How to Rope a Real Man Read Online Free PDF Page A

say something sappy? It was a tricky situation because he and Kellan didn’t have that kind of relationship. They’d been buddies for a long time, but more like beer-drinking, hunting pals than the let’s talk about our feelings kind.
    What the hell, he decided. There were worse things in life than letting your friends know you cared about them. Didn’t make him any less of a man.
    “That really sucks. He’s your family and he should be here for you on the most important day of your life. You deserve better than that.”
    Kellan’s eyes shifted to Matt, the stoniness replaced by regret. “I really don’t. That’s the thing. I’m not sure what I was thinking, asking him to be my best man. That was jumping the gun on my part. We only just started talking again this December. It should’ve been enough for me to invite him instead of putting him front and center like I tried to.”
    Matt would probably be kicking himself too, if he were in Kellan’s situation. The thing of it was, with five siblings and an extended family that would fill the Superdome, nothing like that would ever happen to him. Still, he knew what it meant to blame yourself for things out of your control.
    “Listen, that’s bullshit, man. If Jake wasn’t comfortable being in the wedding party, then he should’ve never agreed. You can’t control what other people say or do any more than a farmer can make it rain when he wants to.”
    Which was exactly the mantra he’d been telling himself since the accident that had changed everything. If only the words were as easy to believe as they were to say.
    Kellan pressed a finger to the spot between his eyebrows and squeezed his eyes closed. “My mom’s still holding out hope that Jake will make it to the wedding. I think I’ll wait until I drive her home to break it to her that he won’t be there. No sense in ruining her night sooner than necessary. Mostly, I don’t want Amy worrying about this. I can tell she already is, even though she’s doing a decent job of hiding it.”
    Good plan. “Neither you or Amy has anything to worry about. It’ll be smooth sailing from here on out. Jenna’s done a great job planning this shindig, and tomorrow, Vaughn, Chris, and I will be standing up there with you, and you know we’ve got your back. It’s going to be a great day, okay?”
    Kellan mustered a grin and socked Matt on the shoulder. “Damn right it will.”
    A clatter of boot heels had both men turning to find the source of the noise. Jenna shouldered her way between them and waved her phone, her eyes wide. “We’ve got a problem. A big one.”

Chapter Three
    The pain that had been in Jenna’s eyes when she’d looked at Matt only a few minutes earlier had vanished, replaced with cool indifference, as if he were any other man she barely knew. That was what he wanted, wasn’t it? For her to stop pursuing him? So then why did his chest ache with the loss?
    “You were right to have me take that call,” she said, pointing her phone in his direction. “It was Philomena, the florist.” Her eyes shifted to Kellan. “You know, the one I told you about who Marti at the salon recommended because she did her sister’s wedding?”
    Kellan fiddled with his beer, wide-eyed and clueless, as if to say, I’m just a guy. Don’t expect miracles . “Was that the night the Cardinals beat the Dodgers?”
    Jenna gave a little head shake. “Anyhow, the van bringing the flowers in from Texas broke down outside of Amarillo this morning. Complete engine failure in the middle of nowhere. With this summer heat, by the time the tow truck got there, every flower in the back had languished.”
    “Languished?” Matt and Kellan echoed at the same time.
    Jenna held up her palms. “Philomena’s word, not mine. And when I asked her to clarify, she said she’d mail back the deposit, along with a bouquet of stargazers as an expression of her apology.”
    Kellan lifted his hat and ran a hand over his hair, his vibe