The sky threatened rain that April Saturday, but a few cranky clouds didn’t stop the Easter bunny or the dozens of excited, giggling children who came to Twin Hope Miniature Farm’s very first Easter Egg-stravaganza.

“Your city girl has become quite an entrepreneur.”

Nate grinned at Ace’s description. “And to think, at one time I thought a miniature animal farm was a useless hobby.”

“Amazing, isn’t it?” Ace removed his hat and scratched at his ear. “If the crowds that hit this place on weekends are any indication, Whitney’s onto a good thing. The petting zoo is popular rain or shine. And your idea of selling cups of feed for the chickens and bottles of milk for the baby goats wasn’t half bad.”

Nate snorted at his brother. “From you, that’s high praise.”

“Yeah, well, don’t let it go to your head. That lady of yours is the real brains of the outfit.”

“No argument from me.” Nate looked around for the lady in question, his gaze lingering on the cheerful, happy scene. Whitney had worked her tail off—and his too, he thought in amusement—to turn her inheritance into a family-friendly venue.

Kids of all ages toted baskets of colorful plastic eggs filled with prizes and roamed in and out of the petting barn. Youth from the church manned the egg hunts, ticket booth, and concessions. Pastel Easter decorations lined the entry, and a big sign next to a huge cardboard bunny declared “Hoppy Easter!”

It was cute. It was fun. It was spring-like, but Nate’s favorite spot was a small flower garden near the house dedicated to the true meaning of Easter. White lilies surrounded three wooden crosses with the center cross draped in red cloth. A yard stake proclaimed, “He is risen.” On the double row of chairs next to the garden, two young families sat in quiet contemplation.

At sundown, something else was going to happen there, and he couldn’t wait.

“Want something to drink?” Ace’s voice broke through his thoughts. “The concession is calling my name.”

“Nah, you go on.” Nate was glad to see his brother headed to the soda pop instead of his former beverage of choice. “My woman’s smiling my way. Think I’ll go over and marry her right now.”

“Patience, son. Patience.” With a laugh, Ace thumped his back and moved away. Nate did the same.

He’d been patient long enough. Today was the day.

Whitney met him halfway, long hair floating behind and a smile as wide as the horizon.

His heart music began to sing. The pleasure lifted him, made him feel weightless.

“Hey, gorgeous. Where are the twins?”

Before answering, she leaned in for her kiss. Nate didn’t mind one bit.

“Over there with Emily. She and Connie are going to get them dressed for me pretty soon.” She pointed toward the open area where the egg hunts had occurred. The girls, in denim overalls and red tennis shoes, sat on the ground with their soon-to-be aunt and dug through their filled baskets. “They adore her.”

“She feels the same.” He removed his hat, swiped imaginary sweat, and put it back on. “My sister needs kids of her own.”

“I agree.” Whitney looped her arm with his and pressed into his side, face upturned. “But she told me she’ll never marry again.”

“Told me the same. After Dennis died, she closed off. I guess losing two loves was too many.”

“Two?” Whitney tilted her head to one side. “She lost someone else?”

“Not lost as in death. Not like Dennis. But when she was in high school, there was this cowboy. Scott Donley’s brother, Levi. Good guy. Still don’t know what happened. They were crazy in love. We all knew they’d marry as soon as they graduated.”

“But they didn’t.”

“No. She’s never told us what happened, but Levi left Calypso and never came back. Emily was shattered, drew inside herself. Dad was real worried. We all were. When she met Dennis, we thought she’d finally found happiness.”

“And then he died. Oh, Nate, that’s so tragic.”

“The Caldwell siblings haven’t been too lucky in love. Until now.” He touched her cheek. “Sure you want to marry this stodgy old cowpoke today?”

“I want to marry the best man I’ve ever known, the handsomest, hardest working, kindest cowboy God ever made.”

“That leaves me out.”

She laughed and whacked his arm. “Don’t try to get out of this, buster.”

“Not a chance. I just wish all these people would hurry up and go home.”

“It’s time, honey.”

Three hours later, the customers were gone and the guests were arriving. Whitney peeked out the bedroom window at the cars and pickups parked in her driveway. Friends from church and the Caldwells. Not a big group but all the right people to celebrate a day she had only dreamed of. Certainly a day she’d never expected to have in Calypso, Oklahoma.

“Whitney. Honey, come on. Time to get dressed.”

Whitney moved away from the window to aim a teary smile at her mother. “I still can’t believe you’re here. After you said Dad had a conference this weekend—”

When she’d seen her parents coming across the decorated lawn, she’d burst into tears.

“We’re so pleased to see how your life has changed. This is icing on the cake. Conferences come and go. This is family.” Mom held out the wedding gown. “Now put this on and get out there in that beautiful garden and marry that fine man.”

Family. At last. Sniffling, heart full, Whitney slipped her arms into the dress and let the material float to the floor in a soft swirl.

As she stepped into her shoes, Mom added a garland of tiny white flowers to her hair.

Whitney went to the long mirror. “Is that me?”

“You look radiant, honey. Like a woman should on her wedding day.”

She felt like a fairy, like a princess. Like a woman in love.

A knock sounded on the door. “About ready in there? The preacher and the groom are getting antsy.”

“Don’t let him run away,” she called.

The voice behind the door, Ace’s, she thought, laughed. “Fat chance. You’re stuck with him. We have a no-returns policy at the Triple C.”

With one last glance in the mirror, she stepped onto the porch, placed her hand in the crook of her father’s elbow, and started the short trek toward the garden. Pastel lights draped the setting. Connie’s carefully planted flowers bloomed in profusion as if they’d known today was special.

She and Nate had chosen this day on purpose, the day before Easter, before Resurrection Day. A time of new beginnings.

The twins, wearing fluffy white dresses with pastel sashes, walked before her, spreading rose petals on the green grass. When they spotted their hero, they forgot the roses and raced ahead. Nate stood in front of the gathering between his brother and the pastor, handsome in dark jeans, white shirt, black boots, and jacket. Simple. And perfect.

“Nate, my Nate,” Olivia cried as she threw her arms around his legs in high drama. The small gathering tittered. Nate dropped a hand to Olivia’s head and murmured something, but his eyes remained on Whitney.

Her stomach fluttered. Pleasure rose in her chest as she walked down the grassy aisle between the rows of folding chairs to her true love.

“Mommy’s pitty,” Sophia said, patting the skirt of Whitney’s wedding gown.

“She’s beautiful.” Nate reached out a hand.

Whitney grasped the work roughened palm of her cowboy and moved into place beside him. At his side. Where she always wanted to be.

Out in the barn a donkey brayed, Clive whinnied, and Mick Jagger crowed. The billy goat rammed his head into the gate, and at the noise, two nannies tumbled to the ground in a faint.

Too full of joy to hold it all in, Whitney and her cowboy looked at each other and laughed.

And the wedding began.