The Cowgirl's Chosen Love - Vivian Arend Page 0,109
time before we got married,” Julia said. “I wanted to tell you how amazing you are. How good you’ve been to me, and how every single day, I’m so grateful you agreed to be my pretend boyfriend.”
Laughter swelled inside him, but Zach had to share his own truth. He gave her a quick kiss, though, because he couldn’t resist. He damn near spoke against her lips because he almost couldn’t pull away. “I’m so glad you chose me. No matter what, I’m going to make sure you know how much we belong together. How much you mean to me. Even if you are kind of sex-crazed.”
A sharp snort escaped her, and she covered her mouth with her fingers before grinning hard. “Your fault.”
“I couldn’t be prouder,” he admitted before softening his voice. “But it’s never just sex. Not with you. It’s love.”
She licked her lips, and he went in for a serious kiss. A wholehearted promise of what would come later. Not just that day, but next week, next month.
Next year, until the end of eternity.
Somebody coughed. Finn. “Time to get ready. I’m afraid your mom’s waiting outside,” he warned with a sheepish grin.
Julia stepped back, giving Zach’s fingers a final squeeze. “It’s okay. I’ll sweet-talk her into not scolding you until after the honeymoon.”
“Just don’t let her start giving you advice of what to do while on our honeymoon,” Zach warned as the door closed behind her.
He turned back to face his friends as Josiah walked into the room to join them.
“Are you ready for this?” Josiah asked.
Ready for Julia to become his officially, albeit for the second time? This time he was going to remember every moment of it. “I can’t wait.”
What a difference. By now they’d watched the video of their Vegas wedding enough times that contrasting that event with what waited before her was natural. Part of the entertainment tonight would be showing that video to all their friends and family who had gathered.
That had been wild and impulsive. A mistake that turned out to be everything she’d ever wanted. Today was planned and solid. Yet equally sweet and infinitely more memorable because of the people joining them.
Julia rested her arms on the railing of the deck, stealing peeks toward where the chairs and wedding bower waited. “Soon?”
“Don’t worry. Zach is not running away. Josiah has firm orders to keep his feet nailed to the front of the stage until it’s official.” A noticeably pregnant Lisa slipped beside her, curling an arm around Julia’s waist. “A couple more cars showed up, so we figured we’d let everyone find seats before starting the processional music.”
There was already a big crowd. Not only everyone she and Zach worked with at the Red Boot ranch, which started official operations in the spring, but all the people Julia had worked with at the fire hall the previous year.
Add in all the family members, between the Colemans and the Sorensons—Julia had never expected to have this many people in her life who all wanted to celebrate with her.
Karen appeared on her other side, adjusting the short veil attached to the tiara resting in Julia’s hair. “You look happy,” she said.
Julia straightened, twisting until she could see her sisters at the same time, Tamara as well, coming up the stairs to join them. “I have something to tell you.”
The three of them tucked in close. Mirror images of each other and yet so unique. Karen had softened over the past year, and Julia was sure it was because Finn had been her constant champion. Karen had learned to take what she needed to be happy, and Julia had learned a lot from watching her older sister deal with past hurts.
Tamara’s sturdy love had been offered and accepted in so many ways over the past months. Julia had spent tons of time with the Stone family, discovering they had their own strengths and weaknesses, but at the root of it, rejoicing that they were always there for each other.
And Lisa? Lisa had become the best friend Julia hadn’t known she needed. Although her sister’s mischief was a trifle more curtailed these days. Even now Lisa adjusted her stance, hand falling to the round swell of her seven-months pregnant belly.
Suddenly Julia wondered: what would her sisters see while looking back at her? Hopefully a woman who was learning the ultimate truth. Acceptance started within. Joy spread outward, and love expanded like multiplication tables gone wild.
Julia had spent nine months accepting the truth that Zach