“I love you, Mari. I always have.”
“Love you back.” His lips touched hers again and she gave herself over to the joy she never thought she’d reclaim.
Epilogue
Eight months later
“Are you ready for this, honey?” Bill Moore held his arm out to his eldest daughter.
“I think I’ve been ready for years.” Mari slid her arm through her father’s while her sisters fluffed her hair and settled the train on her wedding dress. “There seems something special the first wedding in the hotel being my own. Thank goodness Natasha booked hers so far in advance. It gave me the gap I needed to test the venue for myself.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” April giggled. “Moore, get it?”
Bill smiled at his daughters. “Right then. Let’s go meet your husband-to-be. I’m pretty sure he’s waiting impatiently for you. He did ask me not to let you be late. His nerves wouldn’t stand it apparently.”
With a final touch, her sisters walked out of the bridal suite and stopped at the top of the stairs where pink and white rose buds had been woven into the balustrade and waited for her. Once she crossed the threshold on her father’s arm, the music started and they proceeded down the stairs to join the groomsmen.
Mari paused at the top of the steps, her gaze going to the ballroom doors and the man waiting inside. Ethan stood watching her with their son beside him. Her heart filled with love for the pair of them and the words she’d spoken to her father couldn’t have been truer.
“Time to go.” She took the first step down the stairs and walked toward the love of her life.
The ballroom glittered with hundreds of candles and fairy lights just as April had promised. It was like walking into a wonderland. Everything had come together perfectly for her big day.
Ethan watched every step, a smile on his face. When she reached him, he held out his hand wrapping his fingers around hers calming her nerves. “You look amazing.”
“Thank you.”
It was hard to get out any more words with the love she felt for this man welling in her throat. Since that day at the farm where they’d talked out all their issues and cleared the air, things had gone well for them. They’d found comfort with each other, a calmness both had missed. It’d taken a few months to forgive everything that had happened over the last ten years but they’d done it together.
Noah had played a big part in that. His casual acceptance of Ethan had made all the uncomfortable moments worth it. Even Jeff had changed. The power of a little boy had broken through his gruff exterior much to the delight of everyone. He stood with his arm around Pearl as Mari and Ethan faced the celebrant.
Her boy stood as best man beside his father, the ring safely tucked inside his pocket.
“Dearly beloved. We stand before you today to bring together this man and this woman, at last, to be joined in holy matrimony.” A chuckle sounded around the room. “I was told to say that folks.”
Ethan grinned, kissed her hand. “Sorry, couldn’t help myself.”
“I forgive you.” Mari laughed. “I agree, it’s taken us too long.”
“Together Mari and Ethan will face anything the world throws at them…”
The voice of the celebrant hummed through the air. The lights flickered and a faint fluttering crossed over Mari’s shoulders sending a shiver down her spine. Thank you, Rake. If it wasn’t for you, I would never have made it to this spot. There’ll always be a place in my heart for you.
Ethan squeezed her hand, gave her a smile that melted her heart even more. He’d know what she was thinking.
“Do you, Mari, take Ethan to be your wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, to honor and cherish in sickness and in health, until death you do part?”
“I do.”
The End
More by Ann B. Harrison
The Hansen Brother series
Book 1: Cowboy to the Rescue
Buy now!
Book 2: The Convenient Cowboy
Buy now!
Book 3: Dating the Cowboy
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The Watson Brother series
Four Montana brothers searching for love…sometimes in the most unexpected circumstances.
Book 1: Chance for Love
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Book 2: The Sheriff’s Mail-Order Bride
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Book 3: The Doctor’s Husband
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Book 4: Her Favorite Cowboy
Buy now!
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About the Author
After moving to the lush green wine region of Australia’s Hunter Valley, Ann has the perfect surrounding to let her imagination to run wild. She alternates her time between writing western romances, women’s fiction romantic and playing in her garden.
Two kinds of hero make Ann to a mass of nerves. The hot cowboy with a slow sexy drawl (she used to live out in the desert and enjoyed every minute) and a man in a kilt. (Imagine Jamie Fraser) She can’t wait to visit Scotland where she can get her fill of the tartan clad hotties for, um research purposes, of course.
In the meantime, her dear husband puts up with her talking to her characters and getting lost in worlds only she can imagine as she battles to bring stories to the page for everyone to enjoy.
Visit her website at AnnBHarrisonRomance.com
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