Chapter Thirty-Four
HER FATHER AND Bethany’s wedding day had finally arrived.
On this Saturday, the perfect blend of blue sky and plump cotton clouds provided the ideal conditions for a midafternoon spring wedding.
The daytime and evening pictures at sunset would make for a spectacular scrapbook.
Despite the days of careful planning, anxious anticipation had Rachel brushing imaginary tendrils from across her powdered cheek.
She stood in the middle of the barn, fingers nervously tapping against the weathered wood as she surveyed the list of final details and design.
This was meant to be a joyous occasion—a celebration of her father’s second chance at love—but Rachel couldn’t stop thinking about the magical night she had shared with Noah just two days earlier.
Yes, she’d left town, chasing purpose, adventure, and belonging.
Noah had always been the one who got away.
When he unexpectedly asked her to be his “forever” the other night, Rachel had found herself torn.
Of course, she wanted him. But what about Service, his family, his career?
People depended on him. Could she ask him to leave the town that loved him as much as she did?
She glanced down at his class ring on her finger. Admittedly, the anticipation of walking down the aisle had her daydreaming about their wedding. The unanswered what-if question—
Had their happily ever after begun?—was enough to make her stomach turn. What if the next ceremony in town had her and Noah’s names on the invitations?
“K.I.T. Keep it together,” she scolded herself. “You can focus for forty-five minutes.”
Taking a deep breath, Rachel tried to push thoughts of her future and career decisions aside as she looked around the barn.
Strings of mini party lights were draped across the old rafters, casting an inviting warmth over the space.
Wine barrels topped with round beveled glasses and wildflowers in mason jars lined the walls, and a cluster of hay bale chairs had been arranged the length of the interior.
If the afternoon sun proved too intense, this served as a respite for the guests.
Outside, the scene was even more breathtaking.
Tractors had been transformed into works of art, their beds strewn with tiny white lights and vine greenery.
The enormous oak tree stood as the headpiece, its branches wrapped with delicate pale peach silk that fluttered in the gentle breeze.
Beneath the oak stood the altar trellis that Rachel had built as a wedding gift.
Stepping through the barn doors, she saw that the lawn bustled with activity.
Mrs. Kline redirected a trio of kids with eager hands away from the goats adorned in apricot chest bibs.
On the reception tables, Leah Calvary, dressed in an elegant calf-length dress with shear sleeves, gave the floral bouquets a quick mist of water to stave off thirst well after sunset.
As she moved through the crowd greeting guests, she acknowledged the reverence and outpouring of love visible through the efforts of many to make this day exceptional.
Rachel couldn’t help but let her mind wander back to the past two weeks.
Driving into town, she thought she’d left Noah behind for good.
But she never had. She could admit she carried him in her heart, envisioned him with every accomplishment, and yearned for his comfort with every setback.
It wasn’t the act of him putting his ring on her finger that made the evening magical.
No. It was the fact that Noah’s only demand was her love.
He understood how much her career meant.
Instead of pulling her into his fairy tale, he would willingly walk into her world.
She ran her fingers over the hand-carved trellis, each vine intricate and unique like the love she carried for her family… for Noah.
“Looking good, RJ,” her father called from the back porch, disappearing inside.
“Thanks, Dad,” she whispered. As she stepped back from her handiwork, a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
Her father and Bethany deserved this. After everything they had been through, they’d earned a day filled with love and happiness.
Rachel was honored to be a part of it, even if the thought of Noah’s sacrifice twisted her stomach with nerves. Would he regret his choice?
The object of her affection had been scarce these past two days.
His absence bothered her, but she understood he had gifted her with the needed space to think clearly about his decision.
Even Benji had been a noticeable void on the farm.
Rachel found joy in Benji finding a place to belong in her hometown.
This was Service, the place where everyone could stumble upon a rich plot of soil to plant roots and build a life.
Could she and Noah have the same in California?
She had always craved adventure and independence, and leaving town had been the best decision at the time.
But a part of her had always wondered what would have happened if she had stayed.
Would she and Noah have worked together like Penelope and Taylor?
Would they have a cabin by the falls with babies in tow, blueprints tacked to the wall, or both?
Rachel slipped back into the barn as guests picked their seats.
One last moment to catch her breath before joining the processional.
She heard the soft melody of a guitar drifting in through the open doors.
Closing her eyes, she let the music wash over her.
A pang of wistfulness ushered in a vision of Noah, dapper in a tuxedo and polished boots, for their own commitment day.
Just then, the sound of footsteps caught her attention, and she turned to see the man himself, thick mane swept back, face clean-shaven, eyes piercing her in appreciation, standing in the doorway. A slow smile, more sexy than saint, parted his lips.
“Hey, Six,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper, but potent with promise.
Rachel felt her heart skip a beat, and she had to force herself to meet his gaze.
“Hi,” she replied, her voice trembling slightly.
“I… I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” Noah said, taking a step closer. “I missed you. I know this must be a lot to take in, and I don’t want to make things harder for you.”
Rachel felt a wave of desire crash over her. “Yeah. But I’m fine,” she said, mustering a smile. “I’m just… a little nervous, is all.” Gosh, not her Appalachian accent rebounding today of all days.
Noah nodded, his eyes searching her face. “I figured. You’re a perfectionist. This is a big day for the whole town.” Even after all these years, he knew her better than anyone. She played it cool, never having expectations of anyone, but she did with Noah.
Rachel sighed, her gaze drifting toward his mystical eyes. “I just… want everyone to be happy, you know?”
Noah reached out, gently taking her hand in his. “I feel the same about you… I just want you happy, Six.”
Rachel felt a lump rise in her throat and squeezed Noah’s hand for support. “I am, when I’m with you,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
Noah pulled her flush with his body until her curves softened and molded to him. With his thumb, he tilted her chin up until their eyes locked. “It’s your parents’ wedding day… but I’m the luckiest fella on the farm today. You feel me, right? We’ll figure it out together.”
Rachel felt a surge of passion so strong for this man that she swayed in his arms. There was no comparison in how he pulled a response from her body when he shared his genuine emotions, not the persona.
“I love you, Noah,” she breathed. “I love you so much.”
Noah’s eyes widened, then seemed to glow with satisfaction. “Sweetest four words in the English language.”
She shook her head at his antics. “You’re a distraction.”
“Says the most beautiful girl in the world. You look absolutely edible.” He grinned, a confident smile spreading across his face.
Before Rachel could respond, the sound of the band from the Black Bear playing, swelling to life outside, caught their attention, and they both glanced toward the open doorway.
“It’s time,” Noah said, planting a kiss on her lips, slipping her a taste of his tongue before stepping back.
Rachel took a deep breath. “Hey, I wasn’t done.”
Noah winked. “Just a sample of what’s to come, Six.” He proffered his elbow.
She slipped her arm through his just as Amarie and Eli entered the barn.
“Oh, hey, you two. Glad to see the goats without Noah’s name on their sandwich boards for a change,” her sister said while Eli gave a knowing smile. “Now let’s get this wedding started and the afterparty popping.”
“Yes,” Rachel agreed. Together, the Johnson and Calvary families would stand side-by-side, celebrating what mattered most.
The ceremony was a beautiful affair of the community coming together to celebrate two of their own.
The newly married couple shared their first Holy Communion, and Pastor Harris introduced them as “Mr. Matthew Johnson and his lovely bride, Mrs. Bethany Walker Johnson.” Benji’s cheering could be heard above the clapping.
Rachel was sure his videos would require a ton of audio editing.
She hugged her father and Bethany, tears of joy streaming down her face.
She forgot about her own fears, the excuses she’d cemented in stone to justify leaving Noah and Service behind.
As her friends erupted into cheers and applause, authentic happiness radiating a palpable energy, Rachel realized just how content she felt in Service.
She’d always been enough to receive and give love.
This was what mattered most about home—belonging.
There was nothing to prove to herself or anyone else.
In the distance, a robin started to sing, and Rachel thought she heard her mother’s voice humming along.
Right then, she made a promise. No matter what happened, she wouldn’t let anything keep her away from home again.
“Hey, you.”
Rachel felt that familiar sensation of anticipation and desire sing through her. She spun on her heels to find Noah standing there. Rachel drank him in—tall, devilishly handsome, and hers. Rachel felt her heart skip a beat and gallop off without her. “Hey, yourself,” she said, swallowing.
Noah slid his arm around her waist. With the other, he lifted her hand and placed it on his shoulder. “What time do we leave?”
As she stared into his eyes, she no longer saw shadows of the past, only windows into their future. They would build a stable relationship from a rocky past.
Rising up on her tiptoes, Rachel pressed her forehead to his. “I’ll help you pack.” She felt him relax, so she said the rest in a rush. “The next adventure is to be ours—together.”
Before she knew what was happening, Noah had her off her feet, swinging her around like a new bride. “I’m packed. Six and I are leaving town.”
ClamClam’s “MRRRRAAAAAOOOOWWWW!” announced she came with the deal.
Did he just say he was packed?
“About time” came a chorus of soprano and baritone voices. “I knew he was waiting on you, Rachel,” someone said. The band even picked up the tempo; the theme song from The Beverly Hillbillies blended with the cheers.
“Noah Calvary,” Rachel cried, tears of joy ruining her makeup, “you are full of surprises. What am I going to do with you?”
“We got eight weeks of my vacation to figure it out… Submitted a leave of absence request for the rest,” he announced louder than his first declaration.
Rachel’s eyes widened in surprise. “When?” she demanded. Word traveled fast in Service, and she hadn’t heard a pin drop about Noah’s plans.
“What do you think I’ve been doing the last two days?”
Rachel nodded, her heart racing. “Missing me as much as I’ve been dreaming about you.”
He placed her on her feet and kissed her, tried and true, within a quarter inch of her boiling point. Noah took a deep breath, his gaze locked with hers. “I’ll show how much later tonight.”
Rachel felt her heart skip a beat. A dozen different fantasies swirled in her imagination. She looked up to find Noah watching her.
“What?” she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Rachel,” he murmured, his voice thick with promise. “You have no idea how happy you’ve made me.”
She held him close, a sense of exhilaration and oneness washing over her. She felt complete for the first time in years, all the empty corners in her life filled. She pulled back to look into Noah’s eyes and knew she had made the right decision. “You promise to show me?”
A grin broke out across his face. “A Calvary man always keeps his word.”
As the sound of laughter and music filled the air, Rachel and Noah mingled, hand in hand, throughout the reception. She couldn’t help but reassemble the building blocks of her life, including a plus one—Noah.
This was her father and Bethany’s day, but in a way, it was also her own.
She had found the courage to take a leap of faith, to embrace the love she wanted and the adventure she had always craved.
And as she looked toward the future, she couldn’t wait to see what new and exciting experiences awaited her and her Calvary man.