39. Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Thirty-Nine
B rooke stood in her mother’s room, staring at her reflection in the mirror. She smoothed her hands over the lace and beads sewn into the white gown. Long lace sleeves covered the scars on her arms, but not the one on her face. She reached up and traced it with her fingertip, thinking how far she’d come in six months. The past year, really.
She dropped her hand, stared at herself again, and saw the woman she’d become.
The woman she became when she made love to Cody the first time.
An adult. A mother. Soon to be a wife.
The woman after Adam.
Shattered, then more resilient than she ever thought possible as she worked to heal and find herself again.
A business owner. A fighter. A lover.
A daughter to a mother who stood by her through everything with compassion and kindness and support.
A friend to the man she loved more than anything.
And she was the woman he wanted to marry and build a life with. Her.
“God, you’re beautiful.”
And I am so grateful and lucky to have him.
The smile she couldn’t contain at seeing him bloomed on her rosy lips as her gaze shifted to him in the mirror, standing over her shoulder, still by the door.
“You’re not supposed to see the bride before the wedding.”
“You and I like being together more than we like tradition.” True . “I’m here to walk you down the aisle.”
She turned to him. “Really?”
“We do things together.”
That widened her grin. “It’s been that way for a long time.”
“Yes, it has, so why stop now.” He walked to her, took her hands, and held them out to the side, staring down at her gown. “That’s a pretty dress for a gorgeous woman. I love your hair like that.”
She’d twisted the long length up on her head and secured it in place with the silver and crystal flower clips her mom bought her as something new. She’d borrowed her mother’s diamond earrings.
“I know you like it down.”
“I love it like this, but it will be my pleasure to take it down later.” The suggestive grin made her smile. He leaned in and stole a quick kiss without smudging her lipstick.
The black tux suited her lawyer man. She much preferred him in jeans and a T-shirt, working on the ranch, but this was good, too. The jacket defined his massive shoulders and broad chest and tapered in at the waist.
She slid her hands down the lapels and held her hands over his heart, feeling it thump against her palms. Not quite calm, her cowboy lawyer. “Nervous?”
“Excited. I’ve waited a long time for this day to come.”
She eyed him and tilted her head in surprise and confusion. “I think that’s my line. I’ve been chasing after you since I was a girl. I’ve dreamed of this day nearly my whole life.”
“I’ve thought about getting married to the woman I love. Maybe I hadn’t exactly put you in the wedding dress beside me, but I always wanted the woman to be someone who loved me. Someone who saw the real me. Accepted me for all that I am. Saw the potential in all I could be. A friend as well as a lover. A partner in every way. You are that woman, Brooke, even if I didn’t recognize it right away like you did. Thankfully, you balanced my stubbornness with sheer determination.”
That made her chuckle. “We make a good team.”
He gave her a lopsided grin. “I need you to tell me all those things I don’t want to hear in the way you do that makes me listen.”
“I need your steady strength to hold me up when my world crashes down. I need you to love me.”
“I do. I always will, because you do the same for me.” He kissed her again. This time his lips pressed to hers in a long, soft kiss that settled the butterflies in her belly.
Cody ended the kiss, pressing his forehead to hers. “Will you marry me?”
She smiled softly and stared into his sparkling blue eyes. “Yes.”
He stepped back, but halted before walking out of the room with her. “I almost forgot. You need something blue.” He dipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a beautiful diamond and sapphire tennis bracelet. He took her left hand, pulled the ends around her wrist, and clasped it in place. He took her hand and brought it up to his lips, kissing the back of it, the bracelet sparkling at her wrist.
“It’s beautiful, Cody. Thank you.”
“A wedding gift for my bride.”
“I have something for you. I thought my mother forgot to take it to you, but I guess she knew you were coming up to get me.”
The plastic box sat on the bedside table. She undid the lid and pulled out the single pink rose surrounded by baby’s breath. She turned to him. His gaze locked on the flower and something in his eyes told her he understood.
“A symbol of our daughter for you to carry with you down the aisle.” She pinned the boutonniere to his lapel.
Cody touched his finger under her chin and tilted her head back, so she met his earnest gaze. “Ready?”
She took his hand and walked ahead of him to the door to prove how ready she was to be his wife. His long strides made it easy for him to catch up and walk beside her down the hall to the stairs. She trailed her fingers over the laurel leaf and roses garland wrapped around the banister. Tiny, twinkly white lights lit their way down to the living room. Vases overflowed with white spider mums and roses. Their sweet and heady fragrance filled the room and calmed her nerves.
“I love it, Cody. The house looks beautiful.”
“Wait until you see the garden.”
They stepped out the back door and followed the path of red rose petals to the garden patio. Outdoor heaters kept them warm in the brisk evening air.
The wedding march played as she and Cody walked the aisle between their guests. Everyone looked wonderful in their dashing suits and pretty dresses. They’d move into the house once they finished the short ceremony. She wanted to be married in the flourishing garden. The florist had made it even lusher with the huge urns overflowing with greenery and flowers. Twinkling white lights sparkled in the bushes. The fountain’s tinkling water added to the peaceful scenery.
Cody walked her right up to the marble pedestal at the front of their gathered friends and family. Their daughter sat on the center of the pedestal with two pink, strawberry-scented candles, one on each side of her. A taller, unlit candle sat behind her.
Brooke stared at the silver vessel, released Cody, and touched her fingers to the small case. Cody’s hand covered hers. She looked up at him and he stared down at her, both of them taking a moment to remember all they’d lost and all they were about to promise to share in their future.
She smiled softly, stood tall, and turned to face him. He took her hands in his and the preacher began the ceremony with a prayer she’d never heard. It spoke of love and sacrifice and perseverance. It spoke of love’s endurance.
She lost herself in the words and drifted off into the past and all she’d overcome. Cody touched her face to bring her back. She smiled up at him, trying not to make a big deal about the conflicting images in her mind to the beauty all around her. She focused on him and squeezed his hand to let him know she was here.
She was okay.
She’d endured.
She’d persevered.
To settle her mind and her heart, she stepped closer and gave him a quick kiss to take the worry out of his eyes.
“Not yet,” the preacher said.
Cody laughed. “She’s been stealing kisses from me for as long as I can remember.”
And that’s all it took to erase all the bad from her mind and fill it with images of them always together over the last ten-plus years.
It made this moment feel inevitable.
“You’ve stolen a few over the years.”
“That’s because you stole my heart.” Cody gave her that panty-melting grin.
She placed her hand on his chest. “You stole mine first.”
Cody smiled back at her, then nodded for the preacher to continue the ceremony. They exchanged vows, speaking the words with a poignancy that brought tears to her eyes.
Cody slid the diamond eternity band onto her finger. “I will love you beyond forever.”
She took the ring she’d bought him from her mom and slid it onto his finger. She stared down at it and touched both diamonds surrounded by an infinity symbol. “My love for you is infinite.”
This time Cody was the one who didn’t wait for the preacher to tell them to kiss. He reached for her, slipping his hand around her neck and drawing her close. She wrapped her arms around his massive shoulders and held him tight, losing herself in the kiss.
“Well, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Kiss her all you want,” the preacher said, making the crowd laugh.
Cody smiled against her lips, held her close, turned his gaze to the preacher, and teased, “Thanks, I will,” and kissed her again.
The celebration that followed amplified her happiness. Everyone kept the mood light, focused on her and Cody. At dinner, everyone went around the tables telling one story after another about the two of them. A trip down memory lane that led straight to their wedding today.
They cut the cake, drank champagne, and laughed with all their friends. Mindy Sue and Julie hugged her a dozen times, if not more. Cody, Brad, even Doug, and a few of his other buddies all did shots. Then they were all dancing and laughing and having fun.
It was so much more than special. It was magical. It was joyous.
As night closed in and the stars took over the sky, Cody led her to the foyer. She stood on the top step and tossed her bouquet. Julie caught the roses when Mindy Sue shoved her in front, saying, “No way am I next.” Julie held the flowers to her nose and inhaled, smiling. “I’ll take it so long as I get the kind of love Brooke found.” She held the bouquet up and said, “To Cody and Brooke.” Everyone raised their glasses of champagne and drank.
Cody took Brooke’s hand and led her to the door.
“Wait, where are we going?”
“Honeymoon.” He opened the door and held out his hand, indicating the limo waiting in the driveway.
“Where are we going?”
He’d refused to tell her.
“To be alone.” Cody smirked, brushed his nose against hers, kissed her socks off one more time to distract her, then hauled her up into his arms to carry her out the door.
But not before her mother hugged both of them together. “Be happy. I love you.”
The night they spent in the luxury hotel suite started off their marriage right, but spending a week in Hawaii at a private bungalow with a secluded beach and their own chef made it extra special.
She loved being Cody’s wife.
He loved being her husband.
They spent every minute together. By the time they came home to the ranch, she’d forgotten ever feeling like this was all a dream. The reality of loving Cody and being loved in return was so much better.