Hoapili chuckled. “Either that or I just want to meet her in person. I’ll let you wonder which.”
The man was enjoying his job a little too much today. “All right,” Landon said. “I’ll see you soon.”
“Oh, and Nani told me to give her a full description of your girlfriend. She wants to know who finally cured you of bachelorhood.”
Man, you ghost a friend’s sister, and he wouldn’t ever let you forget it. “Are you allowed to talk to your sister when you’re on the clock?”
“I am if I have something good to tell her. Don’t worry, brah, I also let her know that you took down a cattle rustler. If you ever get tired of cows, you could get a position on the force.”
Well, if Landon couldn’t work out the water rights for his ranch, it was nice to know he had other options.
An hour later, Landon was pulling up to Coyote Glen’s gate. He gave Kitty a call. Still no answer. Something might have happened to her phone. Last year, Landon’s had been trampled while he’d been rotating cattle to a new pasture. Even if Kitty wasn’t at the ranch, it wouldn’t be a completely wasted trip. Her foreman would be around.
Landon pushed the gate’s call button. After a few moments, Gary answered.
Landon related why he was here, adding that an officer needed Kitty to sign some forms.
“She’s doing a photoshoot,” Gary told him, “but I’ll get her.” The gate swung open.
Had Landon heard that right? Did Gary say she was at the cattle chute or doing a photoshoot? Maybe she was taking pictures of the ranch. He drove to the pasture by the barn, parked the trailer, and waited for the squad car to pull in behind him.
A blue Audi sat in the driveway. Kitty had a guest of some sort. No sign of anyone by the cattle chute, though. The only living things around were a few horses grazing in the pasture and an escaped chicken pecking at the ground by the barn.
Landon and Samantha climbed out of his truck and ambled over to the squad car. Landon jingled his keys in his hand, waiting. No point taking the cattle out of the trailer until he knew where Kitty wanted them.
Hoapili got out of car and gazed around. “Where’s Ms. Benton?”
“Her foreman said she was doing a photoshoot,” Landon said. “I’m not sure what he meant by that.”
“Is she a photographer?” Hoapili asked.
Landon shrugged. “Not a professional one.” Perhaps the Audi belonged to the photographer.
That’s when Gary and Kitty emerged from around the side of the house. He wore a dirty shirt and beat-up pair of jeans. Normal ranch wear. She, inexplicably, wore a wedding dress with a full, flowing skirt that made her look like she’d stepped off a cake. Her hair was piled on her head, and a veil fluttered behind her like a filmy wave. She carried a bouquet of pink roses in one hand.
Landon stared at her, open-mouthed. Samantha let out an “Oh,” of surprise.
“Well,” Hoapili said. “I guess we know why she didn’t answer her phone. She was clearly busy.”
“No,” Landon sputtered. “This can’t…no.” Kitty hadn’t even been dating anyone else. Surely, she would have told Landon about an engagement. While they spoke at church last Sunday, she would’ve surely mentioned she was getting married today. “This can’t be what it looks like.”
“Dude,” Samantha said, “I think this is a good indication that she’s moved on.”
Kitty handed Gary the flowers, hiked up her skirt, and hurried in Landon’s direction. Gary trailed after her, clutching the bouquet like some overgrown, poorly dressed flower girl.
Hoapili patted Landon on the back. “I’ve got some advice for you, brah. Next time when you like a woman, don’t suggest taking a break. You never know what she’ll do during that time.”
“This…no.” Landon still couldn’t seem to form a full sentence.
The closer Kitty got, the more beautiful she seemed. She did a pair of worn jeans and a T-shirt more than justice, and he’d gotten used to seeing her that way. But now she was stunning.
He’d never given any thought as to what Kitty would look like in a wedding gown, but he should have. The sight of her made it hard to breathe. He wanted Kitty to wear that dress for him—not anyone else.
Landon scanned the area behind her to catch sight of a groom. No one else came from around the back of the house. This couldn’t actually be a wedding, could it? A bunch of cars would be parked out front. Unless she decided not to invite any folks from around here.
Kitty reached them, her gaze on Hoapili. She wouldn’t meet Landon’s eyes. Her cheeks were bright pink, although he couldn’t tell whether that was from embarrassment or hurrying. “I understand you have some of my cattle?”
Landon’s shock was wearing off, and anger settled in its place. Kitty could be impulsive, but what would make her agree to marry a man who she couldn’t have dated for more than a couple months? And didn’t she owe Landon some sort of explanation? She flirted with him at church every week. She knew he wanted to get back together after the will was sorted out.