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“Well, come on, Charly-Charlotte, don’t keep us waiting.” The announcer motioned to her, and then the entire crowd was cheering and urging her on.
Her whole body shook when she got up there, staring at Austin in wonder. “What’s going on?”
Austin licked his lips, then reached into his pocket and lowered to one knee. The crowd gasped, a breathy sound that seemed to steal Charlotte’s breath. Her knees went weak, and the world darkened until she feared she would faint. She covered her face, knowing that complete shock filled her features.
“Charlotte Walker,” Austin said, clearing his throat as the announcer shoved the mic toward him. “Eight years ago, I made the worst mistake of my life, and somehow you and God have seen it to give me another chance. I’m never going to make that mistake again, so…I’m making this permanent. Charlotte Walker,” he said again, “please complete this dream today by becoming my lifelong partner and marrying me?”
He stared up at her in a way that made the entire crowd, the announcer, the cameras, everything disappear. Tears blurred her vision, and a sob choked back in her throat, but she nodded frantically, afraid that the word wouldn’t leave her mouth, until finally, it did with more power than she would have thought possible. “Yes. Yes!”
She pulled him up to meet her, and their lips locked with a firecracker intensity that sent the entire world exploding. The crowd’s cheering was deafening, and she didn’t care.
Austin had just proposed…she was going to marry the love of her life and nothing would tear them apart again.
He pulled his lips from hers, cupping her face and staring into her eyes. “You okay?” He wiped the tears that streamed down her cheeks.
“Oh, yes, I’m very okay,” she said with a small hiccuping laugh. The best thing she had ever done this far was forgiving the team roper, who now tied their lives together in a knot that was unbreakable, no matter where life led them.
EPILOGUE
Chasity Davis fixed the lace on Charlotte’s wedding dress. The bride wrung her trembling hands, though the smile hadn’t left her face. Chasity remembered the day she had pledged her life to her husband. It didn’t matter how sure a person was, undertaking such a lifelong commitment was nerve-wracking.
“You look beautiful,” Chasity said, looking over the stunning bride. Charlotte had such a strong, lithe figure, and the dress only made her more gorgeous.
Over the last year, she and Charlotte had become good friends. In fact, everyone in Hope Lake seemed to have welcomed Charlotte as one of their own. The Maid of Honor was Charlotte’s best friend from out in Texas, a fiery spunk of a gal who you couldn’t help like. Then Charlotte had asked Chasity, Josie, and Megan to be her bridesmaids. Austin, Charlotte’s soon-to-be hubby, had several groomsmen, all rodeoers, though the only one she really knew was Cody.
Charlotte murmured something, bringing Chasity’s focus back to the bride. “What’s that, Char?”
“Oh, I just…it’s just that I can’t believe this is actually happening.” Her frantic gaze stalled for a moment to meet Chasity’s eyes. “You know how much we’ve been through.”
“I do,” Chasity said. “Similar to Derrick’s and my story…a love that held across time, a second chance.”
“I like that: a love that held across time.” Charlotte smiled and sighed. “It is like that, isn’t it?”
“It is.” Chasity spread out the bride’s dress again.
“Though my story didn’t quite hold the dramatic climax as yours,” Charlotte said, meeting her eyes again. “Now, your story is one to write about.”
“Ha,” Chasity said, then laughed for real. “Yours is too. You two have been through a lot, and this last year wasn’t easy.” Everyone had seen the nationally broadcasted proposal, but what most people hadn’t seen was the steadfast love and trust that the couple held onto while each leading their own lives.
Charlotte had returned to continue her residency, and Austin continued to travel with the rodeos, doing sponsor’s shoots and commercials, coming here to visit any chance he got. It hadn’t been easy on either of them, but they didn’t give up.
Charlotte sighed. “It’s not likely to get any easier over the next couple of years, but we will have each other and our faith.”
“And lots of friends,” Emilia said, fiddling with Charlotte’s hair before handing her the bouquet.
“Thank goodness for you, gals. I don’t know what I’d do without you,” Charlotte said with a sniffle and daubed at her eyes.
“Don’t do that!” Josie said. “You’ll make your makeup run.”
“Oh, I know my friend too well. We made sure she had waterproof everything!” Emilia laughed. “That way, she’s safe to get all weepy.”
“Funny,” Charlotte said with another sniff. “I never used to be so emotional.”
“It’s amazing what happens once you finally allow your emotions full rein,” Megan said with a laugh.
“The pros and the cons,” Josie said with a sigh. “Well, you about ready?”
“Yeah, I just…” Charlotte looked out at the gathering crowd at Camp Hope. Chasity knew Charlotte had fretted about where to have the wedding, but in the end, she thought her friend chose right, being as this was her home now. Chasity knew Charlotte now looked one last time to see if her parents had made it.
