Chapter 21
“Ithought I was going to gain a brother.” Sunny adjusted Corbin’s bow tie. “Not lose both of them in one day.”
“Aww, I didn’t realize how much you love me.” Jesse finished pulling on his tuxedo jacket before he reached out to ruffle Sunny’s hair.
She swatted his hand away. “Don’t mess the hair!” She quickly turned to the mirror to check out the damage. As far as Corbin could tell there wasn’t any. She looked stunning in her red bridesmaid’s dress with her strawberry-blond hair falling in a cluster of curls down her back.
He stepped behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders. “You look stunning, Sunny. And you’re not going to lose Jesse or me. Ever.”
“Hell yeah,” Jesse said. “You’re pretty much stuck with us—and Liberty and Belle.”
Sunny turned and her eyes were filled with concern. “Do you think they like me? I mean I know they act like it, but they pretty much have to since they’re marrying my brothers.”
Usually, Corbin would just tell her she was wrong and go on about his business. But Belle had taught him the importance of valuing other people’s feelings. And his own.
“I understand how you feel, Sunny,” he said. “There are still times when I feel like an outsider with the Holidays—like I don’t belong. But I think those feelings are just the insecurities our parents left us with. They aren’t the truth.”
Jesse moved up to stand beside him. “Well put, brother.” He turned Sunny so all three of them were facing the mirror. “These three good-lookin’ siblings do have a lot of baggage from their childhoods, but that doesn’t mean they have to carry it around with them for the rest of their lives. Today, let’s make a pact to remind each other of that whenever we start to doubt ourselves.”
Sunny’s eyes lit up. “Maybe we should start our own secret sibling club.” She frowned. “Although Whitlock-Cates Secret Sister-Brotherhood just doesn’t have a ring to it.”
Corbin laughed. “No, it doesn’t. Besides, I don’t think you’ll have time for two secret sibling clubs.”
Sunny turned to him. “Two?”
“Way to go, Whitty.” Jesse socked him in the arm. “I don’t know about Belle, but Liberty is going to give you hell for ruining their surprise.”
Corbin cringed as Sunny released a squeal and pulled both him and Jesse in for a jumpy hug.
“I’m going to be a secret sister!” She drew back, her face shining. “They must like me.”
“What’s not to like?” Jesse went to ruffle her hair again, but stopped when she sent him a warning look. “Okay, no more messing hair. Now aren’t you supposed to be with those secret sisters, fluffing the brides’ veils and telling them embarrassing stories about your brothers?”
Her eyes widened. “You’re right.” She hurried toward the door and then stopped suddenly, turned around, and came back to give Jesse and Corbin each a big kiss on their cheeks. “I love the heck out of you both. And you’re right, Cory. I’m not losing brothers. Because y’all will never get away from me.” She whirled in a swirl of red material and blond hair before disappearing out the bedroom door.
A smile spread over Jesse’s face. “Damn, I love that girl. I understand now why you’re so protective of her. She’s too sweet to be prepared for the dangers of the world.” He looked at Corbin and raised an eyebrow. “So how are we going to get her back here where we can keep an eye on her?”
Corbin smiled slyly as he turned to the mirror and finished adjusting his bow tie. “I’m working on a plan.”
Jesse slapped him on the shoulder. “I figured you were. You always have a good plan. Although I’m not so sure your plan of where you’re going to live is a good one. I don’t know why you and Belle can’t just live here at the ranch.” He hesitated. “I’m sorry, Whitty. I didn’t realize how much you loved this ranch. I just thought it was a whim. I know you gave the house and barn back to the Holidays, but they’d love for you and Belle to live here too.”
Mimi, Hank, and Darla had all begged for him and Belle to live with them.
But for some reason, that didn’t feel right.
“You once told me this was the Holidays’ home—their dream,” he said. “And you’re right, it is. As much as I’ve come to love this ranch, I’d also like to have my own home. A home Belle and I build together. Just like you and Liberty are turning Mrs. Fields’ Boardinghouse into your dream home.”
“I get it,” Jesse said. “But I hope you’ll still run the ranch. I hate to say it, but I don’t think Hank can handle it alone.”
“Neither can I, and I’ve discovered I don’t want the entire responsibility of the ranch on my shoulders. I still want to run my investment company and I want plenty of time to spend with Belle. Which is why I’m hiring a foreman.”
“Do you have a clue who you’ll hire?”
“No. I’ve interviewed a lot of cowboys, but Hank vetoed all of them. He’s a hard man to please. We’re lucky he didn’t veto us.”
“You’re right.” Jesse slipped an arm around Corbin shoulders. “Now let’s go marry our women before he changes his mind.”
* * *
“I will never complain about another stressed-out bride again.” Liberty stared at her reflection in the mirror. “And whose idea was it to let Sissy Haskins fix our hair?”
Belle bit back a smile as she adjusted the veil on her sister’s massive up-do. “Yours.”
“Damn. You should have talked me out of it. Along with this tight corset dress.” Liberty tugged on the bodice of her wedding gown. “I can’t breathe in this contraption.”
“You can’t breathe because you’re nervous. All brides are.”
Liberty looked at her in the mirror. “You’re not.”
It was true. Belle wasn’t nervous. She was excited and happier than she’d felt in a long time. After years of letting her sister make all the decisions, Belle had finally discovered what she wanted.
And who she was.
She was the calm, collected twin. The sister who put people at ease and kept her head in stressful situations. The sister who wasn’t loud and assertive, but still knew how to get her way. The sister who loved watching people celebrate the most important moments of their lives.
Today, she finally got to celebrate her own important moment. She was marrying exactly the type of man she had always dreamed about. A man who was kind and protective . . . and vulnerable. A man who was scared of love, but when he loved, loved deeply.
Corbin loved her deeply.
She didn’t doubt it for a second.
As soon as Belle had finished adjusting Liberty’s veil, the rest of the bridal party started showing up. As the maids of honor, Sweetie and Cloe wore navy blue dresses. The bridesmaids, Hallie, Noelle, and Sunny, wore red. And the flower girl, Pip Wadley, wore a mixture of red, white, and blue.
She looked absolutely adorable.
As did Buck and Gilley with their stars and stripes collars. The wedding bands were attached to those collars, which made Belle a little nervous. She hoped Gilley wouldn’t break away from Pip as they walked down the aisle. Although the little girl seemed to have a way with animals just like her grandma Melba. The entire time the bridal party was adjusting bows and doing last-minute primping, Pip was teaching both dogs how to sit and stay by using the dog treats she had stashed in her dress pocket.
“That little gal is a chip off the old block.” Mimi moved up next to Belle. She wore a red, white, and blue flowered dress with a wide-brimmed hat decorated with matching flowers. She looked as happy as Belle . . . until her gaze landed on Hallie, who was standing at the window waiting for Daddy’s signal that it was time for the bridal party to head over. “I’m worried about Halloween,” Mimi said.
Hallie had been fired from her job at a brewery in Austin. Belle had been so busy with Corbin and planning the wedding, she hadn’t had much chance to talk to her little sister. That, and Hallie had always been so strong, Belle never worried about her.
She turned to her grandmother. “I don’t think you need to worry, Mimi. She told me she wasn’t that upset about being fired. The new owner of the brewery was a real jerk she’s happy to be away from. And I’m sure she won’t have any problems finding another job.”
“I’m not worried about her finding another job. I’m worried about her moving back to a big city where she has no one to watch out for her. I understand all young people wanting to move away from home and sow their wild oats, but she’s done that and I think her getting fired is a sign from God that it’s time for her to move back home and be surrounded by people who love her.”
Belle smiled. “You want all your granddaughters to move back home.”
“And what’s wrong with that? Look how happy you, Liberty, Sweetie, and Cloe are now that you’ve moved back. Now all we need to do is convince Hallie and Noelle to do the same and the family will be all together again.”
Before she could tell her grandmother it wasn’t likely Hallie and Noelle would move back home, Hallie spoke in a high-pitched squeak that drew everyone’s attention. Hallie had never spoken in squeaks in her life. She usually spoke in bellows.
“Jace?”
Noelle joined Hallie at the window. “Lord have mercy. It is Jace Carson. I thought he was living in Galveston with his mama after leaving that Canadian football team. All I can say is no wonder he had a fan club that called themselves Jace’s Junkies. The man is sex in a Stetson.”
“I remember hearing about Jace Carson.” Sunny joined Noelle and Hallie at the window. Belle had to admit the three women looked stunning together. Sunny with her long strawberry-blond hair, Hallie with even longer wheat-colored hair, and Noelle with her short black hair. “Is he the guy talking to your daddy?” Sunny asked. “He is hot.”
Noelle sighed. “Too bad he’s covered by the Secret Sister oath.”
Hallie started choking and Belle hurried over to thump her on the back. “Are you okay, Hal?”
Hallie cleared her throat. “Fine. Just fine.”
But she didn’t look fine. She looked as white as Belle’s dress. Belle had to wonder if maybe Mimi was right. Maybe Hallie did need a break from big city life. Or maybe she was just worried that most of her sisters were starting families of their own and would forget about her. Belle decided right then and there to spend more time with her sister.
“The Secret Sister oath?” Sunny asked. “What’s that?”
“It’s an oath we all took when we were younger,” Noelle explained. “No dating, or hooking up with, other sisters’ boyfriends—past or present.” She sent Sunny a pointed look. “Everyone who joins our club has to take the oath.”
Sunny nodded sagely. “I would never poach on any of y’all’s boyfriends.” She hesitated. “None of you have dated Casey Remington, right?”
Noelle visibly blanched before she pinned on a smile. “Absolutely not. Casey Remington is nothing to me. Absolutely nothing. Kenny is the love of my life.”
“Kenny?” Belle asked. “What happened to George?”
“He was much too clingy. But Kenny is the perfect—”
Belle cut her off when she glanced out the window and saw Daddy waving. “We’ll have to hear about your perfect man later, Elle. It’s time.”
Liberty turned from the mirror. “It’s time?” She looked terrified. Belle figured it was up to her to make sure her sister didn’t bolt.
“Pip, get the dogs on their leashes and everyone head to the barn and line up in the order we practiced last night. Libby and I will be there shortly.”
Once everyone was gone, Belle walked over to her sister and took her hands. “It’s okay, Libby. This is the day we dreamed about. We always knew we’d walk down the aisle together on Daddy’s arms and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.” She smiled. “We even planned on marrying brothers.”
The fear left Liberty’s eyes, and she smiled. “First dibs on Nick Jonas.”
Belle laughed. “I think the Cates/Whitlock brothers are much better looking than any ol’ Jonas. Now let’s go get our brothers.”
Overwhelming joy filled Belle when she saw Corbin waiting for her in the barn. He looked so handsome in his tuxedo it took her breath away. Or maybe it was the look in his cobalt-blue eyes that took her breath away. There was no vulnerability or fear.
Just pure love.
When he spoke his vows, his voice was strong and steady. She knew in her heart that his love would be the same. After the preacher had pronounced them husband and wife, Corbin lifted her veil and kissed her. Or she kissed him. It didn’t matter. All that mattered was that she would remember the kiss for the rest of her life.
After following Jesse and Liberty down the aisle, she and Corbin were supposed to pose for photographs. But as soon as they got outside, Corbin drew her around to the paddock where Homer and Sadie Mae were saddled and waiting. Most brides would have asked what was going on, but Belle didn’t. She knew Corbin wasn’t a man who did things randomly. He had planned this . . . for her. So she didn’t say a word. She just gathered the train of her dress, thanked the Lord she was wearing boots, and allowed Corbin to help her mount.
She smiled when they headed straight for Cooper Springs. The smile faded when he led her around the trees to a plot of land that had been corded off with string and wooden stakes.
“What’s this?”
He glanced over at her. Once again, he looked uncertain and vulnerable. “A front porch. Or at least, it will be one once we start building. I didn’t want to come up with any plans for the rest of the house without your input, but I thought it was safe to plan the front porch. A big front porch with plenty of room for a porch swing and decorations for every holiday.” He paused. “And a rocker to rock our babies.”
She couldn’t help it. Tears started falling. Corbin quickly dismounted and helped her down. Once she was in his arms, he cradled her face and brushed the tears from her cheeks.
“I hope these are happy tears, Bella.”
“The happiest. So I guess you read my letter.” The guilty flush was answer enough. She laughed. “So you also know I really wanted Nick Jonas.”
“Yes. But I’m afraid you’ll have to live without him.”
She heaved an exaggerated sigh. “And I was so counting on my husband singing to me every morning and night.”
“I’m afraid I can’t sing, but I can do something else every morning and night.”
“And what’s that?”
His eyes were intense and sincere. “Tell you I love you.”
That was even better.