Chapter 27 #2
Her mother ran toward her, arms open. And Kip was free. Kip met her halfway. Crashing together, she buried her face in the familiar neck that still smelled like home.
Her dad’s arms came around both of them. Then Ellie. Then Max. They were all crying. She couldn’t stop. Six years. Six years of silence because she’d been terrified that Rios would go after them to get to her. And now they were here.
Trace stood back, hands in his pockets, letting her have them.
Her dad finally looked up, eyes wet. In a gruff voice, he asked, “That the man who brought my girl back to us?”
Kip nodded, couldn’t speak.
Her dad walked over, stuck out his hand. Trace took it. Her dad pulled him into a hard hug. “Anything you ever need, son. Anything.”
Her mom cupped Trace’s face. “You gave me my daughter back. I can never repay that.”
Trace’s voice came out rough. “Just love her. That’s all I ask.”
Ellie squealed and tackled Kip again. “I can’t believe you’re married! I wish we could have been there. Did you get any pictures?”
Kip looked over at Trace and mouthed “Thank you.” Tears still trickling down.
Trace just smiled and nodded. Turning back to her sister, she said, “I wish you could have been there, too. More than you’ll ever know.
And I do have pictures. Lots of them, thanks to my friend, Joy.
She’s a photographer.” Her mom and dad exchanged a look, but Kip was too happy to try figuring out what it meant.
Max walked over and punched Trace’s shoulder, grinning. “You hurt her, I hurt you. But damn, man. Thank you.”
Trace shook Max’s hand and was about to speak when Kenzie’s voice rang out across the square. “SNOWBALL SURPRISE!”
The first snowball hit Boone square in the back of the head. Tildi shrieked with laughter. Then Joy nailed Chance in the chest. Kenzie pelted Sev, who actually smiled, though he’d probably deny it.
Kip’s family stared, wide-eyed.
Her mom whispered, “Is this normal here?”
Kip laughed through tears. “Every day.”
The Daddies let the girls get exactly three throws before the tide turned. Boone scooped Tildi up, tossed her over his shoulder. “Bottom red as Santa’s suit, baby.”
Chance had Joy by the waist. “Corner time when we get home.” Looking around with a grin, he added, “If you need us once we’re home, you don’t. We’re going to be a little tied up, isn’t that right, Gypsy?”
Joy just slapped his back and laughed.
Sev simply caught Kenzie’s next snowball, packed it harder, and tucked it down the back of her coat. She squealed and ran. He chased. Kip kind of thought Kenz better get used to that. Sev struck her as a man who liked the chase. And lord help Kenzie when he caught her.
Trace looked at Kip, eyes dark. “You throw one, little fox, and you’re spending tomorrow sitting on a pillow.”
She bit her lip, packed a snowball anyway, and beamed it at his chest. It exploded across his coat.
He was on her in two strides, lifting her off her feet, mouth at her ear. “That’s twenty, babygirl. And I’m adding interest.”
Another voice rang out from the rooftop. Kip looked up to see Junie calling out to Tanner from the top of an extension ladder. “Tanner! Hot chocolate and cookies!”
Tanner had hands on her in second, lecturing like a Daddy as he help her onto the roof. “What were you thinking, Junebug. You have no business climbing a ladder that high without someone behind you. If you fell, you’d break your neck!”
Junie stomped her foot and shook what Kip could only assume was a tin of cookies while waving a thermos in front of Tanner’s face.
“Well. I didn’t fall. I made it up here just fine.
But now I think I’ll take my cookies and hot chocolate back down the ladder and share them with Jeremy Fitzwalter instead. He never yells at me.”
Tanner eased Junie away from the edge of the roof, and Kip didn’t think she even noticed. “No, you damn well will not. I didn’t mean to yell but you scared ten years off my life with that stunt.”
Looking down and seeing he had an audience, Tanner took Junie’s elbow as led her to further away from the edge. They sat side by side on the roof peak, legs dangling. Kip loved watching them. Junie talked with her hands. Tanner listened like she was the only person in the world.
Kip was so caught up in what was happening on the roof, she didn’t notice Pastor Shep Ross had appeared at the entrance, Bible in hand, smiling wide.
Trace took Kip’s hand. “Come on.”
Kenzie was the first to notice Trace and Kip moving to the snow globe they had chosen for the wedding. She put two fingers in the corners of her mouth and let out a cowboy whistle so loud it could have been heard in Chicago. “It’s time everyone.” She yelled.
“Oh, cool!” Ellie cried. “She’s getting married again, and this time we get front and center seats.”
Kip’s mom placed a hand on Trace’s cheek. “I think my girl has found a keeper. Thank you for working all this out.”
Kip could barely hold in her laughter when Trace turned beet red. “I know it means a lot to Kip you’re here.”
And she was. Her mom was right. Kip had the best Daddy in the world, but she already knew that.
Trace led Kip, her family trailing, to the largest snow globe in the center.
Inside, chairs were arranged in a circle.
Fairy lights glowed. Snow fell soft and constant.
It took a few minutes, but soon everyone was in their place.
Tanner had come down and stood beside Tanner. All he Littles lined up beside Kip.
Pastor Shep stood at the front with Kip and Trace facing him. He opened his Bible. “Trace asked me a few days ago if I’d marry you two. Properly this time. In front of God and family and all of Wilder.” He then proceeded through a short welcome, simple vows and then came to the exchange of rings.
Trace dropped to one knee right there in the snow. Pulled out another ring box. Opened it. A blue diamond wedding band nested in the velvet interior of the box. The match to the ring he’d given her the night before.
“Kip Daniels. I married you once in front of our Christmas tree because I couldn’t wait another day. Marry me again tonight, in front of everyone who loves you. Let me put this ring on your finger where it belongs. Let me love you every single day for the rest of our lives.”
She was crying too hard to speak. Eventually, she composed herself enough to nod and whisper one word. “Yes.”
He slid the ring on. It fit perfectly. He stood, cupped her face, kissed her soft and slow while snow fell around them. Her family cheered, both of them, and the whole town sang “Joy to the World” off-key. “But I don’t have a ring for you.”
At this point, Kenzie leaned over and whispered, “Yes you do.” She handed Kip a dark platinum band with a single large matching stone embedded in the middle. “It was our father’s.”
Kip took it and held it in her hand, staring at it like it was a miracle, and maybe it was. No preparation was needed. She put it on his hand and said. ‘This ring means you’re mine Trace Daniels, forever.”
After the rings were exchanged, they joined hands while Pastor Shep prayed over them.
Finally, Pastor Shep announced, “I now pronounce you husband and wife…again. You may kiss your bride.”
Putting one hand behind Kip’s back and the other to her jaw, he dipped her across his knee, kissing her deep and hard and long. He kissed her until her knees gave out, but he held her tight, only breaking their kiss long enough to whisper against her lips. “Mine. Forever.”
Pastor Shep eventually cleared his throat to end the kiss, drawing a cheerful laugh from all concerned.
He then motioned for them to turn towards the audience.
“I now present to you Mr. and Mrs. Trace Daniels.” Everyone clapped and cheered.
All the Littles were sobbing. Ruby and Kip’s mom were dabbing at their eyes with tissues that were in dire need of changing.
The globe doors opened, and music began to play. Trace winked at her and said, “I picked this one out myself.”
Kip braced, because honestly, it could be anything. Tears slipped down her cheeks when Spencer Crandel’s My Person began to play.
Trace pulled her close, arms locked around her waist, and they danced while snow fell and her family watched, crying happy tears. On the second verse, Boone and Chance joined them. Soon all the Daddies and Mommies held their Littles and Wilder glowed around them.
Kip pressed her face to Trace’s chest. She felt his heartbeat under her cheek, with the most beautiful ring she’d ever seen on her finger. Her days of running were over.
She was settled.
She was loved.
She was home.
THE END
I hope you enjoyed TRACE and thank you for reading my book.