"Finn showed me." With her heart throbbing right at the base of her throat, Lily did a quick survey of the room, finding Miranda near the punch bowl, and then the man himself coming straight at her. She'd wondered if he'd show up, but based on the crowd in the room, moving from image to image, and clustering around the table of finger foods Hinkley's had provided, she shouldn't have. Without exception, everybody in this town took any opportunity for a social gathering.
Even curmudgeons, apparently.
Lily put on her best attempt at a smile as Finn got closer, ducking his head in greeting, his hands tucked in the pockets of his jeans. It was disappointing the way her heart quickened, but she supposed the wound was still open. With some time in Denver, it would heal, and then she'd move on. She just hadn't figured out that part yet.
*
If Lily had suffered as much as he had over the last few days, she didn't show it. Or she was good at hiding it, anyways. Or maybe he'd just missed the sight of her so bad she would have looked good with all her hair shaved off, wearing a paper bag. She'd have looked pretty as a picture either way, and his heartbeat thudded at the base of his throat.
Finn shifted, glancing at Tessa, then tipped his head toward Miranda at the refreshments table. "You gonna go get yourself some punch?"
She nodded, wriggling out of Lily's arms and to the floor, skipping off as if she didn't have a care in the world. The girl had been sorely disappointed when Lily hadn't been present for her last riding lesson, but he hadn't had the heart to tell her he wasn't sure any of them would ever see Lily again, even if her horse was left behind. When Noah had told him about the show at the library, he couldn't have stopped himself if he wanted to.
And now that he had her in front of him, he had no idea what to do with her, what to say. He wondered if she'd noticed he'd taken off his wedding band, if she could see in the extra worry lines in his face that he'd retired the rooster tea kettle and the silly colored dish towels. That he'd moved his bed across the room so he had a different view when he woke up. And that he'd discovered none of that stuff was bad, even if it was different.
She stepped up to bat, filling the silence like she always had.
"I trust Encore's not giving you any trouble? Dane said you guys put him out to pasture."
"For now." He nodded. "Just waiting to see how his owner wants to proceed."
She shifted, looking uncomfortable.
"I'm looking into retirement farms for him. Dane said it was okay to leave him until I found a place."
Well, that smarted more than he expected. As long as Encore was still at the Baylor ranch, he had a tie to her.
"He's fine with us as long as you wanna leave him. But you don't have to move him, Lily."
She cleared her throat, her lips pressed together in a thin line when she looked back up at him, her eyes filled with regret.
"I know you think you do, but you're a part of our family now and so is Encore, so he's welcome to stay as long as he needs." And so are you. "It's not like he's a bother or we don't have the space. And it gives you an excuse to come and visit Emma and Noah once in a while."
He shouldn't have kept going—he knew as well as anybody that here, in front of everybody, wasn't the place to have this conversation, but he couldn't help but feel like if he let her go without at least giving her an idea what he was feeling, he wouldn't get another chance. So maybe you got a second chance at a good life, but you didn't get third and fourth chances to make things right when you'd made a mess like the one he had.
From a spot near a huge picture of the Baylor children, Nan Montgomery called out to Lily, and she turned, her entire body slumping with what he could only assume was relief, as the older woman made her way toward the two of them. As she did with everyone, Nan had found her way to and made instant friends with Lily during her time with them.
"Lily, these photos are amazing!" Even Nan hadn't been neglected in the series—wedged in between a picture of Cutter on his front porch and Jonas and his calf was Nan, standing proudly next to the fall blooms in her garden. She wrapped Lily up in a hug and Finn wished he could do the same. "Aren't they amazing, Finn?"
"They sure are," he said quietly. It hadn't gone unnoticed that there were a good number of photos of him. Even if she wasn't saying it out loud, she'd intentionally chosen him—in the photos, at the very least. And that had to count for something. It was time he intentionally chose her.
*
"Can I have everyone's attention, please?" Noah's voice boomed over the crowd gathered in the library, and Lily turned from where she'd been showing Tina, the waitress from Hinkley's, a photo from her shoot at the Anderson ranch. "Lily, why don't you come up here?"
Blushing, with cheeks already sore from all the smiling she'd done, she crossed the floor. Noah raised a punch glass. "Here's to Lily Jacobs. She's made the whole lot of us look better than we ever have. And for that, we are grateful."
A chuckle rippled through the crowd as they raised their glasses and drank to her, and her heart warmed. Nate, and Caine Baylor, and a couple others stepped forward to raise their glasses in her honor, and then Finn cut through the crowd, his eyes locked on her, and she felt her stomach sink all the way to her toes.
"I have something to say," he said, stepping out into a clear space in the middle of the floor. "And it isn't a toast. But it's something."
His gaze focused on hers and Lily felt her stomach rise into anxious butterflies. He let out a long breath and she felt, for a moment, like she should cross the floor and stop him from saying something that might embarrass them both, but instead she crossed an arm over her midsection and bit into her lower lip.
"I know there's probably been a bit of speculation around town about what's been going on with Lily Jacobs and me. And that's a bit juicier because I've been a bachelor since Sunny died." A wave of nervous energy moved through the crowd. Apparently, they weren't keen on being called on their rumor mill. "So I'm going to tell you the truth, so that it's out there. You all know how much I enjoy fixing people's horse problems. Lily brought me a horse to fix. He's not an easy guy, but she cares about him, and she's stuck by him through a lot. And I don't know if I can fix him. But I learned a couple of things while I was trying. One of those things is I have some problems that need fixing, too. And the other thing I learned is I can still love a woman."
Lily could feel her heart beating through her entire body, and her fingers dug into her arm. Her heart ached, and felt like bursting, all at once. As private a man as Finn Baylor was, to expose himself like this, in public, to put fuel directly onto the fire of the town's gossip line—well, that meant something. She could barely believe what was happening.
"And I love this woman. I love you, Lily Jacobs. And I'm not afraid for my family, or my friends, or the whole town to know that. I was scared before, and I messed up a good thing up. I didn't think you got to have a second chance when you'd already had a good life, but I was wrong. I'm not looking for a replacement for my wife, and it's a good thing because you're not her, and you'll never be her. But that doesn't mean I can't love you just as much. Maybe more. And that doesn't mean I can't have a good life—the best life—with you."
Another murmur rippled through the gathering, but Lily couldn't take her eyes off him. Finn Baylor was standing in front of God and the world and telling her he loved her. And she knew the truth was she felt the same. It was then she noticed his missing wedding ring—something she'd always subconsciously been mindful of. She swallowed, waiting for his next words, tears stinging her eyelids.
"I'm not an easy guy, either. I've made a mess before and I can guarantee I'll make at least a hundred more. I'm a little rough around the edges…a curmudgeon, I think, is what you and Emma call me. I don't deserve for you to stick with me like you stuck with that old horse. But I'm hoping you will. We don't have a decade of good times to fall back on, but I'd like to look forward to making that happen" One corner of his lips tipped up in that playful smile she loved
so much. "So what I wanna know, Lily, is…will you stay on and give this a go, or am I gonna have to follow you to Denver and spend a few more months convincing you to stick with me?"
A laugh bubbled up in her as she crossed the floor in a few quick strides and stepped into his arms. Just like that, everything that had felt wrong for the last few days seemed to right itself as Finn cradled her close this chest, one hand sliding over her hair. She felt his warm breath close at her ear as he spoke words just for her.
"I love you. And I'll spend the rest of my life showing that to you if you'll let me."
"I love you too, Finn Baylor," her words barely squeaked past the big ball of emotion in her throat. She relaxed into his embrace, feeling the most certainty and ease about the future that she had in a long time.
—EPILOGUE—
Finn shifted foot to foot, hands folded in front of him, his heart about to explode. Noah's hand landed on his shoulder, his fingers tightening, and Finn let out a long, grounding breath.
"You've got this," his brother reminded him.
If someone had told him even six months ago that he'd be standing in front of a group of his friends and family, waiting on a woman to walk down the aisle to become his wife, he'd have laughed them out. Now he was stone serious, flanked by his brothers, his eyes trained on the door of their cabin as he waited for Lily to emerge.
He held his breath when the door opened, but it was Emma, then Kerri, who came into view, not Lily. Half the time they'd spent planning this wedding, he'd worried Lily would get cold feet. He hadn't made things easy for her, afterall. But once he'd made the decision that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, it was simple for him—all of his stress and guilt and anxiety faded away, replaced with the certainty of loving the woman who'd essentially brought him back to life after losing Sunny.
Emma and Kerri reached the front and flanked him on his other side, and finally, the acoustic guitar music being played by Chase Reicher changed from a little twangy and fun to soft and solemn as the door opened for a third time and Lily emerged on her mother's arm.
Beside him, he heard Banks ask the assembled guests to rise for the bride, but he couldn't focus on a single thing except how amazing Lily looked as she made her way slowly toward him. She'd chosen a simple, lacy dress that hit her just below the knee and accented the curves he loved so much, but she could have been wearing a paper bag and still looked incredible. Every movement, and noise, and person around him faded away in favor of the huge smile on her face and, as she got closer, the tears welling up in her eyes.
They stopped halfway up the short aisle and Finn stepped forward, offering her his hand. She smiled up at him and slipped her fingers into his before they walked together the rest of the way to Banks, who motioned for the group to sit.
"Friends and family," Banks began, addressing the audience. "It's my great pleasure to welcome you here to witness the joining together of Finn Baylor and Lily Jacobs as husband and wife. I have been blessed to know Finn his entire life, and Lily...well, she's a dear friend of my brother, and that makes her family to me. Three times I've been privileged enough to officiate the marriages of the young men of the Baylor family, and I think I speak for everyone when I say that today is special.
"Many people only get one chance at great love, but this man right here has been deserving enough to be given a second chance."
Finn glanced at his friend briefly. These words hadn't been included in the initial run-through they'd done last night.
"And I can say that, because Lily told me to." Banks' eyes twinkled with mischief and Finn directed his gaze back to Lily, who was smiling through tears.
"Love is a pretty amazing thing," his friend continued. "It brings light to the darkest corners, forges the deepest connections, and heals even the most broken. I think it's safe to say love has done these things for Finn and Lily, and we couldn't be happier that she showed up on the ranch when she did."
It was only then that Finn could finally tear his eyes away from Lily and glance back at the group assembled around them. Behind him, Banks asked if anyone had any objections and the crowd was quiet. His mother sat in the front, tears visibly streaming down her cheeks. When he looked back to Lily, she was doing the same.
"Do you both come here of your own free will to be joined together as husband and wife, partners in the walk of life?"
"We do," they replied together.
"The couple have prepared promises for one another." Banks nodded to Finn.
He took a deep breath, his heart thundering in his chest. A decade ago, he'd repeated a set of generic vows after the sheriff, but the personal vows this time had been his idea. Words written by and repeated after someone else couldn't do justice to the love that filled him up now.
"A long time ago, I decided my lot in life was to be alone, but you changed my mind in half a heartbeat. I love your tenacity, your kindness, and your devotion—things that I might never have experienced if you had just let me run you off the ranch like I wanted to. You weren't about to give up on that old horse, and I'm thankful you didn't give up on me, either.
"I promise to never give up on you, Lily. To lift you up and support you in whatever way you need, walk beside you every day, and carry you when you need it. I won't ever try to snuff out that stubborn, spirited, creative streak you've got, because it pushes me out of my comfort zone and makes me a better person. That's the thing, Lily—everything you touch seems to come out better when you're done with it. You see things, in the beginning, through the lens of your camera, or just the frame of your heart, that nobody else can. Good things. Important things. Things that I had lost sight of. I don't know how I'll ever measure up, but I promise to always strive to be the husband you deserve, and to mirror the tenacity, kindness and devotion you've already shown me. I look forward to our next sixty years together."
She made a soft noise that sounded like a laugh and a sob, her eyes still streaming, and he found his vision was blurred by tears as well. With a smile, he pulled out the tiny, delicate handkerchief his mother had tucked into his pocket just before the boutonniere was secured, and, using the corner, gently dabbed at Lily's tears. She soon took it from him and returned the favor, while Banks looked on, giving them all the time they needed.
When she'd had a second to compose herself, Lily drew in a big breath and began.
"You aren't the man I thought you were when I first arrived in Three Rivers, Finn Baylor." She paused, and he held his breath, and then was rewarded with her broad smile. "You are so much more. You're patient, and kind, and good. You gave me time, even when you didn't want to. I've never felt more protected, or more cherished, than I do when I'm with you. You gave me back so much more than I knew I had lost when you let me into your home, and your heart. I love the support you give me for all the silly things I do, even if you don't understand them.
"I promise to be as patient, and kind, and good to you as you've been to me. I promise to push you when you need it and hold you when you need that, instead. To laugh, and love, and stand beside you every day. To be your partner, wherever this life takes us. And to never give up on you, or us."
He didn't have the words to express how grateful he was for that. He could be a stubborn man, but that was different than the gentle, insistent way Lily rallied for the things she loved, and the things she needed. He squeezed her fingers lightly, and Banks gave it a moment to be sure they were finished before he continued.
"Lily Jacobs, do you take Finn Baylor to be your husband, to love him and cherish him, and to carry him in your heart for the rest of your days?"
"I do." Emotion weighed heavy in her voice, and Banks turned then to Finn.
"Finn Baylor, do you take Lily Jacobs to be your wife to love her and cherish her, and to carry her in your heart for the rest of your days?"
Without hesitation, he replied "I do."
"Good enough," Banks said with a laugh, then motioned to Noah. "The rings, please."
Tak
ing them from Noah, Banks held up the simple bands they'd chosen.
"A ring is a perfect, simple symbol—with no beginning, and no end. It reminds you of who you are, where you've been, and where you are going—together. A marriage is a journey, not a single destination. It has no beginning, and no end, just daily, moment-to-moment chances to love and be loved to the best of your ability."
With trembling hands, Finn slipped the ring onto Lily's finger, repeating line for line after Banks.
"Lily, with this ring, I bind my life to yours. It's a symbol of my love, friendship, and the promise of all my tomorrows."
She smiled big, her tears had moved off in favor of a tiny little bounce. They were getting close to the big part—the part that made all of this real. What he saw in her was reflected in his heart as she slid the ring he'd chosen—tungsten carbide in place of the gold band he'd been wearing for the last decade—into place.
"Finn, with this ring, I bind my life to yours. It's a symbol of my love, friendship, and the promise of all my tomorrows."
"Folks, it brings me the greatest pleasure," Banks said, "to declare these two amazing people husband and wife. Finn, go on and kiss that girl already."
Lily stepped into his arms, the most natural thing, and he covered her mouth with his, dipping her back. And when they rose, he felt like every part of his heart was in the right spot for the first time in years.
*
As Nate took the mic to toast the newly minted Mr. and Mrs., Lily glanced for the hundredth time at the white gold band nested next to the simple channel set engagement ring Finn had given her just six months earlier. It seemed impossible that she could love someone this much, that she could tie her life to someone so unequivocally. And when she felt Finn's warm, gentle touch on her bare shoulders as Nate began, she knew it wasn't impossible.
While Nate regaled the gathering with the story of Finn mistaking her for his own girlfriend when she'd arrived, Lily took a moment to look out over the gathered group. So many of them new friends, so many of them lodged so deeply in her heart it didn't matter how long they'd been there.
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