Chapter 22
Eighteen months later
The afternoon sun poured warm light through the homestead windows at Sweetwater Acres, where Brianna stood in front of the full-length mirror, admiring her figure-hugging dress with its lace train and dotted diamantés.
Nina fussed gently with the delicate antique lace at her shoulder, while Tilly tucked fresh sprigs of miniature roses into her hair.
Sherlock lay curled at her feet, a calm anchor while her heart thundered eagerly in her chest. Her reflection showed a woman she almost didn’t recognise, with preened curls pinned up just so, her soft pink lips flushed with nerves and hope, smoky-shadowed eyes that were bright with the quiet strength she’d earned.
And beyond her wildest imaginings, she was deliriously happy.
The faint shimmer of her dress skimming her curves, the tiny buttons down her back, the way her hand drifted instinctively to rest over her belly, like a secret promise tucked close to her heart, it all made her feel as if she were in a dream.
And she didn’t just see the bride, she saw the young woman who’d come to the Sweetwater township for a fresh start, the woman who’d fought to hold her life together when everything felt like it was falling apart, the vet who’d made a name for herself around the district, and the beautiful future she’d built with the one-in-a-million man waiting for her now, beneath the cluster of glorious gum trees they’d sought shade from on so many sunny days.
What a miraculous, wondrous, turn of events.
She closed her eyes and whispered a thank-you to the walls that held her, the land that steadied her, and the man who’d shown her nothing but love and kindness, strength and compassion, softness and vulnerability.
She thought back to the day he’d asked her to be his wife.
Fourteen months ago now, on a quiet evening when the paddocks were gold and the sun was dipping low, painting the sky in peach and honey.
He’d led her out to the old fig tree near the back paddock, the same tree they’d carved their initials into and stood beneath on so many twinkling nights, admiring the star-studded sky.
He’d dropped to one knee right there in the dirt, ring trembling between his fingers, voice shaking as he told her she was his home, his future, his everything.
She could still hear her own laughter, choked through tears, the soft rustle of the breeze through the branches above them.
She’d whispered yes before he’d even finished asking, pressing the word against his mouth, her tears mingling with his as she, too, had dropped to her knees to meet him there, heart to heart.
And that yes had changed everything.
It had stitched her life to his in a way that felt unbreakable, and it had carried her here, to this very moment, to this breathless, beautiful forever.
Tilly stepped back, eyes shining, and whispered, ‘You look so gorgeous, Bri. A sight to behold, if there was ever one!’
Beside her, Nina dabbed at the corner of her eyes with a tissue, her smile trembling but proud. ‘Tilly’s right. You take my breath away, sweetheart,’ she said softly. ‘And Hayden, he’s like a son to us now. You two, you’re everything good this world has to offer us.’
Brianna’s heart squeezed so tight she thought it might burst. She wanted to blurt it out right then, the tiny heartbeat she already carried under her own.
She couldn’t wait to see the look on her parents’ faces, or everyone else’s for that matter, when Hayden told their gathered loved ones later that night, during his speech, that their family was already growing, that a new piece of their forever was already blooming inside her.
The secret glowed warm beneath her palm – more real than any dream she’d ever dared to wish for.
Logan stepped in from the hallway, his tie a little crooked, and his footsteps stalled when he saw her.
His eyes widened, soft and glassy with emotion, taking in every detail of his little girl, now a bride.
For a heartbeat he didn’t speak, just looked between Brianna and Nina, who dabbed her eyes again while catching his gaze with a knowing, motherly smile.
‘Your dress, you, put all together, holy moly, you’re striking, kiddo,’ Logan managed, voice gruff. He stepped forwards and touched her cheek with strong fingers that trembled just a little. ‘Your mum and I, we’re so damn proud of you.’
Nina nodded through fresh tears, her hand slipping into Logan’s for a quiet squeeze. They shared a look only parents could, full of years and secrets and joy all at once.
Brianna’s eyes shimmered as she slipped her hand into her father’s. ‘I know I wasn’t with you from the very start,’ she whispered, her voice thick. ‘But I’m so glad we found each other when I was twenty, because I can’t imagine doing this without you both.’
She thought of Max and Ruby, her adoptive parents who’d gently stepped back from her life after she’d found Logan and Nina almost ten years earlier.
There’d been no big falling out, just a slow drift apart, distance growing as they dealt with their own unravelling marriage.
She’d made peace with it long ago, and she hoped they knew how grateful she was for the life they’d given her when she’d needed it most.
Logan’s grip tightened, his smile fierce and warm all at once. ‘You’ve always been ours, Bri. Always. I just wish Max and Ruby could’ve been here too, but I know, with their divorce, and the distance they’d have to travel to get here … well, I understand. And I know you do too.’
She nodded, a soft ache threading through her smile. ‘I do. I really do.’ She swallowed back a fresh wave of emotion. ‘I think it’s time you walked me down the aisle, Dad.’
Logan let out a soft breath that was half a laugh, half a sigh. ‘Then let’s do it right.’ He offered his arm, and she hooked hers through it, their hands squeezing once, tightly, surely, as unspoken words floated between them.
Ahead of them, Tilly straightened her pastel-pink figure-hugging dress, wiped a tear, and then stepped through the open door first, her smile wide as she led the way as Brianna’s maid of honour.
Outside, the late-afternoon sun dipped low, turning the homestead’s gardens golden.
Brianna and Logan stepped slowly down the path lined with mason jars of wildflowers and flickering candles.
The small crowd of carefully chosen guests all turned in their chairs, every face open, glowing, full of love.
At the edge of the rise, where the paddocks rolled into green hills, a simple white arbour stood draped in colourful flowers, with a view out and over Sweetwater Acres’ endless paddocks.
And there, at the top of the ridge, Hayden waited with his hands folded in front of him, and his eyes locked on Brianna like she was the only thing that existed in this whole wide world surrounding them.
Beside him, Gavin stood tall and proud as his best man, his grin wide, and eyes bright with quiet pride for his lifelong friend.
The soft guitar chords drifted into the first notes of ‘Bless the Broken Road’ by Rascal Flatts, the romantic words a perfect echo of every winding moment that had brought them there.
The breeze carried the music, and the low hush of the countryside – birds in the trees, a distant creek, horses’ whinnies, lowing cattle – all made up the heartbeat of the place they’d chosen as their future.
And as father and daughter walked the final stretch, Sherlock padded along beside them with his doggy bow tie dangling from his neck and his tail wagging like he knew exactly how perfect this moment was.
All the way, Brianna’s gaze stayed locked onto Hayden’s, every step drawing her closer to the only future she’d ever wanted.
Her pulse fluttered like a promise beneath her skin as she took in the way her soon-to-be husband’s eyes shone, bright and steady, soft only for her.
She could feel his every heartbeat’s whisper saying this is it, this is yours, this is forever.
She barely felt the breeze on her shoulders or the murmured sighs of their close family and friends.
All she felt was the warmth in his eyes and the quiet vow in his smile.
And when she reached the man of her dreams, the world seemed to pause, as if Sweetwater Acres was holding its breath one last time before letting it out in a hush of wind through the gum leaves, as if carrying her and Hayden and their baby forwards, together, forever.
Hayden leant close enough that only she could hear. ‘You look absolutely stunning,’ he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. ‘More beautiful than I ever dreamed.’
She melted, but at the same time felt as if she were floating above the few listless clouds dotting the bright blue sky above.
The celebrant stepped forwards with a warm smile, her voice clear as it rose above the rustling trees. ‘Family, friends, loved ones, today we stand together to witness the joining of Brianna and Hayden, two souls who’ve found home in each other’s hearts.’
With her pulse thrumming like music of its own, Brianna hardly heard the words as Hayden’s hand slipped into hers, exquisitely warm, grounding her as the official ceremony began.
The celebrant guided them through gentle promises and blessings, then stepped back with a nod. ‘Brianna and Hayden have chosen to speak their own vows.’
Brianna turned to Hayden, her eyes shimmering. She took a breath, feeling her heart steady in the cradle of his gaze. ‘You first,’ she whispered, her voice trembling with love.