Susan and Duke were jubilant when Damien and Eve had decided to marry, and this joint wedding would be the culmination of months of planning on Susan’s part, one wedding easily stretched to become two, though she’d had to change the date slightly.
Sharon Colton remained at the ranch, finally emerging from her shell now that she was no longer under Darius’s grip. She’d started a support group for battered women and traveled often to Bozeman, where she’d headquartered her office.
Church bells chimed the hour and a hush fell over the crowd. Finally, the sound of hooves on pavement filled the air. Two white, horse-drawn carriages turned the corner, decorated with white and peach roses, clattering down Main Street. The two brides, Susan and Eve, both decked out in ornate white gowns, rode in the first. The grooms, Duke and Damien, wearing matching gray tuxedos, followed in the other. They would arrive at the church, where the rest of the family and wedding party waited, seconds apart, and the ceremony would commence.
Because both Susan and Eve had wanted small weddings, the ceremony itself was by invitation only and had been limited to family and close friends. Later, everyone in town was welcome to attend the huge reception at the Colton ranch. The Rollaboys had been booked to play, Kelley’s Cookhouse would be catering the reception, and the open bar provided by the Coltons ensured the celebrations would last long into the night.
Inside the church, two nervous brides prepared to walk up the aisle at the same time, sharing their father’s arms. They knew two loving cowboys waited for them, both wearing identical looks of love on their handsome faces.
And Duke and Susan Colton, Damien and Eve Colton, were pronounced husband and wife. Both couples kissed sweetly.
When the ceremony was over, everyone lined the streets to watch them go past before racing to follow them. For the first time in recent history, the ranch house would be opened to the public, and the two newlywed couples would receive guests for two hours, before joining the party.
Despite the double wedding, the two couples were taking separate honeymoons. Duke and Susan were traveling to Jamaica and Damien and Eve had chosen Ixtapa, Mexico.
And when they returned, Damien would be moving to Eve’s house. He’d agreed to continue to work on the ranch, side by side with the rest of his family.
He planned to persuade Eve to let him adopt her unborn child, giving him or her the Colton name. Once she’d agreed, which he had no doubt she would, he looked forward to good-naturedly needling all his brothers that he would have the first Colton baby. He had no doubt one of his brothers and their new bride wouldn’t be far behind.
All in all, Damien planned to live a life full of happiness and love with his beautiful wife, Eve, and their baby. A normal life in the Big Sky Country, exactly as he wanted. Happily ever after. Of course.
Special thanks and acknowledgment to
Karen Whiddon for her contribution to
The Coltons of Montana miniseries.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-7627-1
COLTON’S CHRISTMAS BABY
Copyright © 2010 by Harlequin Books S.A.
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*The Pack
**The Cordasic Legacy
Colton's Christmas Baby Page 19