Walker ran a hand down her arm as he admired her bright-blue coat and the bits of wedding dress he could see. There were little blue flowers with shining silver centers woven into her silvery-white hair, and she looked every inch the snow princess he’d fallen in love with all those years ago.
“God, you’re so beautiful,” he repeated, because he couldn’t stop himself.
Ivy laughed as she hugged him tightly. “I love you, Walker Stone.” She leaned away just far enough to look him in the eyes. “Does your secret have something to do with why my mother insisted I wear long underwear under my dress? Which I have to tell you was one of the most awkward conversations I’ve had with her in recent memory. Or maybe explain why my father left the house an hour before we did?”
Walker considered. “Probably?”
He told her where they were going and that the wedding would be recorded, then he proceeded to distract her for the rest of the ride by taking her down memory lane with a whole bunch of “do you remember…?” until they were both starry-eyed and laughing.
When they finally came to a stop beside the frozen pool at the base of Heart Falls, Ivy’s cheeks were bright, and her eyes were shining.
Her father, Malachi Fields—who had been waiting patiently near the base of the falls—came forward to hold Hannibal’s lead. Walker slipped off then lowered Ivy carefully to the ground. He left his hat hanging on the saddle, dragged a hand through his hair, and hoped like hell he didn’t look too wild.
Malachi nodded at them. “Well, it seems it’s time for the main event. Are you ready, Ivy?”
“Yes, Papa,” Ivy whispered. “So ready.”
He grinned and led them a few paces to the side, lining them up just right for the camera before taking a deep breath. “It’s been my privilege to officiate at a few of these celebrations, but I’ll admit that while every one of them was special, this one might just knock me a trifle off-kilter. So if I seem to become incapacitated, you two just go ahead and finish up without me.”
Walker laughed then realized Malachi wasn’t joking. “Yes, sir.”
Ivy turned to face Walker, putting her hands into his, and he slipped into a bit of a dream world.
He knew the falls were there—a frozen magnificence of crags and nooks and shimmering meters-long icicles like only a wild winter wonderland could produce.
The sky overhead was a rich blue, and the air crisp on his throat with every breath, even though March had arrived like a lamb, and the temperatures were warmer than usual, a Chinook wind blowing.
Looking into Ivy’s eyes made his breathing speed up. Made him focus down on the softness of her hands in his. On her long white skirt covered with teeny blue flowers that sparkled in the sunlight.
She was still wearing her puffy coat.
Malachi was talking, but Walker was fully focused on the woman he loved. On her face, and her lips, and the curve of her cheek, and the sweet memories he had of her here at the falls, and in his bed, and in his life, and everywhere.
He was so focused that when she grinned at him, he wasn’t sure why.
He glanced at Ivy’s father. “Did I miss something?”
“Son,” Malachi leaned back slightly, his expression one hundred percent content. “The way you’re looking at my daughter means you didn’t miss a single important thing. Although if you’d like to tell her something about being together forever, this would be a good moment.”
“Yes, sir.” Shit. He was missing in action during his own wedding. Walker dragged a hand through his hair. Took a breath then started.
“Ivy, I thought about this moment and what I wanted to tell you, but it’s pretty simple when it comes down to it. You know how I feel. I know how you feel. So if we keep working on it for the next fifty or more years, eventually we’ll get it perfect. I’m looking forward to every minute.”
He stopped, not sure what else to tell her.
That hadn’t been romantic or sweet or any of those things. Poetry and roses he could only do in songs, it appeared, and he’d already done that for her.
Ivy’s lips curled upward. “How do you feel, Walker Stone? How does loving me make you feel?”
Suddenly he was back on solid ground. “That one’s easy.”
He wrapped an arm around her, twisting until they faced the falls. He pointed at the very top, at the ledge he’d climbed to once. “Imagine yourself standing up there and then racing forward and throwing yourself off.”
Ivy literally quivered in his grasp. “Ummm….”
He turned her so he could lean in, now eye to eye with her. “Loving you is a million times more thrilling and heart-pounding, and god, I’m never going to get enough of you. I love you, Ivy Fields, and I’m so grateful you’re willing to be my wife.”
She melted against him. “You’re amazing. And I while I don’t think I could ever throw myself off the cliff, I’m ready to throw myself into forever with you. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for never stopping. I love you so much.”
Screw protocol. When his woman said I love you as heartfelt as that, Walker needed to kiss her.
So he did.
He scooped Ivy up and, right there in front of a grinning Malachi, proceeded to kiss his bride before he’d been told he could.
The sun beat down on them, a flash of bright light bouncing off the surface of the pond and shining like a spotlight as Ivy returned his kiss.
Walker kept the exchange somewhat appropriate for public viewing, separating them just enough to grin unashamedly at his new father-in-law. “So. Does this mean we’re married?”
Laughter roared. Malachi nodded as his amusement shone clear and bright. “Sure. Why not? Welcome to married life, Walker and Ivy Stone.”
A loud crack rang out, like a shot from a gun. The sound echoed as roaring filled the air. Behind them, the frozen surface of the waterfall reacted to the heat of the day, and a huge portion broke free from the top to fall with a deafening crash to the ground.
A chain reaction began, and as the air filled with a crescendo of bell-like clangs and shrieks and crackles, Ivy leaned against Walker’s side. Together they stared in amazement as the entire wall of ice descended to the earth. Shattering shards flew everywhere, and with the sunlight reflecting off the ice, it was like a light show in the middle of the day.
It took a long time for the area to go quiet. Walker’s heart was racing.
Ivy was breathing hard as she turned back to him. She shook her head slightly. “Walker Stone, this is the best wedding I could ever imagine.”
He curled his hand around hers and squeezed tight. “Me too. Ivy Stone.”
Sheer delight shone in her eyes before Walker gave in to temptation and kissed her again.
Of course, that’s when he remembered that all of this was being recorded. Everything from his loss of concentration to the ice fall and all the rest. He could imagine the laughter and cheering that would be happening at Silver Stone…
The memories being made and shared in a way that was perfect for both of them.
Walker let Ivy free but kept hold of her hand. “Want to wave at the camera with me?” he whispered.
Ivy blinked hard before nodding. “I forgot.”
Good to know he wasn’t the only one. “We were thinking about other things.”