Before becoming a successful country star, Reba McEntire, born in southern Oklahoma, grew up in the small town of Chockie. She comes from a long line of ranchers and rodeo participants, and as the middle child among four siblings, she often fought for attention, especially from her father, who never told his children he loved them. Her sister described their father as a tough cowboy who openly expressed his thoughts and was considered cruel by today’s standards.
Despite her father’s skepticism about her hobbies likе basketball and barrel racing, McEntire excelled in these activities, though she admitted singing was her true talent, discovered at age five. McEntire, 68, was also married to TV producer Narvel Blackstock for 26 years, with whom she had a son, Shelby Blackstock, a race car driver. Narvel’s request for a divorce, coupled with his new relationship with one of McEntire’s friends, left her blindsided and heartbroken.
However, McEntire found love again with actor Rex Linn. Initially uninterested in dating post-divorce, McEntire reconnected with Linn in 2020. They had first met in 1991 while working on “The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw.” Their relationship blossomed after Linn invited her to dinner, and they have been inseparable since. McEntire expressed her happiness and called Linn the “love of [her] life,” cherishing the small, caring gestures that define their relationship.
I Paid an Actor to Be My ‘Groom’ at a Fake Wedding to Get Revenge on My Ex, but Then We Had a Dramatic Plot Twist
I hired an actor to be my “groom” at a fake wedding, all to get revenge on my cheating ex. But as we stood at the altar, exchanging fake vows and a not-so-fake kiss, I never could have predicted how this elaborate charade would completely upend my life.
I never thought I’d be the kind of person to stage a fake wedding for revenge. But there I was, staring at my phone, scrolling through photos of Charlie and Samantha’s latest date night. My stomach churned.
“Screw this,” I muttered, tossing my phone aside. That’s when the idea hit me. If Charlie wanted to flaunt his new relationship, I’d show him I could do one better.
I called my cousin Tess. “Hey, you still friends with that actor guy?”
“Ryan? Yeah, why?”
“I need a favor. A big one.”
Two days later, I was sitting across from Ryan in a coffee shop, outlining my ridiculous plan.
“So let me get this straight,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “You want me to pretend to be your fiancé at a fake wedding?”
I nodded, feeling a bit ridiculous. “I know it sounds crazy, but —”
“I’m in,” Ryan interrupted, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Sounds like fun.”
Over the next few weeks, I threw myself into wedding planning. Dress shopping, venue booking, inviting friends who were in on the plan — it was exhausting but exhilarating.
“You sure about this, Nat?” my friend Kira asked as we picked out flowers.
“Absolutely,” I lied, trying to ignore the knot in my stomach.
I nodded, and our lips met. It was just acting, I told myself, ignoring the unexpected flutter in my chest.
After the ceremony, we posed for countless photos. Ryan’s arm around my waist felt oddly comforting.
“You’re a natural,” I murmured as we smiled for another shot.
“What can I say? I’m a method actor,” he winked.
That night, I posted a flurry of wedding photos on social media. “Found my true love,” I captioned one. “New beginnings,” on another.
“Are you sure about this?” Kira asked when I told her. “It’s not just part of the act?”
“It’s real,” I assured her. “Unexpected, but real.”
Things were going great until Charlie found out. He started spreading rumors that our relationship was a sham, that I was paying Ryan to be with me.
When Ryan heard, he was upset. “I thought we were past all this,” he said, his voice tight.
“We are!” I insisted. “Charlie’s just being a jerk.”
I smiled, watching Ryan chat animatedly with the photographer. “Sometimes the craziest plans lead to the best outcomes,” I mused.
As I reflect on everything that’s happened, I can’t help but marvel at the journey. What started as a misguided attempt at revenge led me to true love and personal growth I never expected.
Life has a funny way of working out sometimes. And while I wouldn’t recommend staging a fake wedding as a path to happiness, I can’t regret the choices that led me here — to Ryan, to love, and to a future brighter than I ever imagined.
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