Outside, Harvey stood under the tree, with Father Mackenzie on one side, and his best man Sam, Tina’s husband, on the other.
“Sure you won’t faint, buddy?” Sam nudged him.
“Sure you won’t lose the ring?” Harvey asked.
“I’ve got a good mind to steal it,” Sam said. “What did you do, steal the Kohinoor diamond for her?”
Harvey grinned. “Never mind that. I got her a ring she deserved, that’s all.”
Sam smiled back.“This is it.”
The guests were all seated. Harvey spotted Degas and Elly, old friends of Nora’s. Just recently, Harvey had attended their wedding. He gave Degas a short nod, and Degas gave him a thumbs up.
The music had begun, and Harvey felt his body tense. His shoulders were thrown back, his gaze fixed on the door.
The ushers entered first. Sean was one of them, as was Harvey’s best friend from high school. After them, came the bridesmaids, Karen, Tina and Katya, looking beautiful in their mint green dresses with cream colored flowers woven in their hair, and bright yellow pumps on their feet.
Behind them walked Maynard the dog, carrying a basket of flowers in his mouth, and wagging his tail happily. A little girl, Karen’s niece, hopped along the aisle side by side with him, dropping petals as she went, while Simone’s son Will walked on the other side of Maynard, looking uncomfortable yet cute in his three piece suit. Tina walked after him, her face split into a huge smile. She winked at Harvey as if to wish him luck, and gave Sam a look of pure tenderness.
There was a pause. The music swelled. For a moment, Harvey wondered what he’d do if Nora simply abandoned him. Then, all negative thoughts were swept from his mind.
Nora swept out of the door, one hand hooked around Mrs. Mullally’s, her face shining bright with joy. She wore a mermaid style white satin gown that gathered at her waist, clung to the gentle curves of her hips, and then swept to the ground in a lacy tumult. Her eyes were sparkling as she looked at all the friends who had traveled to be with them. Petyr Von Kyburg waved at her from the side, as did Degas and Elly. May Almand was sniffing into a handkerchief already, while Mayor Almand looked a little teary himself. Angela was sitting next to Charlotte and Jeremy, smiling brightly at Nora.
But Nora’s eyes had caught hold of Harvey’s, and he was all she could see. His shoulders were thrown back, and his eyes glittered with emotion. There was triumph in his eyes, and more love than she had ever seen before.
As if in a dream, she walked down the aisle, and found herself facing him. Father Mackenzie spoke emotionally, as he addressed the crowd, and then Nora and Harvey themselves. As she spoke her vows, Nora couldn’t help but be glad that she’d stayed up nights to write them.
“You gave me a happiness I didn’t believe I’d find,” Nora said. “And you gave me the strength to embrace that happiness, even when fear found its way into my heart. I love you, Harvey Nathaniel, and I promise that I will do my best to build a happy home with you, and be the wife you deserve.”
As for Harvey, his words made more than one lady sniff. Tina herself was blowing her nose into a handkerchief by the time he was done. “You saved my life, Nora,” he said. “You saved my life by coming in to it. You made me aspire to be a better man, and you made me realize that I can be loved for exactly who I am. Thank you for giving me the chance to be by your side for the rest of our lives. I can’t wait to tackle it, one day at a time.”
“May these rings be blessed as a symbol of your union,” Father Mackenzie said. “May you remember your vows, and this beautiful day, each time you look at them. Now, do you, Harvey Nathaniel, take Nora Newberry to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
“I do,” Harvey said.
“And do you, Nora Newberry, take Harvey Nathaniel to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
“I do.” A tear escaped down Nora’s cheek, even as her lips burst into a smile.
“Well, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
As the onlookers got to their feet and clapped, Harvey took Nora into his arms and gave her a kiss she’d forever remember.
The End
*****
I love weddings! And this one means so much to me. I just hope you enjoyed it, as well!
If so, please let me know! I’d love to hear your thoughts on this book, as well as any others you may have read. You can EMAIL ME or drop me a line on FACEBOOK. And, of course, I’d love for you to sign up for MY NEWSLETTER so I can keep you informed of everything on my end (plus, you’ll receive a FREE BOOK just for signing up)!
As for now, I am already working on my next story and hope to have it to you soon. Until then, if you missed any of the other BOOKS IN THIS SERIES, they are all available on Amazon! And you can check out ALL of my other books on MY AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE! They are ALL FREE with Kindle Unlimited!
*****
Continue for your FREE RECIPE…
Nancy McGovern’s…
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*****
Continue for your FREE RECIPE…
One More Thing…
If you would RETURN TO AMAZON to give this book a positive review, I would really appreciate it! Thank you so much!
*****
Please continue for a delicious recipe…
A RECIPE FOR YOU!
Nora’s Take On:
Peanut Butter Bacon Burgers!
Total Time: 25 Minutes
Serves: 10
Ingredients
5 lbs. Lean Ground Angus Beef (80%/20%)
8 oz. Applewood Smoked Bacon
20 Slices Yellow American Cheese
Creamy Peanut Butter
3 Cloves Fresh, Minced Garlic
1 Tbsp Salt
1 Tbsp Seasoning Salt
1/2 Tbsp Pepper
10 Burger Buns
Directions:
1. Thoroughly mix the beef, salt, seasoning salt, pepper and garlic.
2. Divide the mixture into 10 parts and roll into “beef balls”.
3. Gently press the “beef balls” into patties.
4. Place the patties on a lined cookie sheet and set aside.
5. Set your grill to medium-high and while it heats up…
6. Fry the bacon to your preferred texture.
7. Once the grill is hot, place the burgers over the heat.
8. Cook the first side of the burger for 3-5 minutes, until the edges are browned.
9. Flip and cook for another 3-5 minutes, until just browned.
10. Remove the burgers from the heat, dress the top of each with bacon & cheese and set them aside for another 3-5 minutes. While the burgers sit…
11. Toast the buns on the grill and…
12. Dress the top & bottom of each bun with the peanut butter.
13. Place the burgers on the buns and serve.
14. Enjoy!
Death At A Wedding: A Culinary Cozy Mystery With A Delicious Recipe (A Murder In Milburn Book 6) Page 14