Chapter Seventeen
Jake
The whole damn town crowded into the meadow, some standing, some sitting on blankets or lawn chairs. Ande had suggested we make it an open invitation, and everyone could bring their own seating. We didn't want to mow the meadow just for the comfort of our guests, but stronger wills prevailed. Dad mowed the grass in sections, leaving about half of it untouched.
I waited under the branches of the tree where I proposed, shifting from one foot to the other. What if she changed her mind?
Ian looked up at me and tugged on my belt. "Jake, stop. Momma doesn't like when I fidget."
I took my best man's advice and stood still, just as the music started. The curtain of the tent opened, and Dad stepped out with a smile, then turned and offered his hand to the most gorgeous creature on the face of the earth. He'd cried when she asked him to give him away, saying she wished her own father had been like him.
Ande had chosen a flowy dress that accented her curves, but didn't put them on display. Flowers from the meadow crowned her head and trailed from her hands. She looked like an angel sent from Heaven to save me.
My mouth went dry and Ian clutched my hand. "Momma's beautiful."
"Yes, she is." I couldn't take my eyes off her, and when she came to a stop in front of me, my heart nearly stopped. Yet again, I knew for certain, no matter how dirty I had to fight to keep her, nothing was going to come between us, ever.
Kyle started talking, and I immediately tuned him out, able to focus on only one thing. Moments later, Ian tugged on my hand to prompt me to say my part. I hoped to hell I said the right things, because my pulse pounded so hard in my ears, I could hear nothing else. Apparently, I managed, because a moment later, Ande was in my arms and the crowd cheered when I kissed her.
"God, I love you, Ande." Those words would never be enough to tell her how I felt, but they were the closest I could come.
Ian reached up for hugs, and Sam passed Janna to us so she could join in too. My heart felt full to bursting. I couldn't imagine being any happier than at that moment.
We moved through the crowd and accepted hugs and congratulations from friends and neighbors. At the other side of the meadow, some of the women from Gramma's church had set up a table with a wedding cake. We cut it and helped pass it around, chatting with guests.
At one point, Sam stopped me and nodded toward Dad. "Who's that lady talking to Dad?"
I looked, and didn't recognize her as anyone from here. "I don't know. But he doesn't look thrilled to see her." The lines around his mouth were tight and he looked pale. I hoped she hadn't brought bad news, or anything worse. Not today.
Someone else pushed in and shook my hand, distracting me from my concern. Immediately, I lost myself once more in the happiness of making Ande my wife, and knowing we had created life through our love. God help anyone who tried to mess this up for us. I would fight as dirty as I had to in order to keep her, to keep my family safe.
I knew next to nothing about weddings, but I couldn't imagine anything more beautiful than the way Ande chose for us to exchange our vows. Making those promises meant the world to me, and nothing I ever did in my life would be as important to me.
At the end of a long afternoon, Ande and I handed Ian and Janna off to Dad and my brothers, then I helped her into my truck. We drove away with tin cans and streamers flying from the rear bumper and Just Married painted on the windows.