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Dalton was flagged down by a staff member, and he left with a smile and a wave, smoothing his hair into place as he strolled to the stage.
Eli and Sienna rejoined the small group at the refreshment table. Ryker had his arm hooked around his wife’s waist as they chatted with Cole. The group greeted them.
Eli wagged his eyebrows at Hannah and said, “I need your help. Please convince Sienna that a wedding can be planned in a few months.”
“Months?!” She smoothed a hand down her protruding belly. Hannah and Ryker’s baby would be born in the fall. “Are you worried she’s going to get cold feet, Goodwin?”
“Absolutely. She might come to her senses and realize marrying me is a bad idea. I gotta get her to the altar before then.”
Sienna lightly smacked his shoulder. “Stop it. Marrying you is exactly what I want to do.” She winced. “But planning a wedding is a lot of work. My mom has been making the guest list since Eli and I started dating again. I’m afraid this is going to turn into a production and there’s no talking my parents out of it.”
“You don’t have to be the bad guy. I have a fantastic wedding planner. She knows just how to handle parents and extended families and any other problem that might come up.” Hannah leaned closer to her husband. “She did our wedding, and there wasn’t a single hiccup. I can’t recommend Olivia enough.”
“No offense, guys.” Cole grabbed a soda from the refreshment table. “But wedding talk is where I bow out.”
He marched away on long strides. Sienna watched him go and then glanced at Eli. “Is he okay? I know this stuff can be boring, but he seemed irritated.”
Eli shrugged. “A lot of the rangers in Company A are married now. I think Cole feels like an endangered species.”
Ryker gazed down at his lovely wife. “All of us find the right one eventually. Cole will too.”
Sienna wasn’t sure Cole wanted to be in a relationship. He was supportive of his friends and their marriages, but she sensed he kept anyone remotely interested in dating him at arm’s length. A pity. He was a great guy. Smart, loyal, and a good friend. Any woman would be lucky to have him in her corner. Sienna often wondered why he wasn’t interested in finding someone, but she hadn’t wanted to pry. Cole would tell her one day if he wanted to.
The music kicked off as guests arrived for the carnival. Volunteers manned the food stations and children squealed with excitement at the smell of hot dogs and cotton candy. Sienna and Eli ran one of the game booths for an hour, laughing at players’ antics as they attempted to pop a balloon with a dart for a prize.
“Everyone is having a great time.” Sienna relished the feel of Eli’s hand in hers as they strolled toward the funnel cake station. She jutted her chin toward the stage, where a tally of the night’s donations were displayed on a giant whiteboard. “Looks like Fresh Start surpassed their fundraising goals. Dalton will have enough to restart all the programs they previously offered. I’m glad.”
“So am I.” His gaze took in their surroundings. “This is the kind of community we’d always wished for as kids. A place to call home where we’re surrounded by people who care about us.”
She gently squeezed his hand. “You are home. Both of you belong here.”
Eli pulled her to a stop in a quiet corner of the fair, wrapping his arms around her waist. “Have I told you how much I love you today?”
“You have, but I never get tired of hearing it.”
His sky-blue eyes shimmered with so much warmth and affection, it made her breath catch. Sienna couldn’t believe this wonderful man would soon be her husband. Their future would have ups and downs, but together, they could get through anything.
“I love you.” Eli brushed his mouth against hers. “More than I can find the words to say.”
She rose on her tiptoes to kiss him back. Her heartbeat quickened and her insides turned to molten lava. This man unraveled her, and would for the rest of her life. “I love you too.”
