Seven months later
IT WAS A beautiful April morning, and to her amazement, Jenny Talbot was getting married.
“Are you ready?” Travis asked with so much love in his voice that her heart sang. No reservations?
“A few quivers, maybe,” she said, her smile belying the words.
As usual he could read her. He knew she was nervous. She was doing something she’d vowed never to do.
According to wedding etiquette, he shouldn’t be here, but she’d never paid attention to protocol and tradition before, and this was not the time to start.
The simple fact was she needed him with her to quash any doubts that lingered.
It wasn’t that she wasn’t sure she loved him. She did. With all her heart and soul, but the old doubts kept cropping up. Could she let go of that lifelong struggle for independence and compulsion to wander the world? She knew Travis understood that was a part of her. He’d made it clear he would support any stories she wanted to cover, wherever they may take her.
Her lust for dangerous places and taking chances, though, was fading away. She had found something else. In addition to Travis, she had Anna now and a veteran-trained mustang, thanks to Jubal. She’d become closer to Lenore and Charlie, and the entire Covenant Falls veteran family had taken her into their ranks.
“I should go,” Travis said as he leaned down and gave her one last kiss before they officially wed. “I have some shaving and dressing to do, and your mother, sisters and Charlie will be here soon. I don’t want them scandalized. By the way, I think Charlie’s turning into another you.”
“Scary, isn’t it?” she said after kissing him and reluctantly shooing him toward the door.
“For some lucky guy, yes,” he replied as he opened the door. “See you at our wedding. I love you.”
He left, and she contemplated the closed door. She hadn’t wanted him to leave, even if he was just walking four houses down to Josh’s cabin. She hadn’t seen much of him in the past few days. He was working long days as the new coach at Covenant High School, and they were now in the midst of baseball season. He was finally doing what he’d always wanted to do, and he loved it. He loved his kids, and the baseball team was winning for the first time in years. Football hadn’t gone that well, but he vowed it would next year.
She’d stayed at the inn for several months after their return. It had been free because she’d continually worked with Josh, Jubal and Travis in developing the equine program. She also wrote quirky ads and news releases for the inn which was steadily becoming more popular.
Then a cottage on the lake came for sale and Travis bought it. He stayed in Josh’s cabin while she moved into the cottage. It wasn’t exactly perfect because his new job required a certain amount of discretion. She didn’t think anyone was fooled, though.
Tonight, it would be official.
They’d planned a small wedding at the waterfall at noon, the best time for the rainbow.
It was where she had first started to fall in love with Travis although she hadn’t known it then. Because the park wasn’t suitable for a large gathering, they’d limited the wedding to the group of veterans—and their families. Jubal was planning a much larger reception and barbecue at his ranch at four.
She thought back to the day she’d met them. So much had happened since then.
Jubal had followed Travis’s recommendations to develop a program much like Bill’s. It joined the emotional benefit of interaction with horses with building useful skills. The first group of twelve veterans had finished the month-long program and a new group had just arrived. Three members of the first group left with service dogs that Stephanie and her husband, Clint, trained with the long-distance help of Karen.
There was a waiting list now, and the ranch was receiving referrals from the VA. Donations were coming in, thanks to an article written by Jennifer Talbot.
The doorbell rang, Anna barked, and Jenny opened the door to receive a hug from her mother who’d arrived yesterday with Lenore and Charlie, who was clutching a small black poodle puppy Jenny had given her in lieu of Anna. Then Stacy stepped out from behind them. “Hello, sis,” she said.
Jenny thought her heart would explode. She hugged her older sister. “I’m so happy you came.”
“I wouldn’t miss it. We wanted it to be a surprise.”
“Father?”
Stacy shook her head. “Business,” she said.
“Where are you staying?” Jenny asked. “I thought the inn was full. You could have stayed with me.”
“We didn’t want to complicate things for you,” Lenore said. “Mom and I had reserved separate rooms at the inn. Stacy is staying with me and Charlie is staying with Mom along with the puppy. They’re getting along just fine. By the way, Charlie and I think Travis is terrific.”
“They’ve been singing his praises,” Stacy said as they walked inside the living room. “I’ve brought along a few items...”
Lenore handed her a box of cinnamon rolls sent by Susan Hall. “I love the inn,” she said. Then she noticed Travis’s jacket on a chair and two coffee cups on a table.
“You didn’t?”
“I did.” Jenny grinned as she took a bite of cinnamon roll.
“Well, let’s get you ready,” Lenore said. She’d helped Jenny select the classic moss green dress that fit her slim body well, along with matching shoes. “I’ll start on the makeup. Stacy will do your hair...” An hour later, Jenny barely recognized herself. Miracles had happened. Or maybe it was just the glow she felt as, for the first time, she felt like a loved and accepted member of the family.
* * *
EVE PICKED THEM up and drove them to the waterfall site.
To Jenny’s astonishment, the parking lot was full, including two school buses. They were met by Josh and an equally puzzled Travis, who spread out his arms as if to say he didn’t know what in the heck was going on.
Josh gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Sorry about this,” he said, “Apparently the news got out. The football and baseball teams threatened to crash the wedding if they weren’t invited. It sort of grew from there.”
Jenny looked around. Probably a hundred or more chairs had been placed in front of an arch entwined with roses. A group of high school musicians tuned their instruments. The park’s picnic tables were covered with white tablecloths, and Maude was guarding several large refrigerated chests of food. The owner of the Rusty Nail stood by with more refrigerated chests.
Big high school football players bashfully approached them to offer their congratulations. The leaner baseball players sauntered over and saluted.
“You did good, Coach,” the spokesman said, and the others hoorayed.
It seemed the entire community had wrapped their collective arms around them.
Tears came to her eyes. Gratitude swelled through her as she clutched Travis’s hand. For someone who had been the ultimate observer, she was moved beyond any expression. Her hand tightened around his. He squeezed it as ranchers and townspeople surrounded them.
The sun seemed even brighter as everyone took their seats. A young woman started singing “One Hand, One Heart” from West Side Story as Travis tightened his hold on her hand and they walked down the aisle to face the minister.
The one thing she’d insisted on was approaching the altar together. She didn’t want him waiting for her, or her waiting for him.
“Ever the rebel,” Travis had teased.
When they reached the arch of roses, she turned to him. His gaze was so full of love, it made her ache down to her toes. “I love you,” he whispered.
“Me, too,” she whispered back.
And then Pastor John started. She’d heard the words a hundred times in films but now every word had a special meaning. Together, they meant forever. For a moment, fear overtook her, and then his touch chased it away.
When they finished exchanging vows, and Pastor John said they could kiss, Travis’s lips touched hers with so much tenderness, she thought she would melt.
She started to hear laughter as the kiss continued, and he reluctantly released her, but kept his hand on hers as they turned. Everyone was standing up, laughing, applauding and rejoicing with them.
One of his football players yelled out, “Way to go, Coach.”
She knew then that her observer days were over.
Both she and Travis had found the place where they belonged. They had come home.
* * * * *
If you enjoyed
THE SOLDIER’S HOMECOMING,
you’ll love the other books in
Patricia Potter’s
HOME TO COVENANT FALLS miniseries!
THE SOLDIER’S PROMISE
TEMPTED BY THE SOLDIER
A SOLDIER’S JOURNEY
THE SEAL’S RETURN
All available now from
Harlequin Superromance.
Keep reading for an excerpt from HER MOUNTAIN SANCTUARY by Jeannie Watt.
Get rewarded every time you buy a Harlequin ebook!
Click here to Join Harlequin My Rewards
http://www.harlequin.com/myrewards.html?mt=loyalty&cmpid=EBOOBPBPA201602010003