by Marie Force
“We love you, too,” Ella said for all of them.
Regan poked her head into the crowded bedroom. “Cameron, your dad is here.”
Cameron suddenly felt light-headed and anxious about her big surprise. While she was excited for him to see her in the dress, she had no idea what to expect.
“We’ll give you a few minutes alone with him,” Hannah said, ushering the others from the room.
Cameron took a series of deep breaths, trying to find some inner calm while she waited for her dad. Will had decided that the men in the wedding party would wear white shirts with khaki pants and brocade vests that matched the gold bridesmaid dresses. They’d gone round and round about ties or no ties, and in the end, Will had gone with no ties because he just wasn’t a tie kind of guy.
Seeing the ensemble for the first time on her dad, Cameron had to agree that the no-tie look worked perfectly for the casual vibe they’d wanted for the wedding.
Patrick came through the bedroom door and stopped short at the sight of her. He’d been about to say something that died on his lips. “You . . . That . . . Your mother’s dress,” he said on a long exhale.
Until he said those words, Cameron would never have admitted how badly she wanted him to recognize the dress. “Yes.”
“Ali . . . God, Cam, you look so much like her.” He rested a hand over his heart, scaring her for a second until he recovered his composure.
“I wondered if you’d recognize the dress.”
“Recognize it? I see her in it every day when I look at our wedding picture in my office. Yes,” he said gruffly. “I recognize it. How did you get it?”
“With a little help from Lena. I hope it’s okay.”
“Cameron,” he said with a sigh as he wiped tears from his face, “of course it’s okay. It’s an amazing gesture.”
“I wanted her to be here today in some way, and it was the only way I could think of.”
“It fits you like a dream, and you look as beautiful as she did wearing it.” He withdrew a velvet box from his pocket and held it out to her. “I gave this to her on our wedding day, and I’ve been saving it for you.”
Cameron’s hands trembled as she took the box from him and opened it to reveal a diamond solitaire necklace. “It’s beautiful, Dad.”
“I used all the money I had in the world at that time to buy it for her, and after the wedding she said we should sell it because we needed the money more than she needed a diamond necklace.” As he spoke, he helped Cameron put it on, securing the clasp and then resting his hands on her shoulders to look at her in the mirror. “I told her I planned to make plenty of money, and there was no way she was selling her wedding gift.”
“She loved you so much. I’ve always known that because of the way she looked at you in the wedding pictures.”
“I loved her, too. I always will.”
“I’m sorry about the way you lost her.”
“I’m not, and she wouldn’t be either. We wanted you very much, and she’d never want you to feel guilty about something that wasn’t your fault. It was a terrible tragedy, but this isn’t the day for feeling bad or guilty. This is your big day, and you’ve honored your mother every day of your life, but never more so than today.”
She hugged him. “Love you so much.”
He kissed her forehead. “Love you more.”
“No way.”
“Yes way.” He looked down at her, his blue-eyed gaze softer than she’d ever seen it. “Ready for this?”
“I’m so ready.”
He held out his arm to her. “Let’s go.”
SEVEN
NEVER HAD A day gone by slower than this one had. Every minute had felt like an hour as Will waited for the appointed time to go home and get married. He and his groomsmen had taken over his parents’ house to get ready, and Will had spent much of the day pacing from one end of the barn to the other.
He wasn’t nervous at all. He was ready, and having to wait all day had been the purest form of torture, especially because he hadn’t yet spoken to Cam. A day without Cameron was its own brand of torture, and reminded him of the time they’d spent apart after they first met. He’d hated being apart from her and had counted down the minutes until they could be together again.
He was doing the same thing today, constantly checking his watch, which moved far too slowly for his liking. Fortunately, his brothers had left him alone for the most part. A few digs here and there about the pacing and the watch-checking, but they’d gone easy on him, which he appreciated.
At the appointed time, Hunter had driven him and Colton to the cabin, the three of them unusually silent during the ride. Passing the place where he’d first met Cameron, Will smiled at the memories of that fateful night and all the days that had followed. Thanks, Fred.
When Hunter took the right turn onto the dirt road that led to the cabin, Will’s heart began to beat faster. Never had coming home meant more than it did right now, knowing Cameron was there, waiting for him, prepared to take vows that would give them forever together.
“You okay back there?” Colton asked, breaking the long silence.
“Yep.”
“Need anything?”
“Nope.” That wasn’t entirely true. He needed her like he’d never needed anything or anyone else. Soon enough . . . She’d be his wife and they’d have the rest of their lives to love each other.
The yard had been transformed in his absence. An arbor of flowers was positioned in front of rows of chairs separated by an aisle down the middle. The entrance to the tent had been artfully decorated with hay bales, corn stalks, pumpkins and chrysanthemums of every color.
They’d gotten a gorgeous sunny late autumn day that only added to the perfection of the scene before him. It was everything they’d hoped it would be, and it was right here in the place they called home. He loved that she’d wanted to do it here when she had the resources to do it anywhere in the world. He loved that she wanted what he did—their simple life in Vermont, surrounded by his big family, working for the family business.
Someday he might understand how he’d managed to find the perfect woman for him, but so far that understanding eluded him. Whatever higher power had put her in his path that night last spring deserved his undying gratitude.
His brothers and Troy poured out of trucks behind him, each of them in high spirits while Will stood off to the side, his gaze fixed on the cabin, hoping for a glimpse of his bride. As the guests arrived and took their seats, Regan handed out boutonnieres and instructed him and the other groomsmen to wait in an area away from where the ceremony would take place. Positioning the flowers on their lapels and trying not to stick pins in one another gave the guys something to do for the final few minutes.
Regan came out of the cabin, carrying a clipboard and a handheld radio that she spoke into as she approached Will. “Ready to roll?”
“Very ready.”
“Gentlemen,” Regan said with authority that made his boisterous brothers go silent. “Take your places, please.” She walked away talking into the radio, directing everyone to where they needed to be.
“Showtime,” Colton said, clasping Will’s shoulder and guiding him toward the arbor.
He felt everyone’s eyes on him as he and his brother walked down the aisle, where they were greeted with hugs from their father and grandfather.
“Love you both,” Elmer whispered in Will’s ear.
“Love you, too, Gramps. Thanks for doing this for us.”
“It is indeed an honor to have been asked.”
While a guitarist Regan had hired provided music, Lucas and Landon escorted their mother down the aisle. As she had the night before, Molly came forward to hug and kiss Will and Colton before taking her place in the front row next to Lincoln.
Next came Troy and Emma, followed by Hunter and Hannah, Ella and
Max, and Wade and Charley. After a long pause, Lucy and Simone appeared on the front porch, hand in hand as they proceeded toward the aisle.
Colton gasped at the sight of his fiancée, who was stunning in the gold dress that perfectly complemented her auburn hair. “Wow,” he whispered, making Will chuckle.
Lucy released Simone’s hand so she could drop rose petals on the runner that made up the aisle. When the little girl reached the front, she bolted for her Grandpa Ray, who held out his arms to her.
Colton stepped forward to steal a kiss from Lucy that made everyone laugh, especially when she gave him a gentle push to remind him of where he was supposed to be standing.
Still laughing at Colton’s antics, Will glanced at the house, and the laughter died in one long exhale as he took in the sight of Cameron on her father’s arm, waiting for Regan to give them the sign that it was time to go.
“Please rise,” Elmer said to the guests, who stood and turned to watch Cameron and Patrick.
Will had never seen anything more spectacular than the sight of his bride coming toward him, her dazzling smile making her eyes light up with the kind of pure joy he knew he’d remember for the rest of his life. She fairly sparkled in the bright sunshine as she met his gaze and held it, taking his breath away with every step she took closer to him.
He only blinked when tears nearly blinded him. Not wanting to miss a second of this, he kept his eyes fixed on her until she and Patrick were standing before him, and Patrick was hugging him and then Cameron as he joined her hand with his.
“Stunning,” he whispered to Cameron.
“Same to you, love.”
As Elmer welcomed their guests, Will decided that this, right here, was the best moment of his entire life. Nothing could top this. Well, until Cameron was passing her bouquet of fall colors to Lucy and joining her hands with his to officially become his wife. That was better.
After they had recited traditional vows, Elmer said, “Will and Cameron have a few words they’d like to say to each other before they exchange rings. Will?”
He’d prepared for this, thought about it for weeks, planned what he wanted to say to her, but now, looking down at her looking up at him expectantly, his mind went blank. Before panic could set in, though, she squeezed his hands and smiled at him, calming him enough so he could remember what he’d planned to say.
“From the first time I laid eyes on you, bruised and battered and furious at the moose who’d nearly totaled your car, I knew you were special. I didn’t know then how special you’d become to me, but I knew almost right away that if I let you get away, I’d regret it for the rest of my life. And now I get the rest of my life with you, and nothing could be better than that. I can’t wait to spend every day with you, to have a family with you, to work with you and grow old with you. I look forward to every single minute with you. I love you more than anything in this world, and I always will.”
Cameron leaned in to kiss him.
Elmer cleared his throat. “Not yet.” When the laughter had died down, he gestured for Cameron to take her turn.
“I didn’t want to come here, but my dad asked me to do it as a favor to him. And because he knows I can’t say no to him, here I am marrying the man who saved me from the wild moose, the mud and a lifetime of wishing for all the things I now have, thanks to you and your wonderful family. I’ve never felt more at home anywhere than I do with you and our dogs and the Abbotts all around us to keep life interesting. I had no idea how lonely I was until I found you. I love you, I love your family, I love Vermont, I love our cabin in the woods and our dogs. I love sharing an office with you and working with you and everything else we get to do together. And before Lucas or Landon can make a joke about that, I mean it in the cleanest way possible.”
“Damn,” Will said, sparking a new outburst of laughter.
“She beat us to it,” Landon said.
“Colton, may I have the rings please?” Elmer said.
Colton gave a deer-in-the-headlights look that had Will’s heart falling.
“Kidding.” He handed them over to their grandfather.
“Payback is a bitch,” Will whispered to his brother.
Elmer handed Cameron’s ring to Will.
He slid it onto her finger. “Cameron, with this ring, I thee wed.”
She did the same with his ring, adding a kiss to the back of his hand when the platinum band was in place.
“By the power vested in me by the state of Vermont, I now pronounce you husband and wife. William, you may kiss your bride.”
Will put his arms around her and took a moment to look down at her gorgeous face before he drew her into a kiss. They’d agreed to keep it short and sweet, but now that it was upon them, he couldn’t help but linger.
“That wasn’t short,” Cameron said when he finally came up for air.
“But it was sweet.”
She smiled brightly at him.
He put his arms around her and held her close, wanting one minute with her before he had to share her with their guests. Close to her ear, he said, “You look so beautiful you took my breath away.”
“My mother’s dress.”
“Oh, baby, really?”
She nodded.
“It’s gorgeous.”
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Elmer said, “it gives me great pleasure to introduce, for the first time, Will and Cameron Abbott.”
As their guests applauded, Cameron took Will’s arm and walked with him down the aisle, where they were greeted by Tanner and Trevor, decked out in bow-tie collars for the occasion and supervised by Regan during the ceremony.
“Where did you boys come from?” Cameron asked as she kissed each dog on the top of his soft head.
“Dad brought them over to surprise you after the ceremony.”
“I love it. I wanted them here all along.”
“How about giving me some of the love you’re giving them, Mrs. Abbott?”
She stood up straight and wrapped her arms around his neck to give him a deep, passionate kiss that set his blood on fire.
“I love you so much,” he whispered against her lips. “You’ve made me so happy today—and every day since we met.”
“Same to you. I love you, too. More than you’ll ever know.”
As their wedding party came down the aisle in pairs, Will picked her up and swung her around while their dogs ran in circles around their feet.
* * *
THEY took a thousand pictures, or so it seemed to Cameron as she tried to remain patient until the photographer had all the shots and groupings they’d asked him to get. Her favorite was of the Abbott family in all their wedding finery—first just the original twelve with Will at the center between his parents, and then Elmer, Cameron, Nolan, Megan and Lucy joined them for another photo.
The bridesmaids surrounded Will in another picture and then Cameron found herself lying across the outspread arms of the guys. As always, there was much laughter and joking and typical Abbott humor to go around.
“Landon, get your hands off my wife’s rear end before I break both your arms,” Will said as he watched his brothers manhandle his new wife.
“Where else am I supposed to put my hands?” Landon asked.
“Anywhere but there,” Will replied in a low growl.
“Anywhere?”
“Landon!”
Cameron knew her husband wouldn’t appreciate her laughter, but how was she supposed to resist when his younger brothers were so damned funny?
“Dad, tell Landon to get his hands off Cameron’s rear.”
“Do I have to say that?” Lincoln asked, sparking more laughter from the youngest Abbott brothers.
“Yes! They’re out of control, and that’s all your fault.”
“They came out that way. We did what we could with them.”
“Cameron’s laughing!” Max said.
She slapped Lucas’s hand, which was getting perilously close to her right breast. “I am not!”
“That’s it,” Will said, coming to claim his wife from his brothers’ arms.
“Just for the record, I want the butt next time we do that,” Colton said.
“Since the next time is my wedding,” Hunter said, “no butt for you.”
“You guys are no fun at all,” Landon said.
“Are we fun?” Will asked Cameron.
“Lots and lots of fun, but of course I only speak for you. I wouldn’t know if Hunter is fun.”
“Lots of fun,” Megan said to much laughter and a wide grin from her fiancé.
“I think I’ve got everything I need,” the photographer said.
“Let’s party!” Cameron said.
Will scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the cabin. “We’ll be right back.”
“No mid-wedding quickies!” Colton called after them.
“I’ll remember you said that on your wedding day,” Will said over his shoulder.
“Where’re we going?” Cameron asked him, her arms wrapped around his neck and her head on his shoulder.
“I want one minute alone with my wife.”
“Your wife is happy to comply.”
“What do you think of married life so far?”
“I’m finding it agrees with me quite well, but then again I knew it would.”
Will pushed open the cabin door, kicked it shut behind him and then kissed her passionately. He devoured her lips and thrust his tongue into her mouth, groaning when she rubbed hers against it. “How many hours until we can escape?”
“Five.”
“I’ll never make it.”
“Yes, you will. This is the only wedding we’ll ever have. I want to enjoy every second of it.”
“We’ll enjoy it.” He kissed her again. “Just give me five more minutes of this.”
“I can do that.”
She gave him ten minutes, until a tentative knock on the door had them pulling apart.