Page 21 of Deserving Lara
Lara couldn’t help but feel excitement race through her. It was both a foreign feeling and a huge relief. She’d been riddled with little else but fear and dread for so long, it almost felt as if she was back to the Lara she’d been before. “When are you guys planning this?”
Cora smiled but didn’t look up from the phone as her thumbs raced over the screen. “As soon as we can. Owl needs to get the online certificate and we need to apply for our wedding license, but then it’s a go.”
“Will the other guys be upset? Feel left out? Or the other women?” Lara asked in concern.
“Nope. They already know we’re planning something small and intimate. As long as we let Robert make us a special dinner up at the lodge, and they can all be at that, they’re fine. I already talked to Alaska about it.”
Lara bit her lip. “Are you sure? I mean, I wouldn’t want anyone to be offended.”
A knock on the door had Lara jerking in surprise and fear, spinning toward the sound.
“It’s them. And just to reassure you, we’ll ask first,” Cora said as she headed for the door. “Pipe said he’ll talk to Owl today. I’m thinking it’s gonna be within the week.”
“So soon?” Lara exclaimed, more to herself than her friend.
Cora paused before she opened the door and looked at Lara. “When you know, you know. Isn’t that what you always said? Pipe is the man for me. The only guy I’ll ever love. It’s as if my entire being came to life when I met him. It’s going to be fine. For both of us, Lara. I know it.”
Lara contemplated her friend’s words as she confirmed who was at the door, then opened it to greet the other women. It was kind of funny. Cora was the jaded one between them. The one who hated watching romantic movies. She always said she was allergic to romance. And here she was, getting married first, something she’d always said she didn’t want. And Lara couldn’t be happier for her.
And nowshewas the jaded one. The one who may no longer believe in happy-ever-after. Despite the fact she was surrounded by them here at The Refuge. With Brick and Alaska, Henley and Tonka, Reese and Spike. And now Cora and Pipe.
“Lara! It’s so good to see you!” Alaska said happily as she walked toward her.
She greeted the others as well, reveling in the honest affection they all expressed when they saw she was there.
Within ten minutes, the six of them were settled on the deck on top of the house. Lara was sitting with Cora on the love seat Pipe had bought so his woman would be more comfortable when they spent time stargazing up there. Reese and Ryan were in lounge chairs, and Reese joked that she was never leaving, it was so comfortable. And Alaska and Luna were sitting on thick blankets placed on the floor, their backs leaning up against the love seat.
It felt intimate, not only because the deck wasn’t all that big, but because if Lara reached out, she could touch not only Cora, but Alaska and Luna as well.
“This is an amazing space,” Alaska said when their nonstop chatter paused about fifteen minutes later.
“And you can’t even see it from the front of the cabin,” Reese agreed.
“I’m getting married up here,” Cora blurted.
“We know, you told us,” Alaska said with a grin.
“Owl is gonna marry us, and Lara’s gonna be here. Afterward, we’ll go to the lodge and have a huge dinner.”
“Sounds awesome.”
“Good plan.”
“I can’t wait to see what my dad will plan for you guys.”
“Cool.”
Lara looked over at Cora and had to smile when she mouthedtold you.
“Lara was worried you guys would be upset that I asked her to be there,” Cora said.
Lara shot a frown at her best friend, but Cora wasn’t looking at her.
“I don’t know why. You guys are best friends, have known each other forever,” Ryan said. Lara swore she heard a note of wistfulness in the other woman’s tone, but Reese spoke before she could think any more about it.
“Owl’s gonna marry you?” she asked.
“Hopefully. I mean, Pipe hasn’t asked him yet, but he’ll do that today,” Cora said.
