Watching Charlotte Joy—yes, he’d learned that was her fitting middle name—Brightwood walk down the aisle made Ryker want all sorts of things. Like to call her his wife. Only this day wasn’t theirs. It was Addie and Evan’s...and Sawyer’s, too.
Standing at the front of the church next to Addie, Charlie glowed, happiness for her friend spilling from her. She was captivating.
Charlie pointed a finger partially hidden behind her bouquet in the direction of the bride and groom, as if to admonish Ryker that he should be studying the couple getting married and not her.
He raised an eyebrow, sending her a silent message back. You’re the only one I want to look at. Deal with it.
Her cheeks pinked, and they engaged in matching grins at the unspoken conversation passing between them. And then Honor, who was sitting next to him, climbed into his lap for a better view.
“I like weddings.” Her whisper was full of awe. She’d already declared Addie’s dress a princess dress and said she wanted one. No doubt Honor would have a line of men vying for her attention someday. As her uncle, Ryker planned to delay that as long as possible.
Yesterday, Kaia had finally earned her first unsupervised visit with Honor. She’d been making progress with the court system, and for the last month, she’d held a job cleaning homes and businesses again. Ryker was proud of her, and he was grateful for the way Honor blossomed with each bit of headway Kaia made. The process was slow moving, but that was a good thing. It allowed time for Kaia to prove she’d truly changed. Time for Honor to feel safe about the whole thing. To know that he wasn’t going anywhere, even when her mom did regain custody.
Addie and Evan exchanged vows as Sawyer, dressed in a miniature navy-blue suit coat and tan trousers, attempted to do a somersault next to them. They laughed and then continued as if the disruption didn’t matter. And it didn’t to them. Not when they were becoming a family.
Ryker was strangely jealous. Though he’d only been dating Charlie for a couple of months, in his mind, they were heading here. He just wasn’t sure how fast or slow they’d arrive.
After the food and cake, the music started, and he forced Charlie onto the dance floor. She’d claimed she couldn’t dance. He’d see about that.
“I’m not liable if I step on your toes, Ry. Chances are pretty good that’s going to happen.”
“You sound like a business owner with the liability talk.”
Her mouth curved, and her shoulders elevated in answer. “I am what I am. And when Addie and Evan got into a disagreement over whether there should be dancing at their reception, I have to say I sided with Evan. Some of us just don’t have rhythm.”
“Good thing you have me then. I’ll take my chances.”
She demolished his toes twice in the first twenty seconds, but after that, they found the right tempo. There wasn’t much that they couldn’t figure out together. Though Charlie was still just as out of his league as she had been at the start of all this. And yet, she loved him. Chose him. The kid who’d constantly strived to discard the messages he’d received during his childhood had been given a new story, a new message.
And Charlie’s beliefs about him were eerily similar to God’s. He was worthy. He was loved. He had value.
Ryker would forever thank God for the day he’d met Charlie, and the subsequent days that followed. He was half a man without her, and she made him whole in a way no one ever had before.
He nodded toward Addie’s parents, who were sitting at one of the tables, amused by something Sawyer had said or done. “How’s it going with them?”
Charlie had filled him in as to why Addie had struggled to get along with her mom and dad—how her parents had demanded she hide a pregnancy from Evan when the two of them had been in high school. Sounded as if the road back to harmony had been long and hard fought.
“Good so far. Addie said they’ve been pretty gracious and have been doting on Sawyer. I feel like if God can heal that rift, what can’t He do?”
“Amen.” They danced for a full song, Charlie’s wrists looped around his neck, her head relaxed against him. Neither of them made a move to switch off the dance floor when the next one began, especially since Honor was happily occupied in the corner with a group of kids who were sneaking extra pieces of cake. She looked beautiful in her pink dress and shiny black shoes. She giggled about something one of the kids said, her curls bouncing, fingers covering her bowed lips.
“I asked God for a child.” Charlie peered up at him. “Did I ever tell you that? For my thirtieth birthday wish/prayer. And instead He gave me you.”
“I’m...sorry?”
She laughed. “I’m not. God surprised me with His answer, but you’re exactly what I needed and wanted. I just didn’t know it.”
“Me, too.” He kissed her forehead. “I want kids, too, you know, so you just might get that bonus wish after all.”
Her eyes shimmered. “I know.”
In the last two months, Charlie had taken in two foster child placements that had lasted for a weekend and a week respectively. Now she was praying about her next steps, considering taking a break as the café construction progressed and the place’s setup required more of her attention. But Ryker wouldn’t be surprised if God brought them back to fostering again—together. Whatever the future held and wherever God directed them, Ryker only knew for certain that he wanted to face it with Charlie by his side. He wasn’t sure how he’d lived so long without understanding love like this existed. If he had known it was out there somewhere, he would have searched long and hard to find it instead of just stumbling upon it like he had.
“I don’t need a ring, you know.”
His feet faltered. “What?”
Charlie leaned back enough for him to fall into those evergreen depths. “If, someday, you want to propose or think we should get married. No pressure.” Her eyes danced right along with them. “I just want you to know that I don’t need a ring. As a mechanic, I won’t be able to wear it because it can be dangerous. And I’m not a diamond sort of girl anyway. Bloodshed over an object doesn’t appeal to me.”
Ryker swallowed, his Adam’s apple no doubt bobbing like a buoy in a choppy ocean. How did Charlie read his mind like that? Just last week he’d started scrolling through websites, wondering how he was ever going to afford an engagement ring or all of the expenses that came with a wedding. He was currently paying for his place, plus he’d been covering Kaia’s rent for the last two months, too. Though thankfully she could handle that on her own now that she was getting paid.
“I’ll just get a package of those rubber rings,” Charlie continued. “The ones that can get cut off if my finger or hand gets caught somewhere it shouldn’t be in an engine.”
Their dancing slowed to rush-hour speeds as Ryker reeled. “You’d really marry me without a ring? What about a fancy ceremony?”
“Do I seem like the type to want a fancy ceremony? All I want is my people. My friends, my family. You.” A shrug joined her curving lips. “I’m sorry if I’m pushing things ahead. We both know I’m terrible at knowing how to do this. With all of the planning for Addie’s wedding, it’s just been on my mind. So I thought I’d set the record straight.”
She snuggled back against him as if she hadn’t just tipped his world upside down. “I guess we’ll have to talk about that.” Ryker pressed his smile against the top of her hair, inhaling lemons and Charlie and everything good.
Despite the subject she’d brought up, Ryker still planned to ask Charlie to marry him. But with the good news she’d just revealed, he wouldn’t have to wait nearly as long to make her his wife. To be her husband. To start a life together.
“Plus it would save on rent if we were married and lived together.”
Ryker tossed his head back and howled with laughter.
“What? It would!”
He kissed her and it lasted longer than a public display of affection probably should, but he’d forgotten where they were for a second. He only saw Charlie. “You unromantic woman. Stop it.”
She grinned. “I’m just being honest.”
“And while I appreciate that, I am going to ask you to marry me—and not because it will save money. So just...chill for a second.”
“Okay.” If her twinkling eyes held any more humor, they’d suck his soul right out of his body. “But just so you know, whenever that happens, my answer’s going to be yes.”
Don’t miss these other books in
Jill Lynn’s Colorado Grooms miniseries:
The Rancher’s Surprise Daughter
The Rancher’s Unexpected Baby
The Bull Rider’s Secret
Her Hidden Hope
Keep reading for an excerpt from Ready to Trust by Tina Radcliffe.