The following Friday evening, Tara waited in the back of the church for Lily to cue her entrance. Rita, her maid of honor, went first. Le Abitudine, sung by Andrea Bocelli and Helena Hellwig, flowed from the sound system. Lily waited until the final verse to cue Tara’s entrance.
Bo stood up front with Pete by his side. His hair was tamed with pomade, giving him an elegant air, aided by a black tuxedo. That gorgeous man was hers. Forever. She wished Gram and Grandpa Henry could be here. The thought made her heart ache. They would have loved him. But now she had a new family and they were all here. Again on short notice, they’d dropped everything to show up.
Rory extended his arm. “Let’s do this, Tar Head.” His eyes shone with mirth. Tara knew he’d said it to lighten the moment and she was grateful.
“Okay.” She straightened her shoulders and let Rory set the pace. They made their way to the front, Tara’s eyes fixed on Bo. His smile was broader than ever. She warmed inside, knowing he loved her, flaws and all. No secrets to make her feel insecure.
They stopped at the front. “Hey,” Rory whispered. “If you want him, you gotta let me go.”
Stifling a nervous laugh, Tara released him. Despite Bo’s complaints, a single crutch was tucked beneath his right arm. The other was hidden behind the lectern for when they made their exit. The physical therapist had insisted he wait another week before making the transition to using a cane. And that would only be temporary.
Brad’s voice drew her attention. He began by telling a witty version of their story that began with a bribe for a haircut. Everyone laughed, loosening the knots in her belly. Brad spoke eloquently of the love between Tara and Bo, sharing how she’d given up her room and her time off school for a near stranger. They faced each other, her hands in his. They’d each written vows and managed to get through them without any tears. At the end, Bo kissed her tenderly.
After a brief reception, Barrett came over. “Welcome to the family, Tara. We’ll do this up right after you’re finished with school.” He took her hand in both of his. “It happened quick, but we want you to know we think this is the best decision this guy ever made.”
“And now we have another beautiful daughter.” Sylvia kissed Tara’s cheek.
“Thank you,” Tara said, dabbing her eyes with an embroidered handkerchief Sylvia had given her before the ceremony. “This was a well-timed gift.”
“You have a soft heart. I knew that the moment we met.”
“See, we’re not all wild,” Bo whispered in Tara’s ear. She smiled up at him.
Tara tugged Bo’s sleeve. “Come with me,” she ordered in a hushed tone. They headed down a hall, away from where their car waited outside. Everyone had left, except a few volunteers who’d stayed to clean up the church.
“We should get going,” Bo said, but Tara kept moving. So he followed, helpless to do anything else.
She opened a door at the end of the hall and ushered him in, locking it behind them. “We need to change before we go. I’ll freeze in this dress.”
Bo glanced around. This must be where she and Rita had dressed for the wedding. There were mirrors over a long counter with padded stools beneath. A curtained area took up the back corner. He shot her a questioning look. “Why am I in here?”
She flashed an impish smile and turned her back. “I need help with my zipper.”
That zipper. But this wasn’t where he’d imagined unzipping it. A hot rush filled him. “Why didn’t you have Rita do this?”
“I didn’t want Rita to do it.” She swept her hair aside. The silky skin she exposed made him stifle a groan. “It’s right there. In the middle,” she said impatiently.
“I’m not blind.” He tried to quell his ardor but when he tugged the zipper, it shot through the roof, sending a shock wave throughout his body. “Tara.” His voice was rough. Oblivious to the effect she was having on him, she slipped her dress down and stepped out of it, clad only in a lacy white bra and panties. She turned and Bo stared at what had to be God’s most beautiful creation. He worked to fill his lungs, pointed to the curtains. “Go. Back there. Get dressed.”
Tara looked confused. Then she glanced down at him and pulled her lips between her teeth. “Sorry.” She walked toward the curtains.
Bo stood like a statue, trying to process what had just happened. The curtain closed and he heard a stifled laugh. In the space below the curtain he could see her pulling on a pair of jeans. “You’re so gonna pay for this,” he muttered.
Another laugh, this one not stifled. “If you insist.”
“I can’t believe you did this to me. How am I gonna walk out of here in front of those women?”
She pulled on a pair of socks. “I’ll throw you over my shoulder and carry you. I bet they’ll sing Hail the Conquering Hero as we pass by.”
He couldn’t help laughing. This change in Tara caught him off guard in the most pleasant way. “That sounds ... painful.” Then he remembered something and nearly panicked. “Hey, what about protection? Do we need to stop—”
“I started the pill.” He heard her zip up a bag. “After you hinted about getting married. I’m sorry I didn’t include you.”
He sighed in relief. “It’s fine. I can’t believe we didn’t talk about that.”
Tara opened the curtain and came over to him. She put her arms around his neck. “I’d like to have you to myself for a while.”
“You are so beautiful.” He caressed her cheeks with his thumbs.
“So are you. But I already knew that.” She stepped away. “What are you waiting for? You need to change, too.”
He frowned. “Why? My stuff is in the car.”
Tara retrieved her suitcase from the curtained area. “We have to leave your tux here. Lily’s going to return it tomorrow. I had Tabitha bring in a change of clothes for you.” She went and got them.
So she hadn’t set out to torture him. “I forgot.” He set his crutches aside and began unbuttoning his shirt, balancing against the wall.
“I can help.” She stepped toward him.
He extended his arm, palm tilted up like a stop sign. “I don’t need your kind of help. Throw me my clothes and maintain a ten-foot perimeter.”
Tara tossed him a shirt. “The tables have turned, husband.”
“I prefer Your Royal Highness.”
“That’s already taken. I’m the one with the castle.” She tossed his jeans over.
Bo shook his head and finished dressing. “Life with you is going to be very interesting.”
“I certainly hope so. We’ve got decades in front of us. I’d hate to for either of us to get bored.”