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Prologue
Tucker Bridge ran afinger under his collar. It was too tight, and this barn was too hot. For the life of him, he couldn’t figure out why it had become fashionable to get married in a barn, but this is what his soon-to-be sister-in-law wanted, so there he was.
Again. His brother Colton had just put him through this a few months ago—in the very same barn. His brothers were all obsessed with the Honeywood Barn. His brothers were all losing their minds.
Tucker was trying to have a good attitude, but he was struggling. He was happy for them, of course, but still—being at a wedding, and even worse, beingina wedding, had a way of calling an especially brutal attention to his own loneliness.
Tucker had been single for years, and before this long dating drought, he’d only been in a few, short-term, not very serious relationships. Yet Tucker rarely felt pitiable. He had a great life that he had built for himself to be exactly what he wanted. He was a free man in every way. He owned his own business that allowed him to spend every day in the great outdoors. He wasn’t tied to anyone, any place, or anything. And usually, this was enough to make him happy.
But right now, he couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to look at a woman the way his brother Ryker was currently staring at the open doorway at the end of the barn, waiting to see his bride. Ryker looked nervous and embarrassed. He also looked happier—and more hopeful—than Tucker had ever seen him.
The music started, and Tucker breathed a sigh of relief.Good, let’s get this show on the road.
One by one, the bridesmaids came down the aisle, smiling brilliantly. There were five of them, and rumor was that even more women had wanted to take part. Apparently, Frankie had lots of friends, which made sense. She was kind, beautiful, and perpetually happy. Tucker still couldn’t quite understand how Ryker had snagged her.
Four of the bridesmaids were local women whom Frankie had known forever, and one was a new friend Frankie had made through her budding modeling career. Also a model, Eve was gorgeous, and his brothers had been driving him nuts trying to get him to ask her out, but he had no intention of doing so. Even if he was interested in dating, which he wasn’t, she wasn’t his type.
Finally, it was Frankie’s turn. The music changed, and she appeared in the doorway. Tucker stole a glance at Ryker, who now wore an expression Tucker had never seen on his face. He looked absolutely in awe. Again pain stabbed through Tucker’s heart, which annoyed him. He needed this event to be over.
Frankie’s father led her down the aisle and then kissed her cheek as he handed her off to Ryker.
Waylon, Frankie’s six-year-old son, was the best man, and he laughed aloud when his mother reached out to take Ryker’s hand. Tucker expected her to give the little guy a scolding look, but instead, she gave him a beaming smile and winked at him. What a nice mom. In that moment, Frankie reminded Tucker of his own mother, whom he missed sorely.
The pastor welcomed everyone to the wedding, read a bit from First Corinthians, and then asked the couple if they were ready. They both nodded eagerly.
“Ryker Bridge, do you take Francine Crowder to be your lawfully wedded wife? Will you honor and cherish her; love, trust, and commit to her, through joy and hardship, sickness and health, until death do you part?”
Ryker said “I do” so quickly that he almost cut the pastor’s question off.
Pastor didn’t seem offended. “Francine Crowder, do you take Ryker Bridge to be your lawfully wedded husband? Will you honor and cherish him; love, trust, and commit to him, through joy and hardship, sickness and health, until death do you part?”
It occurred to Tucker then that Ryker and Frankie had already seen their fair share of hardship, and he silently prayed they would be spared from any more.
Frankie smiled brilliantly. “I do.”
“Do you have the rings?”
Waylon produced them out of his pocket, and the rings looked giant in his tiny hand. Ryker had been worried that his brothers would be offended if he asked Waylon to be the best man, but it had been a genius idea. And it also protected the ceremony from any competitive spirit. It wasn’t that some of them weren’t chosen to be best man—noneof them were. Tucker didn’t know whose idea it had been, but that person deserved an enthusiastic attaboy.
Ryker took one of the rings from Waylon’s outstretched hand and slid it onto Frankie’s finger. “Frankie, every day you take my breath away.” Ryker’s voice was soft and low. He seemed unaware that there was anyone in the barn other than Frankie. “Your beauty runs far deeper than what people see. Thank you for your constant joy, your constant encouragement, and thank you for taking a chance on me.” His voice cracked, and he paused to collect himself, which took several seconds. The barn full of guests waited patiently. “I am excited to be the best husband to you that I can possibly be. I want to care for you, protect you, comfort you, and most of all love you, for the rest of my days.”
A tear slipped out of Frankie’s eye, rested momentarily on her lower lashes, and then slid down her cheek. She never stopped smiling. She plucked the remaining ring from her son’s palm and slid it onto Ryker’s finger. It got stuck on his second knuckle, and she forced it the rest of the way, which made them both laugh.
That’s what love sounds like, Tucker thought—the sound of their giggles mixed together as she ripped some skin off his knuckle.
Frankie looked up at Ryker like she was looking at her favorite thing on earth. “Even before I fell in love with you, you were a friend, Ryker, and I am so grateful for that. You were an awesome friend from the start, so generous, so kind, so loyal, and now you are my best friend, which is such a great gift from God. I am so madly in love with you, Ryker Bridge, and I promise to be the best friend and the best wife that I can possibly be to you for the rest of our lives.”
“Ryker and Frankie, having proclaimed your love in front of God and these loved ones, by the power invested in me by God and the State of South Dakota, I joyfully pronounce you husband and wife. Ryker, you may kiss your bride.”
Again, Ryker acted before the man finished talking. He grabbed Frankie and dipped her dramatically before pressing his lips to hers. Her leg flew up into the air so gracefully that Tucker wondered how many times they’d rehearsed this kiss.
