by Ginger Scott
I was getting ready with Sienna at Sarah’s house, when I finally got his text that they’d made it home.
Hey, we just got in. Dad’s getting ready. He’s nervous. It’s funny.
The thought of Buck feeling nervous made me smile. He’d been married to a strong woman before—Millie. But Rosie was different. I felt like he had finally found his equal.
Well make sure you get him there on time!
I joked, thinking about how pissed Rosie would be if the boys showed up late.
Oh we’ll be there, Princess. Can’t wait to see you!
His words warmed my insides, and I pushed myself to soak in the now. Tonight, he couldn’t wait to see me. That was my reality, and by God I was going to enjoy it.
Sarah braided Sienna and my hair into twists and loops, wrapping it atop our heads. Sienna tackled Sarah’s since I was useless when it came to things like this. We all had these cute white shirtdresses with cowboy boots. Rosie had picked them out, saying she hated the traditional bridesmaid look that got relegated to the back of the closet as soon as the ceremony was over.
Her daughter-in-law was also joining us in the ceremony, and we spent the first hour, long before the boys arrived, taking pictures. It was a little warm outside, which made me even happier to have a light cotton dress on. I was fanning myself with one of the wedding programs when I heard the familiar rumble of Reed’s Jeep.
I stood up and shielded my eyes from the setting sun when I heard his whistle.
“Whoa,” he said, walking up to me in dark jeans with his boots and a dark gray jacket over his dress shirt. If I didn’t know he was a football player, I would have mistaken him for a bull rider. I’d never seen him dressed in his country finest, and I had to admit, it was hot as hell.
“Whoa, yourself. You look hot, Wildcat,” I teased, also reaching around him and stuffing my hands in his back pockets to cop a feel of his awesome ass. He jumped a little when I did, which made me giggle. He reached around me and dipped me backwards in his arms, dangling me dangerously close to the ground before he kissed me and pulled me back up to his body, swinging me around.
“Not a Wildcat anymore, remember?” he said, his smile lighting up his face.
“Yeah, but Charger just doesn’t have the same ring to it. It’s not really a pet name. I think I’ll still call you Wildcat if that’s okay,” I joked.
Reed just lifted me in the air again and twirled me around once more. “You can call me whatever you want,” he winked, setting me back down gently. He flitted at my skirt a bit while I turned around to let him take the outfit in. “Rosie did good. You look unbelievable. Like I just picked you up from some stage in Nashville.”
“Hey, careful, buster. I might start singing,” I said, causing Reed to cringe a little and squint one eye. Music didn’t run in my veins, and when I tried to sing for real it rarely came out on key.
“Reed! I need some help, son. Pronto!” Buck shouted from a side door in the dressing room area of the barn. Reed just turned to look at me one more time, grabbing my hand and kissing it.
“Looks like I have to give the old man a pep talk,” he laughed, and then got a little serious all of a sudden, stepping in closer to me. “I’ll see you on the aisle?”
I just nodded and pushed him a bit, urging him to go to help his dad. “Yeah, yeah…you’ll see me,” I said, gulping a little and pushing down my anxiety that was starting to rear its ugly head.
“Nothing’s wrong, we’re okay; he’s not gone yet.” I thought.
The barn was lined with rows of white chairs, and every seat was full when the ceremony finally started. The fiddlers played a beautiful classical tune that I didn’t recognize, but it still had a country flavor because of them. I turned the corner of my hallway and met Reed at the door to walk down the aisle together. He reached out his arm and I took it, smiling up at him and just breathing him in.
We walked slowly down the row of seats, and I scanned the crowd for my family, smiling at them. I found Becky, and Sean, and Calley, too, and they whistled at us like we had just been announced homecoming king and queen. When I turned back to Reed, I realized he was only looking at me, his eyes never leaving my face. I smiled at him, and he returned it, his gaze never wavering. He walked me up the small steps at the front of the barn and leaned in to kiss me softly before we both stepped to our respective sides, whispering in my ear, “I’ll see you soon.”
The rest of the girls and guys filed in behind us, and both of Rosie’s sons walked her down the aisle, hugging their mother and shaking Buck’s hand before taking their seats at the front.
The wedding was officiated by an old friend of Buck’s, and he told funny stories throughout the ceremony, sometimes embarrassing Buck and leaning in to ask Rosie if she was sure she was making the right move. Everyone would chuckle, and Rosie would always say she was sure. The way she looked at Buck was enviable. It was what I wanted—to know that you had someone. Completely.
When the couple said, “I do,” the barn erupted in cheers, guests tossing white rose pedals at Buck and Rosie as they walked back down the aisle. Reed and I were next, and he just grabbed my hand, leading me through the rain of flowers in a jog, laughing and happy. We were happy. Perhaps our happiest.
The band started playing almost immediately, firing up the crowd and getting people on the dance floor. Sarah of course had danced with every guy available and was working her way through the girls. Reed, though, never left my side. He swung me around the dance floor, surprisingly good at the country two-step, and held me close for the few slow songs the band played.
We all stood back in a circle when Buck and Rosie took the floor for their dance. The band played a cover of Adele’s Make You Feel My Love, and watching Buck whisper in his bride’s ear, kiss her cheek, and hold her adoringly, made my knees weak and put tears in the eyes of a lot of the other women at the party.
Reed just stood behind me throughout the entire thing, his arms locked solidly around my body, and his chin resting on my shoulder, while he leaned down to be at my level. Each time I’d turn to look at him, I’d catch his eyes already on me, and he would take the opportunity to kiss me softly.
It was quickly becoming the most amazing night of my life. After a little while, we all found our way to the tables under the twinkling white lights the girls and I had strung. The effect only added to the stars that shown bright above, the full moon out for display, too. Rosie’s food was devoured, and soon after our plates were cleared, the servers started passing out the champagne. I took my glass and tasted a tiny sip, peeking at Reed and making a funny face.
“Don’t like it?” he scrunched his face, asking me.
“It’s okay. I never really cared for champagne,” I said, taking one more tiny sip and reevaluating my opinion a bit. “Well…actually, this is kinda good.”
He poked my side a little and kissed my neck. “Slow down there. I don’t need you getting all bold and tipsy and taking my dad’s clients to the pool tables down the road and hustling them out of cash.”
I was about to dish it right back to him when we were interrupted with the clanking of glasses and spoons, Buck getting our attention. A few people in the audience groaned, an inside joke about Buck’s long speeches.
“Yeah, yeah. It’s my wedding, and I’ll talk if I want to,” he teased back, belly laughing. When the room finally quieted, Buck took a deep breath and turned to Rosie before looking back out at the guests seated before him. “Thank you all, so much, for coming on out here tonight. I hope you’re having a good time. Chuck? Don? Great music boys!” Buck said, holding his glass up to toast the band.
“Tonight’s a big deal for me. Now, I know what you’re thinking. ‘But Buck, we’ve been to your weddings before’…and yeah, you have. I have a shitload of toasters, so thanks for those,” he laughed, getting even more chuckles from the crowd.
“But tonight’s different. You see, this one?” he said, leaning over to kiss Rosie’s head. “This one’s fo
rever. She’s seen me at my worst. Hell, she’s taped me up and put me back together more times than my own mother. She’s yelled at me for being stupid, forced me to eat right, forgiven me for sneaking gallons of ice cream, and didn’t judge me when I told her I had young girlfriends because I was afraid of dying.”
The crowd was quiet at his words, his face full of love and affection as he turned to Rosie and spoke his words right to her. “Rose, my love. It took me years…way too many, I know…to get my head on straight. But it’s on there now, straight as an arrow. And I am so happy that I get to spend the rest of my years making up for lost time with you. I love you, my heart, and my soul. And thanks for picking me right back.”
Rosie stood at his words and grabbed both sides of Buck’s face, kissing him on the lips and causing a renewed round of cheers and whistles from the crowd. Everyone lifted their glasses in the air and took a drink in their honor. I was setting mine on the table when my napkin slipped from my lap and I bent down under the table to pick it up. Just then, I saw Reed’s boots step up on top of the seat next to me and heard the clanking of his spoon on the glass again.
“Sorry…almost done,” he said, his voice so similar to his father’s now. “I’m the best man, and it’s sort of tradition that best men say something at these things. I’d know…I’ve done this before, right Pops?” Everyone laughed at Reed’s joke, picking on his dad’s marriages. His father just wadded up his napkin and threw it at his son.
“I’m kidding, I’m kidding. I love you Pops, you know that. And Rosie, you’ve been family to me my entire life. Tonight? Well, that’s just a formality for me. It makes it official.” Reed gulped a little, looking down, his eyes wide and concentrating.
“It’s funny, I do this a lot. Talk in front of crowds. But sometimes I get nervous. Phew, I’m a little nervous now,” he reached down to take another sip from his glass. I felt bad, I almost wanted to rescue him. I knew he didn’t really like attention. He tolerated it, played his part when he had to, whatever it took to get back out on the football field. I squeezed his hand at his side, and he looked down, his eyes intent on me, and his smile faint and thoughtful. He left his gaze on me when he continued to talk, and I hoped it would help calm his nerves.
“So, I’m supposed to say something wise—something meaningful, and deep—about love. But everything I know about love you taught me, Pops. So it just doesn’t seem right passing on any words of wisdom to you here,” he spoke, his eyes still trained on mine as he lifted one side of his mouth into a half smile, his irresistible dimple punctuating his words. That dimple. I was done the first time I’d seen it.
“I’m not going to give you any advice. At least, not anything you don’t already know. But I would like to tell you what I’ve learned, what you’ve taught me. I’ve learned that sometimes love is hard. Life makes love hard, constantly pushing against you and finding things to throw in your way. And sometimes those things knock you down. No…they knock the shit out of you, knock you on your ass, isn’t that what you said, Pops?”
“Sure is, son. Sure is,” Buck piped in, leaning back in his chair, his face proud, and his head nodding. I looked back at Reed, his eyes never once leaving me. My heart was starting to race from his attention.
“Right. It knocks you on your ass. But then you get up. You get up, because that person, the one you love more than anything on earth…well, putting it bluntly, like my father taught me, they make getting your ass knocked down worth the trouble,” Reed said. He was speaking to me, and I knew it. My hands were sweating from the attention, but my heart was swelling for the love from this man, the fact that he was washing away my insecurities right here, in front of everyone.
Reed stepped back down from his chair to the ground and everyone reached for their glasses, getting ready to toast. Only Reed didn’t reach for a glass. Instead, he pushed his hand in his pocket and pulled out a tiny antique box, holding it for a few brief seconds in his giant hand before slipping down to one knee in front of me. I heard the gasps and a few whimpers from my friends just before the entire scene folded in on me, my ears drowning out everything but Reed. “Oh my God!” my mind screamed.
“Nolan. From the moment I met you, I knew you were different. You were tough, and honest, and smart, and funny, and beautiful. But you also fit me, like nothing else in my entire life had ever fit before. You are all of my missing pieces,” he spoke, shaking his head a little as he laughed to himself softly, his eyes returning back to mine. “You are the good in me. What drives me, what motivates me. Yeah…I love football. But what I leave out there on that field, it’s all for you. And I’d give that all up in a second if I had to. Because you…well, you’ve knocked me on my ass. But you’re worth all the trouble.”
Reed flipped the box open, revealing an antique ring with small swirls of diamonds and a pearl at the center. It was beautiful and perfect. It was old, and told a story, like our love. I couldn’t blink, but rather could only sit frozen in my chair while Reed knelt before me. I managed to look up briefly at my mother, her eyes teary and a smile on her face. Reed followed my gaze and looked back at me, grinning mischievously. “Oh, they know all about this,” he said, reaching into the box while the crowd snickered a little at my surprise. I was shaking now, my arms covered in goose bumps.
“Nolan Lynn Lennox. I’ve got a plan, and I hope you’ll be on board with it. You see, I have to leave soon for San Diego. And I’m going to be far. And I’m going to be busy. And I’m not going to get to come see you anytime I want. And it sucks, and I hate it, and I’m so sorry it makes you sad. But I’d like to make you a deal,” his voice so warm and gentle, his words making my eyes water and my hands shake. He reached down to wipe away a tear, leaving his hand on my cheek for a second just to touch me.
“You wear this ring and promise me you’ll love me forever, and when you’re done with your fellowship next year, we’ll get married. That’s it. No more ups. No more downs. Just me and you—and our forever,” he said, pulling the ring from the box and holding it in front of me. Forever. Reed wanted me…forever.
My fingers tingled, and my eyes zeroed in on Reed’s, the smile still there on his face. It never left, not once all night. Through the shock, I managed to stretch my lips into a smile, and I reached to touch his hands, nodding yes.
“Yes? Is that yes?” he asked, our foreheads touching while he slid the ring on my finger. It was a perfect fit, and I’d wear it for always.
“Yes,” I choked, the tears falling a bit now. “Yes, I’ll marry you Reed Johnson. You’re worth the trouble, too.”
He stood and lifted me with him, swinging me around and knocking into the table a little, neither of us caring. “That’s a yes, everyone,” Reed shouted. “Drink up! She said yes!”
Sarah was the first to whistle, her fingers in her mouth so it carried loudly through the desert air. Everyone else joined in after, but all I heard were Reed’s words in my ear.
“You have no idea how happy you’ve just made me, and I’m going to spend the rest of my life trying to make you just as happy,” he said, kissing me long and hard, his hands holding my chin and face.
“You already do,” I said, happy tears falling now.
“God I love you,” he whispered, hugging me tightly to his chest.
“I knew you did,” I said, holding my breath and staring into the eyes I’d just made a promise to love forever. He smiled at my words, the same ones he had said to me the first time we uttered those words to one another. He just held me tighter then, and never let go.
Epilogue
Reed
My body felt like it had been carried under a freight train. I’d taken beatings in college ball, and I thought practices had toughened me up enough, but I’d never been hit like I was out on that field today. I stood there like nothing was wrong, though. I’d keep it to myself until I got home, and Nolan forced me to soak in ice. Part of me thought she kind of liked torturing me with the freezing ice baths.
I’d fina
lly gotten my shot at starting. Four long years as the number two, with a play or two here and there, but this year the starting gig was finally mine. I played well today. We won, and I threw two passes to the end zone. But that one interception was going to plague me. I caught Nolan’s eyes as she stood to the side on the field, waiting with my dad. She knew I’d be replaying the interception all day, too. She just gave me a thumb’s up and mouthed, “You were awesome,” her attempt for me to shrug off my error. I wish I could; it just wasn’t in me.
The San Diego media had been hounding me all week leading up to the game. The team was mine this year, and I was going to sink or swim. Today, at least, I’d get to live to another Sunday. I gave Nolan the sign for a few more minutes while one of the camera guys clipped a microphone to the front of my jersey. One more interview. I could do this.
The questions were always the same: What did you learn under Sampson? Do you feel ready? What do you need to work on? I rattled off my answers by rote, changing a word around here and there, just to make it seem as if I was saying something fascinating and new.
The reporter was just getting in the groove of his questioning, when I looked over and realized Nolan was gone. My dad was still there, so I wondered what had happened. I knew I was irritating the reporter, because I was so damned distracted, but I couldn’t help but search for her. I usually met her in the family area, because the field was pretty crowded after the game.
“I’m sorry. Can I just take a short pause? I just need to check on something. I’m all yours in just a sec. I promise,” I said, unclipping the mic and handing it to the camera guy while I slid through the crowd of reporters to my dad. “Hey. Where’s Noles?”