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“You should’ve at least cut it a little bit. It’s your wedding day.”
“I like my hair how it is,” Trey said. It grew incredibly slowly, and if he cut it for his wedding day, it would take a year to get back to this length that curled over his ears and that he could push his fingers through as he swooped it to the side.
He did that now and seated his hat on his head before he faced his parents again.
“We were hoping to have a quick prayer with you,” Daddy said.
Trey’s immediate reaction was to say no, but then he thought of TJ’s prayer. Since dinner that night, Trey had been more focused on thanking the Lord for what he had before he asked for a single thing. “Okay,” he said.
“I’ll say it,” Daddy said. He took off his cowboy hat too and tucked it under his arm. He took Mom’s hand and then Trey’s. With the three of them holding hands, Daddy closed his eyes and said, “Dear Lord, we’re grateful for Thy bounty. Thou has always taken care of us, and we appreciate it. Please bless Trey and Beth as they start this life together. Bless them both with clear minds and the ability to communicate clearly with one another. Amen.”
“Amen,” Trey whispered, stepping into both of his parents and hugging them. “Thank you.” He didn’t know any more adequate words, but these still weren’t enough.
“Let’s go,” Mom said after a few seconds. “We don’t want to be late.”
Trey followed them out of the bedroom where he’d be sleeping in the farmhouse and through Beth’s kitchen and living room. The back deck had been decorated with flowers and twinkling lights, and three dozen chairs had been set up under the awning.
The altar stood to his left, right against the railing, and Trey went that way, wishing he could hide behind his mother and father. They both walked with their heads up, smiling and murmuring hello to those they passed.
Besides his brothers and parents, Trey’s uncle had come with his wife. Olli was there with her friend, Ginny Winters. And Tam had brought her parents. Sixteen chairs with Trey’s family.
Beth had her sister and her family, as well as her brother and his. Her father, and her grandparents. TJ, of course, though he was walking out with Beth, so Trey didn’t see him. Strangely enough, she’d invited Danny’s parents, and they’d come.
Fourteen people for her, plus her son. Thirty-one people made a very small wedding indeed, and Trey glanced out to the grassy area that was the back yard. It wasn’t very large, and then gravel and dirt took over as the ranch began.
Six tables had been set up underneath a wide, white tent. Tall, curved and tangled rods sat in the middle of each table, with orange, brown, and red flowers and berries hiding in the curls and bends in the wood.
Place settings were already there. Bows tied on the back of chairs.
He reached the altar and nodded to the pastor Beth had asked to come perform the ceremony. He looked out at the crowd, most of whom were looking at him. They were all dressed in their finest, as was he.
Everything was ready.
He just needed a bride.
His feet shifted, and he couldn’t keep his eyes away from the back door, where Beth should have appeared already.
Two empty seats waited in the front row—one for Beth’s father and one for her son. They were both walking her down the aisle…hopefully.
He met her sister’s eyes, a woman he’d met a couple of times when she’d been at Beth’s when Trey had come in the evenings. Sally got to her feet, her eyes wide. She held up one palm in a universal sign for Trey to stay.
He didn’t want to stay. He wanted to run, especially if Beth was going to back out now.
Chapter Eight
Beth ran her hands down her sides, the wedding dress smooth beneath her fingers. The dress fit like a glove, and it hadn’t required many alternations. The fabric was shiny and bright, almost glowing in the sunlight. She’d loved it in the dressing room too.
The dress cinched everything tight above the waist, and Beth hadn’t realized how much she had in the way of her chest until this wedding gown pushed everything into the right place. The neckline scooped, but not too low. Beads that functioned as buttons ran down the back, which also scooped. It was lower than the front, and Beth had allowed Kait to curl her hair and pin it all to her head in some immaculate bridal display.
She’d felt like a cake that was getting decorated as Sally had done her makeup while Kait did her hair. To their credit, neither of them had ever asked if Beth was pregnant. Neither of them had asked her to explain more than she had, and they’d been there whenever she’d called or texted.
They’d both left her bedroom a while ago, and Beth knew she should’ve been on the deck several minutes ago.
“I’ve got it,” Daddy said, rushing back into the room. He held her shoe in his hand and lifted it up. “I don’t think you’ll even notice. There’s not a crack or anything.” He presented the shoe to her, and Beth took it.
“Get up, bud. Let’s see if this works.” She slipped her shoe on and looked up at her father. He extended his hand to her, and she put hers in it. She leaned her weight on him as she stood from the bed, testing out the heel that had snapped with the first step she’d taken into the hall.
It had taken a lot of her courage to even take that step, and now she had to do it all over again.
