Chapter 23 Tuesday, April 4th
Cat
A loud bang startles me awake, though not hard enough to wipe the smile off my face at the sight of Ronan still sleeping beside me.
He snuck into my room again last night, just like he did the night before—the night after we finally found our way back to each other.
Yesterday, we broke the news of our reconciliation to our friends and families. Some of them reacted like it wasn’t news at all. Others pulled us into excited hugs. My dad muttered something dismissive under his breath before managing a half-hearted, “I’m happy for you, Kitty.”
After that, Ronan and I spent the day getting busy.
Him with ranch duties, me with the final wedding setup for the big day today.
The women spent the afternoon setting up chairs and tables, attaching flowers to the little arch where Penny and Frank will exchange vows, and outfitted the barn for the reception with the kind of rustic charm you only ever see in country wedding magazine spreads.
Penny, her sister Piper, my mom, and Ronan’s aunt Erin did a lot of clapping and giggling, while Tori, Miranda, Riley, and I mostly exchanged eye rolls and headshakes. Still, I have to admit, their giddy excitement is kind of contagious.
And not just that. Last night at dinner, a random image of my own wedding to Ronan drifted into my head.
I let myself sit with it for a moment, allowed myself to look years into the future.
I didn’t even try to fight the butterflies that came with it.
I only snapped out of it when Tori leaned over and asked what was up with the “mushy smile” on my face.
Now, in the quiet of early morning, I lie there watching Ronan sleep.
His features are completely relaxed—softer than I ever get to see them when he’s awake.
The usual seriousness, that subtle tension he carries like he’s always bracing for the next shoe to drop, is gone.
In sleep, he looks vulnerable. Lighter. Like some part of him still remembers, even unconsciously, what it’s like to be unafraid.
I know this softness will vanish the moment he wakes up, so I drink it in while I can.
I let my eyes roll over his face—his strong brow, symmetrical nose, soft, full lips.
That scar under and around his left eye is so light now, though still visible.
It’ll never truly fade. A permanent reminder of the war he’s fought.
But I don’t dwell on it. Instead, I let my gaze wander lower, across the lines of his bare chest and stomach.
I have an immediate urge to run my fingers over the ridges of his abs.
The dull but delicious ache between my thighs reminds me how many times over the past thirty-six hours I’ve already gotten to enjoy his body, how often we’ve had sex.
I’m sore, yes, but not so much that I don’t want him again.
We have months to make up for, after all.
I almost give in, too, but Saoirse’s voice chimes through the house, loud and clear like the matriarch she is. “Breakfast is ready!”
Ronan’s eyes blink open, still heavy with sleep. But the second our eyes meet, he smiles.
We wait a few minutes, listening for footsteps, voices, the scrape of chairs.
Once the coast is clear, Ronan slips out of my room without a sound.
I take my time getting dressed. By the time I join everyone at the table, Ronan’s already in his usual spot, his damp hair suggesting a quick shower, like he’s been up for hours.
If we thought we were good at sneaking around, we were obviously wrong.
After breakfast, just before heading to his dad’s cabin to get ready for the wedding, Ronan pops his head into my room.
“So, your mom and my dad apparently came to wake us up this morning,” he says, that familiar mischievous gleam in his green eyes. “My dad couldn’t find me in my room. Your mom found me in yours.”
I gasp. “Oh, no.”
Ronan chuckles, unfazed. “Yeah. I just got an earful about being more careful if I want to keep paying you nightly visits. Apparently your dad and my grandma wouldn’t like the thought of us in the same bed.”
I huff. “They can’t seriously believe we’re not sleeping together.”
“Oh, they absolutely do,” he says, frowning. “As far as they’re concerned, we’re both untouched virgins. Anyway, note to self: set an alarm tomorrow.” He winks before disappearing off to join the guys while the women get ready in the main house.
***
We spend the next couple of hours helping each other get ready.
I unzip the garment bag to reveal a silk, tea-length dress in the most perfect ocean blue.
It fits like it was made for me, the fabric soft against my skin.
The photographer flits around, capturing moments here and there, until a soft knock at the front door lets us know it’s time.
Penny’s dad enters, his eyes instantly teary at the sight of his daughter in her wedding gown.
“Alright, everyone, let’s head out,” my mom—Penny’s maid of honor—calls, and we all step outside to make the short walk. The ceremony is set just beyond the barn, in an open green field under a wide Montana sky. We line up inside it, just out of sight of Frank, who’s already waiting.
My face lights up as soon as I spot Ronan. He’s standing with his brother and Shane, all three of them in tailored suits. But it’s Ronan I can’t look away from. As if he can sense me, he turns and his eyes find mine.
“Baby,” he breathes, stepping toward me and holding out his hand. “You’re stunning.”
I blush. Because of course I do. “Thank you. You clean up nice, too.”
He’s never looked more handsome—fitted black suit, crisp white dress shirt, and a bow tie that somehow doesn’t look out of place on him.
“I love the bow tie,” I say with a grin.
He groans softly. “Glad someone does. I feel like a penguin,” he says, tugging at it like it’s cutting off airflow.
“Well, I like penguins.”
“I’m aware,” he chuckles. “But usually the cutesy type.”
“True.” I laugh, brushing a kiss to his lips.
“Knock it off, you two,” my mom calls, stepping up beside us with Steve, Shane’s dad, and Penny’s sister. “Time to line up.”
We wait for Miranda to start singing. Ronan looks over at me, his eyes bright.
“Ready?” he whispers.
I nod, taking his hand. Together we walk down the aisle, flanked by just our closest friends and family.
Miranda’s voice floats through the air as she sings, her guitar soft and soulful.
The mountains loom in the distance, still snow-capped despite the sun, completing the breathtaking scene. It’s like a fairy tale.
I take it all in as we follow Penny’s sister, Piper, who’s paired with Steve, and then my mom and Seamus in the front. At the head of the aisle stands a beautiful arch, draped with flowers and greenery. Frank waits beneath it, looking sharp in his suit, next to his dad, who’s officiating.
I glance at Ronan beside me, and then it strikes me that I could see myself getting married here one day.
At the end of the aisle, Ronan kisses my cheek before we part and take our places opposite each other.
Miranda transitions into a new melody, and everyone stands as Penny walks down the aisle on her father’s arm.
She looks beautiful. Ivory silk dress, intricate lace veil, and a bouquet of warm-colored roses in her hands.
I glance at Frank. He looks absolutely wrecked, in the best way imaginable. His love for her is written all over his face.
Perry begins the ceremony with words about choosing to love each other not just in the easy moments, but through hardship and trial. Sniffles echo through the crowd, my mom dabbing at her eyes. Good thing she’s wearing waterproof mascara.
Frank’s voice cracks as he delivers his vows.
“You love my boys like they’re yours. I wish they had been.
Things would’ve been better if they’d had you as a mother growing up.
” He pauses, eyes bright. “Thank you for loving us through our messes. And thank you for blessing me with two more boys. Can’t have too much Soult testosterone walking the earth. ”
Penny laughs through her tears. “That was all you, baby. I just baked them.”
She reads her vows next, and to everyone’s surprise, Frank actually cries. He’s usually so composed, so sure of himself, and seeing him so in love, so overcome by emotion is really sweet.
They exchange rings, simple silver bands, and share their first kiss as husband and wife.
Photos follow, all joy and celebration. Ronan refuses to let go of me as we head into the barn for the reception. A small dance floor is set at the center surrounded by round tables and flickering candles.
“God, this turned out so beautiful,” I say to Saoirse as she gives the caterers a few final instructions.
“It did, didn’t it?” she says with a twinkle in her eye. “Erin and I wanted to make sure this wedding gave Penny everything she had hoped for. Frankie’s first wedding was… forgettable,” she says meaningfully. “Small church ceremony and a quick dinner. This one had to be the opposite.”
“Love, where’s the wine?” Perry calls out as he joins us.
“Oh, still in the house, I think. And the whiskey too.”
“I’ll grab it,” Ronan says. He looks at me. “Want to help?”
“Sure,” I say.
“There are a few cases,” Perry says. “You might want to bring the truck.”
Ronan nods, then motions over his torso. “Nobody minds if I change out of this thing now that the ceremony is over, right?”
“But baby boy, you look so handsome,” his grandma says.
“What are you saying, Morai? I don’t look handsome in jeans?” he challenges with a chuckle. Before his grandma can respond, Ronan’s already pulling me out of the barn with him.
Ronan