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Emmy laughed, and she was amazed at how much better it made her feel. “Honey, he’d love you in a gunny sack. The man is positively head over heels for you.”
Turning to her, she took the three steps that separated them. Placing a hand on her shoulder, Emmy said, “We’re all so happy he found you. Mom and Dad would be so thrilled to see him marry you.”
Megan’s eyes welled with tears and a lump formed in her throat. “I hope so,” she managed and then was afraid to say more. Taking a deep breath, she changed the subject. “My brother, Cord, can’t make it today. The rig he’s on had some issues, and he’s stuck there for a bit. I don’t have anyone to give me away.”
“Oh, damn. I’m sorry, Meg. I’ll bet Dillon would be happy to walk you down the aisle.”
“He has stitches in his leg; I’m not going to ask him to do that.”
“Well, let me worry about that. I’ll take care of it. Now, are you ready? We have to get going.”
Chapter44
Dawson’s house was always busy. Four kids, a dog, and Dawson and Sylvia made for much more activity than Ford was used to, and to be honest, he was already on high nerves with today’s excitement in the air. So sitting here now, waiting while Dawson and Sylvia ran around getting the kids ready, he was about to jump out of his own skin. He wanted to be married already, and he wanted to be holding his wife, their child nestled between the two of them.
A loud crash sounded from the back of the house, and Mark, the youngest at eight years old, yelled. The dog, a yellow lab, gentle as can be, but still puppy-ish, began barking, and Sylvia sounded exasperated when she sternly said, “Mark, what on earth are you doing throwing a ball in the house? Put it down and get dressed. Now.”
David, the oldest at fourteen, sat at the kitchen table across from him and shook his head. “Mark is going to end up killing my parents. He’s always into shit.”
Staring at his nephew, sandy brown hair like his dad, blue eyes like his mom, Ford wrestled with correcting his swearing or letting it go. He decided to let it go. Taking a deep breath, he told David, “I’m going to walk on down to the church. Tell your dad, will you? I’m too antsy to sit here, and they’ve got their hands full.”
“Yeah. Want company?”
David looked so hopeful to be able to get out of the house with him that he didn’t have the heart to say no. “It’s at least a mile walk; you up for that?”
“Yeah. That’s not a problem.”
Nodding and standing, he replied, “Okay. Go tell your parents, and let’s get rolling.”
Ford’s phone rang, and he pulled it from his pocket, dread weighing heavy in his gut when he saw Rory’s picture. “This better not be bad news.”
“Good morning to you too. Are you planning on running before the wedding or are you going to make an honest woman of Megan?”
“What do you think?”
His friend laughed. “Just thought I’d ask. Where are you?”
He glanced down the hall as David came toward him. “I’m at Dawson’s, but David and I are going to start walking down to the church. It’s a madhouse here.”
“Let me swing by and pick you up. I got ready early, and I’m sitting here now not sure what to do with myself. David will enjoy a ride in the Charger.”
“That he will. Can you get here in less than five?”
“Start your timer.”
Ending the call, he motioned with his head toward the door. David headed out first. Reaching into Dawson’s truck, he grabbed his suit, dress shoes, and toiletry bag. Walking to the end of the driveway, he could hear Rory’s engine gunning down the road, and he had to chuckle. You’d think he was a damned teenager, not a grown-ass man.
Pulling to a stop, his smile as wide as his whole face, he chuckled, “Less than five, right?”
“Less than five.”
Holding the passenger door for David as he climbed in back, Ford folded himself into the front seat, then called back to David, “Buckle up.” And he did the same.
Rory eased from the curb and made it halfway down the road Dawson lived on. Looking in the mirror at David, he said, “You want to see what this baby can do?”
“God, yes. Punch it.”
Before he could get a word out, Rory had punched the gas and Ford was thrown back against the seat. He had to admit, it was fun. Nearing the intersection, Rory eased off the gas, still chuckling, his smile wide.
