Chapter 2
Chapter Two
M ack couldn’t imagine a more radiant smile than the one Leni flashed down at him.
“If you don’t start walking, I might grab the reins and gallop this horse to the altar,” she teased.
“Let’s go then,” Mack said, laughing as he imagined Leni charging down the aisle on the huge white horse.
He led the horse across the driveway then paused at the corner of the barn, not sure how to proceed.
“We won’t go until the song ends and they start playing the traditional “Wedding March”,” Leni told him. “But you can peek around the corner to see if it looks like they’re ready.”
Mack stuck his head around the side of the barn and caught his breath at the sight of the meadow in the faded light of dusk, the mountains rising behind it. Every evergreen tree twinkled with tiny white fairy lights, and bouquets of purple lupine stalks were tied to the sides of the chairs lining the center walkway.
Hundreds of chairs were set up in the freshly mown grass making a vast emerald-green carpet beneath them. A simple arch constructed of cedar planks stood at the front, adorned with more twinkling evergreen boughs, white roses, and a wooden sign that read, “Love Abides Here”.
Under the arch stood his brother, Chevy, looking excited and happy and not one bit nervous. Next to him were Ford and Dodge. They all wore jeans, square-toed brown leather cowboy boots, blue button-downs with silver vests, navy ties, and gray felt cowboy hats. At least Mack had the same hat, jeans, and boots. His shirt was a little lighter shade of blue and he didn’t have a matching vest, but he didn’t think he’d mess up the aesthetic too much.
And between how gorgeous Leni looked and the array of beautiful women in silvery blue dresses on the bride’s side, no one would even notice him. Ford’s girlfriend, Elizabeth Cole, and Dodge’s girlfriend, Maisie Graham, were already standing at the front, facing the audience, and Lorna had just taken her place next to them and turned around.
“How does it look?” Leni whispered from her perch on the tall horse. “Did my groom show up?”
“You mean the guy standing at the altar with the goofy grin on his face?”
“Yeah, that’s him,” she said, her own grin bursting across her face. Then her brow furrowed. “Are any of the chairs filled? I think we put almost everyone we know in the wedding party.”
Mack laughed. “It looks like most of the town of Woodland Hills is here. I’m not sure if there’s even one empty chair.”
“You’re kidding?” She twisted her hands together. “Shoot, now I’m suddenly nervous. Mack, do not let me fall off this horse.”
“I won’t. I promise,” he told her as the last chorus of the song started, which Lorna had told him was their cue to walk in. “You ready to marry my brother?” It had been nine months since he’d found his family, but it still sometimes felt weird to use the term ‘brother’.
Leni didn’t notice as she pushed her shoulders back and sat up straighter in the saddle. “I’ve been ready to marry Chevy Lassiter for most of my life. Wild horses couldn’t keep me away.”
He clucked his tongue, and Zeus fell into step next to him as he kept one hand securely on Leni’s leg, keeping his promise to not let her fall, and led them around the corner of the barn.
A collective gasp went up from the wedding guests at the vision of the gorgeous bride astride the huge white horse. Chevy’s face lit with wonder and delight, but Mack wasn’t sure if he even noticed the horse.
He only had eyes for Leni.
And the sight of the love shining there had emotion suddenly burning Mack’s throat.
He smoothed down the front of his shirt and led the horse toward the silver runner where Duke was waiting, his eyes also shining with love for his new granddaughter-in-law. He tried not to think about the several hundred people from Woodland Hills who were watching them approach and either wondering who he was or judging his mother for abandoning another son, born out of wedlock and given a ridiculousname.
Stop. He tried to convince himself they were all looking at the bride and that no one was paying him any attention, but he spotted a few wayward glances directed his way.
He caught the eye of Dodge, who smiled like he was happy to see him, and Duke gave him a giant bear hug as he made it to the end of the runner. That was all Mack needed.
He didn’t give a crap what this town, or anyone else thought of him, as long as these men accepted him. It had been so long since he’d felt wanted or cared about by anyone resembling family.
“Good to see you, Son,” Duke said, beaming at him as he released him with a clap on the back. Matt couldn’t help but grin back. He’d only discovered the existence of his half-brothers and his grandparents the year before, but Mack had loved Duke from the moment he’d met him.
Everyone loved Duke. He was an old cowboy with a hearty laugh, a warm personality, and a penchant for baking cookies and the perfect pie crust. In his mid-seventies, and thanks to all those pies and cookies, he had a bit more of a belly than he used to, but he was still tall and strong as an ox. With his pure white hair, full beard, and a wide mustache, he looked like a cross between Sam Elliott and Santa Claus.
Duke was dressed in the same fashion as his grandsons, but the white rose boutonniere tucked in his lapel designated his role as Chevy’s best man, and Mack couldn’t have chosen a better guy for the job. Duke Lassiter was the best man he knew.
Mack reached up to help Leni down from the horse then passed her hand to his grandfather, who would walk her down the aisle. He gave her the bouquet then stepped away to wrap the ends of the reins around the corral post next to the meadow and pat Zeus’s neck as he quietly told him to ‘stay’. The ceremony wouldn’t be long, and the horse was used to waiting.
He turned to head down the aisle. He was out of order, but glancing at the bridal party, he realized he would’ve been the odd man out, walking down the aisle by himself, anyway. Maybe he should have had Zeus accompany him instead of tying him to a post.
Yeah, that would be way less conspicuous than just walking by himself.
A tiny, adorable flower girl, with bouncy blond curls and a frilly dress, had just made her way down the aisle, droppingpink and white rose petals in clumps as she went. Murphy, Chevy’s English Cream golden retriever trotted protectively by her side, a silver vest on his back, claiming the title, “Best Dog”.
Lorna’s son, Max, was making his way down the aisle behind her, but must have realized he had a captive audience, because he stopped in the middle and took advantage of the spotlight as he proceeded to do several dance moves, including the running man and the floss. Two gold rings, hopefully not the real wedding ones, were attached by ribbons to a satin pillow, which Max was now swinging around his head like a helicopter blade.
Mack wasn’t sure if the five-year-old—no, now six—he’d had a birthday last month and Mack had bought him a Lego set for it that was still tucked into the back of his truck, would even recognize him.
Lorna had just taken a step towards her son, a tight smile of embarrassment on her face, when Max turned and saw Mack. The boy’s small face lit with recognition as he dropped the pillow—yeah, Mack really hoped those weren’t the real rings—and ran full out toward him, his arms outstretched. “Mack! You’re back!” he shouted as Mack bent to scoop him up into a hug.
Those dang emotions were burning his throat again as Max’s small arms wrapped around his neck.