by Laura Pavlov
It wasn’t just a day for either of us.
It was a journey. And ours still had a long way to go, but we were going to do it together, moving forward.
“I feel great. I’m excited. There’s still a lot of work to do out at the barn, but everything is coming together.”
He reached for my hand. “It is. And it all feels right because I have you by my side.”
I smiled and leaned back against the seat. “So, I wanted to talk to you about something.”
“Okay, shoot.”
“Well, you know how I spoke at that meeting Jenny set up at the high school?” Harrison and I continued to go to therapy, as we both still had anger about what had happened to me all those years ago. I’d spoken to a few small groups of seniors at our old high school about what had happened to me. Turns out I wasn’t the only one, and several girls opened up to me about experiences that were similar and equally frightening. It felt good to allow this trauma to at least help others in some way.
“Yep. And I’m damn proud of you for that.”
“Well, the local community college reached out and asked if I’d be willing to come share my story during orientation at the beginning of the semester. What happened to me is not all that uncommon, Har. But being educated, being aware—that could make the difference for someone.”
He nodded. “I think that’s great. I’m all for it.”
“Good.”
“Every time you talk about it, it seems to help you a little bit.”
“I agree. I feel like I can finally move forward. I honestly didn’t know if I’d ever be happy again. I didn’t know if I deserved it, or if it were even possible. But it is.”
“You deserve it all, Laney Mae Landers.”
My chest squeezed. He’d said those words to me before, but they’d never resonated the way they did today. Because he was right. I’d been punishing myself for a crime I didn’t commit.
I was finally coming out on the other side of hell.
And the light was shining bright on Harrison and me.
“Are you ready?” Mom asked, looking down at me as her glossy gaze locked with mine.
“I am.”
We were at the house I shared with Harrison because he’d insisted on getting a horse and carriage to bring me over to the barn. It was unnecessary, but he was just bougie that way, and I was grateful for all of it.
“You look gorgeous,” Harley said, rubbing her oversized baby bump. She and Ford were having twin girls in just a few weeks. We’d all fallen over laughing at the news because the idea of Ford Montgomery with one little girl was hard to wrap your head around.
But two?
Amazing.
Everyone was thrilled. Between the wedding and the babies, the Mongtomerys had found their way out of the dark. And I’d learned a valuable lesson about life. It wasn’t always perfect. It didn’t always go your way. But if you loved someone deeply enough, all of the risk was well worth it.
And today I was celebrating the love I’d had for this boy since I was five years old. Sure, it had started out as friendship. But it was a love that had never stopped growing. Tethering us together in a way that I couldn’t explain.
“How are you feeling?” I put my hand on Harley’s baby bump. We had grown very close, and I’d asked her to be my maid of honor. She refused to be called matron of honor because she said it made her feel old, which made us all laugh. Nat and two of my sorority sisters, my cousin, and my brother’s girlfriend, Gia, were standing beside me as well.
Harrison’s brothers, my brother, and three of his friends were his groomsmen. He’d been Ford’s best man, so Jack was going to be his, and Ford would be Jack’s someday—if that ever happened. I knew there was a girl out there that could hold her own with him, but he just hadn’t met her yet. I couldn’t wait until the day Jack Montgomery got knocked on his ass.
“I feel great. And you look amazing.” Harley swiped at the tear falling down her face.
“Okay, let’s do this. Is Dad at the barn already?” I asked my mother.
“Yes. He’s waiting for you out at the edge of the road. Let’s go.”
We rode down the street in the carriage, and a few locals stood outside taking pictures. The sun was just going down, and the weather was absolutely perfect. I wore a long sleeve fitted dress with a low dip in the back. It was classic and elegant, and everything I’d dreamed of. My hair was in a loose low chignon, with a few waves framing my face. I had baby’s breath tucked in all around. My bouquet was lush with white hydrangeas and light pink peonies. I let out a long breath as we pulled up to greet my father.
“Look at you, Laney Mae.” His eyes were wet with emotion and his voice cracked. Mom started blubbering before covering her mouth, and Harley and I laughed.
“Thanks, Dad. Okay, you two take the carriage a bit further. I don’t want Harley to walk more than she has to. We don’t need those girls attending this wedding. It’s a little too soon,” I said.
Harley chuckled. “Are you sure? I don’t want you to walk on your wedding day.”
I nodded. This was the final leg of the journey for me, before I started a new one. I wanted to enjoy every single minute. I’d run out in these fields more times than I could count. Taking the final steps to tie the knot with the boy I’d loved my entire life—the man of my dreams—would be a bonus.
“I want to walk. I need to take it all in.”
She nodded before leaning over and hugging me. I turned to hug my mother as well before Dad helped me out of the carriage.
“See you on the other side, Mrs. Montgomery,” Harley said as they took off.
“You ready, kiddo?” Dad asked, holding his arm out to me.
“So ready,” I said as we started down the path.
I heard the music in the distance and butterflies swarmed my belly. Not because I was nervous, but because I was happy.
We approached the chairs set up in the clearing out in the field and the sight took my breath away. The pink and orange sky looked like something straight out of a painting. Twinkle lights covered every tree surrounding the outdoor ceremony.
A ridiculous amount of flowers lined the aisle where Harrison stood at the end. I was a wedding planner—was there ever too many flowers? I didn’t think so. Whites and pinks, ribbon and lace, everything had come together so beautifully. A little over fifty guests were in attendance, all there because they meant something to us. Harley stood waiting for me and insisted on shaking out my train so it would trail down the aisle behind me before she joined Ford up front.
The wedding march started to play, and I looked up at Dad and paused to kiss his cheek. “Let’s do this.”
He chuckled. “That’s my girl. Here we go.”
Harrison’s gaze locked with mine. Dark and full of emotion. Honest and true. The eyes that had always grounded me. Guided me. Believed in me. I sucked in a long breath as the lump in my throat grew.
“Who gives this woman away?” Pastor Nate asked.
“Her mother and I do,” Dad said, before shaking hands with Harrison and kissing my cheek. He jumped over my train to take his seat and everyone laughed.
But I was lost in Harrison. I’d always been lost in this boy. And now he was mine.
Forever.
Pastor Bob allowed us to read our vows.
“Laney Mae Landers, you are the single best thing that’s ever happened to me. My heart is yours—it always has been. I promise to spend my life making you happy. I promise to give you everything you want and then some. I promise to love you until I take my last breath, because honestly, there’s no other option. You complete me, baby. Always have. Always will.”
Tears streamed down my face, and I gave up trying to swipe them away. I was in the moment. And all these feeling were a long time coming.
“Harrison Thomas Montgomery, you
are the light that I thought I’d lost.” My words broke on a sob. “You are the love that I thought I didn’t deserve. You are the only promise I ever wanted to keep. You are my best friend and the other half of my soul. There is no me without you. And I can’t wait for a lifetime of us. Together. I cherish the old memories and look forward to making new ones. I want to grow old with you. You and me. I promise to love you always.”
Pastor Bob said his spiel, but I didn’t listen. I just stared into my husband’s dark gaze, feeling all the love in the world.
“You may kiss the bride,” he finally said, and Harrison dipped me back and kissed me as the crowd cheered.
When the doors opened to the barn, I lost my breath. Yes, I’d planned every single detail, but seeing it all put together with everyone we loved inside…
Magical.
Several chandeliers hung from above, creating diamond shapes on the tables. Flowers and candles covered every surface. The sit-down dinner would be served on Harrison’s great grandmother’s china. Monica was thrilled to tie in a piece of family history to the ceremony.
Music played, the DJ announced the wedding party, and I was lost in the moment. Dad and I did the father-daughter dance, and my husband and I danced for the first time as a married couple. If I had to pinpoint the happiest moment of my life—it would be right now. I was overcome with emotion and cried more times than I could count.
All happy tears.
Finally.
Happy tears.
“Laney Mae Montgomery. Yeeeees. My sister from another mister. Fucking finally.” Jack picked me up off the ground and spun me around.
The Montgomerys had been family to me long before today—but making it official just felt so…right.
“Put her down, asshole,” Harrison said, trying to hide his smile as his brother pulled him in for a hug.
“I’m happy for you, brother. Happy for you both.” Jack wrapped an arm around each of us.
“Thanks, Jack-ass,” I teased.
“Have you guys seen Buck yet?” Jack asked, waving his best friend over. He was Jack’s college roommate at SC and he and Harrison had grown close over the years.
“Hey Buck, thanks for being here today. Do you remember Laney?” Harrison said.
“Yes, of course. Happy to be here. Congratulations to both of you.”
“Thank you,” I said, after he hugged each of us and settled beside Jack.
“We finally got your sister to agree to an interview,” my husband said.
“Yeah, CBS has pulled out all the stops. They extended her internship while she finished her masters, but she’s ready to get out there and charge the tundra,” Buck said with a laugh.
“Well, we’re going to do whatever we can to get her to come work for us,” Jack said. “Hopefully, she doesn’t hate me anymore.”
“Not sure about that one, bud. But she’ll come around. And it’s better if she hates you, because you know I’d kill you if you ever touched her.” He laughed.
Jack held his hands up. “Not happening. I wouldn’t cross that line. But seeing as she can’t stand the sight of me, I don’t think we need to worry about that.”
We all chuckled over Jack’s ridiculousness.
“Ford has a pretty strong package to offer to sway her our way,” Harrison said, as he laced his fingers with mine.
“Well, I know she wants to stay in San Francisco, so I think it’ll be a great fit. She’s a damn hard worker too. You won’t be disappointed.” Buck paused to accept a glass of wine from the waiter, and Jack reached for a glass as well. I smiled as he spoke, because you couldn’t miss the pride in his voice when he spoke about his baby sister.
“We’d be lucky to have her,” Harrison said.
Jack and Buck left to dance with my two little cousins who were the flower girls, and our attention was pulled to the dance floor by the DJ. He called us over to cut the cake. Harrison and I settled around the elaborate four-tier wedding cake made by my sister-in-law, and we each took a slice. We’d never been proper or followed the rules, and tonight would be no different.
I’d dreamed of the day I’d smash cake into this beautiful man’s face.
And today was the day.
He held out a fork and allowed me to take a dainty bite, before I reached back and slammed my plate into his face. Before I knew what was happening, he had a handful of cake spread across my cheeks.
We laughed as we fought back and forth, and everyone cheered.
It was the perfect ending to the perfect day.
The perfect start to the perfect life.
And I relished in the moment.
In this man.
And in the future waiting for us.
Acknowledgements
Greg, Chase & Hannah, thank you for being my biggest supporters and always believing in me. I would be lost without you!! Love you so much!
Willow, there are not enough words to thank you properly. You are such a huge part of my writing process now! LOL! Thank you for pushing me, helping me strive to be better, and encouraging me every step of the way. Your friendship means the world to me. Thank you for all of the work that you did on this story. I cannot tell you what it means to me! You wore a lot of hats this time around, and I am so thankful. Thank you for working your magic and making Peacekeeper shine!! xo
Pathi, Natalie, Doo, Annette and Abi, thank you for being the BEST beta readers EVER! Your feedback means the world to me. I would be lost without you!
Thank you, Sarah Hansen (Okay Creations) for working your magic once again!
Sue Grimshaw (Edits by Sue), Thank you for your encouragement, your guidance and your support. This story took a bit more tweaking than usual, and I wouldn’t have gotten there without you. Your input and support mean the world to me. xo
Tamara Cribley (The Deliberate Page), so thankful to get to work with you again. I love all of the little details that you add to the formatting and appreciate your patience and support so much!! Thank you my friend!
Jo and Kylie (Give Me Books Promotions), you know how much I adore you, and cannot wait to finally meet you at the Four Brits Book Fest!! You keep me calm and handle every hurdle with absolute grace! So thankful for you!!
Ashlee (Ashes & Vellichor), what would I do without you? Thank you for bringing my characters to life with your amazing teasers!! You amaze me each and every time you send me something!! So grateful that I found you, and now you’re stuck with me for life!
To all the girls at Grey’s Promotion, Mary, Amber and Josette! Thank you for taking a chance on me with this story!! I appreciate all of your support!!
Mom, thank you for your love and support. Love you!
Dad, you really are the reason that I keep chasing my dreams!! Thank you for teaching me to never give up. Love you!
Sandy, thank you for reading and supporting me throughout this journey. Love you!
Eric, there is no one that listens and supports me more than you!! Love you, E$!
Sissy, thank you for making me laugh when I need it most. Do you have to let it linger??? Love you!
Pathi, I am so thankful for you! You are the reason I even started this journey. Thank you for believing in me!! Love you!
Natalie (Head in the Clouds, Nose in a Book), Thank you for supporting me through it all! I appreciate all that you do for me from beta reading to the newsletter to buddy reading extra steamy books so I have someone to talk about it with!! LOL! Love you!
Nicole, Thank you for believing in me, snapping me daily, making me laugh and holding me to our streaks! Love you so much!
Steph, Thank you for always supporting me! Peas & Carrots! Urban & Doodles! Love you!
Sweet Sammi Sylvis, Thanks for making me laugh and helping me stay sane through these releases! Glad we have one another to lean on!!
To all the bloggers and bookstagra
mmers who have posted, shared and supported me—I can’t begin to tell you how much it means to me. I love seeing the graphics that you make, and the gorgeous posts that you share. I am forever grateful for your support!
Lisa, Julie, Eric, Jen and Jim, I am very thankful to have such supportive and encouraging siblings in my life. Love you!
Nicole, Sue, Thompson, Pathi, Bell, Natalie, Annette, Carol, Margy, Steph, Mindy, Kristin, Laura, Anne, Abi, Kelly, Maggie, Leigh Anne, Julie, Nancy, Bev, Leslie, Florence, Tina, Renae, Cindy, Kelly & Kate, Darleen, Althea, Jess, Ariel, Heather, Shannon, Gabe, Brandon, Logan, Brock, Caroline, Hendershot, Liva, Kennedy, all the amazing ladies at d’annata boutique and Bloom boutique, and all of my friends who have supported me along this journey…thank you so much!!
Thank you for reading Peacekeeper, book 2 in the Montgomery Brothers Series. I hope you enjoyed it! Please consider leaving a review on Amazon/Goodreads!! They help authors SO MUCH!!
Other books by Laura Pavlov:
Montgomery Brothers:
Legacy (Book 1): https://amzn.to/3cai05D
A Love You More Rock Star Romance:
More Jade (Book 1): https://amzn.to/2YEpys8
More Of You (Book 2): https://amzn.to/2ZdOiGG
More Of Us (Book 3): https://amzn.to/2YKZQlX
Shine Design
Beautifully Damaged (Book 1): https://amzn.to/2Vr6uvu
Beautifully Flawed (Book 2): https://amzn.to/2FHr0mP
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