelaide wanted to do a happy dance but controlled herself. 

"Thanks. Wait for me after duty," she ordered and rushed out to start her day. The whole day the two friends didn't get any time to meet up. After duty, Adelaide found Ember ready to leave with her. 

"Shall we go then?" Asked Adelaide and Ember nodded. She drove Ember to Rhett's house in her new car. Ember admired her car very much. Her house was nearby and she preferred to walk home from the hospital. If she needed to go a little further, she usually rode on her mare, Starlight. They reached Rhett's house in a few minutes. Adelaide climbed down along with Ember and they walked inside the house. Rhett grinned as soon as he saw them. He pecked Adelaide's mouth.

"We were just waiting for you, Adel," he said. Then looking at an apprehensive Ember, he smiled. "Hey Ember, glad you came along," he said. Ember smiled back. Rihanna came forward seeing Ember. 

"Hi, Ember, right?" She asked, extending her hand for a shake.

"Yes, hi, Rihanna, " said Ember. 

"Oh, you know me?" Asked Rihanna, puzzled. 

"Yes, I know all of you," she told her. "Adel has shown me pictures of all of you. " 

Nearly the whole family was introduced to Ember but her eyes seemed to look for a special someone. Only Adelaide knew who it was though. "Why don't you change out of your nurse's uniform, dear?" Asked granny Jenny. She was ecstatic to meet her friend Stacey's granddaughter. 

"Use my en-suite. It's the second room on the left," said Rhett and Ember nodded. She walked along the corridor and found many rooms. Which one was the second? She opened one door and peeped in. It smelled like a man's room. Surely it was Rhett's room. She quietly locked the door and turned and collided with a warm something. 

"Ouch," she gasped, looking up to find herself flush against none other than Rex's bare chest as he stared at her, with his mouth hanging open. Her long hair loosened due to the collision. She hadn't found a hair clip to secure it. It fell out of her bun and cascaded down her shoulders. She blushed to the roots of her hair. She could feel Rex's unwavering gaze upon her taking every microscopic detail.

"Oh, is this your room? I'm s sorry, " she stammered. Rex was spellbound by the beautiful stranger in his arms. Her doe-shaped sparkling emerald eyes looked like precious gems, her long cascading brown hair smelled of roses, her soft body in his arms made him want to hold her longer. He stared at her, knowing that this was the goddess of his dreams. This was the one he had seen five years ago and had been looking for everywhere. His heart sang with joy knowing that he finally found his emerald-eyed angel. The one whom he'd been looking for frantically for the past few years is right in his room, in his arms. He didn't know how to thank God. He felt amused by her jaw-dropped stare. 

"Yes, this is my room. You knew it, didn't you?" He asked with a smirk, just to tease her. He obviously couldn't show her how much she meant to him, at least not yet. Ember pushed him and regained her balance. 

"Don't flatter yourself. I was searching for Rhett's room," she informed him, turning to walk out of Rex's room. He seemed too arrogant, as if he knew how attractive he was. She didn't want anything to do with such cocky guys. They were just the same.

"Hey, tell me your name at least? What are you doing here in my house?" Rex shouted after her but she simply opened his door and disappeared outside. She went back to Adelaide without changing her uniform.