Flippin’ Cowboy by Ophelia Sexton
Chapter 2: Aftermath
“Winnie, your dad and I don’t mind hosting the reception. Really,” Mom said, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
“I mean, no use letting all that good food and drink go to waste if it’s already paid for,” Dad added.
He had traded his usual rancher’s attire of a trucker’s cap, dusty t-shirt, and worn jeans for a tux worn with the black Stetson cowboy hat that Geoff had given him last Christmas. He looked good. So did Mom, in her new blue dress and freshly highlighted hair.
What a waste, thought Winnie. All that planning and preparing, and for what? And how could I miss the signs that Geoff and Melanie were involved?
Beneath the layers of pain and humiliation, she felt stupid for not having noticed that anything was wrong.
And beneath that, she was angry at Geoff for not behaving like a normal, decent human being and breaking up with her before the wedding. Instead, he and Melanie—two people she’d trusted and considered friends—chose the most hurtful and humiliating scenario possible.
How could I have been so wrong about him?
“But will you be okay by yourself?” Mom asked, drawing Winnie into a hug. Dozens of phones aimed in their direction, and a cascade of shutter clicks filled the air. “I can’t believe Geoff would do this to you! He seemed so nice when we met him at your engagement party!”
“He had me fooled, too,” Winnie said, more tears stinging her eyes. Her mascara and eyeliner were probably a smeared mess by now, but she took the Kleenex Mom handed her and tried to wipe away the stinging cascade.
“Oh, Winnie! I’m so, so sorry,” Karla said, striding over to join them. “How are you doing, honey?”
In the wake of Geoff’s announcement, Karla had gone into damage control mode, doing what she could to smooth things over.
Like trying to bail the Titanic with a teaspoon,Winnie thought. It was one of her late Grandpa Frank’s favorite sayings.
Karla’s dark curls and impeccably applied makeup still appeared faultless, as did her silk fuchsia jumpsuit, but she had the look of someone who’d just taken a trip through the wringer.
“I’m okay,” Winnie lied, then blew her nose in the tissue.
“I know this is a really big ask right now,” Karla began, “but could you please show up at the reception? It doesn’t have to be for long.” She fastened Winnie with a pleading look from her dark brown eyes. “I need you to give a brief statement with your side of the story. Your sister Autumn said she’d help us craft it.”
Winnie shook her head. “I—I can’t. Not right now.”
But Karla wasn’t so easily discouraged. “Honey, I’m begging you. Geoff and Melanie are blowing up on every social media channel, and they’re busy making you the bad guy. A statement from you, while wearing your wedding dress and looking tragic, would go a long way towards fixing your image.”
“My image? They’re really trying to blame me for all this? How is that even possible?” Winnie asked in disbelief. Then, before Karla could answer, she shook her head. “Never mind. I don’t have the energy to care. I just want to go home, put on my pajamas, and crawl into bed.”
Theirbed. The one she’d shared with Geoff for nearly two years. Her mouth twisted, and she blinked away a fresh surge of tears.
“Just fifteen minutes, okay?” Karla wheedled. Then, like she always did, she pushed for more. “How about a show of family unity with your sisters and brother?”
“No way,” Winnie said flatly. “Look, I did everything you and Geoff wanted for this wedding circus. And now I’m done.”
Mom squeezed her waist. “Can’t you just leave her alone, Karla? I mean, look at her.”
Karla sighed. “Yeah, I guess.” She shook her head. “Unbelievable. And you didn’t suspect anything was up with Geoff and Melanie?”
Winnie shook her head. “Nope. I mean, they were spending a lot of time together, but that’s normal as we get to the part of the renovation when construction is wrapping up and all the finishes are going in.” She bit her lower lip. “I feel so dumb.”
“Hey, honey, it’s not your fault.” Karla sympathetically patted Winnie’s satin-clad arm. Then she looked around at the pandemonium in the chapel and sighed loudly. “Dammit. My boss is going to have a stroke when he hears about this.”
Spring—his name was actually Zack, but no one ever called him that—came up to them. “Hey, Winnie,” he said in his usual soft-spoken way. “I got my truck waiting in the loading zone. You ready to go home?”
Big brother to the rescue!She nodded, relief rushing over her. Spring didn’t say much, but he always knew exactly what to do.
“I’ll go find Autumn and Brock, and meet you at your place,” Summer called. “Mom, Dad, will you let everyone know that Brock and I are still planning to make everyone brunch tomorrow at Winnie’s place?”
Summer and Brock were both chefs who ran The Yummy Cowboy Diner back home in Snowberry Springs. They’d previously volunteered to cook up a post-wedding breakfast for all the visiting family members.
“Will do, sweetheart,” Mom replied. She turned to Winnie. “Now, don’t worry about a thing. Your dad and I will wrangle the reception guests and make sure that the grandkids stay out of trouble.” Her tone was gentle but no-nonsense.
“Don’t think there’ll be a lot of dancing, though,” Dad commented dryly. He opened his arms and embraced Winnie. She closed her eyes and inhaled the familiar and comforting scent of his aftershave. “I’m sorry he wasn’t worthy of you, baby girl.”
“Th-thanks, Dad,” she managed, then concentrated on breathing while she pulled herself together.
When he finally released her, she stepped back to find Spring waiting patiently for her. “Ready?”
∞∞∞
To Winnie’s relief, her brother didn’t interrogate her or even say much on the drive over to her apartment. Not that he was the talkative type, but this afternoon’s events would’ve led a monk to break a vow of silence.
Once home, Winnie went straight to her bedroom and peeled out of her ugly wedding dress. Luckily, the zipper was on the side of the bodice and easy to reach. Then she removed every speck of the heavy theatrical makeup meant for the TV cameras.
When she finally emerged from her bedroom wearing her favorite sweatshirt and comfy leggings, Spring handed her a steaming mug of chamomile tea with honey.
“Summer just called. They’re on their way,” he reported. “I asked ‘em what was taking so long, and she said they made a detour to the reception venue.”
“Why?” Winnie asked, puzzled. “Oh, God, did something else happen?” She couldn’t imagine what else could’ve gone wrong today.
Spring shook his head and grinned at her. “Nope. The two of ‘em decided to snag a case of champagne from the caterers. Said they wanted to make mimosas for brunch tomorrow.”
Summer, Brock, and Autumn arrived a few minutes later.
“Sis, you need a drink,” Summer announced as she strode into the apartment, followed by her fiancé, Brock, who carried the box of champagne bottles. She eyed the steaming mug in Winnie’s hands. “A real drink, I mean.”
“Damn right she does,” Brock agreed, setting the box on the kitchen counter.
He’d barely opened one bottle when Winnie’s phone chimed. She picked it up from the coffee table and saw that Geoff had sent her a text message.
She debated briefly whether to ignore it, but curiosity got the better of her.
Hey, can you book movers for me? I’ll reimburse you.
Winnie’s jaw dropped. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” she exclaimed.
Autumn grabbed the phone from her and read Geoff’s message.
“That entitled jerk!” She held up the phone. “May I?”
“Go ahead,” Winnie said.
Autumn typed rapidly. Not interested in doing you any favors. I’m sure you understand why.
She hit send.
“You know what I think?” she asked Winnie, her tone indignant. “If your ex-fiancé wants to move out, I think we should pack up all his crap and take it downstairs.”
“Great idea,” Spring said, before Winnie could respond. “I’ll make a run over to the nearest U-Haul store and get moving boxes. How many do you think we’ll need for his stuff?”
Winnie looked around. Most of the apartment’s furnishings had been gifted to them by various companies once Restoring Seattle began airing.
“I’m keeping the furniture I like,” she said firmly. “He gets his clothes, shoes, electronics, and those ugly-ass chairs.”
She pointed at a pair of brown velvet-upholstered barrel chairs on the other side of the coffee table. They were not only unsightly but uncomfortable, too, and she’d never understood Geoff’s insistence on keeping them.
“Gotcha,” said Brock.
With great satisfaction, Winnie watched Spring and Brock carry the chairs out of the apartment before getting into Spring’s big Ford F150 pickup, which had “Snowberry Springs Ranch” decals on the doors, and heading off to the U-Haul store.
Over the next two hours, Winnie and her sisters filled boxes with Geoff’s books, knickknacks, computer hard drives, clothes, shoes, and other personal items while Brock and Spring carried them outside.
Winnie’s muscles were aching and her abused feet were sore by the time the last boxes were on their way downstairs, but she felt better. Lighter, somehow.
Changed my mind about doing you a favor, she texted Geoff with satisfaction. Packed up all your belongings. Come and get them.
His reply came almost instantly. Have a heart, Winnie. It’s my wedding day!
Don’t I know it, she texted in response.
His reply came a minute later. I thought you’d understand. Instead, you’re focusing on yourself. As usual. Thanks for confirming that we were never meant to be.
Winnie sucked in her breath with outrage. But before she could respond to him, Autumn snatched her phone out of her hands.
“Let me handle this,” she said grimly. “I’m used to dealing with nasty little trolls on Instagram and other places.”
Winnie tailed her sister downstairs, where Autumn snapped a photo of the apartment building’s front lawn, now crowded with stacked boxes and furniture. She sent it to Geoff.
Come by whenever you like, she typed. Your stuff is here waiting for youwhenever you decide to make an appearance. I wouldn’t wait too long, though.
Smirking, she rapidly swiped and tapped a few more times before returning the phone to Winnie. “There. Now it’s his problem. Hope you don’t mind, but I blocked him on email, phone, and all your social media. You won’t have to deal with any more of his BS.”
Winnie hugged her. “Thank you. You’re the best!”
Autumn kissed Winnie’s hair. “Got to look out for my baby sister.”
Mission accomplished, everyone went back upstairs to Winnie’s much emptier apartment.
Brock and Summer made cocktails for all, then cooked a delicious version of Winnie’s favorite pasta dish for dinner. Winnie couldn’t eat much, but her sisters kept the champagne flowing, until her misery dissolved into a warm haze.
Spring didn’t say much, but he did quietly clean the kitchen and load the dishwasher when everyone had finished eating.
At least my family has my back, Winnie thought, as she stumbled off to bed. I don’t know what I would do without them.
∞∞∞
Seattle, WashingtonSaturday, November 10
“Well, the online gossip sites and celebrity news social media feeds are already speculating why Geoff left you at the altar, with a nasty side of ‘she had it coming for being so successful,’” Autumn reported glumly the next morning. “And Melanie posted a bunch of photos from that cute little B&B you booked for your honeymoon. Classy.” She grimaced and added, “Oh, and your wedding dress is trending on Instagram. Unfortunately, it’s with the hashtags #UglyWeddingDresses and #OhHoneyNo.” She sighed. “I really wish you’d taken Karla up on her suggestion to tell your side of the story.”
“I was afraid this might happen if Geoff and Melanie got to control the narrative,” Karla chimed in. “You need to craft a statement ASAP.”
“Something short and dignified,” Autumn said. “Maybe express surprise at the way Geoff and Melanie chose to announce their relationship, and wish them well in their new life together?”
“Seriously? Are you kidding me?” Winnie narrowed her eyes at her sister, trying to decide whether Autumn was pranking her.
“Hear me out,” Autumn said, raising one exquisitely manicured hand. “Geoff and Melanie have been posting nonstop about how awful you were to work with, and how your engagement to Geoff was a nothing but a sham you and Karla concocted for ratings.”
“—so we think it’s better to kill them with kindness, and bless their hearts,” Karla said, the usually faint flavor of Alabama in her voice suddenly growing stronger. “They’re trying to get you to lash out. It’s not gonna look good for them if you’re sweetness and light while they’re trying to drag you through the mud.”
She and Winnie’s relatives were seated around Winnie’s huge antique oak dining table. Normally it only seated six, but Autumn and Summer had inserted the leaves and hauled another six chairs out of the apartment’s storage closet.
With the ugly barrel chairs gone from the apartment’s living/dining room, there was plenty of place to seat all the brunch guests, which included Winnie and her siblings, Mom and Dad; Grandma Abigail; Brock; Autumn’s seven-year-old son, Jayden; Spring’s two young daughters, April and Abby; Karla; and Restoring Seattle’s longtime director of photography, Jake Lee.
“Not helpful, either of you,” chided Mom, putting a protective arm around Winnie.
Brock turned from the stove, where he was scrambling eggs in a skillet. He growled, “Can I punch that asshole’s face in? Please?”
“Language,” Autumn warned, frowning at her son and pair of nieces.
“I’ll hold him while you pummel him,” Spring offered as he set up the coffeemaker for a second pot of caffeinated magic.
Winnie chuckled weakly, reached for her mug, and gulped down more strong, black coffee. She needed it. Her head was pounding with the aftermath of too much champagne last night and too little sleep.
Despite her fatigue, she spent hours tossing and turning. She couldn’t stop thinking about the spectacle she’d made of herself in front of all those strangers gathered for her wedding.
What would happen to Restoring Seattle without Geoff on board? Because if she was certain about one thing, it was that she never wanted to see his smug, lying face again. Or that two-faced little cheat Melanie either.
In some ways, Melanie’s betrayal hurt even worse than Geoff’s. Melanie had been Winnie’s friend before Restoring Seattle ever went on the air. Geoff had hired her as the show’s assistant designer because of Winnie’s recommendation.
The rest of the family made approving noises. Jayden excitedly volunteered, “And I’ll punch him in the stomach!”
“And we’ll kick him in the legs,” chorused April and Abby with bloodthirsty enthusiasm.
Laughter bubbled up in Winnie’s throat as she imagined the scene.
“No one’s hitting anyone, not even Geoff,” she informed them once she’d stopped giggling. “But I appreciate the offer, really I do. And I’ll think about what I want to say.”
“Aw, Aunt Winnie! You’re no fun,” complained Jayden, and his two cousins nodded in energetic agreement.
Autumn smiled. “Do you want me to draft something? It’s easier to be gracious when you’re not the one hurting.”
“I’d appreciate that,” said Winnie, returning her sister’s smile with genuine gratitude. “I get where you and Karla are coming from, but I just can’t think of anything nice to say about Geoff and Melanie right now.”
Brock and Summer began carrying serving plates and bowls loaded with scratch-made waffles, smoked sausages, crisp fried bacon, cheesy scrambled eggs, and fruit salad over to the table. Autumn poured coffee and mimosas for the adults, with milk and juice for the kids. Then everyone seated themselves and began passing around the food.
“What about that house you and Geoff were restoring?” Grandma Abigail asked after Dad finished saying grace. Her cornflower blue eyes rested on Winnie with an expression of gentle concern. “You two really turned it into something special.”
“It wasn’t special to me,” Winnie replied, cutting into a crisp waffle smothered with whipped cream and fresh sliced strawberries. “You know I never liked that place. It was Geoff and Melanie’s choice for a dream home. Not mine.”
It cost her eight months of hard work and wrangling supply chain issues to get the place renovated in time for the big post-wedding reveal on the show. And it had all been for nothing.
And the worst part was, she should have seen it coming. The clues had all been there. Geoff’s withdrawal of affection. He and Melanie suddenly spending all that time together, working. His insistence on choosing the Tudor Revival house for the Dream House project because Melanie had insisted it would look better on camera than one of the Craftsman houses Winnie adored.
“I see,” Grandma Abigail said. “Well, that’s too bad. You do excellent work, even if you don’t always get credit for it on your show.”
“Thanks, Grandma,” Winnie said.
A short time later, Karla’s phone began playing hip-hop beats. She glanced down at it. “I’m sorry, but I have to take this.”
She rose from the table and stepped out of the apartment to answer the call.
She looked shellshocked when she returned a few minutes later.
“Are you okay?” Winnie asked.
Karla sighed. “I’ve got some bad news. The network execs just canceled Restoring Seattle. They told me it was because of all the terrible publicity from the wedding.”
“I was afraid that would happen,” Winnie said. It was one of many scenarios that had tormented her throughout the long hours of the night. “Not that I wanted to work with Geoff anymore. I’m sorry about you guys, though.”
It was bad enough that Geoff had dumped her, and Melanie had shown her true colors. But thanks to his selfishness, Karla, Jake, and everyone else who worked on Restoring Seattle were now unemployed.
So was Winnie, come to think of it. She was sure no one would want to hire her to renovate their house once Geoff and Melanie finished trashing her reputation.
Her appetite vanished. She pushed her half-full plate away and grabbed for her untouched mimosa. “Here’s to Geoff and Melanie. May they get all the happiness they deserve,” she said bitterly.
A gloomy silence descended around the table. Winnie polished off her drink, and Summer immediately rose to refill it.
“I know this probably isn’t the best time to ask,” Grandma Abigail said at last. “But would you consider coming home? I desperately need your help with a restoration project.”