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It was the intermission of the live music, and the Lowdowners would take the stage next.
The whole carnival had stopped for this. They hadn’t set up chairs, but everybody in attendance was now clustered before the stage in two groups, leaving something like an aisle between them, leading to the stage steps.
Levi, Caleb’s older brother, stood center stage, looking amused. Duncan stood before him, with Jay at his side. Margot, now wearing a pretty yellow sundress and holding a spray of daffodils and white daisies, stood across from them. Dash Cotter, the lead guitarist of the Lowdowners, stood behind them all, his Fender in his hands.
Below them, Duncan’s mother made a sign, and Dash began to play.
Kelsey came down the ‘aisle’ first, with Tildy and Ethan in each hand. They had little baskets and tossed flower petals on the street as they walked. Ethan tossed huge handfuls and ran out after a few steps. When he started to cry, Tildy gave him half of her remaining petals, and they got all the way to the stage together.
Duncan saw Vin at the back of the crowd. That man had driven all the way back to the ranch for his dress uniform so he could walk his friend down the aisle as she deserved. He took a few steps forward between the groups of their wedding guests, and then Duncan saw Phoebe, her arm hooked around her friend’s.
This was Duncan’s first time seeing Phoebe as his bride. She was beautiful, but he wasn’t surprised about that.
Her hair flowed loosely under a crown of daffodils and daisies, and she carried a bouquet of the same flowers. He recognized the dress she wore as one of Kelsey’s—white, strapless, and reached her ankles. With each step she took, one of her old cowboy boots kicked out from under the hem.
He thought that was his favorite part.
Vin escorted her through the mass of their family and friends to the foot of the steps. He hugged her as Duncan went down the steps to collect her.
As he took her hand, he slid the sapphire ring onto her finger. “It was my mom’s. Now she wants you to have it.”
Phoebe grinned, and her eyes sparkled as she admired the glittering stone. “Aren’t you supposed to wait to give me the ring?”
“This is your engagement ring. I got the other one.” Their family had made sure they had wedding rings, too.
“Shortest engagement in history,” she laughed.
“You two coming over here, or should I shout?” Levi called out, and laughter rang out through the street.
Duncan took Phoebe’s hand. “You feel like gettin’ hitched?”
She shrugged saucily. “I guess I don’t have anything better to do tonight.”
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~oOo~
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The Lowdowners’ set became their reception dance music, and the whole neighborhood partied with them. More than that—friends from all around the country had arrived in Tulsa for the anniversary, and most of them were headed out on the run to Cali with them the following day, either headed back home or even farther from it.
The street was packed with people who cared about the Bulls.
As was usually the case at a wedding, whether it was planned or spontaneous, shortly after their first dance, the groom and bride were separated by the good wishes of their loved ones. At some point, Duncan looked over the head of Mrs. Carver, a little old lady from a few blocks down, who had his hand trapped between both of hers and had spent a good five minutes telling him about watching him grow up around the neighborhood, and he saw Phoebe dancing and laughing in a big group of Bulls women. Petra had them doing some kind of line dance, and the street was filling up with women joining in—they rebuffed every man who tried to get involved. This was a woman’s dance, and they were having a blast.
“She fits right in, doesn’t she?”
Duncan looked down and smiled at the woman who’d come to his side. “Yeah, she does. Hey, Grammo.”
“Hello, love.”
Mrs. Carver gave his hand a final pat and let him go. “I’ll let you two talk.”
“Thank you, Bess,” Grammo told her with a smile.
Maureen Delaney was not related to a single Bull or any of their family by blood. But she was sister, aunt, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother to every one of them. For some, like Duncan and his sisters, she was the only grandmother they’d ever had—and the only one they would ever need.
“Where’s Grampa?” Duncan asked as he pulled his Grammo close.
