He groaned as we turned forward and were married for real. This time the ceremony was planned and personal, including writing our own vows.
“Sinclair,” Wyatt started, as his eyes filled with emotion. “Ten years ago, I had everything I could want and I carelessly left it behind. I want to spend the rest of life making that up to you. I want to love you every day and night. I want to raise our daughter with you and give her brothers and sisters. I promise to never lose sight of you again. I’ll never let a day go by that you don’t know how much I love you.”
Thank God for waterproof mascara because tears were running down my cheeks.
“Wyatt,” I began. “I knew since I hit puberty that you were the one for me, although you never made it easy for me to convince you.”
He blushed and the audience chuckled.
“But when I finally won your heart, we were too young to understand what we had. Today, I know exactly what I have. I have a man who’s good to his mother, devoted to his daughter, and makes me feel so loved every day. I’ve been given a second chance to have my dreams come true, and this time I won’t let it slip away. Right here, under the oak tree where everything good that ever happened to me has happened, I’m promising to love you like you deserve to be loved. Forever.”
“What happened under the tree?” I heard my brother ask.
“Hush, Ryder,” Trina admonished.
Wyatt squeezed my hands as the preacher finished his words and we exchanged new wedding bands, although I still wore his grandmother’s engagement ring.
“You may kiss the bride.”
“It’s about time,” Wyatt said, pulling me into his arms, dipping me and planting a big kiss on my lips, taking my breath away.
When he straightened, he whispered in my ear, “I was worried you were going to tell everyone we made Alyssa here.”
I grinned. “I thought about it.”
He blushed. Then he turned to Alyssa. “Come here, my beautiful daisy.”
Alyssa ran up to us and he lifted her up. We did it. We were a family. The realization of it swept over me and the tears came again.
“Oh God, Mama, turn the faucet off,” Alyssa said, rolling her eyes.
Our guests laughed and clapped, and they joined us in a celebration of our marriage. Our reception was along the river, with a large tent, boards set out for a dance floor, and a DJ playing everything from old standards to the latest pop singles.
“Come dance with me, Mrs. Jones,” Wyatt said once the party was in full swing.
“I don’t know how to dance,” I said. Sure, I could sway back and forth, but I didn’t know much about couples dancing.
“I’ll teach you.” He pulled me to his body, taking one hand and pressing his hand on my bare back.
“Where did you learn to dance?” I asked.
“An old general taught me. He said one of the things wrong with today’s generation was that we didn’t know how to dance. He said dance was the first step in the seduction of a woman. Pre-foreplay.”
I grinned. “We don’t usually need that.”
He kissed my cheek. “But there are people here by our tree so this will have to do for now.” For a massive man, he was surprisingly graceful as he led me around the dance floor.
There was a loud whistle. “Wyatt Jones has moves,” I heard my brother call out.
“You could take lessons from him,” Trina responded.
“You want to dance with me, Trina?” My brother’s tone suggested another type of dancing.
“Been there, done that,” she quipped.
Wyatt shook his head. “They really need to get it over with and sleep together.”
“No doubt.”
“Hey, beautiful daisy.” Wyatt called Alyssa over. “Dance with your dad, will ya?”
She blushed and looked just like Wyatt.
“Do you mind if she cuts in?” Wyatt asked me.
“Not at all.” I stepped back and watched Wyatt lift her up and twirl her around the room.
“You’ve got a good one there,” Trina said to me.
“Yes, I do,” I said, not taking my eyes off my perfect man and child.
“You need to name your next child after me since I’m the one that got you two married in the first place,” she said.
“My name is already next on the list,” Ryder said.
“You? Why would they name a child after you?” Trina asked.
“I’m the one that got them real married.”
“I love you both.” I wrapped my arms around both of them.
The song ended and Ryder stepped up to the mic. “Toast time, everyone. Get yourself something to drink. If there’s nothing left, you can grab water from the river.”
Wyatt came over to stand with me, Alyssa holding his hand. “Do you think he’ll embarrass me?”
“Probably.”
“I’ve known Wyatt Jones since we decided to take those firecrackers he’d somehow obtained and set them off under Miss Crane’s desk.”
“That was you?”
I turned to see Mrs. Tolleson, the former Miss Crane, say.
“It was Wyatt’s idea,” Ryder said.
“Thanks for that, Ry,” Wyatt called out good-naturedly. “I’m going to be benched on my honeymoon.”
There was laughter in the crowd.
“Wyatt and I have been best friends ever since. And now my best friend and best sister are married-”
“I’m your only sister,” I called out.
“Best. Only. It’s all the same. And the two of you have my best niece. And let’s face it, I’m the very best friend, brother and uncle.” He grinned. “I love you all and wish you all the best.”
“Here, here,” the crowd cheered.
Jasper Long took the microphone from Ryder. “Now, I know I’m not in the wedding party, but I couldn’t pass up letting the wedding couple know how much me and, and I think I speak for most other farmers in Salvation, how proud of you we are. Saving family farming and taking on big moneybags like Stark should be us old coots’ responsibility, and yet these two upstarts have shown us
