by Jaci Burton
Something was definitely up, and Josie couldn’t wait to find out what it was.
They went outside. Josie saw Loretta and Deacon, along with Hazel and Otis. They were all standing at the center of the deck.
“I know you all thought we were dedicating the new deck tonight,” Deacon said, taking Loretta’s hand in hers. “But it’s actually more than that.”
Deacon looked over at Loretta and gave her a smile, then turned his attention back to the crowd that had gathered. “We’re getting married tonight.”
Josie gasped. So did Jillian. Pretty much everyone did.
“We wanted to do this at our house, with our daughter present, and all of our friends here as well. We couldn’t think of a better way to start our lives together.”
“Well, actually, Mama, you and Deacon are already living together here,” Hazel said.
“I’m sure we can spare Pastor Fletcher those details, honey,” Loretta said, making everyone laugh, including the pastor, who stepped up, Bible in hand.
Josie had never met Pastor Fletcher before. She’d noticed when she’d walked in, there were people here she didn’t know, but she was still fairly new to Hope, so there were always people she didn’t know.
“Shall we get started?” Pastor Fletcher asked.
“Yes, let’s,” Loretta said.
Samantha McCormack brought out a box and pulled out a lovely bouquet of white roses and lilies, handing a large one to Sam and a smaller one to Hazel. Sam pulled out boutonnieres and placed one on Deacon’s shirt, and then another on Sam’s husband, Reid. She also wound a single rose in Otis’s collar. Then she pulled out another bouquet of peach flowers that matched her own very cute sundress and stood next to Loretta.
Josie grinned and turned to Jillian. “This is so fun.”
“And so unexpected.”
Figuring they should let Loretta and Deacon take center stage, they made their way around the couple and toward the back of the deck, where most everyone else had gathered.
Zach came up next to her. “Did you know about this?”
She shook her head. “No. Did you?”
“Nope. Obviously Sam and Reid did, though.”
“I guess so.”
The pastor started talking, and Loretta and Deacon held hands. What Josie enjoyed most about the ceremony was that Hazel stood between the two of them the entire time. Even though Hazel was Loretta’s daughter from her prior marriage, Deacon kept his arm around Hazel’s shoulder. Hazel looked up at Deacon like he was her personal hero. It made Josie’s eyes tear up, because Hazel needed a hero in her life, and Deacon was definitely that.
Josie sniffled when Deacon and Loretta said their vows, promising to love and care for each other forever. The pastor brought Hazel into their vows, and they both promised to always care for her. That made Hazel grin. It made Josie’s heart squeeze.
Then they were pronounced husband and wife, and they kissed—and what a kiss it was. Deacon tilted Loretta back and planted a hot one on her. So hot, Josie was certain the entire outdoors felt like a sudden humid rain forest.
Whew.
Loretta grinned, and Deacon set her upright. Hazel giggled and Otis barked and everyone clapped. Josie leaned against Zach. When he squeezed her arm and looked down at her, she felt a tingle of something she probably shouldn’t feel, but she’d think about that later.
Right now there was magic in the air. Magic and love and all kinds of possibilities.
Sometimes happily-ever-after could happen. At least for some people. She believed in those two people who’d just said their vows, and even more, she knew Hazel was in good hands.
Everyone applauded, and then it was just as if they really had come there for a backyard party, because coolers were thrown open, beers were handed out, and Deacon and a few of the guys started up the grill.
Josie and Jillian made their way over to Loretta and gave her a hug.
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me,” Josie said.
“Tell you what?” Loretta batted her lashes innocently.
“Loretta.”
Loretta laughed. “I’m sorry. We didn’t tell anyone. We wanted there to be an element of surprise, you know? Except for Sam and Megan and Reid, because Sam did flowers and Megan made a cake. And because we wanted Sam to be my matron of honor.”
Josie could only imagine how thrilled Sam must have been about that.
“Okay, you’re forgiven. And I’m so happy for both of you.” Josie looked over at Hazel, who was currently adjusting Otis’s bow tie. “For all of you.”
“We wanted to get married in as simple a way as possible, with all of our friends and family who could be here. And now it’s done, and we can go have our happily-ever-after.”
“Leave it to you to make it simple, yet beautiful and meaningful,” Jillian said. “I’m so happy for your new family.”
“Thank you. Now we need to go eat before I get all teary-eyed.”
“Yes, no tears on your wedding day,” Josie said. “After all, Loretta, there’s cake. And who can cry when there’s cake?”
Jillian nodded. “Especially cake that Megan made.”
“You make a good point. Now, let’s go get some wine.”
They went inside where the bar was set up. Josie poured herself a glass of sauvignon blanc and took a sip.
Yes, just what she needed.
After they filled their glasses, they went outside and found Emma, Jane, and Chelsea, and even Desiree McCormack had made it. They grabbed a couple of available chairs.
“Des,” Josie said, “it’s good to see you back. How was your trip to LA?”
“Short, fortunately. I met with my agent and the studio only long enough to discuss the shoot coming up in Scotland in a few months.”
“Scotland sounds amazing,” Emma said. “Will you bring Ben with you?”
Des nodded. “Absolutely. It’ll be a one-month location shoot, so there’s no way I can leave my baby behind that long. And Logan will come out for at least a week while I’m filming.”
Josie couldn’t imagine being an internationally traveling actress and being able to see the world like Des did. And she got to come home to an amazing husband like Logan and a beautiful baby son. She was also sure it required a lot of juggling, but Des handled it so well.
Josie turned her attention to Loretta, who seemed to be floating on air as she breezed by.
“She looks beautiful,” Chelsea said.
“She does,” Des said. “Love will do that to you.”
“Wasn’t that so fun?” Emma asked.
“It was amazing,” Josie said. “And a huge surprise. I can’t believe they put all this together.”
“I’m not surprised at all,” Des said. “Deacon would do anything for Loretta.”
“It was probably his idea,” Chelsea said. “Knowing Loretta, she probably wanted to do it at the courthouse, and Deacon wouldn’t hear of it. He’d want it to be romantic for her.”
Josie could see that. Every time they were together, it was obvious how much Deacon loved Loretta. He’d want this day to be special. And even though they’d wanted it low key, it had still been sweetly romantic.
“I’ve never given much thought to the idea of getting married,” Josie said. “But I really like how Deacon and Loretta did it. The whole outside-in-the-backyard idea has its merits.”
“Agreed,” Jillian said. “It was simple and sweet.”
Josie nodded. “Plus, I intend to have all my animals involved in my wedding.”
“Wait,” Des said. “I know I’ve been out of town the past month filming, but do you have more than just the kitty?”
“No, just Tumbles so far, but I want to eventually have several animals, so I’ll want them all to be there, like Otis was here tonight. And most churches frown on having your fur babies at the ceremony.”
“This is true,” Emma said. “Oh, speaking of fur babies, we got the cutest dog at the clinic this week.”
It was as
if Emma had read her mind. “Tell me about him.”
“One of the rescue organizations has been fostering him. He’s an adorable sweetheart, but they’ve been having trouble placing him because he’s only got three legs and has some health issues. But he has the best personality, Josie.”
“I’ll take him.”
Emma laughed. “You haven’t even met him yet.”
“It doesn’t matter. He needs a forever home, and he should come live with Tumbles and me.”
“Okay. Come to the clinic and see him, and then decide.”
She honestly didn’t need to see him. There were already too many animals that had a hard time finding a home. She was that home for those kinds of babies.
“When can I come see him?”
“How about tomorrow morning?”
“But that’s Sunday, and don’t you want a day off to spend with your family, Emma?”
Emma laughed. “I get plenty of days off. And the foster group often needs to come in on weekend days. They’re already planning to be in the clinic tomorrow.”
Josie felt a lot less like she was inconveniencing Emma. “I’ll be there.”
“Where are you gonna be?”
She looked up to find Zach standing over her. “I’m going to Emma’s clinic to look at adopting a dog.”
“What, the cat from hell isn’t enough for you?”
“Aww, Tumbles is sweet, Zach,” Chelsea said. “So affectionate and cuddly.”
He pulled up a chair next to Josie. “So it’s just me he hates.”
Josie saw Emma’s questioning look, so she figured she should explain. “Zach and Tumbles had a rough introduction.”
“Oh.” Emma nodded. “Some animals have a hard time with certain sexes. It could be he has trust issues around men. You’ll just have to be patient with him.”
“So maybe it’s not just me,” Zach said.
“It’s doubtful. I’ll bet if next time you go to Josie’s you bring a bag of treats, he’ll warm up to you quickly.”
“I’ll work on that. Thanks, Emma.”
Soon two tables had been pushed together out in the yard, and Josie was surrounded by several of her friends, including Zach, who seemed to be content sitting next to her. Though he spent a lot of time talking with all the guys, he’d occasionally glance her way and smile.
Oh, that smile of his. It was wickedly sexy and filled with promise. Now she only had to summon the courage to actually let go of the last remaining vestiges of hesitation and just go for it with him. After all, what did she have to lose?
Ha. Do you want a list, Josephine? Because you’ve been down this road with a hot guy before. Remember how that ended up?
She mentally shushed her logical inner voice. And, she reminded logical voice, previous hot guy wasn’t at all like Zach. Besides, it was time for some fun, and she already knew Zach was fun with a capital F. He didn’t seem the serious type, so he was perfect for what she had in mind.
Thoughts of Zach got pushed to the back of her mind as she watched Jillian flirt with Dr. Jeff.
Or maybe Dr. Jeff was flirting with Jillian. It was kind of hard to tell who was doing the most flirting, because the two of them had their heads together, deep in conversation about … something. Given Jillian’s initial hesitation to move forward with Jeff, Josie couldn’t wait to pull her friend aside and find out what that in-depth conversation was all about.
“Are you really getting a dog?”
She pulled her gaze away from her best friend to answer Zach. “Of course. Why? Do you think I shouldn’t?”
“Not my call to make. Other than I would think Mr. Evil is more than a handful.”
“Tumbles is no trouble at all. He takes a few meds every day due to his age, and I brush him to keep his coat from getting tangled. Other than that, the only thing he requires is love.”
“Yeah, and an occasional blood sacrifice.”
She shook her head. “Obviously it’s going to take some time for you to warm up to Tumbles. But once you do, you’ll love him.”
“I can guarantee you I’m never gonna love that cat, Josie.”
“Never say never, Zach. You might have to eat those words someday.”
“No, I won’t.”
“We’ll see, won’t we?”
Obviously, Zach was going to be hard to break down in the pet department. Which gave her an idea.
“Come with me tomorrow morning.”
“Where? To the vet?”
“Yes. You can meet the new pup. Well, he’s not a pup, according to Emma. But I’d love for you to come with me.”
“Sure.”
She liked that he didn’t even hesitate, and considering how he felt about Tumbles, that made her feel good.
“Thanks. And, who knows? You might find a cute furry baby for yourself while you’re there. Emma always takes in unwanted animals.”
“That’s unlikely.”
Josie thought animals brought love and happiness to everyone who was owned by a cat or a dog or a bunny or turtle or snake or … whatever. But she also knew that not everyone was a pet person, so she had to remind herself not to be pushy about it.
Still, it would be interesting to see how he reacted at Emma’s clinic tomorrow.
She couldn’t wait.
Chapter 7
* * *
COFFEE IN HAND, Zach climbed out of his SUV in the parking lot of Emma’s veterinary clinic.
Josie’s car was already parked in the lot next to Emma’s. Since it was Sunday, the clinic was closed. He went to the front door and tried the handle. It was locked, so he knocked and waited.
Emma flipped open the blinds and smiled at him, then unlocked and opened the door.
“Hey, Zach. Josie told me you were going to be here.”
“Working all seven days of the week now, Emma?”
She led him down the hall, her two dogs, Daisy and Annie, following along beside both of them. “Actually, I’m working fewer days now that I’ve hired on another doctor. I’m just here today to check out the foster group’s animals and do some paperwork.”
“So, who’s watching the baby?”
“Luke’s off today, so he’s at home with Michael. Actually, I’m surprised you’re here. Football and Sunday being a solemn religion and all.”
Zach cracked a smile. “Amen to that. But it’s early, and the games haven’t started yet.”
“Of course.” She gave him a knowing smile. “Come on back. I’m doing some work with a few dogs. Josie’s with Marsha from the animal rescue group. She’s getting acquainted with the dog I wanted her to see. Though now that they’ve gotten to know each other, I don’t know if there’ll be any separating them.”
Given Josie’s love for animals, Zach could believe that. He already knew how she felt about Beelzebub, not to mention how well she got along with all their friends’ animals. So it didn’t surprise him to find Josie in the kennel area sitting on the floor with a small white-and-beige fluffy thing, who was currently licking her face. She looked up and smiled at him when he entered the room.
There went that twinge in his gut again, the one he always got when Josie smiled at him.
Emma introduced him to Marsha. She was in her mid-forties, tall, and very nice-looking, with dark hair pulled back in a ponytail.
“Nice to meet you, Zach,” she said.
“Same, Marsha. I admire the work you do.”
“Well, you have to be an animal lover. And I am. And so is Josie, who has her hands full with this one.”
Josie laughed as the dog licked her chin. God, that laugh of hers made his entire body take notice.
“Isn’t he adorable, Zach?” Emma asked. “His name is Wilson.”
Zach grinned. “Like the football?”
Josie frowned. “No, like Wilson. He’s unique.” She ruffled his fur. “Aren’t you, baby?”
Zach shook his head. Hell of a name for a dog. Wilson looked up and saw Zach, and he could have sworn the dog smiled. Whic
h was ridiculous, of course. The dog brought a ball over to Zach, his tail whipping back and forth in excited frenzy. He dropped the ball at Zach’s feet. Zach looked over at Emma.
“It’s fine. You can throw it for him. He’s already been playing with Daisy and Annie, and even though they’re bigger dogs with four legs, he’s been able to keep up.”
Emma told Daisy and Annie to sit, which they did. Zach picked up the ball and tossed it down the hall. Wilson chased it, zipping along just fine. Obviously having only three legs didn’t hinder his ability to get around. He ran back to Zach and dropped the tennis ball at his feet, so Zach threw it again.
And again.
And again.
Cute.
“He likes you,” Marsha said. “He’s open and friendly anyway, but he really likes you.”
Zach sat on the floor, and Wilson climbed onto his lap to give him copious licks on the face.
Okay, so the dog was freaking adorable. He was furry and affectionate and apparently craved attention. Zach played with him until Wilson curled up and went to sleep in Zach’s lap.
“Huh,” Josie said. “I’d say he likes you better than me.”
Oh shit. “I don’t think that’s it at all. My lap is just where he happened to pass out. You probably played plenty with him before I got here, so he’s tired.”
Josie, Marsha, and Emma exchanged glances. Emma nodded. “We played some with him, but it was like a light switch got turned on when you showed up, Zach. He was a totally different dog. Way more excited and, correct me if I’m wrong, Josie, but he seemed almost … happier?”
“I agree,” Josie said. “He was much more animated and happy with you. Sometimes a dog just finds its person. You might be Wilson’s person.”
“I agree,” Marsha said. “He seems attached.”
Zach looked at all of them. “But I don’t want a dog.”
The three women looked at him as if to say that was the most ridiculous statement they’d ever heard.
And then Wilson nestled farther into Zach’s lap.
Well, hell. He ran his hands down the dog’s furry back.
So he was cute. That didn’t mean anything.
Wilson sighed in contentment.
“If you don’t want him, he can come live with me,” Josie said. “He has a heart murmur and will have to take meds every day. He’ll also need regular checkups to be monitored periodically.”