Beneath the canopy of massive cedar branches and golden sun, the whole world was full of verdant promise, green and glimmering. Jase surveyed the slowly filling rows of white chairs, pristine and sharp against the deep emerald lawn. There were fifty chairs all together, five rows of ten, framing an aisle of scattered rose petals.
“Yellow for friendship, pink for happiness, white for new beginnings and red for paaassssssion,” Aisha had chanted, giggling, when they decorated, flinging the petals about wildly and letting them lie wherever they happened to land, glowing like dreams.
He took a deep breath.
“Nervous, man?” Colton asked, shifting from foot to foot, clearly showing that he was, which was kind of funny since it wasn’t his wedding.
“Not about marrying, Aisha. No.”
“About all the eyes on you, shy boy?”
No doubt about it, infuriating or not, Colton knew him well. Jase, who’d been seriously overjoyed that Colton agreed to stand up for him and had actually showed up—especially since, let’s face it, every other guest was Aisha’s—was suddenly beyond grateful to him. No joke.
He jostled Colton a bit. “Thank you.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“I’m serious. Except for when it comes to working together, you’re always there for me.”
“It’s not my fault you’re obsessed with pleasing the man.” Colton grinned, then turned serious. “It—marriage, family, whatever—is not for me, but I’m happy for you, Jase. Legit. You’re my brother. And I love you, man.”
“Yeah, back at you—even though I suspect you’ll use this moment to guilt me into providing bail someday.”
Colton gave an appreciative hoot, but if he made a smart comeback, Jase didn’t hear him. It had started.
The low rumble of chatting guests instantly quieted.
Charlie—Dad, as Charlie had welcomed him to call him, having decided Jase was all right after all, to the point that he hotly debated the idea that he’d ever thought otherwise—caught Jase’s eye. Then he winked and gave him two thumbs up. “You got this,” the action said, and Jase stood a little straighter.
Emily and Mo appeared in matching cotton dresses, carrying baskets of more roses. When Emily saw Jase, she halted for a moment and raised her hand, then folded it in a shy wave. His daughter. Here to visit. To take part in this miraculous day. It was her first time here to River’s Sigh, though he’d visited her home turf multiple times over the last couple months. He waved back, and the two girls, his two daughters, started down the aisle, grinning ear to ear.
And suddenly Aisha was there. She seemed to float as she moved toward him. Jase was oblivious to the oohing and ahhing guests. Could hardly register their presence. Ditto Mo and Emily—though they meant the world to him. Were the world to him. But Aisha? She was the universe. And watching her stride slowly and surely forward, he lost his breath. She was the most beautiful person, inside and out, that he’d ever known and she was . . . marrying him. Awe-mingled gratitude choked him.
Her dress was stunning too. What had she called it? Mermaid something? Whatever it was, it hugged her slight, muscular body and showed off every curve. But fancy though it appeared, it was made out of tough, everyday denim. Fancy and blue jean: perfect for his forest bride. He couldn’t wait to pull it off her.
As if reading his mind, Aisha grinned at him, her eyes shining as brightly as any of the sun-kissed greenery around her. Looking at her, Jase thought if he died right then, he could honestly say he died happy and loved. It was a miracle and it didn’t make sense, was wholly undeserved—but Aisha, this marvel, loved him. It radiated out from her. It made him want to weep. And she knew. He knew she knew.
“Hey,” she said when she finally reached him, speaking so softly no one else heard.
“Hey,” he replied, equally softly, taking her proffered hand.
As with the guests and witnesses, Jase couldn’t really hear the pastor’s words, encouragement or challenges—but it didn’t matter. When he said, “I do,” the vow that he was making to Aisha was bigger than the one put forth by the traditional speech, and he was making it to himself as well—and to Emily and little Mo. For life.
And suddenly Aisha was lifting her sweet face toward him, her eyes fluttering shut, and Jase realized it was time. Time to kiss the bride. Time to kiss his wife for the very first time!
Jo and Callum cheered. Sam whooped, then broke off, sounding on the verge of tears. He had a lot in common with his new mother-in-law. The rest of the crowd hooted and hurrahed.
As he and Aisha pulled apart, his flesh and heart already resisting even this slight separation, Aisha smiled up at him—then motioned at the cat-calling crowd and whispered, her eyes twinkling, “So I wanted to wait to rub it in, so you wouldn’t have time to come to your senses and back out, but this is your huge, crazy family now. I hope you won’t regret it.”
Jase didn’t bother even trying to joke. “Never. I promise.”
Mo suddenly left the line up of attendants and wrapped her arms around his and Aisha’s legs. “We’re so lucky, hey?”
Jase scooped Mo up, then turned to Emily. Her shy but hopeful expression mirrored his feelings and squeezed his heart. He lifted her too, making her laugh, and then both girls were sheltered between him and Aisha.
“The luckiest,” Jase agreed. “The absolute luckiest.”
Mo cheered, and Q.T. and Cedar, who’d been hanging around the perimeter of the service, could constrain themselves no longer. They galloped to the newlyweds’ sides and danced about in glee.
Aisha laughed.
Jase was unaware of what the crowd did, whether they stayed or went, watched or not. He hugged his family close.