Chapter Eight
Saturday afternoon
The wedding
Sierra stood beside Logan, waiting for Tag to make his way up to the altar after walking McKenna’s mother to her seat. The scene before her made her smile. So many people, all gathered together in one place, all patiently waiting for the ceremony to begin.
Surprisingly, Sierra wasn’t nervous, merely eager for them to get on with it. She had spent the morning with McKenna, along with Sam and Mercedes, helping her to get ready, trying to calm her nerves, and ultimately making her laugh. They’d arranged for breakfast to be delivered to the cabin, not wanting to risk Tag seeing McKenna before he was supposed to. It had been a fun, laughter-filled morning, but Sierra was as anxious as Tag and McKenna to get this started.
She was excited for this day, excited for two of her nearest and dearest friends to pledge their love for one another. Today, Sierra was McKenna’s matron of honor, while Logan stood for Tag as his best man. The couple had opted to keep the wedding party small, due to the fact there were so many people close to McKenna, and the woman didn’t seem to know how to pick one person for the high honor without selecting everyone.
So, to make it simple, last night after the striptease, they’d come up with a plan to make it easy. Everyone’s name went into a hat—two separate ones, actually—and McKenna and Tag then drew randomly. Not conventional, maybe, but it had been fun. Probably more so because Sierra’s name had been selected, and she had the honor of standing up for the couple as they stated their vows to one another.
Once Tag made his way to the altar, standing in front of the officiant who’d entered from the side of the beautifully decorated chapel, a silence descended over the group gathered before her. Luckily, they’d had an assigned wedding coordinator who’d handled all of the details, right down to the decorations, as well as the menu, cake, flowers, and music. Sierra merely oversaw it all, ensuring that nothing was missed.
Pretty much, the only thing the rest of them had to do was show up.
Which they’d all done, including Tag’s father and his stepmother.
“Ready?” Logan whispered as he leaned down toward her.
“Absolutely.” Sierra allowed Logan to lead them down the aisle. When they arrived at the altar, she went to the left, Logan to the right.
As Sierra took her place, she heard laughter and turned in time to see Hannah marching down the aisle, grinning from ear to ear as she tossed rose petals onto the floor behind her. She was so animated, making Sierra laugh along with the others. When she made her way to the front, Cole snatched her up and pulled her into his lap, making Hannah giggle in response.
Sierra’s attention was drawn to the back of the room, and tears formed in her eyes as she saw McKenna and her father, Jason, come into view.
Since McKenna hadn’t known what was happening, Sierra had called Diane, asking McKenna’s mother to do the honors of selecting what she thought her daughter would like. The dress was perfect. McKenna looked stunning. Her ivory vintage gown, with top-applied flowers on illusion tulle, sheer three-quarter sleeves, and a full, layered skirt, looked as though it had been made with McKenna in mind. Elegant and beautiful, just like McKenna.
The music began, and Jason led McKenna down the aisle while there were gasps as everyone took her in. Sierra glanced over at Tag, noticing the man was motionless, his eyes glued to the woman as she approached him. The look on his face was priceless, and hopefully someone thought to get a candid shot of what true adoration looked like, because that was the only way to describe it.
McKenna and her father stopped at the altar.
“Who gives this woman to this man in marriage?” the officiant asked.
“Her mother and I do,” Jason said gruffly, emotion clogging his voice.
McKenna stepped forward, as did Tag, both of them meeting in the middle. Jason then took McKenna’s right hand from his left arm and placed it on Tag’s left hand.
Sierra knew she wasn’t going to make it through the ceremony without tears. She only hoped she didn’t make a spectacle of herself when she did. Considering her hormones were on the fritz, hopefully she’d be forgiven if that did, in fact, happen.
While she tried to maintain her composure, Sierra reached for the bouquet when McKenna turned to hand it to her and then watched as Tag and McKenna both turned toward the officiant.
“Dear family and friends, we are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the union of Tag Murphy and McKenna Thorne in marriage. Through their time together, this couple has come to realize that their personal hopes and dreams are more attainable and more meaningful through mutual support, providing in love, commitment, and family. And so, they have decided to live their lives together as husband and wife.
“True marriage is more than the joining of two persons; it is the union of two hearts. It lives on the love you give each other and never grows old, but thrives on the joy of each new day. Marriage is love. May you always be able to talk things over, to confide in each other, to laugh with each other, to enjoy life together, and to share moments of quiet and peace, when the day is done. May you be blessed with a lifetime of happiness and a home of warmth and understanding.”
Yep, Sierra knew the waterworks were about to start up, especially when she noticed McKenna’s hand shaking as she held Tag’s.
“Do you, Tag, take McKenna to be your lawfully wedded wife, promising to love and cherish, through joy and sorrow, sickness and health, and whatever challenges you may face, for as long as you both shall live?”
“I do,” Tag said, his eyes lingering on McKenna’s face.
“And do you, McKenna, take Tag to be your lawfully wedded husband, promising to love and cherish, through joy and sorrow, sickness and health, and whatever challenges you may face, for as long as you both shall live?”
“I do,” McKenna replied, her voice shaky.
The officiant continued, “You have for each other special rings—symbols that love is the most precious element in your life together. The ring has no beginning and no end, which symbolizes that the love between you will never cease. You place these rings upon each other’s fingers as a visible sign of your vows this day, which will make you husband and wife.”
Sierra choked back a sob as McKenna and Tag turned to face one another. The two of them exchanged rings, reciting the words, “I give you this ring, a symbol of my love, as I give to you all that I am and accept from you all that you are.”
“And now, by the power vested in me, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife. Tag, you may now kiss your bride.”
Cheers erupted when Tag melded his lips to McKenna’s, cupping her face in his big hands. Sierra then lost the battle to hold back the tears as she smiled at her friends, silently wishing them all the happiness the world could afford them.
“Family and friends, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Tag Murphy.”