Tattooed Sweetheart: Sweetheart, Colorado

by Snow, Jenika

  Ryder came over and slapped my back in a brotherly way, his grin wide. “You forget,” he said with a hint of amusement in his face. “I can read your stubborn, grumpy ass. I know you’re nervous. But I’m sure your girl is too.”

  “Come on. Let’s go, so I can finally call Flora my wife.”

  We both headed out of the back room in the church and toward the altar. Although the guest list was pretty small, mainly friends we both made over the years in Sweetheart, Flora’s parents were present. Her sister, Tatum, was given—according to Tatum—the coveted Maid of Honor title.

  I made my way toward the front, took my place, Ryder behind me as Best Man, and waited to watch the love of my life walk toward me.

  I felt sweat start to line my spine, and I curled my hands into tight fists at my sides so they wouldn’t shake. My nerves were jumping frantically even more now, and the longer I waited, the worse it got.

  I couldn’t breathe, and my bowtie felt so damn tight it was like I was suffocating. I reached up and tried to loosen it, my heart racing when I heard the telltale music start up. I straightened, exhaling slowly and telling myself to not pass out, that finally she’d be mine in all sense of the word.

  The doors to the church opened, and Tatum walked down the aisle first. My heart was in my throat as I waited—impatiently—for my soon-to-be-bride to make her appearance.

  And then my breath caught when I saw Flora, her arm through her father’s, the veil covering her face blocking me so I couldn't see how beautiful she looked. Although just seeing her in that white dress had the breath being sucked from my lungs.

  They started walking toward me, my focus never leaving Flora. Even if I couldn’t see her face through the veil, I knew she’d be crying, just like I was on the verge of doing.

  When they were a few feet from me, they stopped. I was glad her father and mother had come to their senses, realized that Flora and her sister could accomplish anything they wanted. That didn't mean I hadn’t harbored some seriously pissed-off vibes toward them when Flora had told me they'd been less than supportive, but over these last couple years things had been better with them.

  And I was glad for that, because it meant the love of my life was happier.

  Her father kissed her on a veiled cheek, and then he was handing her off to me. My heart was in my throat as I held her tiny hand in mine and helped her onto the podium, wanting to pull her in close and kiss her right then and there.

  And then I reached out and gripped the delicate material of her veil, lifting it up and getting a glimpse of her face. I saw it every day for the last couple of years now, but even still, my breath caught, my heart raced, and I fell in love with her even more.

  “Beautiful,” I whispered, and she smiled, a light blush tinting her cheeks.

  And then we were going through the motions of the ceremony, and I couldn’t stop looking at her. I couldn’t stop memorizing every single inch of her face, or reeling at the fact that I was the luckiest bastard to ever live.

  “You may now kiss your bride.”

  I blinked, surprised we were already at this part. I’d been so transfixed by Flora that I had just gone through the motions, and here we were. The final thing. The kiss. The beginning of our life official now.

  I cupped her cheeks, leaned in, and kissed the ever-loving hell out of her. “My wife,” I whispered against her lips, still holding her face gently in my big hands. “Finally.” I felt her grin against my lips, and I kissed her again and again. “You were always mine, but now it’s official, baby.”

  She pulled back and stared up at me, her hands now over mine as I still cupped her face. “And you were always mine.”

  We turned and faced the guests, the grin on my face big, and I wasn’t ashamed to admit my eyes were a bit misty.

  I looked at my wife, my chest aching with pride as I thought that word.

  She. Would. Always. Be. Mine.

  Epilogue Two

  Malkolm

  Five years later

  I could already hear Izzie’s laughter before I even entered the front door. And my grin was instant. My little girl had the kind of laugh that could make even the coldest heart thaw. She took after her mother that way; that was for sure.

  I headed up the porch and opened the front door, stepping inside. Izzie was still laughing, and I could hear Flora saying something to her, which had Izzie in a fit of giggles.

  God, my girls made my day exponentially better whenever they were near.

  The aroma of dinner filled up the house and made my stomach growl. I toed off my boots, took off my jacket, set my keys in the little silver dish on the foyer table by the front door, and headed into the kitchen. Mixing with the aroma of pasta and homemade tomato sauce, I scented coffee with a touch of vanilla and caramel.

  And when I entered, I saw the love of my life leaning against the counter, a mug in her hand and close to her mouth, steam rising from the brim. She stared at Izzie, who was in full princess attire, the crown placed lopsided on her head, her wand in her hand as she made circles in the air. Whatever she just said to Flora made my wife laugh.

  I leaned against the frame of the kitchen entryway and crossed my arms, a smile tugging at my lips as I watched Izzie tell Flora about her newest dream, the intricate details so elaborate I wondered if my baby girl would grow up to become a writer. Her imagination was so incredible and detailed it amazed me daily.

  “Daddy,” Izzie cried out in happiness, and I drew my focus away from Flora and looked at my daughter. She was a spitting image of my wife, with her blonde hair and blue eyes. I grinned and bent down to scoop her up. She immediately started running her hands over my tattoos. She’d been mesmerized by them since she was a baby. She’d track them with her eyes at first, then run her little fingers across them. When she was old enough to talk, she’d ask me about them, wanting the stories that went along with each one.

  “Bubby was crabby today,” she said in that tiny voice of hers, and I couldn’t help but grin.

  “Was he?” I kissed her in the center of the forehead and adjusted her in my arm as I made my way toward Flora.

  “Was crying all day. Gave me a headache.”

  I chuckled softly. “How do you know what a headache is, baby girl?” My focus was locked on my wife as I grinned slowly the closer I came to her.

  “Daddy,” she said in an exasperated tone. “It’s when your head hurts. Duh.”

  I tipped my head back and laughed loudly. “That it is, baby. That it is.”

  “He’s sleeping now—” Before she could finish, a piercing scream came through loud and clear. “See? He’s so crabby.”

  I gave Izzie a kiss, set her down, and enveloped my wife in my arms, pulling her in close and kissing her fully on the lips. A low groan spilled from me at how good she felt against me.

  “Gross,” Izzie muttered before bounding off.

  “Missed you,” she whispered, and the sound of her setting her mug on the counter was a dim noise in my head.

  I growled, “I really fucking missed you. Gonna make that up to you tonight.” I felt her grin against my mouth before Ace cried out again. “I’ll get him.” I gave her one more kiss before pulling back and heading toward our infant son’s room.

  I opened the door to his room, the sound machine cranked on, Ace standing in his crib with fat tears rolling down his chubby cheeks.

  “Oh, poor baby,” I said with a smile as I shut everything off, turned on the light, and picked up my big boy. “Why the tears? Is life so bad?” I kissed the dark hair atop his head, and he clung to me. My heart was full at the love I got when I came home.

  He started babbling, and I gave him kisses all around his face. I might be big and tattooed, but I was a softie for the other three humans in this house.

  I headed out of his room and back to the kitchen. The sound of dishes clanking together came through a moment before I rounded the corner and saw Flora setting the table, Izzie right on her heels with the silverware. And ag
ain, Izzie was in the process of telling another story, this one about a cat that could read minds and make wishes come true.

  As I held our son in my arms and looked at my girls, I felt the overwhelming sensation that this was what being happy felt like. This was what being lucky was.

  This was my family.

  The shit I’d gone through in my life before meeting Flora had all been worth it, because if I hadn’t experienced it, I never would have gotten to this point. I didn’t know it was humanly possible to love this hard, to be this consumed with the need to protect and provide. But with my family, I had that in abundance.

  I had my tattoo shop, which was thriving better than I could have ever expected. Flora had her coffee shop, which was renowned in Sweetheart. I had my wife, and she forever had me. And then we had these two little miracles who were a little bit of each of us and showed us daily that great things came in time.

  You just had to work for them.

  About the Author

  Find Jenika at:

  www.JenikaSnow.com

  Jenika_Snow@yahoo.com