CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Kelly

The wedding happened a month after Reese had visited. I had wanted to have it as soon as possible, so that I was still not very pregnant, but before the baby put in his or her appearance.

I was in Wyoming. I stepped out of the hotel and into the blast of hot air from the mountains, my nose reveling in the scent of heat and dust. This was the place I loved. The place we had met and I had always loved it. It was completely right.

“Kelly…” My mother’s voice was at my shoulder. I smiled down at her.

“What, Mom?”

“Don’t you think you’d better wait for the car to turn around? I mean…this wind in your hair…”

I chuckled. I was wearing my dress—a sheath of cream silk that fell to my ankles, the sleeves wide straps, the back low and the front a high “v,” the straps ending in the middle of my shoulders. I loved it. I had a breezy veil and my hair was loose.

“You know what?” I smiled. “The messier the better! It wouldn’t be me otherwise.”

My mother giggled. “You’re so right.” she pressed my hand. There were tears in her eyes, something I never would have expected. My mother was crying!

I kissed her brow. She was wearing a white suit in a linen so fine it could have been silk, with a sort of olive silk blouse underneath. She looked stunning. “I love you, Mom,” I said.

She sniffed. “I love you too.”

Then we were in the car and heading to the church. My grandfather was there, waiting to take my arm. As I walked in to the small, old-fashioned house of worship, my eyes were drawn to the front. There, in a well-cut black suit, which in itself was something I had never seen him do—was my Reese.

The sun shone on his dark hair, and he turned and smiled at me, his eyes the intense dark stare that drew me in from when I first met him.

Reese. My heart was so full of love I could barely breathe. There he was. My Reese. My big stubborn, strong, soulful man. I stood beside him and my grandfather slipped back to his seat. I looked at the priest and the ceremony began.

It was shorter than I had expected…in the rehearsal it seemed like we’d be up there for an age, but every word had such sanctity here, in this place, with Reese beside me that it seemed like a magic poem, every sound significant.

“…and do you, Reese Morgan Bradfield take thee Kelly Gowan, to be your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health…”

“I do.” His words were so definite. They rocked through my heart and I smiled, though my eyes blinded with tears.

The priest smiled.

“And do you, Kelly Gowan, take the Reese Morgan Bradfield to be your lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death you both shall part?”

“I do.”

I had never meant anything more in my life.

“I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss.”

We kissed.

Reese turned back the veil and leaned forward and his mouth was gentle on mine, so gentle, and my body melted into his. We kissed and stepped apart and turned to our loved ones in the church.

“Congratulations!”

“Well done!”

“Best wishes!”

We were walking through the crowd before we knew it, and roses and confetti rained down as we headed down the stairs toward the waiting car. I looked up at Reese and he looked at me and we were both laughing, our joy flowing out of us like fragrance from roses.

The reception was at the farm—we had put days into fixing up the terrace and decorating it just for that. It looked elegant and beautiful and I was so proud of it.

“Cheers!”

“Congratulations!”

We had a small reception—my guests were Mom, Grandpa, and Miller; his were his cousin Jack and a few army guys. We all fit around two tables on the terrace, and the meal was provided by the local catering firms.

“Cut the cake!” my mom shouted at some point during the meal. I laughed.

“Oh! I’d forgotten!”

Reese grinned at me. “I love you,” he mouthed.

“I love you too.”

We cut the cake—a magnificent creation from the specialist bakery. I wanted chocolate and Reese fruitcake, so we did a layer of each. We cut it and the guests applauded and my heart soared.

So much joy packed into one evening scarcely seemed possible, but it was, and it all went by too fast. Later, when the guests had all gone, Reese and I stayed on the farm. I turned to him.

“Reese…” I murmured.

“My love.”

We kissed and there, under the stars with the velvet sky above, I knew I was the happiest person around.

I could feel my body responding to his kiss and I felt a slow ache grow inside me, a sweet, beautiful need. I breathed a sigh and he laughed.

“I was thinking the same thing,” he whispered.

We went inside together and headed to the bedroom.