No sooner had their limousine parked in front of the building than another limo pulled up some distance away. Jenna saw Jake’s parents step out and start toward them. “What’s going on, Jake?”
Jake took her hand in his. “My parents have something to say to you.” Jake squeezed her hand in his before she could pull away. “Hear them out, Jenna. It’s the least you owe me and the least they owe you.”
The Remingtons were dressed up. Danforth was clad in a tuxedo, Patricia in a mother-of-the-bride-style dress. The chauffeur shut the door behind them and moved away from the car.
The older couple exchanged a glance, then Danforth began to speak in a low, somber tone. “We owe you an apology, Jenna, and we’re here to give it unreservedly. All these years, we’ve been championing Melinda, hoping that she and Jake would get back together and make things work.”
Patricia admitted this was so with a troubled nod. “The party Saturday night showed us how wrong we were.” She shook her head at the remembered hurt and humiliation in front of all their friends. “Melinda doesn’t love Jake, and never has. You, on the other hand, have never stopped loving him, even when we did everything we could to push you away and keep you from Jake. But that’s over now, Jenna,” Patricia promised solemnly. “Jake’s father and I are here to tell you we were wrong to try to break the two of you up, and that it’s never going to happen again. In fact, we’ve promised Jake we’ll do everything we can to help you two find your way back to each other. This time for good.” Patricia’s voice caught as she looked from Jenna to Jake and back again. “We want you to be a part of our family, Jenna, from this moment on.”
Jenna had only to look at their faces, listen to the emotion trembling in their voices to know they were speaking from the heart. And that somehow the miracle she had always prayed for had occurred. Jake’s parents had opened their hearts and minds to her. At long last, they were willing to give her a chance. And now they wanted her to give them one in return. Could she rise above the past, just as they were, and begin again?
“What changed your mind?” Jenna asked, still struggling to get past the hurt.
“Jake made us realize that you are the key to his happiness—and Alex’s.” Tears glistened in Patricia’s eyes. “And that’s all we’ve ever wanted for our son and granddaughter, for them to be happy.”
Danforth nodded, and continued thickly, “We have a lot of making up to do.” He looked at Jenna steadily, all the acceptance she had ever wanted in his eyes. “But if you’ll give us and Jake a second chance, we know we can be the happy family we were meant to be.”
Danforth turned to Jake. “It’s up to you, son.”
Patricia leaned over and kissed Jake’s cheek “We’ll see you inside,” she said as she and her husband started for the door of the warehouse.
Jake took Jenna’s hands in his the moment they were alone. “My parents aren’t the only ones who owe you a Texas-sized apology, Jenna,” he began gruffly. “I’ve hurt you, too. Instead of just assuming my parents could and would never change, I should have gone to them a long time ago and poured my heart out to them. I should have made them see you’re the only woman for me. Instead, I let them keep us apart—”
“It wasn’t just you,” Jenna interrupted tearfully, knowing she had to throw it all out and let the chips fall where they might. “I let them do it, too. I should have fought for you, Jake. I should have stood up to them years ago. Insisted they get to know me, instead of sneaking around, indulging in a romance I was sure was destined to end. But I didn’t because I was afraid, Jake.”
“Of what?” Jake drew back to look into her face.
“Everything,” Jenna confessed on a ragged whisper. “That you wouldn’t love me as much as I love you. That our backgrounds and life-styles were just too different for us to make this work.”
“Differences can be nice,” Jake interrupted, kissing her deeply. He looked at her with quiet confidence. “They can be very nice.”
“Yes.” Jenna sighed, relief and wonder flowing through her in waves. She kissed Jake back with all her heart and soul. “They really can.” And it was wonderful that they all finally knew it. Curious, Jenna looked back at the building. “So what’s really going on inside there?” she asked, her pulse racing with anticipation.
Jake’s gray eyes softened seriously. “You remember promising not just to marry me but to elope with me?”
Jenna nodded, tightening her grip on his hands. “What does that have to do with what’s inside the warehouse?” she asked cautiously.
“Well,” Jake sighed, regret shimmering in his eyes, “you know when you accused me of only loving you when no one else was around, of loving you best behind closed doors?”
Jenna flushed. How could she forget how wrong she had been? “Yes—”
“Well,” Jake drawled, using his grip on her hands to draw her closer yet, “I got to thinking, maybe you had a point.” He looked at her steadily, everything he felt for her in his eyes. “Maybe I hadn’t made it clear enough how I felt about you, Jenna. So to rectify that, I called up everyone we know, including all your sisters, and Beau Chamberlain, ’cause now he’s family, too, and I told them all how I feel about you, and I asked them to meet us both here this afternoon.”
Her heart turning cartwheels in her chest, Jenna stared at the number of cars around the warehouse, noted the festive atmosphere, then turned her gaze back to Jake. “This is what you’ve been doing the past two days?” she asked incredulously.
Beau nodded solemnly. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. “I needed time to talk to my folks, to make them understand what was in my heart and get everything worked out before I saw you again. Of course, I couldn’t have done all this—” Jake looked around approvingly and gestured at the gussied up exterior of the warehouse “—without Beau’s help. That brother-in-law of yours is one helluva guy. He’s the one who got his favorite Hollywood set designer, Kiki Harrison, out here to work miracles on the interior. I saw it earlier, along with your sisters and brother-in-law, and she did one fantastic job!”
Jenna could hardly believe it, but at long last, it did seem that all her dreams were coming true. One thing about life with Jake, it would never be dull. “So, inside that warehouse is…?”
Jake hugged her close, letting her know with the tenderness of his touch that they had their whole lives ahead of them and, this time, nothing would force them apart. “The wedding of your dreams. Not to mention all our family and friends. So this is either going to be best wedding ever,” Jake predicted, gray eyes twinkling happily, “or the biggest public breakup in Texas history. So here’s your chance, Jenna,” Jake said softly and solemnly, “to pay me back for every hurt I have ever bestowed upon you and make the biggest fool ever out of me. Or say yes and marry me and make me the happiest man alive.”
Jenna knew what this was costing a man like Jake. If all this didn’t prove his love for her, nothing ever would. “I don’t want to make a fool out of you, Jake.” Jenna paused as she laid a hand over the strong, steady beat of his heart. “I want you to be a fool over me, the same way I’m a complete and utter fool over you. But that’s rather a different thing.”
Jake grinned back as he drew her all the way into his arms. “Well, that I am, woman.”
They kissed again, deeply, passionately, then stayed locked in each other’s arms. They drank in the sight and scent and feel of each other. There was so much to say. And yet, finally, nothing else that really needed to be said. They had only to look at each other to see all the affection and wonder in each other’s eyes.
“I love you, Jenna Lockhart,” Jake said quietly. He kissed the back of her hand tenderly. “And I mean that with all my heart and soul.”
“I love you, too,” Jenna said, knowing she had never been as happy as she was at that very moment.
Jake regarded her smugly. He leaned forward, kissed her brow, and took her all the way into his arms, sweeping a hand down her spine. “I kno
w.”
Jenna drew back, to look into his face. “You do?”
Jake nodded solemnly and laid his hand across her heart. “You can’t hide what’s in here from me. You can’t hide the kind of love we have.” The corners of his lips lifted ruefully. “That’s always been our problem, Jenna. We tried to hide our love from others instead of bringing it out in the open and letting it flourish.” He tucked his hand under chin, lifted her face to his, and looked at her with serious gray eyes. “I’m ready to let our love grow. Are you?”
Jenna nodded, tears of joy sparkling in her eyes. She kissed him again. Warmly. Thoroughly. “Yes, Jake. Yes.”
JAKE WAS RIGHT, Jenna realized moments later. The inside of the warehouse had been transformed into the most beautiful wedding chapel Jenna had ever seen. Beneath a white satin ceiling, the floor had been covered with plush carpeting. The ends of the pews were decorated with garlands of pale pink-and-white roses and plush greenery. Stands of antique silver candelabra lit the altar.
The hundreds of guests turned as they entered, as the hauntingly beautiful strains of a string quintet rose to meet them.
Jake took his place next to the minister and his three groomsmen. And the ceremony Jenna had been waiting her whole life for began.
Jenna’s three sisters, wearing matching pastel gowns, led the way down the aisle. Alexandra followed, looking every bit the proper young lady as she tossed rose petals in their wake. Jenna’s nephew Jeremy was next, carefully bearing the rings on a velvet pillow. Last but not least was Jenna, escorted down the aisle by her new brother-in-law, Beau Chamberlain.
When they reached the altar, Beau lifted Jenna’s veil, kissed her, and gave her away.
Then Jake and Jenna clasped hands and took their place in front of Jenna’s childhood minister. “For as much as these two persons have come to become one…”
“…to have and to hold…from this day forward…” Jenna promised.
“…for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, as long as we both shall live…” Jake agreed.
“I love you,” Jake whispered as he bent to kiss his bride.
“I love you, too,” Jenna whispered fiercely, kissing him back.
As soon as the embrace had ended, Alexandra rushed over to join them in a family hug-and-kiss session. Watching joyously, the whole congregation erupted in cheers, tears and applause.
To Jake and Jenna’s pleasure, the reception was held at the Remingtons’ summer ranch, and was every bit as lively and joyous and well-attended as their wedding ceremony had been.
“Thank you for everything,” Jenna told Jake’s folks sincerely as the evening got underway.
Patricia smiled, with warmth, understanding and acceptance in her eyes. “We wanted you to know we meant it when we said we welcomed you to the family,” she said thickly.
Danforth—a man as physically reserved as Jake was affectionate—nodded. He wrapped his arm around Jenna’s shoulders. “We hope you feel like you belong here now.”
At long last, to her relief and surprise, Jenna did. Happiness soared through her as she and Jake laughed through the toasts on their behalf, danced their first dance together as man and wife and cut the cake. Later, as Jake took a turn on the dance floor with his daughter, Jenna danced with John McCabe. Lilah caught up with Jenna shortly thereafter. Lilah shot a glance heavenward, murmuring, “I can’t help but think your parents are watching over you today, Jenna, and that they approve of the match you’ve made with all their hearts.”
Jenna had that feeling, too. She’d never felt her parents love more fiercely than she did that day. It did her soul good to know she wasn’t the only one who’d felt their presence. Glad for Lilah’s soothing maternal presence in her life, Jenna smiled and confided, “You were right, at the barbecue Saturday night, when you said Jake and I belonged together.”
Lilah wrapped an arm around Jenna’s shoulders and squeezed them warmly. “I’m happy you and Dani are both married. Now if only Meg and Kelsey would follow suit and settle down, too. You four Lockhart girls would be all set!”
Jenna knew Lilah had matchmaking in her blood, a trait that had only intensified since the McCabes had recently managed to marry off all four of their sons. Jenna grinned as she and Lilah helped themselves to some more champagne while the party rocked on around them. “Speaking of my sisters, where is Kelsey?” Jenna asked curiously.
Lilah looked around at the crowd. “Last I saw she was dancing with Rafe Marshall, the elementary-school principal.”
And one of her fickle baby sister’s many ex-boyfriends, Jenna thought.
“Her new business partner Brady Anderson did not look happy about it, either,” Lilah continued.
That did not surprise Jenna. Brady had been looking a mite romantically interested in Kelsey, even before they decided, against all sisterly advice, to jointly purchase the old Lockhart Ranch and enter into business together. “And Meg?” Jenna asked curiously.
Lilah continued looking around at the crowd, but to no avail—Meg was nowhere in sight. “Meg’s been edgy ever since we all arrived at the reception. The new chief of family medicine has been trying to talk to her.”
Jenna smiled as Jake and Alex finished their father-daughter dance, and headed her way. “What about?”
Lilah shrugged, clearly baffled by Meg’s behavior. “I don’t know. Every time he gets close to her, she heads off the other way.”
Jenna felt equally perplexed. “It’s not like Meg to avoid someone like that. Especially a colleague she’s supposed to work closely with.” Meg was always so polite and responsible. Jenna paused, figuring if anyone had a clue what was going on, it would be Lilah. “Well, what do you think?” she asked.
“I don’t know.” Lilah McCabe frowned, looking worried. “But I’d swear there’s another romance in the making there.”
Jenna laughed and shook her head. “You really expect all four of us to get married before the summer is over, don’t you?”
Lilah smiled. “You bet I do.”
ISBN: 978-1-4603-6774-2
THE BRIDE SAID, “FINALLY!”
Copyright © 2000 by Cathy Gillen Thacker.
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* Brides Babies & Blizzards
**The McCabes of Texas
† The Lockharts of Texas
‡ Too Many Dads
††Wild West Weddings
The Bride Said, Finally! (The Lockharts of Texas) Page 25