November
WINTER REALIZED THE pace she’d set to reach the bottom of the trail to Buckeye Cove was closer to a jog than a sedate walk and paused just before the last curve. If she’d tried that pace down the aisle in a church, the whole congregation would be scandalized. Reminded that all eyes would be on her in a minute, Winter straightened the long ivory skirt she’d chosen to hide her sturdy shoes.
“Well, thank goodness,” her mother gasped from behind her. “Are you wearing your running shoes, Winter Rose Kingfisher?” Her mom braced a hand on her dad’s shoulder for balance and bent to inhale slowly.
Since the answer was hiking boots, Winter kept her mouth closed. Her mother wasn’t traditional but that might be too much for her. There would be time for truly fabulous shoes at the reception.
“She’s in a hurry,” Winter’s father said. “Guess that’s the opposite of cold feet. I like it.” He draped an arm over Winter’s shoulders and tugged her closer. “It is excitement, isn’t it? Not nerves?”
Winter shifted the woven basket her father had proudly presented to her that morning to press a hand over her anxious stomach. The basket, her bouquet, was filled with flowers from her mother’s greenhouse and plenty of dried lavender. Because this was going to be a family affair. Whereas the big splashy party, the one they were throwing for family and friends, as well as business associates of Callaway Construction, and supporters of Whit Callaway, would strain the capacity of the Callaway Aerie Lodge at the seams that evening.
Here, along Otter Lake, the spot where she’d always done her best thinking, Winter was going to marry Caleb Callaway. Nothing in her life had felt more right. Since the election was over, her job was a question mark again. Caleb was traveling to meet Callaway Construction crews all over the state and loving every minute. The two of them were busy, but it was easy to come home to Sweetwater.
It was so easy to come home to Caleb.
“Nerves. Excitement. It’s hard to say right now. I’ve got a lot to do today to pull everything off,” Winter said and then waved off her mom as she started to protest. “Number one on that list? Enjoy every minute of my wedding.”
Her mother nodded firmly. “That’s right.”
Her father laughed. “Donna, Winter negotiated a wedding for the Kingfishers and a party for the Callaways. She’s got all of this under control. Our daughter is smart.”
“You’ve always been my biggest fan, Dad. Thank you.” She squeezed his waist, grateful to have his steady presence there at her side. Only one other man in the world would be more welcome.
“And you and I have always been too much alike.” Her mother blinked slowly. “We are. We are desperate to move, even if it’s in the wrong direction because we can’t stand to wait. Remember how panicked you were to figure out what came next after your engagement was over and the reserve job was gone?” Her mother wrinkled her nose. “Could you have ever imagined this was where you’d end up?”
Was she really going to agree with her mother? She was. “No, I couldn’t. Thank you for keeping me from shooting off the wrong way.”
“Luckily, Ash and I, we’ve learned a few things.” Her father’s eyes were warm. “Sometimes you have to give life a minute to catch up. Great things are coming but you’re outrunning them.”
Her mother tipped her head to the side as she considered that. “I think it all happens when it’s supposed to. Look at us. I’d just been dumped by the boy I’d followed from New England and clung to even though I knew he was a mistake from the minute I crossed the state line, and boom! In walked your father.” She tapped his chest. “It’s about being open and ready.”
He sighed. “I’d already lost count of how many meat loaf sandwiches I’d eaten, Donna, just waiting for you to be done with that guy.” He nodded as she shook her head. “And I’m thankful to him every day because he got you here, but I wished him gone for at least five days before you noticed me at all.”
Winter was stifling laughter at her mother’s dumbfounded expression. Her father straightened.
“Ready to go get your groom?” he asked as he squeezed her mother closer.
“Yes. Ready. I hope in forty years Caleb and I are telling each other different stories about the same event.” Winter hugged her mother and led them down the rest of the trail.
“How many other stories am I telling the wrong way?” her mother asked just before they reached the bottom of the path.
Her father winked over his shoulder. “That’s the only one, dear.”
“When your parents appeared but you didn’t, I thought you might need help.” Caleb had paused below her on the trail. He was wearing the same jacket he’d been wearing when they’d met again in Sweetwater Souvenir. It matched his nicest jeans, the white button-down shirt and the sprig of lavender pinned to his lapel. Winter was sorry she’d missed the first time Senior had gotten a good look at their dress code for today, perfect for a wedding in the Smoky Valley Nature Reserve, not the Knoxville church Senior had pushed for.
“Does everyone expect me to get cold feet?” Winter asked.
Caleb’s shock was reassuring. “Uh, no, I thought you were handling a media circus. I can’t believe we’ve made this informal gathering with half the town of Sweetwater, the Callaways and the next governor of the state of Tennessee, and not one camera crew has shown up. I imagined you chasing the reporters out of the parking lot. That’s all.” He stepped closer. “Let’s go get married.”
When he held out his hand, it was the easiest decision she’d ever made to slip her hand inside his. They finished the short path down to Buckeye Cove, where their guests waited on blankets beneath the sunshine on the banks of Otter Lake.
The golden ripples of the lake.
The smiling faces waiting for the two of them to arrive.
The connection between her history and her future.
This was exactly what Winter had wanted.
As they stopped in front of the minister her mother had recommended, Ash and Whit stepped up to join Caleb.
Macy dropped her lucky clipboard, the one required to monitor the schedule for the evening’s gala/reception/election-win celebration at the Callaway Aerie Lodge—the full name the Callaways had finally chosen—and tugged Leanne up to stand next to Winter. Beyond where they stood, Christina waved the camera; she’d been drafted as the photographer for the ceremony. The constant clicking that carried over the light breeze suggested she was taking her job seriously.
Emotions welled up at the sight of the women who’d become real friends, the kind of friends she needed, thanks to returning home to Sweetwater. Desperate for a distraction, she turned back to Caleb.
He was frowning.
“What?” Winter frowned back at him. Was Caleb Callaway about to ruin everything with his own cold feet? Panic blazed through her mind until she got a grip. No way. He was as solid as the mountains surrounding them.
“That day you brought me here, you told me this place would make things clear, but it’s you.” He shook his head. “You’re the key, Winter Kingfisher, not this beautiful place. You make things so clear for me. Everything, all the distractions fall away, when I see you. The same thing happened when you barged into my office. You made everything make sense. That’s why I love you.”
Winter gulped and then blinked her eyes quickly. She felt the same, but had no hope of being able to say it.
Words were her life. How had he scooped her?
“I had to say it.” Caleb took her hands. “Now I’m ready.” He planted his boots firmly and stared intently at her. In that second, she could remember the way he watched her across his desk as she’d stormed his office. She’d have said then he was dependable, bright and the kind of guy she was ready to trust.
The hard lump in her throat made it hard to swallow. Winter pressed one hand to her throat and cleared it.
“What’s going on,” Caleb asked softly.
Winter just smiled.
“Winter doesn’t do emotions like this.” Whit grinned and thumped Caleb on the back. “Except when it comes to you.”
Whit’s words helped her gain control. “I…” She coughed and tried again. “I love you, Caleb Callaway. You were the hero I needed when I didn’t think I wanted one. You’ll always be that guy, the one who steps up for what’s important to me. To us.” She squeezed his hands. “Whatever comes next, I’m ready for it, as long as we’re together.”
His slow smile settled everything for her. The emotions were okay. With Caleb, she was okay.
“Reverend, I’m going to kiss the bride before the ceremony. Could you look away for a minute?” Caleb asked just before he pressed his lips to hers. Right there, beside Otter Lake, with her family and friends and neighbors watching, Winter understood that, no matter what her plans were, absolutely nothing mattered except standing right beside Caleb Callaway.
And that was a nice thing to hold on to.
The minister cleared his throat. “Maybe I better take control of this ceremony.”
Everyone laughed, including Caleb, who was beaming as if she was the only person in his world.
He got her. For better or worse, Caleb Callaway understood her and what she needed to get herself together. How lucky she was.
Winter narrowed her eyes at Caleb as her lips curved into a grin that matched her husband-to-be’s and said, “Hit it, Minister.”
The minister nodded. “Friends, we are gathered here today to witness this celebration…”
* * * * *