Christmas Kisses with My Cowboy - Diana Palmer Page 0,123
their necks to watch Ry Morgan, the groom, accompanied by his identical twin brother, HW, walk down the aisle. Ry looked his usual, calm self, but HW was grinning and yakking away like he was still trying to wind his brother up. It occurred to Veronica that people didn’t really change that much after all.
Ted was the same kid who’d looked out for his sister and her friends, and worked hard to support his family business, but was Veronica the same girl? Despite everything that had happened in her life so far, she liked herself better now. She was a resilient woman who had been tested and emerged stronger than ever.
The music paused, and then started again, this time with a country tune from a star Veronica knew Avery loved. Everyone stood, and HW Morgan took the opportunity to elbow his twin in the side. There was a very long pause, and then Chase William appeared, a furrow on his brow as he delved into his basket, crouched down, and carefully placed one rose petal on the center of the carpet before moving another six inches forward and doing it again.
January, who was Avery’s matron of honor, bent to whisper in his ear, and made a hurry-up kind of motion, which didn’t go down well with her son. After another consultation, he scowled, shoved his hand in the basket, threw out a whole load of petals, and stomped up the aisle scattering them everywhere. Behind him, January laughed, hoisted her daughter, Elizabeth, higher on her hip, and followed him up to the front where she handed the baby over to her husband, and grabbed hold of the collar of Chase William’s blue-checked Western shirt.
The maids of honor, accompanied by the groomsmen, progressed at a more regular pace. Veronica spotted Ted accompanying Marley Hayes at the back. The blues and greens of the bridal party offered a soothing contrast to the silver and red of the décor, like a promise of spring after a hard winter.
There was another pause, as Ry Morgan stared straight ahead, and then a gentle sigh of appreciation as Avery Hayes and her father came down the aisle. Avery wore a simple, white, high-necked dress that finished just below the tops of her white and red cowboy boots. She also wore a white hat with a vivid silver and red sash that trailed down the back.
Veronica gave a shaky sigh as Ry Morgan spotted his bride. His whole face lit up with such adoration that Veronica knew her friend would never have a moment’s regret in her choice of husband. He worshipped her, and had waited patiently for her to decide when she was ready to marry him without a word of complaint, or expectation of anything. Veronica was truly happy for her friend.
She sniffed and a tissue appeared under her nose. She looked up to discover Ted had slipped into the seat next to hers.
“Here you go,” he whispered. “I knew you’d cry.”
“So did I,” she whispered back, and pointed at her purse. “I have a whole packet of tissues in there.”
“We’ll probably need them before the end of the ceremony,” Ted murmured. “I’m getting a little misty-eyed myself.”
She wiped her eyes and reached for his hand when the pastor asked them all to sit. Whatever happened between her and Ted, she knew that true love did exist; she was watching it happen in real time.
* * *
As the wedding progressed, Ted couldn’t help wondering how it would feel if it was him up there saying vows to Veronica. He’d never imagined finding someone he could stick with for the rest of his life. What was funny was that the idea of it didn’t even scare him. He knew he was getting dangerously ahead of himself, but for once he wasn’t prepared to put the brakes on.
Veronica just fitted right: with the town, with his family and friends, and, most importantly, with him. She was everything he wasn’t, and somehow that worked. And she was beautiful with her dark hair, her olive skin, and that breathtaking smile.
After the ceremony, there was champagne and tiny little sandwiches and cakes that just made Ted hungrier. He stopped himself from downing too many, and focused on re-introducing Veronica to everyone she hadn’t yet met who was attending the wedding. They all knew who she was, so it was mainly a remember-fest, and a hope that she would stick around that Ted could only silently echo.