No matter how good it felt back on Alamo, Hoop missed Mallie. Simple as that.
The kiss. On her forehead. He groaned. Why hadn’t he been man enough last night to do what he wanted to do and plant a real man-woman one on her beautiful, raspberry mouth. Visions of her in the luscious matching dress swirled and took his breath.
Tingling deep down in all the right places when he thought back on her last night, and looked forward to today, let him know his manliness wasn’t threatened by his illness. His confidence surged. God had brought Mallie to Hearts Crossing for a reason.
Around him, the hills glowed gold, the mountains silver spires, and as the little group of riders came through a wooded section of the trail, the ranch came into view. Taking his breath away like it always did. He raised his head in prayer. I will lift up mine eyes…
It had helped him so much, to see the mountains from his bedroom window here during those awful months. At the oncology clinic during the all-day chemo infusions, the angels who were his nurses had made sure he got the one treatment room that had a view.
Kenn rode up to his side, followed by Pike and Brian.
“You guys sure don’t look like you’re heading to the gallows,” Brian joked with a snort at the betrothed men. “You know. Your death sentence.”
Hoop recalled something about a bad breakup being the reason Brian had brought his sister to the wedding. For a moment, he panged at the other man’s misfortune because he felt guilt, too. Some other woman might be at Brian’s side these days instead of Mallie.
Hoop had gotten lucky at somebody else’s expense. Then his heart skipped anew as Brian blushed purple. Most likely mentioning death to a cancer survivor.
“Nah.” Kenn’s face was radiant. “Kinda cool finding your true love and best friend in one person.”
“Shoot.” Brian snorted again, cheekbones wearing normal color. “I thought that was me. The best friend part, I mean.”
“Nah,” Kenn said with a chuckle over the hoof beats. “You live too far. California.”
Hoop’s heart tweaked now. So did Mallie.
“So did Christy. And looky here. She stayed,” Brian went on.
Hope couldn’t help surging throughout Hooper now. Invigorated by the fresh, brilliant morning and the camaraderie of good pals, he looked forward to the upcoming day.
Pike wiggled his shoulders in a stretch. “I like the idea of a partner for life. To get you through, you know? For better, for worse?”
For better, for worse? Well, that was sure something Mallie understood. But partner for life? Unbidden, Lynn crashed through Hoop’s mind. She didn’t belong there anymore, but it would always rankle, he guessed. Had he somehow driven Ella’s mother away? Maybe he hadn’t tried hard enough to find her after she left. Although he remembered with a pounding heart how the pain of her desertion and the demands of a new baby had all but derailed him. Now with the divorce finalized and him wanting love again, and a new ma for Ella, the unpleasant thoughts raided his brain.
He shook his head to empty it, the Stetson reminding him once again he was part of Hearts Crossing and Hearts Crossing was part of him. It was Lynn who had left. God always had a plan. Hoop had kept sane through all that, through his illness, knowing for sure Jesus was the second set of footprints as he stumbled along. It was God the Father and Provider who had surrounded him with loving family for support. So, no need to get whiney today.
“Thanks for taking the pressure off,” he said to his two brothers with a chuckle.
“What?” Pike frowned.
“I’m a singleton with issues, remember. You know Ma’s itching for more grandkids.”
“Aw, give us a chance!” Kenn burst out as the unattached Scott howled in protest, and Pike grunted.
“It’s almost nine,” Kenn announced, voice a tad shaky. “We better get a move on. Where’s my best man when I need him?”
His nerves were kicking into gear, Hoop sensed.
As they neared the main road, the rumble of Daisy’s Mustang cut through the peaceful morning air. Only it was Bragg and Mallie who flew by. Hoop’s heart hammered. The girls should all be inside getting gussied up with some kind of hair dresser Ma had hired. Not that Mallie wasn’t beautiful enough as is. But this couldn’t be a good thing. Did Mallie have some kind of setback? Had she been to town for medication, or the doctor, or worse? The little group of riders broke into a trot and got home quick.
“What in the world?” He pounded through the gate and dismounted, grunting at the tad of a tweak of pain down south. Of course he trusted God, but he knew cancer’s power. And well, Mallie might not be a sure thing with faith yet.
But Mallie, fully healthy, emerged from the car with a big smile and a big plastic bag filled with some kind of plant. Bragg saluted with a tip to his brim.
“’Morning, fellas,” Bragg yelled. “Don’t get your jockeys in a knot. Mallie here, her uncle runs a flower shop, and he had something our florist forgot.” He waggled a sprig of whatever green stuff Mallie carried. “Let’s go get ready, Kenn. Gotta get you to the church on time.” With a knowing nod, he looked Hoop full on. “Mallie’s gonna need help with her parcel, Hoop. Scott, do you, Brash, and Pike, mind tending the horses?”
Whether or not it was some sort of coup getting those plants, Hoop read worry in Mallie’s eyes as her smile faded. Reaching her side, he took her hand without thinking about it.
“Everything OK?”
“Yeah. The florist forgot rosemary. My uncle had some in stock. We were to meet Uncle Ted at Carter’s Creek.” For a flash her face livened. “What a beautiful place. And how lucky are you? You get to drive through there all the time. I get concrete and condos.” Then the sadness came back. “But it wasn’t Uncle Ted who met us at the picnic area, Hoop. It was their teenage clerk. He explained Uncle Ted is having blurred vision and can’t drive anymore. I can’t help but be worried.”
Hoop squeezed her fingers, and heat skittered up and down his body at the touch. He wanted to promise everything was fine, but those could be the emptiest of all words. Both of them had lived different scenarios when things weren’t. His hadn’t been a simple hernia. Hers hadn’t been just migraines. But hope and faith were all they had to go on. “Sounds like he’s taking care of himself whatever it is. And remember what I said? About God being in charge?”
Her lips pursed so adorably he ached to kiss them long and hard. “I remember, and I know. He doesn’t have a choice. About good care, that is. They never had kids, and Auntie Jeannette tends to treat him like one.”
Without breaking hands, he took the plastic bag with his other one and headed them both toward the house. “You’ll see them tomorrow, right?”
“Yes. I just don’t want anything to spoil today.” Her voice was shy, but the look in her eyes told a bold story.
“I hear you.” A thrill lodged in his throat, and he cleared it. “Uh, nice of you to retrieve whatever this is.”
“Rosemary. For remembrance, you know. It’s a tradition in Christy’s family. I, well, yesterday I promised everybody I’d do whatever needs doing. You know, extra panty hose. Clear nail polish. Safety pins. Double-sided dress tape.”
Suddenly she seemed more shy, anxious maybe and looked down at her crazy pink-toed boots. Ah, he loved the sight of ’em. But…
“Everything OK, Mallie?
She flashed that gorgeous smile and nodded. “You said, you know, something about Posy’s Grove? Showing it to me. Telling me the story.” She seemed hesitant somehow, like she wanted to say more.
“Why, sure. I thought tomorrow after church.” His spirits soared.
“I know that was the plan, but…I might want to head to Uncle Ted’s first thing in the morning. I’d like to know for sure what’s going on.”
Hoop nodded, understanding her needs. Disappointment flooded him, though. Sharing hymns and Pastor Hale’s message with her would have been wonderful, and he sure didn’t look forward to her leaving Hearts Crossing. His mind worked quickly. “Well, we might could find time late this afternoon.”
“Today?”
“Yep. Kenn and Christy have to leave about four to catch their flight to Lake Tahoe. Some folks’ll be staying on after that, but it won’t be rude to leave either.”
“Tahoe.” Mallie sighed. “Gorgeous place. Daisy was talking about Heaven earlier. Well, that just might be where God lives.”
Hoop nodded. “Yep. It’s something, that’s for sure. Kenn couldn’t take a lot of time off with report cards coming. And he and Christy sure don’t want to be anywhere around Mountain Cove tonight. Not with rambunctious students on the loose to, well, you know. Shivaree and all that.”
Mallie’s cheeks bloomed with a pretty pink color. Obviously she knew shivaree meant harassing a honeymooning couple.
“Sounds like a plan,” she said this time at his invitation, not date, and he couldn’t decide if the word change had significance. Oh, well.
“Come on. Let’s get a cup of coffee.” Still holding her hand, he led her up the porch steps.
Inside the big house, Kelley was already dressed in her bridesmaid’s dress, some brown fuzzy fabric. Ma had made all the girls’ gowns including Christy’s and Ella’s. A batch of yellow and orange gladioli hung on his sister’s arm. Looking worried herself, Christy followed her downstairs, wearing all white again—trousers and a pretty sweater with roses made of some see-through cloth with ragged edges. In her arms was the Holy Grail of brides, a big bag holding the wedding gown.
“Oh, Mallie. There you are. Thanks so much for the rosemary.” Christy’s face lit up like Christmas. “You’re a life-saver. Mom’s on her way down. I’ll be putting her in charge of it. We’re heading to the church now.”
Surprise brightened Mallie’s eyes. “You’re going to get dressed there?”
“Oh, no. We’re using the portable office the developers set on the property. It’s not elegant, but it’ll work just fine. Mallie…”
Mallie stiffened against him, and even Hoop knew something else dramatic was going on.
“Katie’s got laryngitis,” Christy said, slow. “She thought it was just a frog in her throat, but no. It’s the real deal. Thing is, she came out here to read a Scripture passage. I’d like you to take her place.”
Hoop heard Mallie’s breath catch. Refusing a bride anything was not a wise thing on her wedding day, but he understood her reluctance. She’d known Christy only one day.
Just as long as she’d known him. But for some reason, between the two of them, one day didn’t seem brief at all.
“Aw, Christy, that’s so sweet.” Mallie flushed again, cheeks so peach-pretty he could almost taste her. “You can’t believe how honored I am, but that’s a big deal. It should be somebody you know better than me.”
Christy smiled, all glowing like brides were supposed to.
“I’m not saying you’re my last resort, but you kinda are.” Christy wrinkled her nose. “My Aunt Ruth refused with her usual tantrum. Rachel said she’ll be busy with the baby. Kelley and Chelsea and Daisy are already bridesmaids, and Jill and Emma have to be by the string quartet for their duet. It immediately follows the reading. Please? It would mean so much to Mom and me, especially after the rosemary.” She winked. “You’re part of us now.”
“Uh, well. If you put it that way, yes. Of course I will.” Mallie let go of Hooper’s hand as if suddenly aware he’d been holding it all this time. The gesture had him feeling cold and empty. “But can I practice first?”
“Yes indeed.” From beneath the folds of the dress bag, Christy held out a white card typed with a message. She tossed Hoop and Mallie a triumphant smile, as if she’d known all along that Mallie would agree.
He glanced down at Mallie who was already checking out the notecard, and said, “I better go chase down Ella. I’ll be back to take you to the church.”
“No,” boomed Ma who had suddenly appeared. “The limo is taking the girls in turns.”
Hooper had to laugh. The “limo” was a black 1956 Mercedes Benz old Ernie Murrieta kept polished in his barn to rent out for days like today.
Mallie looked at him, and blood chased itself through his veins. “I’ll see you there. Break a leg, groomsman.”
He laughed and gently touched her shoulder, feeling an electric shock all the way to his booted toes.
****
What have I gotten myself into? Mallie asked herself over and over as she dressed for the wedding. Oh, she knew how to speak in front of a crowd. At work, she’d done it many times, directing conventions, boardroom presentations, and staff retreats. That wasn’t the problem.
“You’re one of us now.” That was the problem. She wasn’t, never could be, and she had to let Hooper know as soon as she could because she’d seen the look in his eyes when Christy said it. When he’d mentioned Ella a minute ago, she realized she was missing the little girl way too much. And his touch on her shoulder might as well have been a nuclear explosion. It was time, and her heart started cracking. She just couldn’t be another Renny.
At least she did look the part of a member of the wedding, last minute and shirt-tail though it was, with her deep brown coat over a pale yellow wrap dress, topped with a lovely cashmere scarf in autumn tones. Still, read a Scripture? Her? A trill of goose bumps danced across her arms, and she dressed quick, both to halt them and to catch a ride in the limo.
This all had to mean something, didn’t it? But what?
Neither Hooper nor Ella were to be found when she joined the gaggle of womenfolk downstairs, Her heart pumped with a funny loneliness even though Hoop’s sisters and Christy’s friends were in high spirits at sight of the elegant vintage car. Mallie’d never have dreamed of seeing such a vehicle here in rustic, rural ranch country. Even in the hustle-bustle, she glued her eyes to her note card. She’d rather memorize the verses than read them. From the corners of her eyes, the beauty of Hearts Crossing flowed alongside the car as it headed to church.
Getting out at the chapel, Mallie was incredulous at the transformation. With tall baskets of fall flowers protecting the altar with its sparkling bronze cross, the twinkle lights gleaming all around, and candelabra aglow with battery-powered candles, the place was a dreamland.
Or, thinking of Daisy, another glimpse of Heaven.
“Oh, it’s just beautiful,” she breathed as Pastor Hale came to her side. “The lights. Those candles.”
“Too breezy out here for wicks,” he said. “And there’s always fire danger. Now, Mallie, you’ll stand here. For optimum acoustics.” He winked and led her to the spot she’d claim soon. “Nice you could help out.”
Pastor Hale wore a fine dark suit with brown tie rather than a pastor’s robe, but looked reverential just the same. His eyes beheld her kindly. “We’re grateful to Him who provides for your state of good health, Malia.” Before she could say a word, reckoning Brian had blabbed somehow, he continued. “I know the ropes regarding your disease. But each day is a day the Lord has made. Remember to rejoice and be glad.”
“I know, Pastor. And thanks.” A tingle ran through her. The same words from the café.
Still, she hadn’t seen Hooper arrive although the rest of Kenn’s party milled around, all dressed similarly in regular dark suits with white shirts, bolo ties, and the beautiful silver belt buckles Kenn had given his attendants. All but Brian, she noticed with a smile, had on slicked-up Western boots. The Martin brothers each wore a rugged, masculine crucifix. Around her, the chilly morning was warming up into a lovely Indian summer day. What had Pastor Hale just said? A day the Lord has made? Rejoice and be glad.
And so she would.
By now, guests were arriving thick and fast, the chairs filling, the string quartet tuning up. With all of Mountain Cove on the A-list, many would have to stand in the wooded clearing. Mallie found a seat quickly, so she could rehearse her part and keep Hoop out of her thoughts. Groom’s side of course, and a place where she could get out easily when her turn came.
“Excuse me, might we join you?” asked a pretty blonde woman with identical twin boys and a husband in tow. Bragg had ushered them to her row.
“Mallie, this is Paul and Jennie Blake,” Bragg said. “Their sons P.J. and Mitch. They were part of the very memorable wagon train tour during which the bride and groom met.”
“Oh, of course. I’ve heard all about it,” Mallie said, enthusiastically. “I really want to take one of those wagon train trips.”
“You need to,” said one of the handsome teenage boys. “Ya just might find Mr. Right, too.”
“Aw, shut up, dude.” The other boy punched his brother on the arm.
“Hmmm,” Bragg said, sending Mallie a special smile. “I think that mighta already happened.”
Her body heated from head to foot, and she loosened the warm scarf. Aw, not Bragg, too. Well, she had to keep focused on her memorization and practiced silently one more time. Bingo. Up at the altar, Kenn and his groomsmen took their places, and without hesitation, Mallie’s gaze found Hooper like her eyes were drawn by a magnet. His handsomeness and goodness almost screamed out to her. Hard to imagine how much more he’d take her breath away when he returned to full health and stamina…and a full head of hair. It didn’t matter. He stunned her no matter what.
Ah well, she wouldn’t be around to see him.
Trying to calm her heart, she heard a rustle of turning heads. Mrs. Martin was leading the troop of bridesmaids from the portable office building, and on cue, the string quartet changed tunes. The ceremony uniting Christy and Kenn was about to start.
She tingled as she always did at weddings, had always done since she was a little girl, and always would. Even if the miracle never befell her, today was a day to rejoice and be glad for Christy and Kenn. Just as the bridesmaids finished their processional, a late-coming woman in a fancy blue hat joined the standing-room only crowd next to Mallie’s chair. The newcomer had blue eyes Mallie immediately recognized. The eyes misted, and Mallie understood.
Because Ella marched up the aisle, tossing yellow rose petals, no doubt the cutest flower girl ever. There couldn’t possibly be a dry eye in the church. Thankfully Mallie was seated, for her knees weakened as she saw Hoop all but melt at sight of his little girl.
Her eyes followed Christy’s march up the aisle in a simple but elegant white velvet gown carrying a bouquet of yellow roses, accompanied by her mother. Mallie’s throat tightened with traditional wedding tears.
“In the name of the Father, His beloved Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, we gather together this day to rejoice as Christy and Kenn begin their life in the Lord as husband and wife…”
Pastor Hale had a wondrous voice, calm and casual, welcoming and real, and Mallie realized she could listen forever. His smile could soften a stone. After a gathering prayer, he segued into a little homily.
“…Christy. Kenn. No matter what transpires in the years ahead whether it’s good or bad, fast, slow, special, indifferent, in-laws or…” He paused with a mischievous grin. “Or ‘outlaws,’ your heavenly Father will walk with you the rest of your days. He will help you when you ask, or before you ask. Nothing is too hard for Him. And when blessings abound, thank and praise Him. He will enable you to live life more fully than you ever have before.”
The words touched her like the Bible had that morning. Pastor Hale wasn’t just addressing the bridal pair; he was imparting God’s word to her, too. God was walking beside her, and nothing was too hard for Him, and that included glioma. And glioma or not, God would help her live her life more fully than she could ever plan on her own—trying to cram a life into the shortened one she had been given.
She glanced down at her notecard one last time and knew without looking up that Hooper’s eyes gazed on her. As she raised her head and saw his auburn eyes across the crowd, her bones turned to jelly. That look itself was a blessing.
It was time. Pastor Hale quickly introduced her, and she made her way to stand at the altar where the bridal couple knelt.
She had some kind of new confidence in the Lord, for surely He had helped with her quick memorization as so many other thoughts rattled through her head.
“Christy and Kenn have selected the following Scripture reading,” she said, loud and firm. “The Gospel of St. John, chapter fifteen, verses nine to twelve. ‘As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you. Continue ye in My love. If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love, even as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love. These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is My commandment. That ye love one another, as I have loved you.’”
As she recited, she acknowledged the congregation with quick glances, occasionally making eye contact and nodding for emphasis. Her own ears heard her strong, clear voice. At the last phrase, it seemed perfectly natural that she ended it looking at Hooper.
He smiled at her, but she knew it was a smile different from the ones he gave everybody else. As she made her way back to her seat, she knew it without a doubt, now. It was no accident that had brought her to Hearts Crossing. God had put her at Hearts Crossing at the right time, for a purpose.
To find Him for real, once and for all.
At the final vows and the bridal kiss, her knees trembled again, and she found tears of joy pouring down her face as the happy couple recessed to a Handel overture. Next to her, Jennie Blake, and the woman in blue who stood nearby blew her nose into a tissue.
As Bragg and Pike dismissed the worshipers row by row, Jennie Blake dabbed her eyes. “Isn’t Hoop’s little girl the sweetest thing? Let’s catch up at the reception. I’d like to meet all of Christy’s friends.”
The woman in blue stepped into their aisle and held out a hand. “I’m Lynn Martin,” she said. “Same here. It’s so good to be back at Hearts Crossing. And that precious angel?”—she pointed straight at Ella—”She’s my baby girl.”