“My day is going fine for sure, since I get to walk down the aisle with Dakota.” Carrie pumped her fist. “I know he’s involved with someone, but he is so dreamy.”
The group laughed again, and Veronica was so happy to have her friends with her. A sudden knock on the door had them all turning in its direction. Veronica told whoever was there to come in. She let out a big squeal of surprise when she saw it was Doc Gleason. She ran to him, hugging him to her.
“I didn’t know if you and Dottie were going to make it or not. I’m so glad you did.”
“I wouldn’t have missed this for anything. I knew you two belonged together.”
“Oh, hush you old coot. You knew no such thing.” Dottie pushed her husband out of the way and hugged Veronica.
Doc glared at her. “I told you they would get together. That’s why I got Roni here…” He stopped when he realized what he’d said.
Veronica hugged him. “You are an old coot, but I love you.”
She kissed his cheek, and then whispered in his ear, “Thank you.” He beamed in response.
Dottie cackled. “Don’t tell him that. He’s hard enough to live with now.”
Everyone laughed, and then turned when Veronica’s father entered the room. He wore a proud smile, and wiped the corner of his eye when Veronica twirled to show him how she looked. He kissed her cheek and patted her hand.
“What do you say about getting you married, honey. Lincoln’s chomping at the bit.”
Lincoln had met her parents in February, when he flew Veronica to Florida for a surprise visit. Her dad and Lincoln had gotten along right away. He’d even told Lincoln he never really liked that dentist, which made Lincoln burst out laughing. Veronica’s mom liked him too, although she remembered his reputation when he was younger so was a little leery of him at first, but soon admitted he’d turned into a fine young man. She told Veronica she could see he loved her daughter very much, and that was good enough for her.
They heard the music start. Veronica started to chew her bottom lip.
“You’re going to chew your lipstick off,” Kendra scolded her.
Veronica quickly reapplied her lipstick. Taking a deep breath, she put her hand on her dad’s arm and looked up at him.
“I’m ready, Daddy,” she whispered. “Here we go then.”
He kissed her cheek, and patted her hand. “I’m happy for you, honey. Let’s get you to your man.”
Her man. She liked the sound of that.
LINC SAT IN THE ROOM staring out the window. It was such a beautiful day, he thought, but too damn hot out. Could Roni have picked a hotter day for their wedding?
He grinned thinking about her becoming his wife. He didn’t care if they had to get married in hell, he was going to marry her and always keep her happy. He glanced over to his friends. All of them in their tuxedos with purple boutonnieres. He smiled listening to them chatter and laugh like a bunch of women. He stood and walked over to where they had gathered.
“Almost time, Linc,” Lucas said to him slapping him on his shoulder.
“Yep. I’m ready to do this.”
“It’s about damn time you two did this. We always knew you must’ve been in love with her the way you mooned over her.” Cooper laughed.
“Since she was eighteen, I reckon. I admit it,” Linc said with a smile.
“Long time.” Dakota grinned.
“Are you nervous at all?” Mont stepped up to straighten Linc’s tie.
“Not yet. I probably will be when I’m standing at the altar waiting for her.”
“I guess we have one more wedding to get through after this,” Storm said glancing at Dakota.
Dakota shook his head. “I’m not so sure about that, unless you’re talking about your own.”
“Oh, hell no…been there, and done that.” Storm gave a mock shudder.
“I keep telling you, my friend, you can’t judge them all by Tracy. She just wasn’t the one for you,” Linc said putting his arm around Storm’s shoulders.
“I know that, but she was also the last one for me.” Storm raised his beer bottle in a salute.
The door opened just then, and the reverend entered. “Showtime, boys.”
Each one of them set their beer bottles down then looked to Linc, who took a deep breath, before walking out the door with them following behind to take their places at the altar. The wedding march began, and Linc’s heart stuttered with excitement. This is it!
Linc couldn’t see her at first but when he did, he lost all coherent thought. She was absolutely the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Her white gown was all lace with a long train. The sleeves were long, and her neckline off the shoulder. The neckline plunged deep to show off her beautiful cleavage. A pang of jealousy grabbed his gut and he glanced at his friends to make sure they weren’t noticing her assets. It took Linc everything he had not to groan aloud at the effect her beauty was having on him. He was really going to enjoy getting her out of that dress.
A lace veil covered her face as she walked toward him on her father’s arm. Her bouquet matched the others, but was larger. Linc noticed it was shaking and grinned. She was nervous. He wasn’t after all, surprising him. He couldn’t remember a time he hadn’t wanted this and it felt so right that he had no reason to hesitate. He’d love her forever and beyond.
Storm, who was standing up for him as his best man, whispered in his ear. “I’m happy for ya, Linc. When you have kids, name one after me.” He grunted when Linc elbowed him.
Kids? They hadn’t talked about kids but yeah, of course, he wanted kids. He wanted as many kids as they could afford. He wanted to be the kind of father his had been. They’d take their time since they were both young yet, and had careers. Well, it was Roni’s career that would be affected most but yes, he definitely wanted to see Roni carrying his children.
Roni and her father reached the end of the aisle. He could see she was smiling at him through the veil. Her dad leaned over and whispered something to her. She nodded in response. They stepped up so that her father was standing next to him and between them. The reverend asked who was giving this woman in marriage.
Mr. Bailey proudly announced, “Her mother and I do.” Then he took a seat in the pew beside her mother, and everyone else sat as well.
Roni put her hand out to Linc, he accepted it and kissed her palm, and then together they stepped up to the altar. She squeezed his hand and he squeezed back. They stood together before the reverend. Linc couldn’t keep his eyes off her. She was stunning in her gown. Her cheeks were pink and he so desperately wanted to chew the red lipstick off covering her lips. He felt his dick twitch. Now was not the time or place. He bit back a grin, and saw her frown at him. He raised an eyebrow at her.
“What so funny, Cole?” She whispered at him.
He leaned in close and whispered in her ear so the reverend wouldn’t hear him. “You’re making my dick hard.”
He chuckled when she gasped. “Lincoln Cole…you are in a church.”
“Like that makes a difference. I can’t control it.” Linc smiled.
When she snorted, the reverend frowned at her.
“You two need to let me finish this before you start the honeymoon.”
Linc chuckled, as did Storm, Dakota, Lucas, Mont, and Cooper. “Sorry. Just a little anxious, Rev.”
“Keep your zipper closed, Linc,” Storm muttered, and then earned a look of reprimand from the reverend. Storm cleared his throat. “Sorry, Rev.”
“I know you boys haven’t been in church much, other than weddings, but do please behave.” He glared at Storm and raised an eyebrow. “Your time’s coming, mister.”
Storm chuckled and shook his head. “What was it Roni says? Oh yeah…not in this lifetime.”
Roni and Linc laughed. “Proceed Rev. I want to start my honeymoon before summer’s over,” Lincoln told him.
The reverend continued with the service. When he pronounced them husband and wife, everyone in the church cheered. Then he r
eminded Linc that he could kiss his bride. Linc lifted her veil up and cupped her face in his hands. He pressed his lips to hers and when she moaned, he pulled her tighter against him, his arms sliding around her, and deepened the kiss.
When he lifted his lips from hers, Roni tightened her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear. “The bra and panties are red this time.”
He groaned, and she laughed with him when he burst out laughing.
DAKOTA SAT AT A TABLE in the town hall watching all the wedding reception activities. He was happy for Linc and Roni. He really was, but he was envious too because his own happiness might be ending. He hated the thought of telling Megan he was moving back here. Maybe she won’t want to live in Dry River. What would he do then? He loved her, but this was his dream. To be here and able to work with Nathan, it was all they’d talked about since they were younger. He looked up to his brother and once Nathan became sheriff, they knew their dream was within reach. He sighed when Nathan pulled out a chair and sat down beside him.
“Are you doing all right, little brother?” Nathan asked him.
Dakota picked up his beer and took a long pull on it. “I’m fine.”
“Bullshit. Tell me the truth.”
He turned to look at his brother. “I feel like shit, okay? I’m surrounded by all you happily in love couples and I’m worried about Megan not wanting to move back here with me.”
“I wish I knew what to say.” Nathan sighed.
“You don’t have to say anything.”
“When are you going to tell her?”
Dakota shook his head. “I don’t know. I have to do it soon. I’m already cutting back on cases, and I told the firm I was leaving.”
“Do what you want to do, what you need to do. If you’d rather stay in Denver with Megan, then do it. Don’t feel pressured to move back here because of me.”
“I’m not moving back because of you. You know we’ve talked about being in law enforcement together for years and running the ranch together, and that’s what I want.”
“I know but if it means losing Megan–”
“She should come here with me because she wants to, not any other reason. There’s nothing keeping her there except her brother, who acts like a child. She has no close friends there because no one likes Aiden, but I’ll be damned if she can see that.” Dakota huffed. “I’ve never been so scared of anything in my life as I am of telling her I want…no, I need to move back here because it’s my home and it’s where I belong.”
“It all comes down to what you want to do, Dakota. I never thought you’d fall in love. You’ve managed to dodge it enough, but if you love Megan that much then maybe you need to think about that too. If you make the move here, you may lose her. Is it worth it?”
“I’m giving up my career in Denver to be here—for me. I want this, Nathan. I want to work with you and run the ranch with you. With me being the D. A. and you as sheriff, we finally get to work together.” He shook his head. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s just the party life, and the money she wants.”
“I don’t believe that. Megan loves you. I don’t think money matters to her.” Nathan told him.
Dakota shrugged. “I wish I was positive about that. It doesn’t matter. I’m moving here. I’ll talk to her about it as soon as I get back to Denver but if she won’t come here, then it’s over. Shit, she even had an excuse for not coming with me to the wedding. I think that’s kind of telling, don’t you?”
“Don’t know what to tell you. I know you’re hurting and I hate it.”
“Quit being the big brother. I’ll be fine.”
“I am the big brother, and I don’t think you will be.”
Dakota stood and glared at his brother. “Let it go, Nathan. I can only hope she loves me enough to follow me here…with or without Aiden. I know she likes my lifestyle in Denver, but here I’d just be a small town D.A. and a rancher instead of a high-class attorney. Just a small town guy with good friends…friends, she’s already suggested are the wrong kind.” Dakota shook his head in wonder. He stood, and watched his friends and their women dancing and laughing. “I’ll talk to her about it. If she refuses, then it’s over.”
**THE END**
About the Author
SUSAN WAS BORN AND raised in Cumberland, MD. She moved to Tennessee in 1996 and now lives in a small town outside of Nashville, along with her husband and their two rescued dogs. Although, writing for years, it was recently she decided to submit to publishers and signed a three-year contract with Secret Cravings Publishing. Since SCP closed their doors in August 2015, Susan is now with Blue Whiskey Publishing. She is a huge Nashville Predators hockey fan and also enjoys fishing, taking drives down back roads, visiting Gatlinburg, TN, her family in Pennsylvania, and her hometown. Although Susan’s books are a series, each book can be read as standalone books. Each book will end with a new story beginning in the next one. She would love to hear from her readers and promises to try to respond to all. She would also appreciate reviews if you’ve read her books.
You can visit her Facebook page and website by the links below.
https://www.facebook.com/skdromanceauthor
www.susanfisherdavisauthor.weebly.com
[email protected]
Other books by Susan FisherDavis:
JAKE Men of Clifton, Montana Book 1
GABE Men of Clifton, Montana Book 2
BRODY Men of Clifton, Montana Book 3
WYATT Men of Clifton, Montana Book 4
LUCAS Bad Boys of Dry River, Wyoming Book 1
MONTGOMERY Bad Boys of Dry River, Wyoming Book 2
COOPER Bad Boys of Dry River, Wyoming Book 3
Lincoln Bad Boys of Dry River, Wyoming Book 4 Page 16