“Babe. It’s Cottonbloom. We have more preachers per capita than any town east of the Mississippi. I’ll scare one up even if I have to offer free oil changes for a year. Leave it to me.”
As usual, his confidence encompassed her. She couldn’t imagine facing life’s travails with anyone else. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“Are you going straight to the church?” she asked.
“Yep. Listen. Before I see you, I need to tell you something.”
“What? You don’t have another wife stored in the attic, do you?” She gave a halfhearted laugh. Willa had insisted she read Jane Eyre, and Sutton had since used gothic romances as an escape from the unrelenting details of planning the wedding. A wedding that was falling apart.
When Wyatt didn’t join her laughter, she clutched the phone tighter. “You’re scaring me, Wyatt. You are coming, aren’t you?”
“Babe. Of course, I’ll be there. It’s just I don’t want you to freak out when you see me.”
“Oh my God, did you wake up with a face tattoo or something? I’m going to kill Mack.”
His laughter throttled her panic down to second gear. “No. But the reason we’re all stuffed in the Crown Vic with the aunts is because we had a little bit of an accident in Mack’s truck. Everyone is fine, but my eye is a little swollen.”
“Oh, sweetie. I’m so sorry. I don’t care what you look like as long as you’re waiting for me at the altar.”
“I’ll be there. Don’t worry. We have time to get it all figured out.”
She let out a breath. He was right. They’d figure it out together. “See you soon.”
“You know it.”
They disconnected. Sutton sat up and readjusted her thinking. Her wedding wasn’t going to be perfect, but that wasn’t what was important anyway. All that mattered is that at the end of the day, she and Wyatt were together. That’s what she’d focus on.
She opened the door and found Willa leaning against the wall while her mother paced the hall. “Wyatt and the boys are on the way to the church. He’s going to find a replacement preacher.”
“You’re not going to cancel?”
“I don’t want to cancel, Mother. I don’t care if everything isn’t perfect, I just want to get married to Wyatt.”
Her mother’s lips compressed and she nodded. “Then we’ll make it happen.”
Sutton gave her mother a hug, resting her forehead on her shoulder. Yes, she was a grown woman with her own business and a burgeoning design studio, but having her mother’s support and strength behind her meant more than she could put into words.
“Where’s Maggie?”
“She’s steaming your dress,” her mother said.
Sutton headed toward the spare bedroom they were using as a dressing room. Her sensible sister was kneeling and steaming the wrinkles out of the hem of the wedding dress. Her brown hair was in loose curls instead of her usual ponytail. She looked up as Sutton walked in.
Something must have shown on Sutton’s face, because Maggie rose and propped her hands on her hips. “I know things seem dire, but we’re going to have a good laugh about this someday.”
Sutton garbled out a tear-filled laugh. “You think?”
“For sure. You wanted a memorable wedding. This will talked about for decades to come, so score. Are you ready to put this gorgeous concoction on your body?”
Sutton and Maggie had grown closer over the last months. Maybe Sutton had softened because of Wyatt or maybe it was a progression of growing up, but doors that had once been closed due to natural sibling rivalry opened, and Sutton couldn’t be more grateful to have Maggie in her corner.
Sutton had designed and made her wedding dress and the bridesmaid dresses Maggie and Willa would wear. Her wedding dress had a full skirt and tight bodice with a sweetheart neckline and cap sleeves. It was straight out of a Disney movie.
The bridesmaids’ dresses were less traditional and more like cocktail dresses. Willa and Maggie both made excellent models and Sutton designed something they actually could wear again—midnight blue, knee length, and sexy.
The next half hour was spent getting dressed, and their laughter returned a sense of normalcy, even though the rain continued to pound the roof. Sutton kept a picture of Wyatt waiting for her at the front of the church in her mind’s eye and her optimism crept out of the cellar.
The ringing of the doorbell and a commotion echoed from the marble entry of the Mize family home and stilled all three of them. A premonition sent Sutton running for the stairs.
All four Abbott brothers in tuxedos and two Abbott aunts in their Sunday best milled around. Wyatt, his back to Sutton, had his head close to her mother in conversation. What else could have possibly gone wrong?
She fisted her skirts and tackled the steps. Her mother saw her first. “Sutton, no! It’s bad luck to be seen before the wedding.”
“We’ve already had all the bad luck we can handle, haven’t we?”
Everyone quieted and with everyone’s gaze upon her, she dropped her skirts and slowed. Wyatt stepped forward.
She gasped and stopped two steps up. All she could manage was a whispered, “Your poor face.”
His grin was off-kilter because of the swelling. “I think it gives me a roguish charm, no?”
It looked painful. She brushed her fingertips lightly across his forehead above the cut on along his eyebrow. Her chin wobbled and the tears she’d been holding back all morning finally broke free.
His smile disappeared. He lifted her off the step and carried her into her father’s office. “I’m sorry our wedding day hasn’t turned out perfect. Because you deserve perfect.”
She buried her face in his neck. “I’m not crying because of the rain or the food poisoning. You’re hurt.”
His arms tightened around her, and she could feel his smile. Sure enough, when she looked up, his smile was so tender, she found herself smiling back.
“This is only one day out of thousands we’ll have together. You know that, right?” He wrapped his hand around her nape, and she didn’t even care if he messed up her hair. Their photographer was sick anyway.
“I know and I’m grateful I get to spend thousands of more days with you.” She leaned in to lay the gentlest of kisses on his mouth. “Not that I’m not glad to see you, but why aren’t you at the church?”
A grimace replaced his smile and his gaze streaked off to the side. “Yeah, about the church.”
She stepped back. “Did lightning strike it down? Did an earthquake swallow it up? Is this an omen from God?”
“Nothing so dramatic. Apparently, the wind knocked out power sometime last night. They’re working on getting it restored, but it might take a couple of hours or more and with no air-conditioning, it’s miserable inside.”
“That doesn’t sound good.”
“It gets worse. The food.”
The plan had been to move into the church’s main hall for the buffet reception. The caterer had the food ready and stored in the industrial-sized fridges in the church kitchen. But, no power meant spoiled food.
“This is like a farce. What are we going to do, Wyatt?”
“I hung a sign on the church.”
“What did it say?”
“That the wedding was cancelled.”
“It’s the only logical thing we can do, right?”
He nodded. He took her hand in his. The wedding was only a formality after all. She was already bound to this man with or without a piece of paper to make it legal. The chatter in the entry hall had gained momentum with Willa and Maggie joining the Abbotts.
Everyone fell silent as Wyatt and Sutton walked up. Wyatt brought theirs hands up and kissed the back of hers before turning to address the group. “Based on everything that’s happened, I don’t think we have a choice but to cancel.”
Hazel exchanged a pointed look with her twin sister and stepped forward. “We’ve been talking about that and came up with an alternative. If you�
�re interested.”
Without letting go of Wyatt, Sutton shuffled forward. “We’re interested, but we don’t have a church, a preacher, music, or food.”
Hazel adjusted her black patent leather pocketbook on her arm and linked her hands. “I took a few online divinity courses and got ordained along the way.”
“Are you telling me you can legally marry us?” Incredulity sailed Wyatt’s voice high.
“I can,” Hazel said in her usual understated yet indomitable way.
“I can play a rousing wedding march on the piano,” Hyacinth said over her sister’s shoulder. “Looks like you have one in your living room.”
Mack put his arm around Hyacinth’s shoulders. “I called Rufus to put him on standby for barbeque with all the fixings.”
Jackson looked up from where he was texting. “Landrum can swing by the church and grab the flower arrangements.”
Sutton’s mother took one of her hands. “What do you want, Sutton? Do you want to get married here today or cancel until the church is available?”
There was no question in her mind. She hadn’t wanted a big society wedding anyway. As the daughter of a prominent judge, she’d gone along with her mother’s plan because it had made her parents happy. She turned to Wyatt and smiled. “I want to get married here. Today.”
“You sure?” As if they were the only two people in the entry, he waited, his fingertips gliding down her cheek.
“More sure than I’ve ever been. This is all I ever wanted or needed. Us surrounded by our family and friends.” She wrapped her hand around his wrist and kissed his palm.
He drew his hand into a fist as if he could catch her kiss and turned to the others. “You heard the lady, the wedding is on!”
The next hour was a whirlwind of activity. Her mother fielded calls from townspeople. Most people she put off with regrets, but a few Sutton wanted there. Like Bree, her childhood best friend. The healing from her betrayal wasn’t complete and their friendship would never be the same, yet Bree would always hold a special place in her memories. Anyway, it was hard to be upset when Bree’s actions had led Sutton to Wyatt.
Wyatt’s mother and Ella arrived, and Sutton only had time to exchange hugs before Maggie whisked her back upstairs to finish getting ready. A half hour later, a knock sounded and the door cracked open.
“Everyone decent?” Her father’s voice was a mere echo of his booming, courtroom tone. Sutton swept the door open. Looking pale but determined, her father smiled and took her hands. “You look beautiful, dear. Then again, you always do.”
“Are you sure you’re up to walking me down the aisle? You can sit at the front with Mother.”
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
“Are they ready?”
“Ready whenever you ladies are. Maggie, you and Willa look spectacular.”
“Thanks, Daddy.” Maggie gave her father a kiss on the cheek on her way out the door.
“Thank you, Judge Mize.” Willa ducked her head, a blush on her cheeks as she followed Maggie.
“Shall we?” Her father crooked his elbow and Sutton slipped her hand through. At the top of the stairs, the familiar notes of the wedding march started. Much like she approached life, Hyacinth played with gusto and enthusiasm with only a few sour notes.
As they reached the bottom and paused at the entrance of their family living room, her father whispered, “I’m sorry everything wasn’t perfect.”
A riot of colorful wildflowers filled the room. Someone had commandeered folding chairs, which were filled with all the most important people in her life, both new and old. Others stood along the sides. Most important, Wyatt waited, his brothers lined up beside him.
She smiled and everyone except Wyatt blurred as tears pricked her eyes. “No. This is perfect. Absolutely perfect.”
Her father handed her to Wyatt and as if Hazel had performed a marriage ceremony before, she hit every note, her command of the ceremony impressive. The only hiccup came when Hazel recited the traditional vows—love, honor, and obey.
Sutton hesitated, but as usual, Wyatt saved the day. “How about love, honor, and talk out our disagreements until I admit Sutton is always right?”
A few titters and laughs rang out from the crowd. Sutton joined in and said with a smile in her voice, “I promise to love, honor, and talk out disagreements as long as we both shall live.”
Hazel smiled and had Wyatt repeat the same. They slipped rings on each other’s fingers, hers a simple gold band, his made from trendier black rubber since rings were banned from the shop floor.
Breaking with tradition once their vows were spoken, Hazel leaned in to give them both a kiss on the cheek, tears sparkling in her eyes. “I’m so glad you and Jackson broke the twin curse and with such wonderful women. I’m proud of the men you’ve become.” She glanced toward the wall of Abbotts behind Wyatt. “All of you. Now, you may kiss your bride, Wyatt.”
Sutton closed her eyes when their lips met and the world fell away for a few shining moments. Even though she didn’t think getting married would make her feel any different, somehow the ritual strengthened their bonds in a tangible way.
Hyacinth played them out to a rousing rendition of “When the Saints Go Marching In.” The next hours were a whirlwind, and Wyatt and Sutton didn’t have a chance for a private moment.
Rufus had sent Clayton Preston with enough barbeque and fixings to feed them all. As he set up folding tables to form a makeshift buffet line in the entry way, Sutton’s mother sidled next to Sutton.
“Who is that?”
“It’s Thaddeus Preston’s brother, Clayton,” Sutton said. Thaddeus was the Cottonbloom, Mississippi, chief of police and well known to everyone.
“I heard the brother was a convict.”
“Clayton did some time, but as far as I know, he’s been a model citizen. He’s very nice, by the way.” And he was, but Sutton could also sense an edge of darkness in him and wondered if he still flirted with danger.
At the moment though, he was in a long-sleeved button-down that covered the tattoos on his arms and a pair of khakis covered by a white apron.
Her mother made a slightly disapproving humming sound but said no more. Sutton turned away, looking for Wyatt. From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Maggie. Her sister had never looked better with her contacts in and her hair loose and her killer body outlined by her dress.
Yet, she was half-hidden in the shadows of the hall, intently focused on something—or someone. Sutton followed Maggie’s stare to Clayton. If there was a list of men Sutton would pair with her sister, Clayton wouldn’t even make the top hundred.
Maggie had never had a serious boyfriend, and Clayton was … well, a man who projected a life lived beyond his years. Was her sister crushing on the bad boy across the river?
Interrupting her musing, Wyatt grabbed her hand, held a finger to his lips and guided her up the stairs. Giggling, she pulled him into her room and leaned against the closed door.
“Finally alone, Mrs. Abbott.” He advanced on her, any sentimentality stamped out by the distinctly sexual tease in his voice and face.
“Why, Mr. Abbott, whatever are you planning?” She fluttered her hand over her collarbone in faked outrage.
“Something dastardly that will no doubt wrinkle the gorgeous concoction of your wedding dress.”
She slipped by him and flopped backward on her twin bed, laughing her head off.
Also by Laura Trentham
THE FALCON FOOTBALL SERIES
Slow and Steady Rush
Caught Up in the Touch
Melting into You
THE COTTONBLOOM SERIES
Kiss Me That Way
Then He Kissed Me
Till I Kissed You
Candy Cane Christmas (novella)
Light Up the Night (novella)
Leave the Night On
When the Stars Come Out
About the Author
An award-winning author, Laura Trentham was born a
nd raised in a small town in Tennessee. Although she loved English and reading in high school, she was convinced an English degree equated to starvation. She chose the next most logical major—Chemical Engineering—and worked in a hard hat and steel-toed boots for several years.
She writes sexy, small-town contemporaries and smoking-hot Regency historicals. The first two books of her Falcon Football series were named Top Picks by RT Book Reviews magazine. Then He Kissed Me, a Cottonbloom novel, was named as one of Amazon’s best romances of 2016. When not lost in a cozy Southern town or Regency England, she’s shuttling kids to soccer, helping with homework, and avoiding the Mt. Everest–sized pile of laundry that is almost as big as the to-be-read pile of books on her nightstand.
Visit her at www.LauraTrentham.com or connect on Twitter at @LauraTrentham or on Facebook (www.facebook.com/LauraTrenthamAuthor) or Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/lauratrentham/), or sign up for email updates here.
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Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Epilogue
A Cottonbloom Wedding: Wyatt and Sutton
Also by Laura Trentham
Set the Night on Fire Page 29
