Chapter 24

It was nearly perfect. The day. The flowers. The late afternoon sun shining across the pastures and the old orchard of Allison’s Farm. Most of all, the man waiting for her at the rose arbor, just below the walkway Lizzie and Ronnie had strewn with fragrant petals.

I wish you and Pop were here, Grandma Ellie. Then I would have a dream come true.

Thoughts of her grandparents had filled her mind this morning, and as she hesitated but a moment before going down the walk, a tiny, painful lump formed in her throat. She swallowed it down, but tears still brimmed in her eyes.

“We’re here, Allie. We’ve always been here. Now go, meet your young man and live a happy life.”

Where the thought came from she wasn’t sure, but it calmed her as if she’d received a warm hug from the two people she had so loved.

A pair of mourning doves cooed from the willow tree, and Allison’s hands trembled as she clutched her bouquet of daisies and baby’s breath.

“Are you okay, Mom?” Lizzie stood at her side and touched her arm. “Is something wrong?”

She smiled down at her sweet daughter in her handmade, yellow dress and cowboy boots. “I am just fine, and everything is perfect.”

The three musicians Ronnie’s husband, Jerry, had employed for the day struck up the first few chords of “The Wedding Song,” a tune that had been one of her grandmother’s favorites. She waited while Thelma and Lizzie walked ahead of her and then set out to start her new life. When Shane put out his hand to her, she took it, catching the wink Matthew Brewster, the best man, sent her way. Doc stood next to Thelma now, leaning on his cane but not bothering to hide a big grin.

She handed her bouquet to Lizzie in order to join hands with Shane. Before she knew it, they’d spoken their vows, exchanged rings, and made their promises, and the preacher pronounced them husband and wife.

“You may kiss your bride, Dr. McBride.”

One of the horses—Allison was pretty sure it was Starlight—whinnied loudly from her view in the nearby pasture and was quickly joined by several others.

“Do you think we have their approval?” Shane murmured against her lips.

“I think so.” Smiling, she leaned into him and his heart beat sure and strong against her own. “Around here, you know that’s everything.”

Lizzie hugged them both and grasped them each by a hand. To the sound of everyone’s applause, and with a full heart, Allison left the arbor with the two people she loved most in the world.

The next few hours passed in a blur. Thankfully, Jenny took pictures, and Sandy and Ronnie handled the caterer set up on the porch.

“How did you manage to plan all this?” She turned to Shane, who was shaking Jerry’s hand. “I didn’t expect it.” He just winked at her.

Later, after Murray made the last toast, Jenny, Lizzie, and Thelma cut and served the three-tiered, ivory and peach cake. To their cheers, Allison tossed her daisy bouquet, and Carrie, the vet tech, caught it while the musicians played a final song.

As everyone began to wander home, Allison followed Lizzie upstairs while her daughter changed and got her bags for the camping trip.

“Are you sure you want to go with Aunt Ronnie and Uncle Jerry?” She helped stuff a few more books in the backpack. “If you’d rather stay home, it’s okay—”

“Aunt Ronnie said you and Shane need some time alone.” Lizzie grabbed her teddy bear and her pillow. “I’ll be fine, but you’ll look after the kittens, right?”

“Yep. They’re not so much trouble now they can eat kibble. I’ll try to keep them out of mischief, though.” She sat on the edge of Lizzie’s bed and drew her baby girl into her arms for a hug. “Thank you for everything you did to help today, fixing the flowers and serving the cake. It was lovely.” Hard to believe it was over already, that she and Shane were married, and they were a family now. She pressed her face into her little girl’s hair and held back a few tears.

Lizzie let her hold her for a minute but broke away sooner than Allison wanted to let her go.

“I’m glad you and Shane got married, Mom. It’ll be nice having him here all the time.” She turned to pick up her bags. “I better get back downstairs. Aunt Ronnie said they’re all ready to go, so we can get to the park before it’s too late.”

A sudden twinge of doubt about the whole idea pricked at Allison.

Change your mind, Lizzie.

It was probably just anxiety from all the changes lately—even her little girl was growing up. But still, on the way to the stairs she ducked into her bedroom to snatch her phone from the dresser. Luckily, she’d charged it last night and hadn’t used the device all day.

“Here, I want you to take this with you.” She unzipped a pocket on the backpack and shoved it inside. “Shane’s number is entered and of course our house number. If for any reason you want to call me, you can.” On second thought, she stuffed the charge cord into the pocket and zipped it closed. “Or just text me. Okay?”

“I will, but you’re being silly. You and Shane are going to be too kissy kissy to worry about me.”

Allison chuckled, but before she could say anymore, Lizzie gave her a quick hug, hurried down the stairs, and climbed into Ronnie and Jerry’s silver SUV. She watched Shane stop at the car window and speak with them a moment before they drove off.

Her daughter’s small hand waved as they pulled from the drive, and she waved back. A lump swelled in her throat, but she knew it was just the high emotions of the day finally catching up to her.

****

Shane finished taking down the last of the folding tables and slid them into the back of Murray Jackson’s truck. Thelma had sent leftover cake home with the last departing guests and was now finished cleaning up. She removed her frilly apron and came up to him.

“Everything’s done, and I put the top layer of the cake in the freezer. You can tell Allison.”

He slammed the tailgate of the truck shut. “The top layer. For what?”

“Your first anniversary, silly. You’re supposed to eat it on your first anniversary.” She looked past him toward the house. “Your bride appears a little peaked. She’s had a busy week, and I think you need to go be with her now.”

Exactly what he wanted to do.

Allison stood on the porch watching the last of the day’s sunlight fade over the old orchard. Gypsy stood beside her, ever watchful with his wife’s hand resting on the collie’s head.

Is she happy?

The question twisted his stomach into a knot. Crazy, but the one thing he had always wanted had suddenly come true, and now here he was afraid…that they’d rushed into this…that maybe she didn’t really…

She turned his way, and her gaze seemed a little wistful. But then she smiled, and the knot in his stomach dissolved. He knew she still worried about the big cat making another appearance, as did he, but thank goodness there’d been no more sighting in the past two weeks, or anymore strange happenings at the farm, and all had gone well today.

“Thanks so much for everything.” He turned to shake Murray’s hand again and drop a kiss on Thelma’s flushed cheek. “We couldn’t have done this without your help.”

“How about us?” Jenny spoke up as she and her friend, Jeremy, brushed hay from their hands and clothes. “The horses are fed and tucked in the barn for the night. They should all be happy as clams.”

“Thanks to you guys, too.” Shane winked at Jenny who promptly blushed. “You’re the best.”

He waited until they’d all pulled their vehicles onto the road, then taking a deep breath, he headed up to the house and his new wife on the porch.

She still wore the lacey dress, though she was barefoot, and the flower wreath had side-slipped into the soft curls tumbling from the loose topknot she’d fastened earlier. She was so soft and beautiful and enticing. But her lips pressed together tightly when he joined her. Thelma was right. His wife did look a little tired. His instinct was to swoop her up and carry her inside and make them both forget all the worries and heartaches of the last ten years, but there was time. For right now, he knew the thing she needed most was a chance to unwind.

“Let’s sit for a while.” He took her hand and pulled her toward the swing, the place where, years ago, they’d shared their first kiss.

Allison pushed it slowly back and forth while crickets chirped, and a soft evening breeze brought them the scent of rose petals now lying in the dew-damp grass.

“Doc is recuperating well. I’m so glad he was able to be here for you.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “It was nice, the way everybody helped out and made it so special today. Lizzie’s flowers were beautiful, and the cake was lovely and—”

“Ah, before I forget, Thelma said to tell you the top layer is in the freezer. We’re supposed to eat it next year, on our first anniversary.” Not sure why we want to do that, but whatever.

Allison snuggled closer and sighed. “Dear Thelma. She remembers everything.”

A night bird twittered in the oak tree as her fingers trailed down his arm where he’d pushed up his shirtsleeves. His pulse quickened. She tipped her head back, and the touch of her gaze warmed his skin.

“What do you think it will be like a year from now? What will we be like? Where will we be?”

Shane kept her hand from moving back up his arm and laced his fingers through hers to hold it still. “I would like to think we’ll be right here, sitting in this old swing, and listening to all the sounds that make Allison’s Farm such a special place.”

“It’s the most I could hope for.”

He couldn’t wait any longer and turned his face to hers, their lips just a breath away from touching. “As long as I’m with you, Allie, it doesn’t matter where I am. We just never need to be apart…not ever again.”

He kissed her then, and all the lonely nights he’d ever spent in his life drifted far into the past.

When the sun was only a dim glow over the orchard and a breeze had carried away the last of the day’s warmth, Allison yawned and shivered against him. He needed to get his bride inside before she fell asleep in the swing.

Keeping a hold of her hand, he drew her along with him and opened the screen door, turning to the collie. “You coming, too?”

Gypsy wagged her plumy tail and hurried to her pillow in the corner of the kitchen where the three kittens were already snuggled together. When he closed the door, Shane knew he was finally home.

In the living room, Allison turned on the old-fashioned stereo Pop and Grandma Ellie had once played, and she hummed as the classic country songs she had grown up listening to wrapped their melodies around her. Removing the flower wreath from her hair, she set it on the bureau that displayed all the pictures of her life. Soon the wedding photo of her and Shane and Lizzie would join them.

She touched the one of Lizzie with her crooked front tooth. “I hope she’s okay,” she murmured.

The comforting weight of Shane’s hands came to rest on her shoulders.

“I’m sure she’s in dreamland about now, but if you want, we’ll go get her tomorrow.”

She loved him all the more for saying that and turned to him. “Really? You won’t mind?”

He touched her hair where the curls had fallen on her shoulders. “I love her, too, and I want her here, with us. But tonight, tonight is ours.”

She smiled and raised her arms to encircle his neck. Closing the small space between them, she moved slowly with him around the room, relishing his warmth against her while the music played. Moment by moment, she fell into a world where only the two of them existed.

I want to remember every moment of this night, every kiss, every touch, every whisper.

Had she murmured it aloud? Or was it the connection she and Shane had always shared? So that he knew what she wanted without her asking. So that she felt cherished and loved as only Shane could love her.

“Let’s go upstairs.” She turned off the stereo and led him to the steps.

It took a while to reach her room, what with stopping every step or two to kiss and laugh about some silly remark. Once there, it didn’t take so long for Shane to unzip the peach and ivory lace dress and slip it from her shoulders. It puddled at her feet, soon joined by the satiny slip, her “something old” to wear.

The pearl snaps of Shane’s western shirt gave way easily beneath her fingers, though her hands shook a little as she tugged it free from his belt. How was it possible she was nervous? She knew him so well…and yet this was somehow different tonight.

“Let me finish.” He turned away to take off his shirt.

She took the moment to drape the dress she’d worked all week to finish across a chair in the corner.

My wedding dress!

She hadn’t worn one when she married Jason. The long-held dream, the one she’d put aside years ago, had finally come true.

The warmth of Shane’s strong arms encircled her from behind, and he nuzzled the back of her neck. Her knees almost betrayed her, but he slipped one arm beneath them and lifted her as if she weighed nothing. When he put her down gently on the bed, he turned away long enough to open the nearby window a little wider, to let in the warm breeze stirring in the late July night. Then he slipped in beside her, and Allison sighed.

“Will o’ the wisp,” she murmured and slid her hands over his broad shoulders. “It’s like that.”

“What is?”

He began a chain of feather-light kisses that started at her collarbone and trailed down to her breasts. The brush of his whiskers against her suddenly hot skin sent waves of desire surging everywhere.

“This is.” She tangled her fingers in his dark hair he’d let grow a little too long of late. “Something you’re not quite sure is there. Something so fragile, so elusive you’re afraid if you look away, it will be gone.”

“It won’t be, Allie. Not ever again. That’s my vow.”

Her breath caught in her throat, and she arched against him. Soon her soft gasps met his, and then words no longer were important. Only his touch, lifting her to the place she could only fly with him, only the secret whispers following the ascent, and then the sinking back down into a golden cloud that rivaled the will o’ the wisp in its glow.

****

Shane listened to Allison’s soft breaths, each one tickling across his chest. She slept deeply now, and all trace of worry and stress were missing from her flushed pink face. He kissed her forehead, and without waking, she snuggled closer, one hand sliding across his middle and settling in possessively beneath his arm. Finally, he could hold her and let himself relax.

He’d never imagined his life could turn out so perfect and so right. Oh, he’d known since the day he’d stepped onto the Tyler’s porch, and she’d opened the door, that Allison was the one, and even after all these years, it was still true. The separation hadn’t changed any of the feeling, but the years apart had given them other ways to grow. Now, here they were, together and still in love as ever. Like a priceless gift, they’d been given a second chance, and he would do everything within his power to keep it this way. Everything. Anything.