A Wedding on Bluebird Way
Page 30
They were supposed to start walking down the aisle in time with the music, but her father turned and took both of her hands in his own. “Darling girl. That’s a good man up there. He’ll make you happy.” Bending down, he kissed her cheek. “Now, everyone’s going to start to talk if we don’t get moving. They’ll think you’ve changed your mind again.”
Brushing her hand under her eye, she nodded. Her heart felt so full, it almost hurt. “I love you, Dad.” She took a deep breath and turned toward her future. Hank’s gaze darted between her and her father, a crease of worry marring his brow. He hadn’t yet given up the idea that her parents would try to talk her out of marrying him. Silly man. She gave him a huge grin, and his shoulders relaxed.
With a slight hiccup, the student band started the wedding march again, and she and her father fell into step. The grass was soft and warm beneath her feet, and the sun heated her bare shoulders. She felt completely free. Free to love the man of her dreams. Free to be the person she truly was.
Her life had been in shambles last time she’d stood on this lawn. And she still couldn’t believe she’d waited until the last darn moment to realize the mistake she’d been making. Was still ashamed of the hurt she’d caused. But maybe she’d needed to make those mistakes. Life was a series of events, and, if she’d behaved differently, who knew what other path she might have been on. Whether it would have led to Hank. Maybe only by making all those mistakes could she discover just who she truly was—and the man she truly wanted.
“Thanks, Dad,” she whispered. She didn’t know if he heard her above the music. But his words meant everything to her. He’d said them before twelve months ago.
But today, she believed them.
Her father handed her off to Hank. Slipping her hand into his large, calloused palm, she squeezed. It was just another beautiful day in Serendipity, Texas. A bluebird sang nearby, uncaring of the wedding that was happening beneath him. Yesterday the local high school team had won their baseball game. Tomorrow would be another lazy Sunday filled with visits on front porches and fried chicken and sweet tea.
But today was different. Today was hers. She looked into Hank’s whiskey eyes, loved the way they crinkled around the edges, and she knew.
Today was the day her dreams came true.
The bluebird gave a satisfied little hop and took to the air again, circling over the small crowd sitting in folding chairs and landing unseen on the petal-strewn path beside the wedding party.
* * *
Chance sat beside Harper as Savannah spoke her vows to the man she loved. He felt the rightness of it, as if both their lives had come full circle. Savannah had followed her heart, and in the end, so had he.
Strangely enough, it was that earlier wedding, the one that didn’t happen, that had led him to the love of his life. He and Harper had married last month, right here at the Bluebird Inn. Jessy and Jenny had walked their mother down the aisle, and Chance had said his vows not only to Harper but also to his new little daughters. Now he couldn’t imagine life without them.
Harper’s hand crept into his. He held it tight. Thank you, Savannah, he thought. That mad escape from our wedding was the best thing you could have done.
The bluebird found a delicious mealworm that the owners of the Bluebird Inn had put out for her. What lovely hosts they were. With the worm tucked into her mouth, she flew back to her four babies, growing big and strong in the nesting box.
* * *
“Since you shared your special day with us . . .” Tom Loving paused to slide his arm around Felicity’s waist. The guests and the wedding party were seated under the reception pavilion, and the wedding toasts had just come to an end. “We have some special news to share with you.”
Every gaze in the place momentarily swung from the new bride and groom to Tom and Felicity, who’d been married last July in these same gardens.
Overcome by the happy emotions of the moment, Felicity rested her hand on her abdomen. They’d decided to wait until she was in her sixth month before announcing their impending bundle of joy. She’d done her best to camouflage her expanding belly, wearing loose-fitting clothes, but she was getting too big to keep up the charade.
“You’re pregnant!” Savannah squealed and hopped from her chair to rush over and envelope Felicity in a warm hug.
And then everyone was hugging Felicity and slapping Tom on the back and giving them heartfelt congratulations, and flinging questions at them.
“When are you due?”
“July 4th.” The same day she and Tom had married.
“Boy or girl?”
“A boy.”
“What are you going to name him?”
“Tom Junior.”
There were sighs of joy and another round of enthusiastic hugs, and Felicity’s heart filled to the bursting point. She knew at last the curse had been broken. All the sorrow she’d suffered, all the loss she’d experienced, had led her to this breathtaking moment.
To this man.
And the baby they would soon welcome into the world.
Tom had come into her life and brought the bluebirds home. Brought her more bliss than she could possibly fathom, and she was grateful, so very grateful for the love brimming all around her.
The bluebird flitted through the pavilion to delighted laughter, and she whistled a soft kew, kew.
Yes, yes. There was great happiness here in her rich new home, with so much more to come.
Lori Wilde creates more magic in
HAPPY IS THE BRIDE
New York Times Bestselling Authors
LORI WILDE * JANET DAILEY * CAT JOHNSON *
KATE PEARCE
1 Wedding, 4 New York Times Bestselling Authors, 5 Happily Ever Afters!
Stirring up all the romance and excitement a bride could hope for—plus a healthy dose of unforeseen shenanigans—four of today’s most dazzling bestselling authors deliver the wedding of the year, where there’s something—and someone—for everyone . . .
Opposites attract when a wealthy cattleman and a penniless artist decide to get hitched at a Texas dude ranch in tornado country—and the whirlwind festivities are as filled with surprises as their love . . . especially when the guest list includes: one pretty party crasher on a mission, a sheriff known as the One-Night Stand King, and a workaholic event planner who definitely did not plan to fall for a laid-back cowboy. Toss in a shocking behind-the-scenes bet, a fateful power outage, and a man of honor and a best woman determined to see the worst in each other (between hot kisses), plus thrilling lessons in love at first—and second—sight, and the celebrations are going to go all night long!
Start a new series with Allyson Charles!
FOREVER HOME
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Isabelle Lopez has never been a dog person. Raising her daughter alone and building a real estate career leaves no time for four-legged furballs. When she finds an abandoned mutt and a litter of pups in a foreclosed apartment, Izzy intends to drop them off at a shelter and walk briskly away. Instead, her “heroic” deed makes her a local celebrity. Her boss is thrilled. Commissions are up. And thanks to gorgeous shelter owner Bradley Cohen, Izzy’s disciplined life is suddenly much, much more complicated.
He’s got a sexy smile, a wicked sense of humor, and a big, noble heart. Even as Izzy tries to get her libido to heel, boy, Bradley sets out to convince her there’s more to life than padding her bank account. But Izzy knows a trade secret that puts Brad’s beloved shelter at risk, and she can’t warn him.
Their relationship was barely getting started; suddenly it’s in the doghouse. Now Izzy and Brad need to figure out what matters most, and whether this could be much more than animal attraction . . .
Dreams come true with Stacey Keith!
DREAM ON
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With a nine-year-old daughter, an overdue light bill, and a job slinging burgers while zooming around on rol
ler skates, Cassidy Roby is not living the glamorous life. But Cuervo, Texas, has its charms: quiet streets, loving family, and the down-home familiarity of knowing which of your neighbors are mean as snakes. With Cassidy’s reputation, she knows what will happen if she steps a foot out of line. But how can she help it now that Mason Hannigan’s back in town?
As Cuervo’s high school quarterback ten years ago, Mason was all rock-hard abs and yes-ma’am manners. Now that he’s living the glitz and glory of the NFL, he’s all that plus a couple million bucks. The desire blazing between them is too hot to hide. Cassidy has some experience getting her heart broken by the hometown hero—and having the whole world watch her try to pick up the pieces. Will adding fame, fortune, and paparazzi be a playbook for disaster—or lead to the biggest adventure of her life?
Get to know the Tylers of Texas with Janet Dailey!
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He’s a man ready to fight boldly for his future ...
There’s a secret in Rose Landro’s eyes, a mystery that Special Ranger Tanner McCade is determined to uncover. Even if the beauty isn’t behind the cattle rustling he’s investigating, she’s way too skittish and all too exquisite for Tanner to just let slide past his piercing gaze. Then he discovers a vulnerability in Rose that has him aching to protect her—and longing to possess her....
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, LORI WILDE is a fifth-generation Texan, a registered nurse with a specialty in forensics, and a certified yoga instructor. She’s written over seventy-five books, most of them set in her home state. She loves creating stories of stalwart cowboys and heart-melting military heroes to share with her readers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ALLYSON CHARLES lives in Northern California. She’s the author of the Pineville Romance and Forever Friends series. A former attorney, she happily ditched those suits and now works in her pajamas writing about men’s briefs instead of legal briefs. When she’s not writing, she’s probably engaged in one of her favorite hobbies: napping, eating, or martial arts (That last one almost makes up for the first two, right?). One of Allyson’s greatest disappointments is living in a state that doesn’t have any Cracker Barrels in it. You can find her at www.allysoncharles.com or @1allysoncharles.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Award-winning author STACEY KEITH doesn’t own a television, but reads compulsively—and would, in fact, go stark raving bonkers without books, most of which are crammed into every corner of the house. She lives with her jazz musician boyfriend in Civita Castellana, a medieval village in Italy that sits atop a cliff, and she spends her days writing in a nearby abandoned 13th century church. But the two things she is most proud of are her ability to cook pasta alla matriciana without burning down the kitchen and swearing volubly in Italian with all the appropriate hand gestures.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JANET DAILEY’s first book was published in 1976. Since then she has written more than 100 novels and become one of the top-selling female authors in the world, with 300 million copies of her books sold in nineteen languages in ninety-eight countries. She is known for her strong, decisive characters, her extraordinary ability to recreate a time and a place, and her unerring courage to confront important, controversial issues in her stories. You can learn more about Janet at www.JanetDailey.com.