Chapter 38
Three months later
Bert stood at the front of the small church in town, his hands clasped in front of him to keep them from shaking, and wondered if it was possible for a heart to actually burst from happiness.
The church was perfect… a historic stone building that had stood at the edge of town for over a hundred years, with tall windows letting in sunlight and wooden pews worn smooth by generations of worshippers.
Outside, the mountains rose in the distance like sentinels blessing the day.
Inside, the church was filled with everyone who mattered.
Frazier stood beside Bert as best man, his usually serious face softened with a smile.
The rest of the LSIMT team filled the front rows on both sides.
Logan with Vivian beside him, Sisco with Lenore and their daughter, Evie.
Landon with Noel, Devlin with Mia. Todd and Sadie.
Tyler and Justice. Casper and Willow. Timothy, Dalton, Cole, and Cory filled another pew.
Bert’s brother Michael sat in the second row with his wife and their two boys, who were fidgeting in their seats but trying to be good.
Michael had flown in from Tennessee with his family, and seeing him here meant more to Bert than he could express.
Keeping up over the years wasn’t easy, but both were making more of an effort to see each other when they could.
On the other side, Mary’s mother sat in the front row, already dabbing at tears though the ceremony hadn’t even started.
Her siblings’ families filled the rows behind her.
Bert had spent more time with them over the past months and had been welcomed into the family with the kind of warmth that still made his throat tight.
And there, in the third row to the side, sat Diane Sutherland, elegant as ever.
She’d made the trip from Halifax specifically for the wedding, accompanied by George, who’d become her constant companion and protector.
Seeing her there, healthy, alert, and free from Frank’s manipulation made everything they’d gone through worth it.
The music shifted, a signal that the ceremony was about to begin. Bert’s heart rate kicked up another notch, and Frazier leaned over to murmur, “Breathe, man. She’s not going to leave you at the altar.”
“I know,” Bert whispered back. “I’m just trying not to cry before she even gets here.”
“Good luck with that,” Frazier said with a grin.
The doors at the back of the church opened, and Mary’s sister, Emma, appeared, elegant in a soft rose-colored dress. She walked down the aisle with measured steps, smiling at the assembled guests, and took her position on the bride’s side of the altar.
Then the music changed again, and Mary appeared in the doorway. Bert’s breath caught. His heart stuttered. And yes, dammit, tears pricked his eyes despite his best efforts.
Mary’s father stood beside her wheelchair, his hand resting lightly on her shoulder, but Mary was clearly in control of her own movement, her hands on her wheels, her posture straight and proud. She’d chosen not to wear a traditional wedding dress, and Bert thought her choice was perfect.
Her top resembled a wedding dress’s bodice.
It was cream-colored and beaded in intricate patterns that caught the light.
Paired with cream, flowing satin pants that draped beautifully, creating an angelic grace that took Bert’s breath away.
Her feet, resting on the footrests of her wheelchair, were clad in delicate silver slippers that sparkled.
Her hair was pulled up in a soft updo, and cream roses were tucked among the curls, simple and elegant and so perfectly Mary that Bert felt his throat close with emotion.
She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Radiant. Perfect. And she was rolling down the aisle toward him with a smile that lit up the entire church.
Mary’s father walked beside her, his hand never leaving her shoulder, his face showing the complex emotions of a man giving away his daughter.
Pride, love, sadness, joy, all mixed in his expression.
But his eyes were dry, his smile steady, and when they reached the front of the church, he bent to kiss Mary’s cheek before shaking Bert’s hand.
“Take care of her,” he said quietly.
“With everything I have,” Bert promised. “Always.”
Mary’s father nodded and stepped back to join his wife in the front row.
And then it was just Bert and Mary, facing each other at the front of the church while everyone they loved looked on.
He settled into a satin-covered chair at the front, having decided that he wanted to be eye to eye for the ceremony.
Not looking down at her… not forcing her to have to tilt her head back so far to look at him. But equals in every way.
“Hi,” Mary said softly, her eyes shining.
“Hi yourself,” Bert replied, his voice rough with emotion. “You look incredible.”
“You clean up pretty well too.” Mary’s smile widened as her gaze roamed over his suit with the cream rose in his lapel.
The pastor cleared his throat gently, a reminder that they had a ceremony to get through. Bert reluctantly tore his gaze from Mary to acknowledge the man who would be marrying them.
“Dearly beloved,” the pastor began, his voice carrying through the small church with practiced ease. “We are gathered here today to witness the joining of Mary Smithwick and Bert Tomlinson in holy matrimony...”
Bert barely heard the traditional words. His entire focus was on the way the light streaming through the windows caught in her hair, and the smile that hadn’t left her face since she’d entered the church. He relished the feel of her hand when she took his, warm and steady and right.
They said their vows and exchanged their rings. “By the power vested in me by the state of Montana,” the pastor said with a wide smile, “I now pronounce you husband and wife. Bert, you may kiss your bride.”
Bert didn’t need to be told twice. He leaned over, his hands gentle on Mary’s face, and kissed her.
Soft at first, tender and reverent, then deeper as her arms came up around his neck and pulled him closer.
The church erupted in applause and cheers, but Bert barely heard it.
All his focus was on Mary, on this moment, on the fact that she was his wife now.
Bert moved to stand beside Mary’s wheelchair, and together, they turned to face their friends and family. The love and joy radiating from the assembled guests was almost overwhelming.
That night, after the food had been eaten, the cake cut, the speeches given, and the dancing had continued, they finally left to head home.
They weren’t taking a traditional honeymoon right now, but were planning on a visit with Diane in the spring, who also offered them one of her lake homes for a week.
Bert thought about the man he’d been a year and a half ago… cautious, guarded, certain that love wasn’t in the cards for him. Certain that his past failures had taught him to protect his heart rather than risk it.
And he thought about the man he was now, married to the most incredible woman he’d ever met, part of a team that felt like family, building a life that felt full of purpose and meaning and love.
Mary had changed everything. Had shown him that love wasn’t about finding someone without complications, but about finding someone whose complications you wanted to navigate together.
Their love proved that taking risks was worth it when you found the right person.
Had taught him that adapting and growing together was what made a partnership strong.
“What are you thinking about?” Mary asked, looking up at him with those blue eyes that saw everything.
“How lucky I am,” Bert said simply. “How grateful I am that you came to LSIMT that day. How my life started the moment I met you even though I didn’t realize it at the time.”
“Our lives started,” Mary corrected gently. “Both of us. Together.”
“Together,” Bert agreed, kissing her softly. “Always together.”
Don’t miss the next Keeper!
Cole
Cole Iverson trusts his team with his life. He just never expected to trust a stranger with his heart.
She came to Alaska to protect the wild. Now someone in the wild is trying to kill her.
Wildlife veterinarian, Janice Lynch, has spent brutal months alone in the Alaskan backcountry, documenting animal migration patterns and fighting to preserve protected land. When she uncovers evidence of illegal mining operations poisoning the wilderness, she knows she has to report it.
She just never gets the chance.
A brutal storm cuts off communication. And the research she risked everything for suddenly becomes the reason someone wants her dead.
Former Army pilot and LSI-Montana Keeper, Cole Iverson, flies into the storm on what should have been a routine mission.
Instead, he discovers a fiercely independent woman standing her ground and a criminal operation willing to bury the evidence along with her.
Janice doesn’t want saving—she wants justice.
Trapped in whiteout conditions and hunted, they’re forced to rely on each other to survive. In the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness, danger closes in fast.
But falling for each other might be the greatest risk of all.