Страница 63 из 64
Casey
I figured I’d have butterflies in my stomach or my hands would be sweating, but I actually feel a sense of immeasurable peace within me as the wagon rocks back and forth as we head down to the river.
Te
But when I decided I wanted to get married in Te
So I arranged to have this wagon pulled by two of the ranch horses take my crew down to the wedding site. For me, it symbolizes that they are all giving me away to Te
Probably very gladly.
I’m so lucky that they were all just able to drop everything in their lives to travel out here to watch me get married. My mom and dad, of course, being the most important part of the equation. While they were a little shocked over the speed with which I decided to move, they’ve been fully supportive. Truth be told, I think they had given up hope for me so they are actually quite excited I want to get married.
My brothers, as well, would never have missed this. Apparently, I must have inspired Gabby and Hunter with the rashness of my actions because just last week, they decided to elope down to South Carolina to get married. They went by themselves, and even stopped at the ever fun but completely cheesy South of the Border, which sits on the North Carolina/South Carolina state line and ate tacos and drank a beer for their “honeymoon.” It was completely outrageous, yet I wouldn’t have expected anything different from them.
The wagon is filled with those people most important to me. My parents, Hunter and Gabby, Brody and Alyssa, Gavin and Sava
Oh, man… I can’t wait to have one of those. Two actually… a boy and a girl, and I hope they both look like Te
Sweet man.
As our wagon exits the dense forest and hits the field laced with wildflowers and sagebrush, I finally get my first look at Te
There’s no wedding march, only the sound of the rolling river and the wind softly rustling through the treetops. It’s absolutely perfect.
The driver stops the wagon as instructed about twenty feet from the groom’s party and everyone unloads. The men jump down first and are handed the babies, then they help their women down in gallant fashion. I left it up to everyone what they wanted to wear, and in trying to keep with the western setting, I’m happy to say everyone doesn’t look even slightly out of place in their cowboy hats and boots.
When everyone has gotten down, that leaves two women in the wagon.
Zoey and me.
I hold my hand out to her, and she places hers in mine. She smiles at me and says, “Ready to do this?”
“I was born ready,” I tell her.
“Do I have to call you mom?” she asks with a mischievous grin.
“I’ll smack you around if you do,” I tell her seriously, and then we both stand up and walk to the edge of the wagon. Brody helps me down while Hunter helps Zoey.
And then we all arrange ourselves exactly as I had envisioned it. Zoey and I holding hands tightly with our other hands holding matching bouquets of miniature white roses and fragrant clippings of wild sagebrush. The rest of my crew forms a large semicircle around me and after I take a deep breath, I take the first step toward Te
As a pair, Zoey and I walk together.
As a group, my family and friends surround me, each of them sharing in my joy.
Every person around me taking part in the ritual of giving me away to the man I love.
We all walk together down a makeshift wildflower aisle of black-eyed Susans, cow grass, and fairy slippers, with the peppery-sweet scent of sagebrush teasing our noses. The Teton Mountains tower behind Te
This may possibly be the most perfect moment in the history of moments.
And wow… Te
Te
Before I can reach my groom, he steps away from his group to meet me. As if pla
“Hey,” I whisper.
“Hey, Goldie,” he says huskily as his eyes roam down and then up my body. “You look gorgeous in your wedding white.”
I give a soft laugh and lean in a bit closer to him. “This is actually cream. I couldn’t go with pure white because… hello… I’m marrying you and there’s not a virginal bone you’ve left untapped in my body.”
Te
We stare at each other, completely oblivious to the other souls around us. Completely uncaring that there’s a wedding waiting on us.
“So, what did you do last night?” I ask him curiously.
“Couldn’t sleep because I was missing you too much.” And, there goes the butterflies in my stomach. “What did you do?”
“I got a little tipsy and tattooed your name on my ass,” I tell him sincerely.
His eyebrows disappear under the brow of his hat and his mouth hangs open slightly. “You’re kidding?”
“Yup, kidding,” I tell him. “It’s actually here on my wrist.”
His hand jets out and turns my hand palm up, taking in the delicate cursive writing of his name on my skin. I remember he told me once that he intended to ink my name somewhere prominent on his body because it didn’t get any more permanent than that. I figured I should do the same, although I didn’t have it in me to get anything big because… well, that shit hurts and I wanted it over as soon as possible.
Te
My cheeks turn a little pink over the adoration in his voice. We stare at each other some more, both of us getting lost in each other. Oh… his eyes. The most beautiful thing ever invented. Perhaps my favorite place in the world.