All the teams had been determined and Polly’s part in the race was done. As she set her pencil down, Nate came up behind her and put his arms around her. They’d been through good times and they’d lived through hardships…and now they were starting a new life together. Polly leaned her head back and rested it against his chest.
“Hello, stranger,” she said, planting a kiss at the base of his neck. She loved this man so much. In the week since they’d faced the fact that they loved each other she’d felt such a peace. She knew that she could have made it on her own, that she was strong enough to have made her life here in Mule Hollow enjoyable and fulfilling. Though she’d lived through the loss of her beloved Marc, God had fulfilled the verse that she’d read that morning in the Book of Psalms: The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation. And it had been true, God had never left her as she’d gone on with her life. He’d been her strength and her song when she was weak. And he’d been her salvation in the worst of times. She would have been okay, but God had brought her to Nate for a reason.
She felt blessed that He’d given her a new love so remarkable, so unexpected. She didn’t know what the future held for them, but she knew that she was excited to live it and find out as they went.
“Hello, yourself,” Nate said into her ear. “So how’d the pairing off go over?” he asked, snuggling close.
“Oh, if Norma Sue and Esther Mae wanted sparks, well, there they are.” She nodded down the way a bit to where Dan Dawson stood grinning cockily at Ashby Templeton. Ashby, looking less than thrilled that Norma Sue had pulled their names out of the hat and teamed them up, had her arms crossed, a frown on her face and fire flashing in her usually composed eyes.
Nate chuckled and pulled Polly close, nuzzling her neck. “That right there ought to be interesting. You smell delicious,” he said, sounding distracted.
Polly chuckled and turned into his arms. “If they make it back in one piece they might actually find out those sparks they’re sending off could fuel a lifetime of love. I’m so happy. Did I tell you how happy I am? And I hope there are a whole lot of these couples who find what we have.” Polly cupped Nate’s chin. “So is everything set?”
“Everything is set. Lacy’s about to make the announcement. Are you sure this is the way you want to do it?”
Polly smiled warmly all the way from her heart. “Positive. I don’t want to waste another moment. Is Gil ready?”
“He and Bogie are waiting. He’s so happy,” Nate’s voice caught and his eyes, so intense, seemed to look into Polly’s very soul. “Pollyanna, do you know how blessed I feel?”
“I feel the same way.”
“Hello, everyone, y’all come gather around, please,” Lacy said over the microphone that had been set up at the platform in the center of Main Street. “We are so glad for this tremendous turnout for our Mule Hollow Fair day. Before we get the fun under way, though, we have an awesome surprise in store for everyone. We’re having a wedding!”
Nate grinned and kissed Polly soundly on the lips as whoops erupted from cowboys throughout the crowd. “Are you ready to be my bride?” he whispered, stepping back and holding out his hand.
Polly looked from Nate toward the platform where a beaming Gil and Bogie waited beside Pastor Lewis and Lacy. Polly had never been more ready for anything in her life.
Life is for living, babe.
“Oh, yes. I’m sooo ready,” she said, and placed her hand in Nate’s, her heart bursting with love when he smiled down at her. Then, hand in hand, they walked through the crowd toward their new beginning. Along the way people called out their good wishes, smiling and whooping with joy for them.
And somewhere on the gentle breeze Polly heard a familiar soft whisper from her past…“Catch ya later, gator. Have a beautiful life.”
And looking up at Nate, Polly knew she would.
STEEPLE HILL BOOKS
ISBN: 978-1-4268-1177-7
NEXT DOOR DADDY
Copyright © 2008 by Debra Clopton
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