Chapter 40
M ac stood in front of the cabin's small mirror, adjusting the collar of his new red and black flannel shirt. He even bought a pair of black jeans for the occasion. He hadn't worn anything new in years. But today wasn't just any day.
Behind him, Jetter tugged at the cuff of his blue flannel, looking sharp with his shirttail tucked into a pair of dark blue jeans. His hair was combed, sort of, and his cheeks were flushed from the cold.
Outside, snow continued to fall. There were already two feet on the ground, and it looked like it wouldn't let up anytime soon.
Cord and Beckett were on snow duty, making sure the path to the lodge remained clear.
Mac had checked on them earlier, nodding his thanks without needing to say much. They knew what today meant.
Lauren had put her foot down about one thing—she wanted the wedding on the mountain.
No courthouse. No church. No big shindig.
She wanted it where their love all began.
Mac's only wish was that it was fast. No fuss.
No delay. She'd surprised him by saying all she had to do was call her friend Sonja, who was qualified to officiate. And just like that, it was happening.
Because they wanted Jetter with them, they planned it for the end of December because he was still on winter break from school and Christmas was over. They could start the new year as Mr. and Mrs. Callahan.
Lauren's parents had arrived yesterday, bundled and wide-eyed, brought up the mountain on snowmobiles, thanks to Cord and Beckett.
They stayed overnight in one of the cabins but planned to leave soon after the wedding because they were needed at the hospital.
Mac wasn't sure they'd fully accepted what was happening, but they came.
He talked with Dr. Holt last night while Lauren's mom spent time with her.
He wasn't taking a chance to ask for permission to marry Lauren because he wasn't going to allow anything to upset his future wife.
But he had promised her dad that he'd love Lauren for the rest of his life and shook the man's hand. That was enough.
Lauren believed her parents would interview Mac to try to find out everything about him. But besides introductions and complimenting him on the lake as if he'd dug the hole himself, they hadn't said much to him. And that was okay with him.
"Dad?" Jetter's voice pulled him from his thoughts.
Mac turned. "Yeah?"
Jetter tugged at his sleeve again. "Is Lauren going to be here in the summer?"
Mac met his son's gaze. "She'll be here for the rest of our lives. That's what marriage is about. A promise to love each other for the rest of our days."
Neither he nor Tara had ever been married, so his son was learning a big lesson about what it meant to love someone else.
Jetter threw his arms around him, tight and sudden. "I'm glad."
Mac held him close. "Yeah?"
"I like having her around. She reminds me of Mom, but cooler."
Considering Jetter had a great relationship with Tara, he assumed his son meant that Lauren would entertain him, likely because she was significantly younger than Tara.
Mac rubbed Jetter's back. "I think she's pretty cool, too, son."
He stood, checked his watch, and reached for their coats. "Grab your boots. It's time."
Jetter stood straighter and pulled on his gear.
Mac looked out the window one last time. Snow still fell, soft and steady. The path to the lodge was cleared of snow. Lauren's parents were waiting. Sonja was probably lighting candles. And somewhere in the lodge, Lauren was getting ready to walk toward him.
He opened the door, letting the cold rush in.
It was time.