Epilogue
The wedding took place the following spring beneath the branches of The Kissing Tree.
Which made sense seeing as that was where Dawson had first kissed the woman who walked down the path of pink rose petals towards him.
Unlike traditional brides, she was dressed in a gown that looked like spun pink cotton candy.
That too made sense.
Magnolia would never be what anyone called traditional.
When she reached the spot where Dawson stood with his brothers, she turned to her daddy at her side and winked.
“Be careful, Daddy. Don’t be kissing any woman beneath this tree or you might just find yourself another soul mate.”
All the townsfolk laughed as Jeffrey Hastings smiled through his tears.
“After coming back to Promise Springs, I feel like that’s possible, Magpie.
” He pulled her in for a hug and Dawson felt his heart twist at the sight of their love for one another.
He’d been worried about how Jeffrey would accept him.
But Jeffrey was just like his daughter—kind, generous, and loving.
He didn’t for one second make Dawson feel like he wasn’t good enough to be part of their family.
Now that Jeffrey had dealt with the memories of his late wife, Dawson hoped he’d be spending a lot more time here in Promise Springs.
Maybe even move here once he retired. He knew Magnolia was hoping for the same thing.
Dawson glanced at his own family who stood with him.
His siblings were watching Magnolia and her daddy with soft smiles.
Maybe they hadn’t ever experienced that kind of parental love, but it hadn’t jaded them.
Instead, it had brought them closer together and made them love each other that much more.
Jaxon placed a hand on Dawson’s shoulder and Dawson turned to look at his best man and brother.
In his eyes, there was only pride and love.
Their relationship had greatly improved in the last seven months.
Dawson no longer kept his thoughts and feelings from him.
Even if Jaxon didn’t agree with them. They’d had their share of arguments, but it only seemed to make their bond stronger.
Magnolia finally stopped hugging her daddy and Dawson stepped up to take her hand. Her gaze met his and he searched for any trace of fear or hesitation. Because as much as he wanted to make her his wife, he would stop the wedding in an instant if she wasn’t completely sure.
But there was nothing in those twinkling green eyes but giddy happiness.
“Hey, Puppy Dawg.”
He grinned. “Hey, Maggie May.”
She straightened his pink bowtie that matched the one on the ring bearer who sat at Dawson’s feet scratching his ear with his only back leg. “I hate to tell you this, but you look like Wedding Ken.”
He completely ignored etiquette and pulled her close. “Does that mean I get to live with Dream Barbie for the rest of my life?”
She looped her arms around his shoulders. “Yep.”
He kissed her. “Then Wedding Ken, it is.”
As soon as the wedding ceremony was over, he hustled her down the path of rose petals and around the side of Honky Tonk Heaven where he’d parked his truck.
A truck he’d finally restored. Its new red paint and shiny chrome grill gleamed in the overhead sun. Someone had attached flowers and ribbon to the tailgate—or someones since the sign below the flowers and ribbon read. . . We Tried to Warn Her!
Magnolia laughed. “The A-Sisters did warn me. I couldn’t even go in and get my daily dozen donuts without the sisters talking about the evils of marriage.”
He glanced at her. “Dozen? What happened to two?”
She shot him a sassy look as she gathered the skirt of her gown and climbed into his truck. “I’ve decided to give in to my cravings. Willpower is overrated.”
Speaking of cravings, it was hard to keep his mind on driving with Magnolia’s head on his shoulder and her hand wandering up his thigh.
It froze when he didn’t take the turnoff for the Hennessy house where the photographer was waiting to take pictures of them on the deck of the treeboat with the sunset gilding the winding river.
“Where are you taking me, Dawson Hennessy?” Her voice held disappointment. “I thought we could get in a quickie in your room before we head to the treeboat.”
He laughed with pure joy that his woman desired him as much as he desired her.
“If the last months are any indication, we don’t do quickies, sweetheart.
” He kissed the tip of her nose. “But lucky for us, we have the rest of our lives to figure it out.” He slowed down and came to a stop in front of the two-story house.
His stomach tightened with nerves as he waited for Magnolia’s reaction.
She stared at the house. “Why are you stopping? Who lives here?”
He swallowed hard. “Umm . . . you did.”
“Me?” Her gaze snapped over to him, then back at the house. “You brought me to my old house?”
“If you don’t want to go in, we don’t have to. But the renters are all moved out and the door is unlocked.” Something Jeffrey had told him that morning when he’d handed Dawson the title he’d signed over to Magnolia.
“Give my baby happy memories there, Dawson,” he’d said. “Just like her mama gave me.”
Dawson hoped to. That’s if Magnolia wanted to live in the house. If not, that was fine with him. He’d live wherever his woman wanted to. But if the awed expression that lit up her face when she turned to him was any indication, this was going to be their home.
“Yes,” she said. “I want to go inside.”
She held his hand tightly as they headed up the path to the front door. Once inside, she stood there looking around for a long moment before she finally spoke.
“I remember.” She pointed at a spot by the fireplace.
“The Christmas tree always went right there. Mama would hand me the ornaments and let me put them on the tree. Even the breakable ones. And when it was time to put on the angel, Daddy would lift me up to his shoulders. One time, I got so excited and started wiggling around so much, I almost tipped us both into the tree.” She smiled.
“Mama laughed so hard she peed her pants.”
In a daze, she moved to the kitchen. He followed and stood in the doorway as she pointed to the refrigerator.
“It was always covered with my artwork. Daddy thought the self-portrait I did in first grade was a pig with a bonnet, but Mama knew right away it was me and hung it in the center with heart magnets surrounding it.”
Each room they went to, Magnolia had another heart-touching story. By the time they entered a bedroom on the second floor, tears welled in his eyes.
“This was my room!” Magnolia stood in the middle of the room and spun around once before pointing to a wall. “My bed was there and I remember Mama tucking me in before she read to me. Fancy Nancy was my favorite book. I’d have her read it over and over again.”
He smiled. “I’m guessing Fancy Nancy likes pink.”
She turned to him. “Actually, my mama loved pink. According to the stories my daddy has been telling me, she wore it every day. Her clothes. Her nails. Her lipstick.”
“She sounds like a woman who knew her signature color.”
She sent him a soft smile. “Thank you for bringing me here, Dawson.” She glanced around. “I didn’t want to come because I worried I wouldn’t remember.” She sighed. “And now I can’t help but be kind of sad that Daddy’s selling it.”
“About that.” He reached inside his tux jacket and pulled out the title to the house and handed it to her.
She opened it, looking confused. “It’s the title to the house.
I offered to buy it from your daddy, but he wanted to give it to you as a wedding present.
Which is a good thing, seeing as how I’m saving up to buy a bookstore. ”
Magnolia and Dawson had already taken over running the bookstore while Uncle Otis spent his days reading in one of the cozy nooks . . . occasionally, yelling at people if they brought in food or talked too loudly.
Magnolia glanced up. “So, it’s ours? We can live here?”
“If you want to. If it’s too much—”
She dropped the title and threw her arms around his neck. “It’s perfect!” She drew back and a sly smile tipped up her upside-down lips. “Or it will be once we christen it.”
He smoothed back a strand of hair that had come loose from her updo before tipping up her chin and looking into eyes he planned to lose himself in for the rest of his life.
“Are we talking about a kiss, Mrs. Hennessy?”
She reached up and untied his bowtie and slipped it from his collar.
“I was thinking a little more than a kiss.” She unbuttoned his shirt and kissed her way along his neck, leaving behind a trail of heat that made his knees weak.
“I think it’s time Country Thor and Ditzy Barbie started making memories of their own in their dream house. ”
THE END