Tumbleweed Weddings Read Online Free PDF Page B

wiping a drop of Mrs. Beazer’s spit from her arm. “Maybe some other time.” She pulled Lane toward the door.
    The church building was empty, and most of the cars had left. But several people were still talking in the parking lot, including Callie’s brother, Derek.
    She walked down the steps with Lane. “I noticed you were riding a motorcycle.”
    The church door slammed shut behind them. “Callie! Wait for me!”
    Oh no!
Callie pivoted at her sister’s voice.
    Tonya, in her tight knee-length skirt, gracefully descended the stairs. She looked at Lane. “Hi there! I didn’t get to meet you earlier. I had to attend a meeting after the service.”
    Lane smiled and stuck out his hand. “Lane Hutchins.”
    Callie sighed. He looked entirely too interested.
    “I’m Tonya Brandt.” She shook his hand, moving closer to him. “I’ve heard all about you, Lane. You just can’t keep a secret in a small town like Fort Lob.” She twittered her signature laugh—the one she used for impressing guys.
    He grinned. “Great to meet you, Tonya.”
    Callie noticed they were still shaking hands.
    Lane continued. “I enjoyed your piano playing. Not many people can play that well. It sounded like a difficult piece.”
    “Thank you so much!” Tonya finally released his hand. “I love playing the piano for our church services. It’s such a joy.”
    Such a joy?
Callie wanted to throw up. Instead she jumped into the conversation. “We’d better get going. Mom invited Lane for dinner.”
    “Oh, that’s wonderful!” Tonya batted her thick, dark lashes. “Why don’t I ride over with you, Lane?”
    “Well …” He glanced down at her skirt.
    “He has a motorcycle.” Callie turned to Lane. “You can follow our pickup truck. We’re riding home with Derek—our brother.”
    He nodded. “Okay.”
    Tonya pouted. “Oh, I wish I could ride over with you. We live seven miles east of Fort Lob on Antelope Road. My dad’s a sheep rancher.”
    Lane raised his eyebrows. “Sounds interesting.”
    Tonya laid her hand on his arm. “I’m glad you’re coming over. We’ll have all afternoon to get to know each other.”
    Callie grabbed her by the elbow. “See you there, Lane.” She walked with Tonya to Derek’s truck while Lane strode to his motorcycle. Tonya climbed into the cab. Callie followed and settled beside her sister. As she closed the passenger door, she felt her opportunity with Lane slamming shut as well.
    The thing she feared had come to pass.

Chapter 5
    A h! The open road
.
    Lane enjoyed the seven-mile motorcycle ride out to the Brandt family ranch. He followed the pickup as it rattled down the paved two-lane road. They passed a few other houses that were set way back from the road and were usually surrounded by trees. Small groups of cattle munched contentedly on tufts of wild grass. Besides those few signs of civilization, the road cut a path through barren rolling hills dotted with sagebrush.
    He could see the three Brandt siblings through the back window of the truck’s cab. Tonya sat in the middle, talking nonstop to her brother. Lane had been impressed with Derek Brandt. Taller than Lane, Derek looked to be in his midtwenties, with dark hair the same color as his sisters’. And that Tonya—what a beauty! She reminded Lane of a Hollywood actress, with her perfect facial features and flawless skin.
    Derek slowed and turned left onto a narrow blacktopped drive. Lane followed on his cycle, passing under a wrought-iron archway with the words T HE R OCKING B R ANCH in the middle. The driveway was long, possibly five hundred feet, with a row of evergreen trees marching up the left side. Over a small hill, a farmhouse came into view down in the valley. The front porch ran the entire width of the place, with a swing suspended on the left side near the door. Several wicker chairs sat on the opposite side of the porch. It would be nice to sit there in the shade, sipping a tall glass of lemonade.
    The pickup stopped