“That’s a good plan, dude.” Nico nodded approvingly. “You both work so hard all the time. Getting away is essential.”
“Says the man who had to be surgically removed from his restaurant to be at this wedding,” Jenny noted. “Between Nico’s hours and my work and school, we’re lucky we remember each other’s faces.” She pretended to scrutinize her husband, frowning. “Who are you again?”
“Very funny.” Nico shook his head. “It’ll be worth it in the end, once you graduate and I can afford to start my own place. I’ll set my own hours, and everything will ease up. You’ll see.”
Jenny didn’t answer, and I felt a twinge of worry for my friends. They were still in love and happy, I thought, but it was obvious that the tensions of their careers were complicating their lives.
I decided it was time to change the subject. “I’m so glad you could both make it, though. It wouldn’t have been the same without you here.”
“I guess not, since I’m the matron of honor.” Jenny grinned. “But it’s been cool to visit with everyone and catch up on the world that is Harper Springs. Darcy and Jackson seem like they’re happy.”
“Yeah, I’d say so, judging by the fact that she’s knocked up again.” Deacon chuckled. “She’s working at a holistic medical center right outside Tampa. Look at the effect our resident naturopath has had on our original team! Here you’re following in her footsteps, Jenny, and Darcy took the more natural route in her career, too.”
“Awww, thank you for recognizing my influence, baby.” I leaned over to kiss his cheek. “That’s sweet.”
He winked at me. “I get some of the credit, too, for being smart enough to hire the most gifted naturopath in the world to be part of our staff.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Even though I wasn’t your first choice? I’ll never forget Mira making sure I knew that on my first day of work at St. Agnes.”
“It doesn’t matter what happened then. What’s important is that you’re my first choice now and for the rest of our lives.” He closed the small distance between us and kissed me.
“All this love in the air is putting me into a sugar coma,” Jenny teased. “Speaking of which—the love, not the coma—why didn’t you tell me something’s going on with Noah and Alison?”
My head jerked around from Deacon to stare at Jenny. “Because there isn’t. Why? What do you mean?” I scanned the crowd. Noah wasn’t hard to pick out; he towered head and shoulders above everyone else, even sitting down, which was what he was doing now. And who was sitting next to him but Alison. One of Noah’s arms was draped over her chair in such a way that made me think Jenny might have been right.
“I sat with them during the ceremony,” Nico said. “I don’t know, I just got a vibe. I assumed it was something Jenny hadn’t mentioned, but I thought they’d come to the wedding together. Like, as dates.”
“I don’t know anything about it.” I shrugged. “Noah hasn’t mentioned anything to me, and I’ve talked to him at least once or twice a week. I’ve been trying to help him with his recovery.”
“Man, that hit he took was brutal.” Nico winced. “My knee hurt for him. Legs aren’t supposed to bend that way.”
“It’s been a very tough time for him.” Deacon’s mouth set in a grim line. “I wish there were more we could do. He’s got the best care possible with the team, but I don’t think they’re satisfied that he’ll ever play again, even if no one’s actually saying that.”
“You know, come to think of it, Noah did say that he’d seen Alison at the hospital the day he was taken there after he was hurt. I’d forgotten that in everything that happened afterward.” I pondered that. “But he hasn’t mentioned her since.”
“I saw Noah arrive, and he was alone,” Deacon observed. “They’re probably just hanging out together, since they’re both single and without dates.”
“You know . . .” I tilted my head. “They’d make a cute couple.”
“Emma,” Deacon groaned. “Don’t tell me you’re planning to take up Miss Sissie’s role in town. No match-making. Let them figure out their own stuff.”
“I’m not going to push anything,” I protested. “I was just saying I could see it.”
“Hmmm.” He pretended to be suspicious, but I saw the humor in his eyes. His fingers caressed my back, moving over the skin exposed by the deep V in my gown.
The music began to play again, and Nico led Jenny out to the dance floor, planks that Jimmy and Deacon had laid underneath the covenant tree in the front of the farm. It was the same spot where we’d made our vows, knowing that there was no better place to pledge our lives to one another.
Twilight slid over us as Deacon and I wandered through the guests, thanking everyone for being part of our day. Donnie Crew was at a table with his new lady love—the same one he’d hoped to impress with his participation in the ventilator study. George Brewer, his wife Shelly and their little guy were with us, too. Even Mrs. Dulinkski had decided to come today.
Along with all of those we could see, I was well aware that we were surrounded by those who we’d lost along the way. We had received word of Ted Girard’s death a few months after he’d left town. Although Deacon and his grandparents had all accepted Ted’s choice, there had still been some grief at the news of his passing. I doubted he would have been at our wedding even if he’d been alive and healthy, but I was aware that Anna and Jimmy were missing him today, regardless of their complicated relationship.
We’d kept a special grandmother seat of honor empty in memory of Miss Sissie. I knew that would have tickled her pink. And when I’d caught sight of Noah for the first time today, as I’d walked down the aisle on my father’s arm, I knew we were both thinking of Angela.
Among the joy, there would always be a hint of the bittersweet.
Eventually, Deacon and I ended up on the steps to the porch. Deacon sat behind me, and I leaned against his legs, resting my cheek on his thigh, covered by the thin material of his suit pants.
“Are you happy, babe?” He brushed a lock of my hair away from my eyes.
