Chapter 30

Aaron

STANDING ON THE BACK PORCH, I slowly drank my coffee as I looked out over the Texas hill country. Smiling, I thought back to some memories of Em and I running all over this place when we were kids. My parents owned twenty-five acres along Barton Creek, and I couldn’t be happier knowing today I was going to marry Sierra at one of my favorite spots.

Smiling, I chuckled to myself as I thought about waking up this morning and feeling like I was on cloud nine. My mother had insisted Sierra and I not see each other after the rehearsal dinner last night. Letting her have her way, I spent the evening with my dad, Lark, and Tristan. We played poker until three in the morning when my father finally wiped us all out of money.

Hearing the back door open, I glanced over my shoulder to see Lark coming out. Lark and I had really gotten to know each other when I went to South Padre Island. Tristan had invited his and Ryn’s close friends to take part in when he asked Ryn to marry him. Some might say our group of friends is a bit strange, but we make it work.

Lark gave me a wink and sat down. “Nervous?”

“Nope,” I said with a smile.

“Liar.”

Laughing, I sat down next to Lark. “Honestly, I’m not nervous. I love Sierra and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I’m ready for this.”

Lark nodded his head. “I meant are you nervous you’re going to call her by another girl’s name when you take your vows, or maybe trip and break your leg before y’all go off on your honeymoon.”

Slowly turning my head, my mouth gaped open as I stared at Lark. “W-what?”

Shrugging his shoulders he said, “You know . . . nervous that in some way you’re gonna fuck this special day up for her and years from now she still be reminding you of how you ruined her one special day.” Winking at me, he said, “I so could see Sierra bringing that shit up all the time.”

Swallowing hard, I pulled my head back then let out a nervous laugh. “Why . . . I mean . . . an old girlfriend’s name? Why would you even plant that in my head, for Christ’s sake?”

Tossing his head back and laughing, Lark said, “To fuck with you. Why else?”

Tristan came walking out yawning as he pulled up a seat next me. “So you’re the last to tie the knot. How’s it feel? Scared? Nervous you’re gonna say another girl’s name?”

Jumping up, I spun around glared at the both of them. Looking between both, I pointed my finger. “You bastards! You did that on purpose. There is no way in hell I’d ever say another women’s name. I love, Sierra. She is the love of my life.”

Tristan looked over to Lark and said, “Holy shit. He’s cracking before the day is even started.”

Lark smirked and nodded his head. Looking back to Tristan, I asked, “You didn’t plan it with him to ask me that?”

Tristan wore a confused as hell look on his face as he shook his head and said, “Um . . . no. You feeling okay there, buddy? I mean I know we all get a little nervous and all, but you seem to be on edge.”

Rolling my eyes and letting out a sigh, I turned and sat back down. “I’m not nervous. Or at least I wasn’t nervous until dickhead here had to say something about me bringing up an old girlfriend’s name at the wedding.” Pointing to Tristan, I said, “Then you came out and said damn near the same thing.”

Tristan chuckled. “Dude, it happens to the best of us.”

Turning to Tristan, I said, “It didn’t happen to you.” Glancing back at Lark, I asked, “Did it happen to you?”

Lark looked like he was offended. “Fuck no, I didn’t call her by another girl’s name. How dare you accuse me of that, you asshole.”

“Hey! You just accused me of doing it, dickhead,” I said as I punched Lark in the arm.

“All right, boys, settle down,” my mother said as she walked out and smacked me on the head. Rubbing my hand on the back of my head, I glared at Lark who smirked and gave me the finger.

“Real mature,” I said as my mother cleared her throat.

“Boys, I need you to get your game faces on. The wedding is in a few hours, and we still have a number of things to take care of.”

Lark stood up and said, “We will take care of everything, Mrs. Walker. Don’t you worry that pretty little head of yours.”

My mother blushed and brushed Lark off with her hand. “Oh, you sweet talker, you. You take care of that pregnant wife of yours.”

Smiling, Lark said, “Yes, ma’am, you know I will.”

Dropping my mouth open, I watched as Lark headed back into the house. Tristan stood up and said, “Maybe we should start with getting all the chairs out on the lawn and everything?”

Clapping her hand, my mother said, “Yes! Oh, Tristan, we would be lost without you this weekend.”

I was pretty sure my mouth was now dragging the ground. Patting my mother sweetly on the arm, Tristan headed into the house as I watched him walk away with a shit-eating grin on his face.

Those bastards. They managed to infiltrate my mother!

Turning back to her, I was about to start talking when she held up her hand. “Let’s go for a walk. I want to spend some bonding time together.”

Smiling, I held my arm out as my mother took it and began walking alongside me.

“Bonding time, huh?” I asked as I raised my eyebrow at her.

Looking straight ahead, my mother inhaled through her nose and let out a contented sigh. “I’ve always loved our walks, Aaron. Do you remember the walk we took before you graduated high school?”

Nodding my head, I let out a small chuckle. “Of course I do. I remember all of our walks, Mom.”

“Do you remember what you said to me about when you found someone to love forever?”

Frowning, I thought back to that conversation. Letting out a laugh, I said, “I must have forgotten that part of the conversation.”

Glancing at me, my mother stared at me through her eyelashes. “Uh-huh. Well let me refresh your memory, son.” We walked for a bit in silence as we made our way to the creek. Stopping at a bench, my mother motioned for me to sit down.

“You told me you were never going to get married.”

Laughing, I shook my head. “I do remember that.”

Smiling, she looked into my eyes. “Of course, at the time I knew that wasn’t a true statement. I knew your heart was like mine, guarded and locked up tight waiting for that one person to come along and unlock it.”

“I waited a long time, Mom,” I said as my voice faltered.

Placing her hand on the side of my face, she nodded. “I know you did. The wait was worth it though, was it not?”

Thinking back to the first time I ever saw Sierra, I knew then she was different from any other girl I had ever known. I fought the instant feelings rushing through my body, but even then, I knew deep down she was more. “Very much worth the wait.” Taking in a breath, I slowly blew it out. “Mom, may I ask you something?”

Looking back over the creek, my mother whispered, “Always.”

Taking in a shallow breath, I asked the question I’d been longing to know. “Were you afraid when you were diagnosed with cancer?”

Still staring straight ahead, my mother smiled slightly. “Terrified. But then your father took my face in his hands and looked deep into my soul and said we would fight it together. In that moment, I knew I would win because I had your father’s love behind me. Love is a powerful tool, Aaron. It can be used in a good way or a bad way. Like for instance your father strong arming you back into his practice.”

Letting out a gruff laugh, I said, “Yeah, that’s for sure. But I don’t regret it at all, Mom. I’ve never been happier in my life. I’m glad Dad did what he did. I know deep down inside why he was doing it. Had he not done it, I might not be marrying Sierra today.”

“That’s true!” my mother said with a smile. “Are you nervous, Aaron?”

My body slumped and I shook my head. “No! Why does everyone keep asking me that?” Sitting up, I felt my heart rate increase at just the thought of making Sierra my wife. “I’m beyond thrilled. To know I’m going to be spending the rest of my life with the woman I love . . . it makes my heart feel like it could explode. Sierra is the reason for my very being.”

Wiping a tear from her eye, my mother wrapped her arm around my waist. “To hear you speak such words just fills my heart with joy. Next it will be grandchildren.”

I let out a laugh and then stopped when my heart fell to the ground and my mouth went instantly dry. What in the hell? Grandchildren.

“Um. Grandchildren? Let us first get married, Mom.”

Resting her head on my shoulder, my mother sighed in contentment as we both sat there in silence and stared out over the creek.

***

The morning had been spent setting everything up. People were coming and going as chairs were set up. A giant tent was put up with one half of the tent filled with beautifully decorated tables and chairs, and the other half a make-shift dance floor.

Jesus, if this was just for family and close friends, I couldn’t imagine what a wedding with two hundred or more people would be like. We were doing good with the eighty people we had.

Looking across the living room, I saw Sierra’s father. Walking up to him, I remembered Sierra telling me about her dad’s early days working for the Italian mob. Stopping just shy of him, I stuck my hand out.

“Paul, did you get a good sleep last night?” I asked as Sierra’s father glared at me.

Oh for Christ’s sake. That’s the best I could do? I’m fixin’ to marry his daughter and I asked if he got enough sleep.

Nodding his head slowly, he said, “I did. Thank you, Aaron. What about you?”

“Yes, sir. Played poker with my buddies and my father. He took us to the cleaners.”

Paul attempted to hide his smile but failed. “Is that so? You like to play poker?”

Oh shit. Was this a trick question? I still hadn’t learned how to read Sierra’s father. He could just be asking or he could be hinting at a gambling problem.

Fuck. Okay . . . hell I got this. Settle down, Aaron. This is a piece of cake.

“Every now and then it’s fun to get together with my father or a few friends and play some Texas Hold ‘Em. Not much of a real gambler though.”

Narrowing his eyes and tilting his head, Paul eyed me up and down. “So what you’re saying is I wouldn’t ever want to bring you to Vegas. ‘Cause I love Vegas.”

Holding up my hands, I laughed. “Well now, don’t get me wrong, I love Vegas too. Hell, I’ve had some fun times in Vegas and had a few awesome one niii . . . um . . . I um . . . I enjoy Vegas occasionally. I’d rather be home, with Sierra, any day though.”

“Nice recovery, son. I already know of your ways before my daughter.”

Jerking my head back, I asked, “My ways, sir?”

Taking in a breath and pushing it out quickly, Paul shook his head as he looked down and then back into my eyes. “What was before Sierra is just that. Before Sierra. I sowed my wild oats, son, and made plenty of mistakes. One of those mistakes was being unfaithful to my wife.”

Swallowing hard, I wasn’t sure what to say.

“I regretted it the moment it happened. Blamed alcohol and really all it was was my own weakness. She told me if I had truly loved her, even alcohol wouldn’t have played a part in my decision to betray her. I swore to her it would never happen again, and it never did, but every day I walked out the door she would look at me different than before. As if, in her mind she was wondering if I would remain faithful. The day she died, I swore to her I would never let our daughter feel that pain. I failed that promise. But I promise you, I won’t fail again. You ever so much as touch another woman besides your wife, or do anything to hurt my daughter . . . I’ll have you killed.”

Holy freaking shit. I’m pretty sure I just pissed in my pants.

Then it all hit me in one moment. Robert had only been in jail two days before he was beaten so badly he had to be sent to the hospital. “Holy shit. Robert getting beaten up in jail, was that . . . did you . . . I mean—” Leaning in closer, I asked, “Are you still in the . . . you know?”

Giving me a smile that was not meant to make me feel better, I took a step back. Paul took a step closer to me. “Let’s say I have—connections.”

Sweat began to bead at my brow as I nodded my head. Letting out a nervous chuckle, I said, “Well, you won’t need them for me, I can tell ya that! I’m already talking to my mother about grandkids for Christ’s sake.”

Paul’s eyes softened and his face lit up. “Grandkids?”

Oh fuck.

Tristan walked up to me and slapped me on the back, scaring the hell out of me. “Aaron, it’s time to get dressed and get ready. Paul, it’s good seeing you again.”

Paul reached his hand out and shook Tristan’s. “Good to see you too, Tristan. How’s that beautiful new bride of yours?”

What the fuck? Paul likes Tristan more than me. Damn it.

“She’s doing wonderfully. She’ll love seeing you again,” Tristan said with a smile that made me want to punch him in the face.

Turning, I nodded my head and said, “Well, I guess next time I see you . . . um . . . you’ll be walking Sierra down the aisle.”

Paul’s smile fell. “Yep.”

Turning on his heels, he walked away. Dragging in a deep breath, I grabbed Tristan. “He hates me!”

Tristan laughed and waved his hand off as he made his way to the staircase. “Nah, he doesn’t hate you. He’s just very protective of Sierra. Especially with the whole Robert thing.”

“No, you don’t understand, Tristan.” Looking over my shoulder, I smiled when I noticed Paul watching us walk up the stairs. Giving him a wave, he barely gave me a head nod. Reaching the top stair, I placed my hands on my knees and began taking in deep breaths.

“Jesus, I knew the nerves were going to hit you sooner or later, but damn, dude. Get a grip!”

Looking up at Tristan, I shook my head. “He threatened to have me killed, dude! Killed!”

Shrugging his shoulders, Tristan turned and headed to my parents’ master bedroom where all the guys were set to get ready. Sierra, Ryn, Azurdee and Kacey were in the guesthouse.

“I wouldn’t worry too much about it. He’d have to have a damn good reason to have you knocked off.”

Knocked off. The words sent chills throughout my body as I moaned and said a silent prayer I never ever hurt Sierra in any way.

Stepping into the room, I came across Lark talking to Kacey’s husband, Greg, about a hunt Greg was going to do on Lark’s property near Marble Falls. Rolling my eyes, I slapped my hands together, only to have Lark give me the middle finger.