Be My Reason

by Brooklyn Taylor

  Today, as I was staring at myself in the mirror placed against a wall in the room where I was getting ready, I looked at the way the dress fit my body and the ring he had given me that night, promising me a forever. I didn’t want to forget the way I felt right this very moment. My best friend and my grammy by my side and the love I felt for each of them here on my special day.

  Grammy and Emma had helped me get ready and we shared a glass of champagne.

  “You know, sweet girl, I had thought of this day many times in your life, but I had never envisioned it being as perfect as it is. Everything is perfect outside, but it can’t compare to the love I see between the two of you. I hope you know how special that is.”

  “I do. I really do. You had a big part in showing me what to expect and wait for.”

  “You can’t fake real love; you can’t fake the feelings when a man completely consumes your heart and soul, yet still allows you to be the woman you are.”

  Emma stood and looked at herself beside me in the mirror. “You are a beautiful bride.”

  “Thank you.” I turned to her, acknowledging without words we both thought that she would be the one walking down the aisle before me. She had always wanted to get married. I did too, but I wasn't so sure that I ever would find the one I would be looking for.

  Emma, on the other hand, knew she would.

  “It will happen… I know exactly what you are thinking, Emma. It just hasn't happened yet,” I said to reassure her.

  “Let’s not talk about me. This is your day.” But I could see the hurt in her eyes.

  I shook my head agreeing with her.

  “Now, let’s get you married,” she said and began making sure my dress was laying perfectly as it should.

  I didn't spend a lot of time on my dress searching. I found one at the second place I looked; it was modestly priced, and I paired it with a pair of bride boots. I wanted a beautiful dress, and I got that.

  Emma wore a simple black dress that flowed perfectly and made her feel like a princess.

  Grammy refused to buy a new dress, wanting to only spend money on me, but did wear a dress that looked brand-new.

  She held my hand and walked me down the aisle. Like so many times in the past she was my strength, holding me steady as I walked down the matrimony aisle for the first and last time.

  As we reached the end where Wyatt was standing, she whispered one thing and then kissed my cheek. “Enjoy this very moment, my darling.”

  She then went to sit on the front row and observed us.

  Emma stood beside me and Wyatt had Kevin standing beside him.

  After traditional vows and a few add-ins from Wyatt and me, we returned down the aisle as man and wife. His black jacket accompanied his pressed blue jeans, boots, and the white shirt fit his arms perfectly, shaping his muscles.

  My face hurt from smiling and my heart was so full I didn't think I would ever feel this much joy again.

  “Come here for a minute,” Wyatt said, taking my hand and leading me over to a bench swing that was sitting in a white gazebo.

  I followed without hesitation.

  He helped me sit on the swing and then turned to me with tears in his eyes.

  “What’s wrong, Wyatt?” I asked, almost afraid of his response.

  “Nothing, baby, I wanted a quiet moment with you before we go dance and eat. I wanted to touch your face, and kiss you without eyes looking at us. You are my wife, after all.”

  “Yes, I am.” I smiled and kissed him instead.

  “Please don't ever let me wake from this dream.”

  “This isn't a dream, Wyatt…this was meant to be. It was planned perfectly.”

  Wyatt pulled me up from the swing, and held me next to him close. He lightly swayed as if he as hearing a tune in his head.

  “What are we dancing too?” I ask curious.

  “Nothing, I am just thanking God for the blessing he sent me.”

  He wore a smile that spread across his gorgeous face.

  “I’ve been thanking him every day since we met," I responded.

  After a few moments to ourselves, we walked hand and hand to the massive white tent, decorated with white flowers, and greeted the people who had been waiting on us.

  “We were wondering where you two love birds ran off to,” Wyatt’s mom, Virginia, said smiling.

  “It is not what you think, Mother. I wanted…” Wyatt started to explain then stopped.

  “I’m just giving you a hard time, sweetie.”

  “Food will be served as soon as you sit and then we can have some fun.”

  “Okay.” I paused. “Thank you again for organizing all this for us. I will forever be thankful.”

  She kissed my cheek. “I will forever be grateful for you loving my son. It is worth every penny.”

  “I just wish his dad would have made an…”

  “Don’t waste energy on that man. This is your day, don't worry about who didn't want to be a part of it.”

  “You are right,” I said.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cash walking up in a suit with a look of uncertainty. I looked to the left at where I had seen Emma standing a few minutes ago.

  Wyatt’s face had gone from happiness and elation to frustration and anger.

  “I’ll take care of this,” he said, determined.

  Then Virginia replied, “Give him a chance before you fight with him…just maybe he isn't going to be his normal self.”

  “I doubt that,” Wyatt muttered.

  Cash stood in front of us and Wyatt gripped my hand tighter. His legs took a stance like he was ready for anything, all the while keeping me by his side.

  Cash put out his hand to shake Wyatt’s.

  “Wyatt, I’m sorry about everything.”

  Wyatt took his hand and shook it, still holding mine with his other.

  “I’m not going to say it is okay, because it’s not, but I’m glad you showed up. It means a lot.”

  After dropping his handshake, Cash leaned in and kissed me on the cheek.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispered to me, as Wyatt watched him closely.

  “Cash, this will be the one and only time you will touch my wife.” Wyatt's voice was stern and protective and Cash seemed to get the message loud and clear.

  He held his hand up as a shield and moved back away from me, not giving me or Wyatt a second glance.

  I smiled nicely just wanting him to get away from me, but not making a scene at our wedding.

  My new mother-in-law must have sensed the tension and hugged him, taking his attention off of us.

  “That was nice of you, Cash.”

  “Well, your only brother gets married once, right?”

  I pulled Wyatt close. “I love you, my husband.”

  He sealed that with a kiss.

  I was completely smitten with Wyatt and had not a doubt in my mind his lips would be the ones I would kissing the rest of my life.

  He was worth the wait.

  The food was perfect and the toasts even better. Looking around all our family and friends, a small crowd of thirty couldn't have been more perfectly orchestrated. But I was past ready getting to dance with my husband.

  As I was getting ready to stand, with Wyatt holding my hand, Grammy stood up and tapped on her glass.

  “I have one thing to say, if y'all will humor me,” she said sweetly.

  We sat back down.

  “I have watched my beautiful granddaughter grow from an infant to an amazing young woman. I could not be prouder of who she has become. I only wish Rhonda could be here to see this…” She paused and I looked over at Wyatt and put my hand on his. “I know she would be smiling from ear to ear. Anyway, I’ll stop my rumbling. I’d like to bless this evening so if everyone can bow their heads.

  “Thank you, Heavenly Father, for this union. Thank you for the beautiful people and food that was from your bounty. Thank you for bringing Rhonda and I together that one day after Bible study, discussing the most i
mportant people in our lives. And thank you for helping to bring them together. Although us old ladies helped orchestrate it, you deserve the glory, after all it had to be your will to follow it through.”

  I looked over at Grammy with a smile and then at Wyatt, who was also smiling on the verge of shock and then laughed.

  “Amen.”

  She sat back down and my new mother-in-law laughed as she hugged Grammy.

  “This news to you?” I asked my husband.

  “No, Rhonda knew what she was doing.”

  “To think of it, so much makes sense now.”

  Then he kissed me. With that I stood, did a small wave to the singer of the band we had hired, and they announced that the bride and groom and would be taking the dance floor for their first dance as Mr. and Mrs. Wyatt Galloway.

  He looked ever so handsome in his dress jacket, more than likely one of the only times I would see him in one.

  Wyatt kissed my hand on top of my wedding ring, which I knew would be in place until the day I died, as we walked to the center of the dance floor.

  The beat of the song started and he grinned ear to ear, just as he had done at Kellye Joe’s the night we first met. “You remembered?” he asked, and I smiled.

  “Of course I remembered. It was when I found the love of my life.”

  ‘I Prayed For You’ lyrics began, and he moved me around the dance floor smoothly and lovingly as all the eyes were on us. Who would have thought that night would have started it all?

  God had a plan, and we weren't made aware of it.

  Very well played, Sir.

  As the song was ending, I looked up at him and spoke words that had been waiting on my tongue. “Wyatt Galloway, you are the reason. You are the reason I had gone through all the bad, and came out of the other side. You were placed in my life at the exact right time, and the right place. I will never stop loving you.”

  No words were spoken once his lips were placed on my mine, and on that dance floor he didn't pull back or let go, instead holding me against him.

  “Forever, baby, because you are my reason.”

  Epilogue

  BREIGH

  Wyatt and I had been happily married for four months. We just finished our move into Rhonda’s and felt her presence everywhere. Wyatt wanted to move in immediately, however I felt nervous about it. She was very clear about what she wanted, but I was worried it would hurt Wyatt without having time to mourn properly from her loss. After we tied the knot, best decision of my life by the way, Wyatt surprised me with a dog that had been abandoned on a call he had taken. We both immediately fell in love, Ranger, is his name. A beautiful dog of mixed breeding but we couldn't be more attached.

  We had begun working on a barn Rhonda had used when she was still practicing as a farrier. Our hope was we would be able to have a horse or two eventually to care for. Again, something Rhonda adored. She hadn’t been able to have them in quite some time, but from what Wyatt said she loved them. We had already made arrangements to adopt Remington, as soon as the barn was ready. I was ecstatic.

  Grammy was doing fantastic, keeping as busy as her body would let her. She was slowing down, but she seemed to be enjoying it, and she’d tell you that. She still prided herself that she and Rhonda had played a large part in Wyatt and I meeting and falling in love. Of course, I gave credit where credit was due.

  My father, unfortunately, had passed on. He fought against his demons, but in the end, he didn’t beat them. Wyatt helped me see he was just a lost soul, and it was okay to love him, and to be at peace. Didn’t mean I had to like him though. I would always be thankful for him bringing me into the world. Hopefully, he was with my mother now, and his heart had mended.

  Wyatt was working like mad. He loved his job though, and I had come to realize it was an important part of him. As far as Wyatt and his family, his father never came around, and from what I understood had been in quite some trouble with the law. Wyatt, had let it all go, realizing there was nothing he could do anyway. Cash had suggested that possibly Wyatt should help, but Wyatt told him out flat, hell no. Cash and Wyatt talk very little, but apparently he was working on trying to focus on other things in life. That was what my new mother-in-law said anyway. We shall see. Virginia, was doing fantastic. We saw her a couple times a month and she had become an important person in our lives. I guess you could say she was making up for lost time.

  It still gave me chills to think about finding my reason to live. Wyatt came out of nowhere, just like God intended. I thought I was happy, but when I found Wyatt it was an entirely different realm. My grammy was right though, as she normally was, “Sometimes a reason becomes a lifetime. You’ll get that feeling and you will know, without a doubt. And sometimes, a reason becomes a lifetime and that isn’t enough.”

  Other Books by Brooklyn Taylor

  ALL ON AMAZON

  Forever Series:

  Eternal Soulmate

  Endless Affinity

  Unforeseen Destiny

  Beau

  An Ordinary Me (YA)

  Burnout

  Marital Blissaster

  Broken Hearted

  Cold Hearted

  Finding Me

  Changing Us

  Losing You (YA)

  Out of Control (YA)

  Acknowledgments

  GOD! Your will be done. I wanted to give up but your presence continued in my heart. You deserve the glory.

  My husband, I told you many times I thought my writing career was over, you didn’t let me quit. You believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. I love you.

  My kids, I love you. Brooke- you are always spreading the word about my books. I am thankful for your love, your smile, and your giving heart.

  Taylor- Yes son, I do write books. Thank you for listening when we gab about it although you don’t have a clue what we are talking about.

  My mama in heaven: I wish you could read this. You loved country life and horses. I love you.

  My editor; Karen: Thank you for bringing my story to life. Past tense and all.

  PR team; Foreward PR; Linda and Alissa, you ladies rock. I love ya’ll.

  My Agent: Stephanie; Thank you for giving me pep talks and encouraging me. You are sunshine.

  BLOGGERS: So many of you always step up and help me no matter what. Amazeballs Book Addicts, Blushing Babes (Kerry), Read Review Repeat (Natasha), Southern Belles (Erin), Divas Book Lounge (Dawn), Kylie’s Fiction Addiction (Kylie and Christina), Darlene &Dexter’s Book Nook (Darlene)

  Michele Dyson, Wendy Pearce and Missy Meyer; Thank you for fine tuning my story. I love you ladies and so very thankful for your endless support.

  Brooklyn Babes; I love you all sooooo much. You are the best reader group around, and your support is priceless. Thank you for being patient with me. Xoxo

  Linda Dillard: I love you. Thank you for being my best friend and pushing me to be my best. I only strive to be like when I grow up.

  Brooklyn

  Contacts for Brooklyn Taylor

  Brooklyn Taylor loves hearing from fellow readers.

  Email: AuthorBrooklynTaylor@gmail.com

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