First to the Altar Wins (Wattpad Reading List choice)

18. Kendall: One Last Hope

"You're a little young to be sounding so cynical, Kendall."

She laughed softly, turning to Sky and rubbing the mare's shoulder. "You can never be too young to be careful of people."

"Careful? Why, what are you so afraid of?"

Kendall didn't know how to answer. Brandon noticed her discomfort and cleared his throat to help. "Do you think the Shaws received an invitation as well?"

"I don't know."

"I wonder if Lindsay got one," Kendall murmured. She left her mother and brother still chatting about the mysterious 'Lord M' while she went next door.

Lindsay's husband was away on another one of his trips, so Lindsay was very happy to receive her friend. As the two girls greeted each other, Kendall got the answer to her question without even needing to ask. There was an invitation lying opened on a table, together with flowers and half-done needlework. "So you were invited too," Kendall said, nodding at the note.

"Yes! It's a nice surprise, isn't it, Kendall? I'd forgotten all about this new owner of Hurtmore, to be honest."

"Do you know anything about him, Lindsay? Who he is, where he's from?"

"If he's married?" Lindsay guessed, wiggling her brows.

Kendall shook her head. "No, I don't care about that."

"Are you sure? What about your bet with Lilith Harper? How's that coming along?"

She hesitated, remembering her brother's words earlier. "Not too well," she admitted. "I think I'm going to lose."

"Why?"

"Just call it a feeling."

"It's not over yet, Kendall," Lindsay tried to console her. She picked up the invitation, flapping it before her. "What about this Lord M?"

Kendall sighed, dropping into a chair. "Lord M? He sounds like a fat, fifty-year-old drip."

Lindsay gaped for a moment, then smacked her arm with the paper.

"Ouch!"

"You don't know that." Lindsay cocked her head. "He could be forty?"

Kendall couldn't help laughing, but the moment didn't last long.

Lindsay took a seat across from her, reaching over and grasping one of her hands. "You look so downcast, Kendall. Is that what this is all about? You don't want to lose to Lilith?"

"Well, of course not. I mean, I hate to lose, but ... I don't know. I guess I just realized how bad I am at all this."

"What?"

"Romance. Men."

"Oh, please. That's not easy for any one of us."

"I've been such a fool about things, Lindsay. You have no idea."

"Actually, I think I do."

Kendall saw the knowing look on her friend's face. She hesitated a moment before saying, "Some people are saying certain things about me - but they're not true."

"I never believed they were."

"Really?"

Lindsay smiled at her. "I know you better than that. You're my dearest friend, after all."

Kendall's heart warmed. With the way people had been treating her lately, it meant a lot to have at least one person believe her. "Thank you, Lindsay."

"I think this calls for a hug, don't you?"

Kendall happily obliged, but pulling back, her face became shadowed with a frown. "I don't know what to do about this bet anymore."

"Well, I still believe in you. But even if you lose, so be it. Lilith will have her laugh, life will go on, and everything will be forgotten. And besides, the two of you are so preoccupied with who'll make it to the altar first, but I say it's not who gets there first. It's who gets there with the better man."

Kendall thought about that for a moment. If it was true that Lilith was engaged to Tyler, then it wouldn't be hard to find a more decent husband than that. She could throw a stone in Coser's square and probably hit someone better. Still, Lindsay didn't know what Kendall stood to lose - her favorite horse. Losing her pride was one thing. Losing Sky for her stupidity would be the biggest mistake she had ever made.

Kendall stared at the invitation on the table, fingering it with one hand. Lindsay watched her, doing a gentle smile. "I heard he invited everyone in town. All of Coser will be there."

"Do you think he could be a good man, Lindsay?"

"Why not?"

"If he were, wouldn't he have found someone he loves already?"

"What makes you think you can't be that love, Kendall? I never thought you the type to think so little of yourself."

"Neither did I."

"It's all because of Lilith Harper. I have to tell you, you always were a little too obsessed with her."

"Logan was obsessed. I just hate her guts."

"You're both obsessed - in different ways. It's not healthy, Kendall."

Alright, so maybe Lindsay had a point. Kendall knew she needed to let go of her insecurities, but that desire to triumph over her longtime rival had not gone away. She stared at the invitation even as Lindsay continued talking, wondering if there was still hope for her to win this bet.