Chapter 4
Jude
“You sure you’re ready to do this?” Wy asks as I pace the porch of the Wilson ranch house.
Yes, I’m sure. I’m pacing because I’m nervous as all get out and I don’t even know if Em even found the note and the hairpin.
I thought the whole prenup discussion went well, and I’ve got the signed papers in my back pocket—which is also where it’s going to stay for the foreseeable future.
Other than that, I figure it’s normal to be nervous before getting married.
Albeit—ours is not a real wedding. It’s a gesture, a non-binding ceremony to grant Sully Wilson’s dying wish to see his daughter married.
To give the man a chance to give his no-longer-little-girl’s hand away. It’s a tradition. A rite of passage.
Besides, what better way to put the rivalry between our families firmly in the past than by marrying two of us off to each other?
Just because I think… no, I know that Em Wilson is my One, and that this is the first step toward me working my ass off at proving to her that we’re meant to be together?
Is that why I’m antsy? I mean, surely the Wilsons know about the prophesy and that the mountain rewards the Cooper bloodline—and those connected to it—with their fated soulmates?
“Your silence speaks volumes, Jude,” my best friend replies wryly.
“I know what this is,” I tell him, stopping at the edge of the stairs. “I’m not worried. I’m—”
“You’re a bundle of energy, and that’s sayin’ somethin’ considerin’ you’re usually like the Energizer bunny when you’re anxious.
” I snort at that as he cocks his head. “Do you realize you’ve been pacin’ the length of the porch since you came out of her room?
You also haven’t said a thing about what happened in there. Was it bad?”
“Not the whole time.” Yep, that’s what I’m focusing on.
Wy chuckles. “Uh, yeah you have. Are you OK? We all know this isn’t just a good deed for you. It’s a hell of a lot more important than that.”
“It is. But right now, that’s all it can be. She’s got more than enough to deal with. She doesn’t need me addin’ more onto her plate.”
“From what Sutton says, Sully knows about the Call. That’s why he wants the mountain united again. I don’t think it would’ve come completely out of left field.”
I shake my head. “What am I supposed to say? Hey, I know we don’t know each other but we’re soulmates.
I know this marriage is supposed to be for show and all, but I already know I want it to be real?
” I stare at him like he’s grown another head.
“You do know that’s a surefire way to make sure this weddin’ won’t go ahead at all. Sully’s last days or not.”
“I think you’re underestimatin’ the power of the Call.”
“I think I’m gettin’ married and I haven’t even talked more than five minutes with my soon-to-be wife, let alone kiss her, and I’ve never been through the Call before, so right now I’m guessin’ that what I felt the moment I saw her, and the moment I touched her is the mountain’s doin’.
Besides, her Dad is on his death bed. I think she’s got enough to deal with right now, don’t you think? ”
Wy opens his mouth but slams his mouth shut as the front door behind us squeaks open.
Without knowing it, I think I just answered him as to why I’m not as settled as I want to be right now. Hell, I even remembered to take my meds on time this morning, I really shouldn’t be this on edge. Then again, it’s not every day you get asked to marry your family rival’s daughter. Is it?
“Everyone’s ready,” Pete announces, coming out the front door. “Just waitin’ on the man and woman of the hour then we can get started.”
Wy moves, stopping in front of me and reaches up to adjust my suddenly too-tight tie. “I’ll be right there next to you, Jude. You want to make a run for it? Tell me now and I’ll drive the getaway car. You want to see this through? I’ll still be there for whatever comes next. OK?”
I look my best friend in the eye and it hits me. I have my family. I have Wyatt. I have Em and more importantly, she will have me. Whatever happens from this moment forward, whatever Em thinks of me and my letter, whether she wears my great great great grandmother’s hairpin or not, I’m not alone.
Just like she won’t be alone from this moment forward. That’s my job as her One.
She’ll always have me. I’ll just need to keep showing up and proving that to her until she believes it. However long it takes.
Walking into the Wilson living area, I see that Sully’s bed has been moved over to the side to give us more space.
After greeting my family, and getting a combination of grins, growls, and one lethal glare from the Wilson brothers that almost has me shaking in my boots, I make my way over to Sully and hold out my hand to him.
He takes it without hesitation and when he lifts his eyes to meet mine, I see all the emotions he’s been trying hard to hide cross over his features.
Defeat, loss, sadness, but also relief, gratitude, and maybe even trust. He must believe I’m a good man—despite my last name—if he asked me to marry his daughter. It’s an honor I will never take lightly, that’s for sure. “I promise I will look after her, Mr. Wilson.”
His grip on my hand tightens slightly. Even in his poor health, I can still feel a small bit of fight left in him by the slight flex of strength. The move makes my lips tug up on one side.
“I don’t ask much of anyone, but I have two things to ask of you,” he rasps.
I brace my other arm on the bed and lean in a little closer to give us some modicum of privacy. “What is it, Mr. Wilson?”
“Promise me you won’t back down or back off.
Even if she runs away. Even if she pushes you away.
” He takes a break to catch his breath. “That girl of mine has a heart of gold and a soft spot that she’ll hide from you to protect herself.
But once you get to know her, you’ll see she’s spirited, strong as hell, and stubborn as all get out.
So she won’t ever tell you what she needs, you’ll have to work it out yourself. ”
I arch a brow. “Wonder where she got that from?”
For a moment his eyes crinkle at the sides.
“She’ll try and go it alone, she always has.
Just don’t let her. Don’t stop fightin’.
For her or for both of you. Yeah?” Damn this man, it’s like he knows me or something.
I nod, determination filling my veins. I’ve never liked anything that I didn’t have to work for.
Why would a marriage to my One be any different?
I lock eyes with his. “It will be my honor, sir.” Then I realize that’s only one. “What’s the other thing?”
“Can you help a dyin’ man get out of his bed so he can give his only daughter away to her One,” he says roughly, his eyes glazed with unshed tears. “Give me this and I’ll never ask anythin’ else of you or your family again, Cooper.”
“Goin’ to need Wyatt to help me with this, OK?” He nods but does it with a look of respect I never ever thought I’d get from Old Man Wilson.
That is when my nerves settle and I find that calm, strong place within me.
This is for Sully. It’s for me and Em too, but ultimately, this is for him.
But for him, this is for Em. And that is something we agree on. Because of that, I’ll do whatever the man asks for.
Ten minutes later, with Wyatt’s help, we have Sully sitting up and dressed in a shirt and jacket over his pajama pants and with an oxygen tube in his nose.
After Will gives him the sign, Dare appears in the doorway with an even more breathtakingly beautiful Em on his arm, her hair falling down in curls that are held back on one side by the original Marion Wilson’s silver daisy hairpin.
With a nod from Pete, Birdie presses play on Wilson’s old-as-days record player and Dan + Shay’s Speechless starts to play.
That’s when Wy and I help Sully to his feet, holding him steady between us as he stands as tall as he can for his only daughter.
He’s giving his all for her and he has all of my respect for doing it.
Em’s teary eyes shift from Sully to me, and when they do, it’s like everything and everyone around us fades away.
It feels like she truly sees me and that our connection is this tangible, visible thing. For a moment, I let myself believe that she feels it too. That she also senses the path chosen for us by the mountain.
This moment—this day—is for her and for Sully.
The same way I know the rest of my days will be for her too. Just how it was always meant to be.
“With the paperwork done and the formalities out of the way, I guess there’s only one thing left to do.” Pete says, smiling as he looks between the two of us. “You may kiss the bri—” He stops talking the minute both mine and Em’s heads snap his way.
I don’t miss Wy’s startled snort from next to me or the low hum of laughter that fills the air from our families. How could I have forgotten about the kiss?
“I mean…” Pete stammers. “You don’t have to, I guess. You could just hug? Or shake…hands?”
I slowly swivel my head and meet Em’s unreadable hazel eyes, giving her hand a gentle squeeze from where it is still laced with mine. I arch my brow, not realizing I’m holding my breath until she nods, her lips twitching up ever so slightly on the side.
Stepping in slowly, I lift my free arm and press my palm to her face, sweeping my thumb over the smooth skin of her cheek as my gaze falls to her mouth. Her tongue darts out and wets her lips before I glide my eyes to hers again.
I lean in, giving us a small modicum of privacy.
“Can I kiss you, Em?” I whisper. “You can say no. There’s no pressure.
It’s just a thing that happens at weddin’s and usually—” Her eyes are soft and full of amusement as she gives me her answer, doing it by closing the distance between us and pressing her lips to mine, trapping our joined hands over our hearts and stopping my whispered ramblings in the best, most unexpected way possible.