Chapter 69
CHAPTER 69
KAREN
W hile Lauren zipped Mary Ellen’s dress, I fixed her makeup. “Close your eyes,” I instructed, applying a light brush of jet-black mascara to her eyelashes.
“Okay, open,” I said after a moment and she blinked up at me, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
“How does it look?” Mary Ellen asked, turning around to face us with arms spread wide. She was breathtaking in her lace reception dress. It was simple yet effortlessly grand.
“You look stunning,” Lauren said.
“I second that,” I added, admiring how the dress highlighted her curves. “Beautiful and elegant as royalty.”
Mary Ellen flushed. “You think so?”
“Absolutely,” I assured her.
She whirled around, almost like a young child trying on princess costumes. The happiness on her face made me happy. Mary Ellen had not had it easy in the love department. It was so good to see her in love and loved.
Rylee wiped away tears, something she never did. I laughed as she quickly dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. “Getting emotional?” I teased.
“No.”
“Liar.”
“I was just thinking this is it for us. I mean, yes, we’re going to be friends, but you’re going back to Kentucky and all of us are busy. It just feels like this is the end of something.”
“It’s the beginning to something new,” I said. “We’ll video chat every day.”
We all stood quietly for a few seconds. I was going back to Kentucky tomorrow. Cassidy told me how crazy things were on the ranch in the spring. That was assuming we even got to stay on the ranch. I knew Cassidy wanted to stay in Kentucky and I was going wherever he was. It was going to be a while before I saw them again.
We shared a group hug that led to all of us needing to fix our makeup.
With a final round of good wishes for Mary Ellen, we left the bride’s room and headed back to the reception. As I walked back through the beautifully decorated tent, my eyes went straight to Cassidy where he stood sipping on a glass of whiskey with Jameson.
The reception tent reminded me a little of the decorations we put up for the Valentine’s party. It felt like we’d all been transported into a fairytale. Mary Ellen and Archer were practically glued together, floating from one group to the next like newlyweds in a dream, their happiness so bright it practically lit up the room.
Cassidy spotted me almost immediately and quickly made his way to me. “Everything okay?” he asked.
“Fine. We were just sharing a moment. Bittersweet.”
He nodded and took my hand, leading me to our place at the huge bridal party table. We took our seats with Cassidy casually draping his arm around the back of my chair and leaning in.
The entire room stilled as the band started to play the familiar chords of “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” Archer took Mary Ellen’s hand and led her onto the dance floor that had been laid out in the middle of the tent.
Everyone watched as Archer pulled Mary Ellen into his arms, their eyes locked on each other like no one else existed in the whole wide world. It was beautiful to watch two people so crazily in love promise each other a lifetime in their silent dance.
Soon after, the dinner was served. Every course was better than the last. Our table was filled with conversation. I was anxious to know what Cassidy wanted to tell me, but it was clear I was going to have to wait until we could find a minute alone.
After their dance finished, it was time for the cake cutting. The massive five-tiered wedding cake was adorned with what looked like little diamonds. I had never seen such a magnificent cake. The classic bride and groom figurine at the top was perfect. The guests clapped and cheered as the couple cut into the first piece together, their hands covering each other’s on the knife. Then came the many, many toasts to the bride and groom.
With all of the formal traditions out of the way, it was time to get the party started. The music picked up and people flocked to the dance floor.
“Dance with me?” Cassidy asked.
“Absolutely.”
Cassidy led me to the dance floor. A slow song filled the air. Cassidy slid his hand down my back. His other hand found mine, our fingers intertwining naturally. He pulled me close, and we began to sway to the rhythm of the music. I rested my head on his chest.
“You know, you look very, very handsome in a tuxedo,” I said.
“Yeah? Are you saying you prefer a tux to my Wranglers?”
I laughed. “Definitely not. You look good in both, but I like your cute little Wrangler butt.”
He chuckled again. “I got good news yesterday,” he said. “I wanted to tell you in person.”
“What is it?”
“The loan came through. I signed everything this morning. We close in three weeks.”
I stopped dancing and stared up at him. “Are you serious?”
He grinned and nodded. “If the inheritance comes through, I’ll pay off the loan and we’ll own the ranch outright. No one will ever threaten to take it away again.”
“Cassidy, that’s amazing. Congratulations. I’m so happy for you.”
“For us,” he said. “Our home is secure.”
I smiled, blinking back tears. “I can’t wait.”
“I have so many dreams for that place,” he said as we started dancing again. “If my mom’s money comes through, we’ll have the funds to do it.”
“No matter what, you have the ranch,” I said.
We finished our dance and went to sit down again. The music changed to something upbeat. Kids got up to dance. I couldn’t stop smiling as I watched them. They kicked off their shoes and were twisting and twirling with wild abandon. They shrieked and laughed, oblivious to everything but the music and each other.
I glanced over to where Cassidy was talking with Archer and a few other guys. His eyes met mine from across the room, that lopsided smile that always made my heart skip a beat spreading across his face. Every time our eyes met, I couldn’t help but think about getting him alone later. We were going back to the house, just the two of us. I had missed him the last couple of days.
Jenny flopped down in a chair with Lauren and Rylee sitting down as well.
“So, who’s next?” Jenny asked. “Mary Ellen and Archer are married now, so who’s it going to be?” She looked directly at me.
I laughed, shrugging her off. “Hey, don’t look at me like that. Let me bask in this one before we start planning anything else.”
“Oh, please,” Lauren said, rolling her eyes with a grin. “You know you would make the most beautiful bride. Ethereal. I think you’re next.”
“Plus, I bet Cassidy’s the romantic type,” Rylee said. “He probably already has a ring hidden somewhere.”
“Enough!” I laughed, shaking my head. “If I end up the next bride, you’ll be the first to know, but don’t go picking out bridesmaid dresses just yet. I’m going to be picking out maternity clothes before I’m looking at wedding gowns.”
Mary Ellen had snuck up behind me and her hand rested on mine. “I could never get tired of weddings,” she said. “Honestly, they’re just magical, aren’t they? I can’t wait to help you plan your wedding.”
“They really are magical,” I said. “And I’ve never seen anyone enjoy other people’s happiness like you do, Mary Ellen.” I gave her hand a squeeze. “Your joy is infectious. If my baby gets even a fraction of that from you, he or she is going to be a pretty amazing person.”
“You know that means the world to me. But your baby’s already amazing. They have you as their mother and I know you’re going to kill it.”
I glanced around at my friends, the people who’d been with me through every up and down. Each one of them had a quality I hoped my child would get a piece of, like they were inheriting the very best parts of my chosen family. I knew it wasn’t always genetics that shaped a person. I wanted my child to have Mary Ellen’s kindness and warmth, Lauren’s resilience, Jenny’s wit and ambition, and Rylee’s boundless creativity and sense of play.
My gaze drifted back to Cassidy, who was laughing at something Jameson said. He was my rock, my person. I knew the moment our baby was born, he would turn into the world’s most protective, doting father.
My heart clenched with the realization that for the first time, I felt ready. The worries that had kept me up so many nights faded. The fears about how I would handle motherhood, whether I was up for this, had faded. Looking at the people I loved, I knew this baby was going to grow up surrounded by all the love and support I could ever hope for. My child, even before their first breath, had already hit the jackpot.
I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath, and felt peace settle over me completely. This was right. This was home.
“Earth to Karen.” Lauren’s voice pulled me back. I blinked to find her smiling. “You’ve been staring into space for a while now. What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?”
“Oh, nothing,” I said with a shrug, biting back a grin. “Just thinking how lucky my baby is going to be to have you all around.”
“Well, duh.” Jenny grinned, sipping her champagne. “That’s a given. We’re going to be the coolest aunts ever.”
The music picked up with a nineties song. Rylee grabbed my hand, pulling me into the center of the dance floor. “Enough talk. Let’s dance!” She twirled me in a dramatic, over-the-top move.
The rest of the girls joined us. The five of us danced together until our men joined us, stealing us away one by one.
“May I have this dance?” Cassidy asked, dipping into an exaggerated bow.
“Of course,” I replied, curtsying in turn. He took my hand and led me to the heart of the dance floor.
“Are you enjoying yourself?”
“I am,” he said. “I like your friends. I was a little nervous to meet a bunch of rich guys, but they’re pretty normal. Are you having fun?”
“Absolutely,” I said. “I’m in a great mood. And that might be because I’m a little in love.”
He smiled. “Only a little?”
“Well, you know…” I teased, lifting a shoulder. “I didn’t want you getting a big head.”
“Oh, too late for that.” He dipped his head, brushing a kiss over my temple. He kissed down my cheek and then to my ear. “I could devour you right here.”
When he finally pulled away, I was grinning, my heart pounding with love for him. For this. For everything. “We don’t want to be the thing people are talking about when they remember Mary Ellen’s wedding.”
He drew me closer. We swayed in time with the rhythm. His arms around me felt safe and familiar, like home. Looking up at him, I saw a tenderness in his eyes that was only ever directed at me. It made my heart flutter with happiness.
“You’re everything to me, Karen.”
“I love you,” I said.
I knew that this was a night I’d never forget. Every laugh, every dance, every gentle touch would be etched into my memory as one of those perfect moments. Yes, it was the end of an era, but I had a feeling the next chapter was going to be even better with a lot more love and laughter.