by Joan Kilby
She nodded, unable to speak. He slid the ring over her finger and she fell to her knees, clinging to him. His arms went around her and they rocked together, until he eased back to press his lips to her tear-stained cheeks and eyes. Then he found her mouth in a kiss that was so tender and full of promise her heart ached.
She drew back and looked at the ring that had given her so many nights of wondering, doubt, and hope. “When did you buy this, and for whom?”
“I bought it for you, of course, before I left for college. I had planned to ask you to marry me and come with me. But you were so insistent that I take the scholarship and leave that I didn’t say anything.” His mouth twisted. “I thought you were glad I was going.”
“That’s not why,” she began.
“I realize that now. I understand.” He took her face in both his hands and gazed lovingly at her. “I always intended to come back, even after you broke up with me. Everything I’ve done, everything I’ve worked for these past five years has been for you, for us. There were times I almost lost faith that we could find our way back together. Then I would think of your beautiful smiling face and I’d get another burst of energy and belief.”
“I told myself I was happy alone, but I was kidding myself,” she said. “I was marking time, sleepwalking through life, waiting until you came back to me.”
“Our life together begins from this moment,” he said. “On this spot, we’ll build our house. Your father is giving us this lot as a wedding present. Apparently, he’s been saving it for your wedding present since you were born.”
“That sounds like him.” She laughed, delighted. Then her eyes narrowed. “You talked to him before you asked me?”
“I wanted his and your mom’s blessing. They seem okay with us getting married.”
“I know they are,” Brianna said. “What about your mother?”
“Mom adores you. She’s going to be so happy.” Angus hugged her close again. “I’m going to build the most beautiful home for us and our children.”
“With a dock so I can teach them to swim.”
“I’ll buy a boat and take them fishing.”
Brianna smiled at Angus. “I love you.”
“I love you.” He nuzzled her behind the ear. “Oh, hey, I know the perfect wedding dress for you. I saw it in Kylie’s boutique. It has these puffy sleeves…”
Brianna started laughing and laughing.
“What?” Angus said.
“Nothing.” She put a hand over her mouth to stop the giggles. “I think it’s nice how everything has worked out in the end.”
“It took us a while, but we got there.”
Brianna smiled into his eyes. “We certainly did.”
Epilogue
Midsummer’s Eve…
The setting sun shed a golden light over the lake and on the faces of the wedding guests assembled in Finley Park for Brianna and Angus’s wedding. In the east, a full moon was rising over the mountains.
Brianna climbed out of her father’s Lincoln Continental, shaking out her ivory satin skirt. Her bridesmaids, Hayley and Sarah, emerged after her in a rustle of taffeta and excited chatter.
The entire town had been invited to the ceremony. Since neither of the town’s two churches was big enough to contain everyone, they’d decided to have the ceremony in the gazebo where there was plenty of space for everyone to spread out on the park lawns. Then they would walk in a procession over to the community hall for the reception.
Hayley adjusted Brianna’s headdress of gardenias and white roses and went back to the car to get the matching bouquet from the cooler.
Sarah puffed up Brianna’s sleeves and fussed with the drape of the skirt. “He’s back again,” she muttered.
“Who’s back?” Brianna said, delicately touching one dangling pearl earring in Sarah’s ear, the bridesmaids’ gifts she’d given her and Hayley.
“Daniel,” Sarah said. “He left after the cherry blossom festival, and I thought he’d changed his mind about moving here, but no. He’s found a local business to buy.”
“What kind of business?” Brianna asked.
Sarah gave her a desperate look. “The eco-resort you and Angus are building.”
“Oh!” Brianna put a hand to her mouth. “I didn’t know.”
Hayley came up, handed Brianna the bouquet, and looked from her to Sarah. “What’s wrong?”
“Not now.” Sarah glanced over her shoulder. “It’s almost time.”
“Wait, have you got something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue?” Hayley asked.
“The dress is old,” Brianna said, and with a sly smile, added, “My lacy underwear is new.”
“I lent her my ankle bracelet,” Sarah said.
Brianna lifted her skirt to showed off high-heeled white sandals and gold anklet. Then touched the blue sapphire necklace. “This is my mom’s.”
“All superstitions taken care of then,” Hayley said.
“Thanks for being here for me, both of you,” Brianna said. “You’re the best.”
Her father, who had been waiting patiently, now extended his arm to Brianna, his eyes misty. “My baby girl, my only daughter. You look so beautiful.”
“Don’t, Dad. You’ll make me cry and my mascara will run.” She hugged him hard. “Thank you so much for everything. For the land, for hiring Angus, for being the most awesome father ever.”
“You’re welcome.” He patted her hand. “Come now. Your groom is waiting.”
“And the light is perfect for photographs,” Hayley said happily, as the golden glow deepened.
The organist with her portable keyboard struck a chord and the little procession set off. The path to the gazebo was lined by friends, relatives and townspeople Brianna and Angus had known all of their lives. She glimpsed their smiling faces as she passed but her focus was on Angus, waiting for her in the gazebo in a light-colored linen suit and open-necked shirt. His dark hair waved in the light breeze off the lake.
When he caught sight of her, he smiled. Then his smile grew as he registered the dress. By the time she was climbing the steps to stand beside him, he was laughing.
“You look perfect,” he said, taking her hand.
“So do you,” she whispered.
The ceremony was simple but beautiful, presided over by a celebrant named Julie, a slender blonde woman in her fifties. Brianna told Angus how much he meant to her in halting sentences full of emotion. His vows, which he’d also written himself, made her cry with happiness.
“Do you, Brianna Claire Renton,” Julie said. “Take this man, Angus Lawrence Adams, to be your partner to have and to hold from this day forward?”
“I do.” Brianna held his gaze, so full of love.
“Do you, Angus Lawrence Adams, take this woman, Brianna Claire Renton, to be your wife, to love and cherish for all the days of your life?”
“I do.” He bent his head to kiss her. Then pulled her into his arms and lifted her up and swung her around.
Brianna’s laugh pealed out over the lake. Joyous music filled the air and they made their way down the steps, hand in hand, together at last.
*
After the food and the dancing, it was time to throw her bouquet. Brianna called the unmarried women to gather around. She loved all the old-fashioned traditions, and she had a special someone in mind for her bouquet.
Sarah hung back, shaking her head.
Brianna put her hands on her hips. “Get over here, girl. I can’t leave on my honeymoon until I throw this bouquet.”
Rolling her eyes, Sarah edged forward then stood there with her arms crossed.
But Brianna hadn’t been the star of the high school basketball team for nothing. She’d spent many an hour throwing hoops backward just for fun. So even though she couldn’t see behind her, when she tossed the bouquet it flew unerringly at Sarah who instinctively put out her hands to catch it before she knew what she was doing.
Brianna blew her a kiss. “You’ll thank
me someday.”
*
“When you said you’d arranged our honeymoon, I never expected this.” Brianna lay on her stomach on a mattress set on the slab of their future home. Above her, the flaps of their tent were wide open. The full moon floated above the lake, shining, it seemed, just for the newlyweds.
“It’s only for the first night,” he said. “Tomorrow we start on Garrett Starr’s six-day wilderness hike.”
Horrified, she reared back. “You have got to be kidding me!”
Angus laughed. “Of course, I’m kidding. We’re going to fly to Upstate New York and spend a week in a boutique log resort. Does that meet your approval, Mrs. Adams?”
“Why, yes, it does, Mr. Renton.”
“Oh, boy. I can see how this is going to go.” He rolled her into his arms and kissed her and tickled her at the same time.
When she’s come up for air, she said, “We’re going there to steal ideas for our resort, right?”
“We’re going there for a special time all to ourselves, so I can pamper and indulge my beautiful bride,” he said. “And then, yes, we’ll come back here and borrow from everything we learned, only make it better.”
“Ah, a man after my own heart.”
“I’ve been after your heart for as long as I can remember,” he said.
She laid a hand on his cheek and gazed into his eyes. “Good,” she said softly. “Because it’s all yours.”
The End
Want more? Check out Hayley and Blake’s story in Long Lost Christmas!
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If you enjoyed Say I Do, you’ll love the other book in the…
Sweetheart, Montana series
Book 1: Long Lost Christmas
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Book 2: Say I Do
View the series here!
More books by Joan Kilby
The Starr Brothers of Montana series
Book 1: The Secret Son
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Book 2: A Baby for Christmas
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Book 3: The Bull Rider’s Return
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Book 4: The Runaway Montana Bride
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About the Author
Award-winning author Joan Kilby writes sweet, sexy contemporary romance with a touch of humor. When she’s not working on a new book Joan can often be found at her local gym doing yoga, or being dragged around the neighborhood by her Jack “Rascal” terrier. Her hobbies are growing vegetables, cooking, traveling and reading—not necessarily in that order. Happily married with three children, Joan lives in Melbourne, Australia. She loves to hear from readers so feel free to drop her a line.
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