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“I don’t want to hear it.” I plugged both my ears with my fingers and squeezed my eyes shut.
Vivian took a finger out of one ear. “You’re going to want to see this.”
Against my better judgement, I opened my eyes. She was holding a white garment bag.
“What have you done?” I asked.
“You can’t get married without a dress. Daniel explained it to me before we got married. And he really had a point, totally proved—”
“I heard the reasons when he gave them to you.” In my kitchen, he hadn’t tried all that hard to whisper in Vivian’s ear when he told her exactly why she should wear a dress to their wedding. Hearing it once was enough. “You had this all planned, didn’t you?” I tried to sound accusatory, but it came out more grateful than anything.
“We were all in on it. It really brought back memories of when D and I got married, so I should thank you for inspiring—”
“Enough.” I didn’t need to hear about what went on in their bedroom.
“Lift your pretty violet dress a little,” Ruby said. “I’ve got to put on your something borrowed.” She held a strap of worn leather with a brushed silver buckle.
“What is it?” Whatever it was, it looked old.
Her eyes gleamed as she exchanged a look with her daughter-in-law and granddaughter-in-law. “This is a garter made from the reins of the bridle used on the very first horse the Jacobs bought over a hundred years ago. That stud paved the way for what we have now, and every Jacobs bride since has worn it on her wedding day. It’s a symbol of our past and a promise of our future, and whether you believe in that kind of stuff or not, it’s a damn good-luck charm.”
Ruby patted my thigh with her weathered hands, and I raised the hem of my dress. When the leather touched my skin, I felt an instant connection to this family, this land. They were rooted to one another with an enduring love that spanned generations, and I was a part of that now.
“Looks perfect,” Stone’s mother said, a wisp of nostalgia on her face.
Vivian looked at me. “You’re as ready as you’ll ever be, gorgeous. Let’s get that dress on you.”
The room cleared until only my best friend and I remained. I stood, shedding my dress and catching a glimpse in the mirror of myself in my underwear and leather garter. It excited and terrified me that Stone would see me like this.
“Trust him. He’ll take care of you,” she said.
“If I didn’t trust him, I wouldn’t be marrying him. And thank you for supporting me, no matter what.”
“That’s what family does.” She paused, her gaze reflective. We both appreciated what family meant, because we’d lost ours. I’d say we’d gotten to choose our new one, but I wasn’t so certain something bigger hadn’t chosen it for us. “The second your honeymoon’s over, we’re back together. Clear?”
“What if Stone wants to live here?” I asked, the thought not totally unpleasant. It was easy to picture our kids running around the ranch, but I ached at the thought of being separated from Vivian and Daniel.
“Then we’re moving too.”
I smiled. Most people would think the way we stuck together was too much, and that was fine, but it was perfect for us, exactly what we needed. That was all that mattered.
Vivian unzipped the garment bag with a dramatic flourish, and removed the dress from the protective fabric.
My hand flew to my mouth. “It’s perfect.”
Vivian uncovered my mouth and grinned. “That’s what I said as soon as I saw it.”
The dress was long-sleeved with a high neck, the bottom nearly brushing the floor. Vintage. Classic. Exactly what I’d have selected for myself.
She finished buttoning up the back and came around for the front view. “I better go tell Daniel to get Stone a chair. His legs won’t be able to support him when he sees you in this.”
We left my new necklace tucked underneath, and I felt the two hearts lying against my skin. She pinned the mantilla in my hair, fussing with it until she was satisfied.
“I’m ready to be his wife,” I said before she turned me around to get a look in the full-length mirror. I couldn’t believe it was me, that it was my wedding day.
I thought of my mother and wished she could’ve been with me. My gratitude to Carlos for bringing this piece of her ran deep. It felt like she was supporting me, encouraging me to be happy. Marrying Stone was no leap of faith. It was exactly what was meant to be, and I had my mother’s blessing. I was sure of it.
“You held out long enough. And you sayI’mstubborn.” Vivian rolled her eyes and then pulled me into a tight embrace. “I’m so happy for you, M. This is only the beginning.”
