Epilogue
“I have never seen a wedding cake topper like this one.” Tillie laughed, standing beside Cassie and Tori, admiring the four-tiered wedding cake standing on the lace-covered table in front of them.
“Ally engaged a friend of hers from a bakery in Austin and told him what would be great if he could make the mold and have his people come up with it. And he did,” Tori responded. “Rance and Erin both loved it on sight.”
“The groom in a marshal’s outfit with hat and badge even, carrying a bride in his arms but she has a black robe over her wedding gown and a gavel in her hand instead of a bouquet. It is so appropriate.”
“Our little brother has done well. He managed to find the perfect partner. Whoever said opposites attract hit the nail on the head with the two of them,” Cassie said.
“They had the longest engagement of any of us—that’s for sure. Almost a whole year, but the day is finally here,” Tori responded with a grin. “And we best get this wedding moving. Cassie, you round up the guests, get them settled and then give Matt a heads-up. I’ll get our bride in place.”
Rance kept pacing back and forth, from one window to another and back again. Matt sat in the easy chair behind the desk, with his booted feet propped up on top of the papers there. He didn’t seem to have a care in the world as he watched the pacing groom-to-be.
“Glad you’re enjoying this,” Rance said, throwing his brother a frown, while still pacing.
“Oh, I am.” He smiled in return. “It’s always enjoyable watching others go through these final moments in their lives…before it all changes.”
“You don’t seem like you suffered too much from going through it,” Rance pointed out.
“I survived it. We don’t know how you’ll do until you make it to the altar still standing.
Just remember not to lock your knees. You could keel over like a tree being cut down.
Someone could yell ‘timber’ and there you’ll be lying face down in the carpet.
Erin will have to step over you to go back up the aisle, then the guests would probably laugh their heads off after we pick you up and dust you off. ”
Rance stopped and glared at his big brother, hands on hips. “Don’t you have something to do right about now?”
“I’m doing it,” Matt responded, “keeping your spirits up and nerves down…or is it spirits down and nerves up? I forget what Tori said.”
Rance shook his head. “Enjoy while you can. Remind me to not think of you while I’m lying on that warm sandy beach tomorrow beside my beautiful wife, sipping drinks with little umbrellas in them and not giving a frozen brother a thought.”
Matt tossed an eraser at him just as the door opened and Cassie walked in.
“I told you to keep an eye on him, not damage him, Matthew. It’s five minutes until you two walk down the aisle so get yourselves together.
The reverend is waiting at the bottom of the stairs to walk with you to where you’ll stand and wait for us.
I hope you remember from the rehearsal what to do. ”
“Of course—we have this,” Matt responded, adjusting his vest and then his jacket. “It’s Rance you must worry about. The guy is a nervous wreck.”
Rance gave him a look that said what he would like to do if they didn’t have to keep their clothes clean. “In spite of you,” he told his brother, “I am just fine and ready to get the show on the road.”
Cassie shook her head. “It’s always amazing to remember that two women with incredible brains agreed at some point to take either one of you on. They must have a savior complex or something to want to marry you. But the music is beginning, so get ready.” The door closed behind her.
Matt reached over to flick away a particle of dust or something off Rance’s shoulder. “You look okay. You have a good lady to take over the rest of your training. Just keep each other happy and remember your family loves you both.”
Rance looked at his brother, and they shared a slow smile. “Thanks, brother, for standing up with me today. It means a lot.”
“You stood for me. Now it’s my turn. That’s what brothers are for.”
*
“Absolutely beautiful,” Rance whispered as he took the hand of the vision in satin and lace that walked down the aisle to him a few minutes earlier. She smiled as he lifted the veil and smoothed it gently back as he had been instructed.
“You look pretty handsome yourself, Marshal,” she whispered in return. “You ready to do this?”
“More than ready. Let’s say I do and then run to the airport tonight.”
The reverend cleared his throat and that was the cue they needed to get down to the business at hand.
Erin was more than ready to become Rance’s wife.
They had agreed to take things slow, get to know each other more, find how their lives would fit together and plan accordingly.
They would live in her home in Austin, since they both worked from there in their respective jobs.
But she agreed wholeheartedly that weekends and holidays would be spent at Uncle Joe’s river cabin, which had been given to them as an early wedding present.
They had made a few little changes in it, but not too many.
She had fallen in love with its simplicity, and they stayed true to that.
It would be a place for a family to grow…
and for all the families to come together and enjoy times that she looked forward to being a part of.
Her world had become more than she could ever have imagined.
It was filled with love…Rance was responsible for that.
And she had become part of an amazing family and a community that had welcomed her with open arms.
The wedding was held at Primrose Inn. Rance had offered to go along with a country club or some other site if she wished.
But Erin was adamant. They would be married at the place the Parkers had all chosen to be their forever home, surrounded by so many memories.
While it was a cold day outside, being the day after Christmas, the inside was warm and inviting.
The fireplaces glowed in the living room and den areas, the seventy-five guests mixed and mingled, and Christmas music still played through the rooms. There were three decorated trees, their lights twinkling, and the aroma of one of Tillie’s meals drifted and mixed with pine and cinnamon scents.
Erin caught sight of herself in one of the large mirrors in the den and she stood still.
Was that really her? The gown she had chosen could have been designed with such a setting in mind.
The candlelight satin gown fell in folds with lace edging and sleeves and along the high neck with its sweetheart neckline.
The veil was all lace draped from the top of her head to fall all the way to the floor and lay in a soft train behind her.
She could have stepped out of a Victorian painting.
A happy bride. Her gaze met those of the man who walked toward her.
Pure love filled his gaze, and she knew that she would never tire of seeing that look each day of their lives to come.
He took her hands in his and raised them to bestow a soft kiss on each.
“You are the greatest gift of this season,” Rance whispered.
“I finally know what love is all about. I will forever be grateful to my sister Tori… She promised so long ago that she would find us the perfect place to find happiness and to belong. And she did when she found Destiny’s River.
It all began right here. Each of us, in our own way, and own time, found our way here.
And we found the greatest gifts of all…those whose lives joined with ours to make this our forever.
I found you and now I know the meaning of home and love. And it all began with Destiny’s River.”
The End