Thea slips from the room as he kisses me, slowly and deeply, his lips tasting of family and forever. This is the start of our happily ever after.
“What do you think?” I twirl in front of the girls as the wedding gown swishes around my ankles in Danny’s nursery where I’ve been getting ready for the past few hours. I feel like a beauty queen today. The girls have spent their day pampering me. In just a few minutes, I’m getting married to the love of my life.
From the comfort of Emma May’s arms, Danny grunts his approval, and I laugh. He’s becoming fast friends with her. The two of them are bonding, and she’s made it clear that she’ll help with anything he needs.
“It’s beautiful!” Thea beams.
I’m marrying Nate here on his farm, right in the living room. There are plenty of beautiful places in town where we could get married. But I wanted it to happen right here, right in my new home.
“I love all the lace,” Sophie adds. She’s another one of Emma May’s daughters by marriage. I’m not sure of her husband’s real name. Everyone calls him Whiskey. I don’t know him that well, but Nate seems to like both Jasper and Whiskey.
“How did you meet your husbands?” I ask the girls.
“I met Jasper at a client’s wedding,” Thea says. She told me earlier today that she’s a manager for country music stars. “We made our own music together that night, and I left the next morning, thinking that it was over. When I came back to tell him I was pregnant, he kind of tricked me into getting snowed into his cabin. It’s not my fault. He makes the best pie, and before I knew it, the snowdrifts were taller than me.”
“And that is how I got my first grandbaby,” Emma May beams.
“What about you?” I ask Sophie.
“Someone went online and pretended to be Whiskey and rented out his cabin to me.”
“Like a scam?” I gasp and adjust my veil.
Sophie reaches for it, straightening it until it’s perfectly positioned.
“It was not a scam,” Emma May sniffs. “It was the act of a desperate person who wanted her son to find love, which he did, and I couldn’t be happier with the bride he chose.”
“Devious,” I say, glancing at Emma May.
“But it was the best thing that ever happened to me,” Sophie says. “We were both pretty lost and going through some things. We healed together in the middle of our darkness.”
“That sounds like a beautiful beginning,” I murmur happily. A lot of beautiful beginnings seem to happen right here in Courage County.
There’s a knock on the door then Jasper’s head appears. The first thing he does is scan for Thea. When his gaze meets hers, his whole face lights up. The same way that Nate’s does when he sees me.
“It’s time,” he calls softly.
Emma May walks me into the living room where my groom is waiting at the fireplace with Whiskey, our officiant. In Nate’s arms is Danny and beside them is Rudy. The three of us are becoming a family today, so it’s important to me that they are right here with us.
Whiskey is next to Nate and Rudy. He’s got the rings, and he won’t stop beaming at Sophie every time he looks at her. Nate said they’re newlyweds. You can definitely tell from the glow they both seem to have.
Thea and Sophie are standing on the bride’s side. Mary and Christopher are smiling from the TV. We’re livestreaming our wedding to the Naughty List Ranch so they can share our special day with us.
Emma May gives me a tight hug before she puts my hand in Nate’s. As I look into his eyes, I can’t ever remember being this happy before.
We recite our vows in front of our two families, promising to love, protect, and cherish one another all of our days. When we’re done, we seal the promise with a kiss that gets the sweetest giggle from Danny, as if he knows how amazing and special today is.
The next hours pass in a blur of gifts, snacks, and joy. We’re having an off-Christmas celebration since Nate and I weren’t here in Courage for Christmas. Apparently, it’s what Emma May does for all her boys. She says the date isn’t important, just taking one day a year to love one another.
Danny and baby Emma, named after her kindly grandmother, get more gifts than anyone. But the way I’ve seen Jasper put his hands on Thea’s stomach when he thinks no one is looking, it’s pretty obvious that Nana will have another grandchild to spoil very soon.
“It won’t be long until they have another little one,” Nate whispers in my ear, confirming what I was thinking too. We’re sitting side-by-side on his loveseat in the living room. He’s been pressed up against me in every possible way ever since we finished our vows.
“I would love to have more kids one day,” I answer, watching as Danny is more enamored with the box that Emma May gave him than he is the pile of toys she bought him.
He gives me a heated look. “We can work on that.”
“Your family’s still here,” I argue.
“Right.” He stands from the loveseat and claps his hands together, drawing the attention of our guests. “Time for you all to go home. My wife is tired.”
The men chuckle and the women break into knowing smiles while my cheeks heat. I stand up and smack his chest lightly. “You’re crazy.”
He captures my hand and gives me a smile full of contentment. “Crazy for my wife.”
I melt at his words. I’ll never get tired of hearing him call me that. “Nate…”
Without warning, he scoops me into his arms and starts toward the stairs, calling over his shoulder, “Put on some loud Christmas carols!”
I giggle all the way up the stairs. This has been the perfect Christmas.
