beside Bishop. The two cousins looked at one another and smiled. “I can’t wait to get married here.”
“Yeah? Are you gonna ask Bea?”
Ace’s smile turned a bit mischievous. “You never know.” He entered the barn, making a beeline for the kitchen window in the back corner, and Bishop shook his head. He knew what you never know meant.
It meant no.
Ace was currently dating Beatrice Gates, but he was really smitten with another woman.
Soft music played from the speakers high above the floor, and Bishop had installed those himself too. He could lean his head back and find them easily, though neither Ranger nor Bear had been able to spot more than one or two.
“Afternoon, Bishop.”
He turned toward the male voice and found Pastor Summers. “Heya,” he said, smiling and extending his hand to shake the pastor’s. “Mrs. Summers. Good to see you.” He shook her hand too.
“This is beautiful,” she said, gazing around. She had blonde hair that had started to lose its color, and eyes the same as all the Glovers: blue. She had a kind soul, and Bishop had literally never seen the woman upset. “Are y’all renting it out?”
“I don’t think so,” Bishop said.
Her eyes came to his. “Our daughter would love to get married here. Don’t you think, Curtis?”
“Hmm, probably,” Pastor Summers said.
Mrs. Summers looked at Bishop again. “We need to talk some more.”
“Okay,” Bishop said, but he wasn’t sure why she was talking to him. He was the youngest male in the family, and he literally had no say about how things were run on the ranch. Sure, sometimes Ranger and Bear sent emails or texts about big purchases or major projects, just to get feedback from everyone. In the end, though, they got to decide what happened at Shiloh Ridge.
“Excuse me,” a woman said into the microphone. “It’s time to take your seats, if you would, please. Our first bride will be coming down the aisle in only ten short minutes.”
Bishop did what his cousin said to do, his seat decided up front. Both Bear and Ranger had opted for a wedding party in pictures only. Only the brides would be escorted down the aisle to meet their waiting groom. The wedding party would stand at the front for a moment, and then sit in the first couple of rows.
He got a fancy flower for his lapel too. He supposed that counted for something.
Bishop took his spot at the end of the row for his family, his four older brothers and Zona already there. The only one missing was Bear.
And Daddy, Bishop thought, a momentary pang of sadness gonging against his heart. He’d only been eighteen years old when his father had died, and Bishop sometimes felt like he had no idea how to be a man because his daddy hadn’t been there when he’d become one.
He swallowed against the emotions and looked to the other side of the aisle. Samantha Benton’s family sat over there, but it was just her mother and a few friends. Her father and her son would be walking her down the aisle to Bear.
Sammy owned the mechanic shop in town, and all of her mechanics and their families had come. Bishop liked seeing them there, as they sure did feel like family for Sammy.
The music paused, and the very air itself seemed to pause. Then, a new song started, and the crowd got to its feet as Bear pushed open the barn doors at the back of the hall. He beamed out at the crowd, his face softening even more as he cocked his elbow for Mother to put her hand on.
They walked down the aisle together, and Bishop could not stop grinning. Once they’d reached the altar, Mother straightened Bear’s tie and hugged him tight. His siblings surged forward, all of them seeming to step at the same time.
Bear chuckled as they did a group hug for him, and then they stepped back to their places, Cactus holding onto Mother now.
The music paused again, and Bishop spun toward the open doors. Sammy appeared, her dress simple and elegant. It hugged her close to the hip, and then flared into a traditional wedding dress shape. Her train was long, and her son helped her fan it out behind her.
Then Lincoln disappeared again, and when he returned, he held onto his grandfather, who limped and wobbled on his feet. He managed to get to Sammy, who secured her hand in his, a wide smile on her face.