Malachi held up a finger then reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He pushed a few buttons, turned up the volume, and suddenly the familiar sound of a wedding march rang across the rocky expanse.
Tamara laughed, patting Emma on the shoulder. “Okay, flower girl. Have fun.”
Emma reached into the bag, and the next second, a handful of rose petals flew through the air to lie scattered on the rocks underfoot.
It was one of those absolutely perfect moments that Tamara couldn’t have dreamed up if she’d had a million years. Her cheeks hurt from smiling as she stood and lifted the bouquet in front of her.
She stared into the eyes of the man she loved as music played and the waterfall echoed—or at least she stared at Caleb between downward glances to make sure she didn’t trip over the cracks in the rock.
Every time she looked back up, he was smiling harder, until the moment she put her hand in his and they turned together toward Malachi, who stood with his back toward the falls.
Sasha caught hold of Tamara’s left hand, and Emma squirmed into the small space between Tamara and Caleb, and now the only music was the sound of the falls as Malachi led them through the ceremony.
Finally, Malachi asked them to face each other. “This part is up to you,” he said. “You can’t really do it wrong.”
Unreal. Wedding vows beside a waterfall.
The girls stepped back all of two inches. Tamara offered her bouquet for Sasha to hold, then Caleb took both her hands, and his gaze turned fully to her face. His eyes were dark and serious, but she also saw the humour and joy in them that had become stronger over the past months as they fell more in love.
“Tamara Coleman, I take you to be my wife, my love, and my heart. Today, and every day, I promise to give you everything in me—body, spirit, and soul—and together we’ll face the future. We’ll laugh together and cry together and make a life together.”
He slipped a ring onto her finger. She didn’t even look down. All she wanted was right there before her, written on his face. Her stern, stubborn cowboy who was willing to give everything for his family, and she was so glad she got to be part of his world.
And now, it was her turn.
“Caleb—” Her throat tightened.
Oh my word, this was going to be harder than she’d imagined.
Sasha tugged on her hand, and Tamara glanced down to see Caleb’s oldest holding her palm up, a ring resting on it. “It’s for Daddy,” she said firmly. “Don’t drop it.”
Laughter bloomed, and suddenly Tamara was able to speak, at least for a few moments. She bent and kissed Sasha’s cheek as she took the ring. “Thank you, sweetie.”
Tamara stood and faced the man she loved. “Caleb Stone, I take you to be my husband, my love, and my heart. I promise you’re going to get all of me too, but because you sprung this on me, I don’t have anything memorized that’s as sweet as what you told me, but it’s forever and sincere”—she turned her attention to Sasha and Emma—“and it includes you two. I take you to be my daughters. I’ll be the best mom to you I possibly can.”
With a soft cry of happiness, two little girls pressed against her as she turned back to Caleb. He had tears in his eyes as well, ones that hadn’t been there until she’d included Sasha and Emma.
She knew where his heart lay. Firmly in all their hands.
She slipped the ring on his finger, but forget about getting a kiss—Tamara and Caleb stooped in unison to hug their two little girls.
It took a while until all the happy tears had been wiped dry, and they turned to Malachi, who was putting a handkerchief back in his pocket, smiling sheepishly.
“To not drag this out any further than necessary, I now pronounce you”—he held up one finger—“husband and wife”—a second finger—“and a family. May you love long and happily.”
Caleb caught Tamara and, with their girls clinging tight, pressed his lips to hers, and they kissed for the first time in their married life.
It was a good day.
If you’d like to read Caleb and Tamara’s story you can find it in A Rancher’s Heart, the first book in The Stones of Heart Falls series.
Part II
Heartfelt at Heart Falls
Walker Stone and Ivy Fields are getting married, and all their family—even the goats—seem to want to be involved. Which is why Walker takes charge with a surprise to make this day perfect for both him and Ivy.
* * *
Timeline:
This vignette begins on the final day of A Rancher's Bride and the day before The Cowgirl's Forever Love begins.
Ivy
March 1st, Silver Stone ranch.
* * *
Ivy Fields cautiously poked her head around the corner before stepping toward the horse stalls. “Walker?”
No answer.
Nothing but the usual sounds of the barn, which meant it was far from silent. Horses shuffled and nickered, buckets clanged, and a low rumble of voices carried from somewhere in the distance as the Silver Stone hands went about their day. Right where she was, though, were empty pathways and muted noises.
The sweet scent of clean hay tickled Ivy’s nose, and she had to work to keep from sneezing.
Sneezing was to be avoided at all costs.
“Walker?”
She checked her phone again, but only the original message was there. He’d told her to meet him in the barn, but now that she’d arrived, he was nowhere to be seen.
Ivy sent off a quick message: Where are you?
Then she settled on a chair tucked to the side of the stalls, breathing deeply to allow the peacefulness of the location to wash over her. A moment of quiet in the bustle of everything that needed to be accomplished this Saturday wasn’t a bad thing, although there were things that needed to be done because they had a deadline.
Tomorrow was their wedding day. Hers and Walker’s. After so many years apart, they were finally back together and would be forever.
She closed her eyes as her lips curled into a smile. Life lately had been richly wonderful because Walker was—
Well, honestly, he was her heart.
Something nudged her thigh. She opened her eyes, ready to smile up at Walker.
A grey and white goat lifted its head in line with hers and blinked seriously.
Drat. One of the three pet goats belonging to Walker’s nieces had escaped.
Again.
Ivy laid a hand on the creature’s neck to keep it from moving any closer. Her fingers tangled on the bright-red bowtie attached to the animal’s collar, and his name tag flashed, identifying which of them was currently annoying her.
“Okay, that’s far enough, Meany.”
He didn’t agree, pushing harder, as if he wanted to give her a hug. Only she was not a goat hugger.
Ivy rose to her feet to brace herself better.
“Stop,” she ordered in her best vice-principal voice, but Meany seemed determined to get up close and personal.
Ivy retreated, and the next thing she knew, she was pushed against the wall beside the tack room.
It seemed a little silly, but she didn’t want to take on more than she could handle. While Meany wasn’t that big, Ivy was a teacher, not a cowgirl. She knew from watching Sasha and Emma take care of their pets that if a goat wanted to, he could put up a fight.