But suddenly he could no longer focus on Abby’s dog. The doors of the church swung open and Abby was right there. Holding her father’s hand. Looking along the aisle to find him.
His bride. His Abby.
She’d wanted rainbows, and that was what she was to be married in. She’d made this herself as well, and it was as individual as she was. The gown was soft white silk, almost transparent, floating over panels of pastel hues, every shade a man could imagine. Her tight-fitting bodice clung to her lovely figure and the skirt flared out in clouds of shimmering colour, with the soft-coloured silk shimmering from underneath.
She was so beautiful…
She wore her hair simply, no longer in the elegant chignon he’d hated for years, but dropping in tendrils to her bare shoulders. She wore a simple halo of fresh flowers in her hair-and she took his breath away.
Sarah followed her in, proud fit to burst. Matron of honour. She wore a matching dress, also rainbow-coloured but without the translucent overskirt that made Abby seem to float.
Sarah was also supposed to be wearing a ring of flowers in her hair, but that had been the one hiccup of the morning. ‘It might give me a headache,’ she’d said, doubtful.
‘Why don’t you take it and leave it in the car?’ Raff had suggested. ‘That way, you can wear it for the official photographs and take it off if it starts hurting.’
She’d approved his suggestion. She was happy now, bareheaded, beautiful, a married woman, fussing over her best friend’s gown.
She wasn’t as happy as Raff. Not possible. His Abby was smiling at him. His Abby was about to be his wife.
What could be more perfect?
The music filled the church. Abby’s father led her forward, beaming with pride, and Raff stepped forward to receive his bride.
His Abby.
What could go wrong with today?
Kleppy could go wrong.
There was a scuffle in the front pew. Abby’s mother had retired behind her handkerchief and forgotten her Kleppy-clutching duty. She made a wild grab but it was too late: he was free.
Kleppy was groomed to an inch of his life. He was wearing a bow of the same rainbow-coloured fabric lining Abby’s gown.
He was off and running.
He trotted straight up the aisle, tail high, a dog on a mission-and he disappeared out of the door.
Uh-oh. What was a cop supposed to do now? What was a groom supposed to do?
‘Leave him to me,’ Keith growled, setting a hand firmly on Raff’s shoulder. ‘Lights and sirens. Handcuffs. Padded cell if necessary. I’ll pull him in no time.’
‘Kleppy,’ Abby faltered.
‘You two get on with your wedding,’ Keith told them, and they looked at each other and knew they must. A hundred people were watching them. These people loved them and they were waiting to see them married.
‘But he has the ring,’ Abby faltered.
‘We have backup,’ Keith said and handed Raff the spare.
‘Oh, Raff…’ He could tell she didn’t know whether to be thankful or indignant.
‘It’s not that I didn’t trust him,’ Raff said-unconvincingly-and then he paused.
Kleppy was back. With a ring.
He had two rings now, the plain band of gold in the tiny box hanging round his neck-and Sarah’s halo of flowers, left on the front seat of the bridal carriage.
It was a ring of fresh flowers to match Abby’s.
He carried it straight to Abby and sat and wagged his tail and waited to be told how good he was.
‘He’s brought us a ring,’ Abby said and choked.
The congregation was choking as well-or laughing out loud. Kleppy’s reputation had grown considerably in the last couple of months.
But Raff had his priorities in order now. There were things to be done before he acknowledged his soon-to-be wife’s dog. He took her hands in his, tugged her to face him and lightly kissed her. ‘You,’ he told her, ‘are the most beautiful woman in the world.’
‘You make my toes curl,’ she said.
There was a light ‘harrumph’ from before them. They were, after all, here to get married.
Raff smiled and stooped and held out his hand, and Kleppy laid his ring of flowers into his palm. He lifted it up and gave it to Abby.
‘I guess this is Kleppy’s wedding gift.’
‘I’ll treasure it for always,’ she managed.
‘You should. For with this ring, I thee wed,’ he said softly. ‘With this dog, I thee marry. Before this community, with these friends, I pledge you my troth.’
There was a murmur of delighted approval.
Abby was looking…in love.
Kleppy, however, was still looking expectant.
Raff knelt and lifted the small gold band from the box around Kleppy’s neck. He pocketed it carefully-and then he placed the ring of flowers around Kleppy’s neck.
‘Sarah,’ he said to his sister. ‘Can you hold Kleppy? I have things to do.’
‘Sure,’ Sarah said, beaming. ‘Lionel will help me.’
So Sarah and Lionel held Kleppy. Raff took Abby’s hands in his and he faced her-a man facing his woman on their wedding day.
‘Enough,’ he said softly, for her ears alone. ‘Dogs have their place, as do sisters and friends and flowers. But for now… Are you ready to marry me?’
‘If you’ll take me. And my crazy dog.’
‘We’ll take whatever comes with both of us,’ he told her, strongly and firmly. ‘As long as we have each other.’
‘Oh, yes.’ She smiled at him mistily through tears. He kissed her again, lightly on the lips-and then the ceremony began as it was meant to begin. As Rafferty Finn and Abigail Callahan stood together, in peace and in love, to become one.
Marion Lennox
Marion Lennox is a country girl, born on an Australian dairy farm. She moved on-mostly because the cows just weren’t interested in her stories! Married to a “very special doctor,” Marion writes for the Medical Romance and Harlequin Romance lines. (She used a different name for each category for a while-readers looking for her past Mills & Boon Harlequin Romance novels should search for author Trisha David, as well.) She’s now had more than seventy-five romance novels accepted for publication.
In her non-writing life Marion cares for kids, cats, dogs, chickens and goldfish. She travels, she fights her rampant garden (she’s losing) and her house dust (she’s lost).
Having spun in circles for the first part of her life, she’s now stepped back from her “other” career, which was teaching statistics at her local university. Finally she’s reprioritized her life, figured what’s important and discovered the joys of deep baths, romance and chocolate.
Preferably all at the same time!
