Her Cowboy Billionaire Best Man

by Liz Isaacson

  Down the steps and into the backyard, which Finn had come over and helped Zach whip into perfect shape, and Celia looked down the aisle of white folding chairs to where Zach stood waiting for her.

  Love shone from him like light, and the same feeling moved through Celia. She couldn’t believe that just a few short months ago, she’d started thinking about dating. And then she’d met a man, and everything about him had seemed impossible.

  Celia looked left and right at those she loved most, noticing that Zach’s mother had come to the wedding, but his father had not. Owen and his family were there too, as well as Zach’s other brothers and their families.

  Forgiveness was a powerful force, and Celia was sure it would work on Zach’s father’s heart until he could soften up enough to let it in.

  Graham kissed Celia’s forehead and passed her to Zach with the words, “You’re the luckiest man alive right now,” before he sat down in the front row next to his mother.

  “You weren’t kidding about the crown,” Zach said, grinning first at it and then at her.

  “I really wasn’t.” She faced the pastor, ready for her happily-ever-after with this handsome cowboy. Maybe it had come a little later for her than for others. Maybe she hadn’t had to wait as long as she had to start dating. None of that mattered right now.

  God had put Zach in her life right when she needed him, and He’d provided a way for them to be together.

  His pastor gave a brief speech, and then it was time to say I do.

  When it was Celia’s turn, she said it loud, glad when Zach did the same. He kissed her as he laughed, and then he turned to their family and friends, who stood on their feet, clapping. He raised their joined hands, and Celia had never experienced such joy.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Zach shrugged into his coat, which he’d just taken off an hour ago. It still felt wet, but he wouldn’t dare suggest they not make the hour-long drive to Whiskey Mountain Lodge for the tree lighting ceremony.

  Celia had told him a dozen times that it wasn’t a ceremony. Just a family tradition, but the way she’d described what happened, it felt like a ceremony. He wanted to go, but the snow had been falling for thirty minutes, prompting them to leave earlier than they’d planned.

  “You have what you need?” he asked when he met her in the garage.

  “I just need to grab that box of bread. You got your bag?”

  “In the back,” he said, indicating the SUV they’d bought since they’d been married. She didn’t like driving a truck, and he didn’t want her driving her sedan up to the lodge in the winter. Not from Dog Valley.

  He took the box of bread from her when she came back into the garage and put it in the back of four-by-four, next to their overnight bags. He didn’t particularly want his first Christmas with Celia to be spent at Whiskey Mountain Lodge, but she’d taught him to never go to the lodge without an overnight bag.

  The weather could change on a dime up there, and it was ultra-unforgiving. He’d already slept in jeans for one night, and he didn’t want to repeat that, thank you very much.

  With everything loaded, and both of their seatbelts buckled, he set off for the lodge. The drive wasn’t bad, but it also wasn’t fast, but they arrived whole and in good spirits.

  The lodge itself seemed to have a personality all its own, and they were some of the first to arrive. Reagan had gone to Dale’s for the holiday, and Ruth had gone to meet Brandon’s parents as well, leaving Celia and Zach to come to the lodge alone.

  “Celia,” Stockton said, running over to her. “Dad said I could enter the bake-off at school. He said you’d help me.”

  “Of course I will,” she said, beaming down at him. “What do you want to make?” She hugged him close to her, and Stockton grabbed onto Zach too, hugging him quickly before he returned to Celia.

  Zach often felt like Celia’s sidekick, but he didn’t mind. She did possess a powerful charm that called people to her, especially children, and Zach liked being with her no matter what.

  “I was thinking about that chocolate pie,” Stockton said.

  She guided him to the door and said, “Go grab something from the truck, Stocky. Let me think about the pie.” She met Zach’s eyes. “No way he can make that pie.”

  “No?”

  “Maybe cookies,” she mused. “You can take that bread into the kitchen.”

  Zach did as she said, saying hello to Beau and Lily, who sat at the breakfast bar, chatting.

  Before long, the lodge filled up as more people arrived. The Christmas tree stood twenty-five feet tall in the living room, and whoever had decorated it had done a spectacular job.

  Rose arrived, and Zach took a baby from her, one of the highlights of his life being joined with Celia’s. He took the boy around to look at all the stockings hanging on the mantel, as well as along the walls.

  He paused in front of a bright blue stocking with the baby’s name on it. “Look at that, Jackson. That one’s for you.” And it had a gift in it. He grinned down at the little boy, and he smiled back.

  Zach kept moving around the room, once again surprised when he came to stop in front of a stocking with his name on it.

  His name.

  Warmth filled him from head to toe, and he suddenly understood the magic of belonging to this family. Celia had been trying to tell him for a long time. He’d been up the lodge for Sunday afternoon lunch, and he liked everyone who came. And not everyone came every week, but just as their family situations allowed.

  “Oh, you found your stocking.” Celia smiled at him as she slipped something inside.

  “You didn’t say anything about bringing gifts for the stockings,” he said. “I don’t have anything.”

  She giggled at him and waved a couple of fingers at baby Jackson. “I brought gifts for us, silly.”

  “So first we do gifts, and then we light the tree, and then we eat.”

  “No, we light the tree first. Gifts second.” She nudged him with her elbow. “Now, can you hand out chocolate bars while holding that cute baby?”

  “I think I can handle that.” He took a handful of candy bars and started around the room. “Every stocking?”

  “All the adults,” she said. “And the bigger kids. Bailey and Stockton and Averie. Not the babies.”

  “Right.” Zach did the task, finishing just as Graham called, “Time to begin. Everyone to the tree!”

  People began pouring into the living room, taking up spots on the couches and chairs. He went over to the steps so he’d be out of the way, glad when Rose didn’t take Jackson from him. In fact, Meg came over and asked, “Can you handle another one? He keeps fussing, and you’re the best with him.”

  “Lay him on me,” Zach said, taking Isaiah from her. The boy instantly quieted, and Zach pressed a kiss to the baby’s cheek. “Gotta be quiet now, bud. I think this is important.”

  Celia joined him on the steps, and he passed Jackson to her so he could focus on Isaiah. He’d held him while the other babies were born, and they had a special bond.

  “Welcome to the lodge, everyone,” Beau said, all of his brothers standing in front of the fireplace with him. “We have so many new people this year. Zach Zuckerman, of course.” Beau grinned at him.

  “And like, a million babies,” Graham said. “Which is so great. We love babies around here.” He looked down the row to Eli and Andrew. “Anyone have any announcements?”

  “Why are you looking at me?” Andrew asked.

  “Maybe because you guys always seem to have news,” Graham said.

  “Our baby is literally three months old,” Andrew said.

  “Eli?” Beau asked.

  “Nothing for us this year,” Eli said.

  The brothers surveyed the group. “Anyone else?”

  Amanda raised her hand, and Graham’s eyebrows shot so high, several people laughed. “Mom?”

  “Finn’s daughter just got engaged.”

  “Oh, that’s great,” Graham said, his relief ev
ident. “Ruth, Celia’s daughter, is getting married this year as well.”

  “We’ve decided we’re going to go on a church mission,” Jack Everett said, looking at his wife, Fran. “We’ll leave in May for the summer, and we’ve signed up to go to Costa Rica.”

  “Really?” Lily asked at the same time as her sisters.

  Once they settled down, Eli said, “Okay, should we light the tree?”

  “Yep,” Beau said. “Every year, we get this tree as a family. A different brother is assigned to decorate it, and this year, our beautiful tree was done by Eli’s family.”

  “Meg did most of it,” Eli said. “And Stockton.” He smiled at his family.

  “Averie helped on the bottom branches, didn’t you, baby?” Meg smiled at her daughter.

  “And every year, someone has the honor of flipping the switch and lighting the tree,” Graham said. “Sometimes we know who it is, and sometimes it changes based on the announcements. But no one had anything too terribly exciting.” He glanced down the row.

  “Except for you thought I was pregnant,” Amanda said, and everyone laughed, Zach included.

  He loved the banter here. The way this family had expanded and brought in anyone who wanted to join. It wasn’t just Whittakers. But Whittakers and Everetts. The men they loved, the families they had. And Celia wasn’t the only one there they employed, as Zach knew Bree did a bunch of work around the lodge, as did Annie, and they were both there that night.

  “Anyway,” Graham said, taking his hat off and putting it back on. “This year, we thought we’d ask our second mother to light the tree.”

  Every eye swung toward where Celia and Zach sat on the steps together, and she pulled in a tight breath. “Really?” she asked. “Me?”

  “Get up here, Celia,” Beau said in his booming voice. “It’s not hard.”

  Zach grinned as he took Jackson back, and he held a baby boy on each knee as he watched his wife pick her way through the legs and bodies to the fireplace.

  His wife.

  Oh, how he loved her.

  “On, three…two…one….” Graham counted down, and Celia pressed the switch, lighting the tree.

  Everyone ahh’ed, and Zach had to distinctly tell himself to look away from the beautiful woman he loved and look at the tree. It was glorious and beautiful, all lit up with white lights, clear to the top, where a huge star sat.

  Applause began, and he couldn’t join in because of the babies. But he felt the celebration down inside his soul.

  And he knew Celia had been absolutely right—he never wanted to be anywhere but at Whiskey Mountain Lodge during Christmastime.

  She helped pass out the stockings, and he just watched her, overcome with gratitude and love for her, for this family, for all of these people. Chatter lifted into the air as the small stocking gifts were revealed, and finally Celia said, “Come on, everyone. Time to eat.”

  She stood by the door and smiled at everyone as they walked by. Zach was one of the last, and he paused right in front of her.

  “This is the best Christmas I’ve had in a long time,” he said. “Thank you.”

  “Next year, we can bring your kids.” She grinned and took Jackson from him again.

  Zach nodded, his throat tight. He couldn’t wait to share this tradition with his children, who were all with their mother this year. “I love you, Celia.”

  “I love you too,” she said. And he knew she did. She’d gone with him to take simple gifts to his brothers and his parents. No, his father hadn’t come out of the bedroom, but Zach knew he eventually would. She’d put her personal touch on his house and farm in Dog Valley. And when she stretched up and kissed him, he could feel her love for him in all the right ways.

  “Come on,” she said. “We’re waiting on you so we can eat.”

  “Oh, ho,” he said, finally stepping into the kitchen. After all, he was hungry, and he didn’t want to cause a riot among all these people.

  “Right here, Zach,” Stockton said as if Zach couldn’t find his spot. He grinned at the boy and sat down, Celia clearly in charge of dinner.

  “Merry Christmas, everyone,” she said. Her voice silenced, and she looked around at everyone. “Yep. Just Merry Christmas. Let’s eat.”

  Read on for a sneak peek of RHETT’S MAKE-BELIEVE MARRIAGE, featuring a brand new set of cowboy billionaires, a matchmaking best friend, and the fake marriage series in beloved Three Rivers! Preorder it now!

  I’m so happy Zach and Celia were able to find each other, no matter how old they are! If you liked this book, please leave a review for it now.

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  Sneak Peek! Rhett’s Make-Believe Marriage Chapter One

  “It’s totally fine,” Evelyn Foster said to the woman on the other end of the line. “Not every first date goes well.” She often had to counsel her clients through a few dates before they could see what she saw.

  Being a small-town matchmaker, where ninety percent of the men were cowboys, wasn’t an easy job. But Evelyn loved it, as she could make everything line up on paper like a dream. The women knew what she was doing, but the men…well, sometimes men just needed to get out of their own way.

  And Evelyn provided a way for them to do that—and conveniently run into the woman of their dreams. They just didn’t know it yet.

  And obviously, Tina didn’t know it yet either. “He’s perfect for you,” Evelyn assured her. “What happened that rubbed you the wrong way?”

  “For starters, he wanted to take me to the big box store for a date.”

  Evelyn could hear the eyeroll in Tina’s voice.

  “But you persuaded him to do something else, right?” Evelyn asked, shuffling a couple of pages on the desk in front of her. The wind shook the windows of her office, and she glanced outside to see a dust storm had kicked up on the farm where she lived with her sisters.

  Granted, they didn’t really use the two hundred acres they had, as that was a lot for three women to manage by themselves. Their father had retired a few years ago, and they mostly planted as much as they could and sold the hay to other farms and ranches surrounding Three Rivers.

  “I did, yes,” Tina said. “But is that going to be my whole life moving forward? Me trying to persuade this guy to do what I want?”

  “Let me look through a few more candidates,” Evelyn said, focusing on her papers again. May was an exceptionally busy time for her services, as well as for around Shining Star Ranch. While her oldest sister, Callie, ran most of what happened on the ranch, Evelyn had plenty of chores to do too. “And I’ll get back to you in a couple of days, okay?”

  “Okay,” Tina said. “What should I do if Gideon calls?”

  “You get to decide that,” Evelyn said, looking at Gideon’s one-sheet. “He really does seem perfect for you. Maybe he just didn’t want to commit to something as long as dinner.”

  “I don’t know how that’s a plus,” Tina said dryly.

  “Well, he’s met you once, for what? Five minutes at the dry cleaner? Somewhere I only knew he’d be because we got a last-minute phone call.” Evelyn never revealed her sources, but she had spies all over the town of Three Rivers.

  With a population of almost seventeen thousand now, she certainly couldn’t be everywhere at once, or know where every eligible bachelor would be at any given time.

  “And that was the first time he’d been there,” Evelyn reminded her. “So maybe give him a little slack?” She spoke as kindly as she could. After all, Tina was paying her, and she didn’t need to lose a client because the cowboy Tina had her eye on was out of his element.

  “Okay.” Tina sighed. “But still look at a couple of other guys for me.”

  “Anyone in mind?” Evelyn asked, because no one else on her list stood out for someone like Tina. She liked a through-and-through Texas cowboy, with a big hat, and the biggest belt buckle possible. Rodeo experience a plus.

  While there were plenty of cowboys in Three Riv
ers, Tina wanted Cowboy Extreme.

  “I’ve seen a man at church the last few weeks,” Tina said. “He looks new in town.”

  Evelyn repressed a sigh and looked out the window again. She couldn’t see the trees she knew were only ten feet away. Alarms started sounding in her mind, and surprise darted through her that she hadn’t lost cell phone reception yet.

  “I don’t know his name or where he lives,” Tina said.

  “All right,” Evelyn said. “I’ll put out some feelers to find out who this guy is.” With that, the line crackled, and Tina’s words broke up. In the next moment, the service cut out, and Evelyn looked at her phone to see the call had indeed been severed.

  “Great,” she muttered. Now she had to hunt down a mystery cowboy who was new to town. Maybe Patrick would know. Her boyfriend worked the meat counter at the grocery store, and he saw a lot of people—especially single cowboys coming to buy their steak dinners.

  Of course, a lot of the cowboys around Three Rivers worked on farms and ranches, and they often got plenty of beef for free from their employers. So maybe Patrick wouldn’t know. But it couldn’t hurt to ask him.

  He knew what Evelyn did for a living, and he often sent her texts with information on men she needed to know about. She couldn’t send him a text right then, as it seemed her provider had gone down with the crazy wind storm.

  She left her office at the same time a horrible, glass-shattering sound filled the whole farm house. She screamed, hers matching her younger sister’s in the living room.

  Callie burst in the back door with the words, “There’s a tornado headed this way. Come help me with the animals.” She spun away before either Evelyn or Simone could answer.

  Thankfully, Evelyn already had shoes on, and she hurried after her oldest sister, saying, “The sirens haven’t even gone off. Maybe it’s just a windstorm.”