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And the whole town wanted to come.
It surprised me a great deal, and the fanfare wasn’t just because the preacher’s daughter was getting married. I expected her to have a lot of well-wishers. I expected a lot less for myself. My brothers, Cash and Williams, and their new wives. My father, of course. But the whole the Rough clan came rolling in too, and all my cousins and extended family filled out the rest of the church.
A lot of people in town are here for me too. Unbeknownst to me? I’m actually pretty beloved in this town.
I thought I was a fuck-up. Someone who lived on a hair trigger, who got into fights way too easily. The village idiot if Burly could claim to have one.
But no. People have been coming up and telling me they’re happy for me ever since they found out. They’ve been saying they’re glad a good egg like me is finally getting hitched. When I ask for an explanation?
They say it’s because I’ve stood up for them. The fights I’ve started have been with out-of-towners who came and were rude to the locals. Or more rarely, someone in the town was having a bad day, and when they had time to think about it, they realized that they were the asshole. Even Sheriff Wayne sympathized with me a lot of the time, even if he did have to take me into custody by law.
I’ve become a folk hero in Burly and I didn’t even know it til now. So much for being an irredeemable fuck-up who gets in trouble for no reason.
So our wedding ceremony has spun out from a small ceremony in the church to one held in the park. Even there, it’s a packed crowd.
Soon I’m standing at the altar, nervous as hell. I have every right to be. I never imagined my wedding would be like this. I imagined that if I ever did get married, it’d be to some woman I met on the same night and the person officiating the wedding would be dressed like Elvis. Today I’ve got an actual preacher, and my friends and family all around me.
And a precious, beautiful woman coming down the aisle, clad in the most gorgeous and elaborate wedding dress I’ve ever seen.
I thought I was too rowdy for something like this. A bad boy who would only ever deserve bad women. But life isn’t what you expect. Sometimes it gives you a gift you never thought you had coming, and yet it’s exactly what you need.
Cadence stands across from me at the altar, grinning wildly. A grin I match.
It’s already been a hell of a ride before we even say ‘I do.’
I have a feeling it’ll only get wilder once we do.
*****
Once we are properly married, the party begins. Lots of food and conversation, and of course, dancing.
The DJ plays “Stand By Your Man” and Cadence looks my way. “Isn’t this one of your mother’s favorite songs?”
“One of my father’s too. Says it’s the song that made him realize he was going to marry her.”
“I can see how that would happen. Shall we?”
We hit the floor. I’m a way better singer than a dancer, but I don’t think Cadence and I embarrass ourselves too badly. It’s a bit of a slow song, and we match the pace well enough. A lot of eyes are on us as we dance, since we’re the guests of honor at this wedding, but none of them matter.
I’m enraptured by this woman. And I always will be.
Dad has arranged for us to fly out to Hawaii tomorrow morning. A good and proper honeymoon to go with the good and proper preacher’s daughter.
Me, though? I’m thinking of the present, not what’s gonna happen tomorrow. I got a chub under these tuxedo pants, and I can’t help but whisper to her as we dance, “As soon as I get you alone, you’re mine.”
She giggles. “I can’t wait.”
The party ends at last. We hop in my truck, the traditional cans trailing behind us and causing their usual ruckus. We almost went to the point of absurdity with how traditional we wanted our wedding to be.
Tonight is definitely a night where we don’t want to be interrupted. We aren’t going to Cadence’s dad’s place or my dad’s place, instead we head back to my cabin at the edge of the Rowdy Ranch.
We pull up. “Wait a moment,” I say as I get out.
We’ve come so far with the tradition, damn if we’re going to stop now. I open the door for her, and then sweep her off her feet, laughing. I carry her to the door, fiddle with the keys, and then bring her across the threshold.
“Any other traditions we have to live up to?” I ask, her still in my arms.
She swings her legs down to stand on her own power. “It’s time we consummate the marriage, I think.”
