Page 118 of Holding The Reins

“Come with me?”

“I’m okay to stay here, I have these heels on.” I hold an ankle up.

“Humor me, Rae. I don’t want to leave you out here alone.”

I roll my eyes. I’m used to Nash being overprotective but this is a little much.

He looks at me expectantly, and I know not to argue. He isn’t leaving the truck without me.

I sigh and get out, making the short walk into the bar with him but when I enter, my senses are overtaken with the sight that greets me.

Instead of the usual scene of neon and low-hanging chandeliers, tables, and chairs, I’m greeted with a wide open, empty space. What seems like thousands of twinkling lights suspend from the ceiling like little fireflies in a netting of greenery. The entire space is lined endlessly with flameless candles, fresh roses and Kentucky honeysuckle. I take in so many things at once as my mouth falls open. The scent of all the fresh flowers is heady, beautiful and consuming.

“Nash… what is—”

He’s pulling me to the center of the room into a portion of the dance floor that is surrounded by even more candles that are the only light in the room.

The opening strings of “From this Moment” by Shania Twain start to play so softly, almost like background music from an acoustic guitar in the corner, and my eyes turn toward it and meet Ivy in a pretty red gown sitting on an elegant leather stool in the dimly lit corner surrounded by lanterns.

She smiles at me and Nash speaks, “Cecilia, we’re not celebrating an anniversary tonight, instead I want to celebrate the first night of the rest of our lives.”

“Nash…” I say, because it’s all I can get out.

“A wise man once told me to settle down, find a woman to share my life with, to love. That man, of course, was one of the greatest men I’ve had the pleasure of knowing, your dad. Now, I want you to know I didn’t forget him. I went to him, to his grave, and told him my intentions, I told him that I love his only daughter more than I’ve ever loved anything or anyone in my life, and that if he gave me his blessing, I would love her with my whole heart every day until death took me. And even then, I’d move on to the next life and find her there, because a love like ours isn’t limited by space or time. It’s eternal.”

He cups my face with his hand and tilts my chin. “It’s infinite,” Nash whispers as he kisses my lips.

I’ve known Nash in so many different ways over the years. I’ve always felt an unexplainable familiarity with him, but I’ll never forget the look he gave me the night he stood under my porch lights in the summer, with the look that said out of all the people to walk this earth, that I’m the only one he wanted to let in. My Dad always said when you know, you know, and wow, do I know.

Tears prick my eyes as he speaks, and the guitar continues in the background, but I have no strength to talk or I risk a sob escaping from me.

“When I finished my conversation with him, it started to rain and I felt like it was him giving me his blessing. What do you say, little firefly? Will you get lost in the shuffle of this world with me, forever? Will you give me all of your smiles and all your tears? Will you let me make sure you have your coffee every morning and my arms around you every night? Will you let me love you with everything in me for the rest of this life and the next?” Nash pulls a robin egg blue, velvet box from his suit jacket and opens it up, dropping to one knee before me.

“I told you I’d kneel for you forever. It would be my greatest joy to be your husband. Will you marry me, baby?”

I’m nodding and crying, and I somehow manage to get the word “yes” out to him as many things happen simultaneously.

Flashes erupt in the space as someone takes our photos—a photographer? And suddenly, there are people everywhere. As Nash slides the beautiful, perfectly sized, pear-shaped diamond ring onto my finger, I squeal and jump into his arm as our family and friends come from God knows where to surround us in a flurry of activity, all of them dressed to the nines in evening gowns and black tie.

“I love you so much, CeCe Rae Ashby, soon-to-be Carter.”

“I love you, Nash,” I whisper.

The entire room blurs around us as his lips meet mine and everything I’ve ever dreamed of becomes my reality.

Seven Years Later

“Ruby Rae, your daddy is gonna have your behind in a sling if you don’t get your shoes on and get out to the truck!” I yell up the stairs to our five-year-old daughter. She’s a little mini me, right down to the always running late, and she thinks it’s endearing.

“I’m coming, Mama. I couldn’t find my lucky charm.” My blonde, blue-eyed beauty holds up her dad’s Stanley cup ring on a chain in her chubby hand and grins.

I nod because I know she won’t play without it tucked safely into her dad’s pocket during her game. I usher her out the door, carrying my purse and her baby brother, Rex in his car seat.

Nash shuts the tonneau cover of the truck after dropping Ruby’s hockey bag in and comes to me.

I still get butterflies every single time I look at him. Standing right in the same spot on our front lawn that we stood before all our family and friends seven and a half years ago under an arch of wildflowers and said our vows.

The day was perfect and rustic with little firefly-filled lanterns lining the aisle at sunset as Wade gave me away in a simple, elegant sheath dress, my hair wild and wavy, just the way Nash likes it, with flowers woven in. Seeing him standing at the end of that aisle with Cole and Mabel waiting for me in his rustic deep navy three-piece suit that matched his eyes perfectly, and a stark white shirt…I’ve never seen anything more stunning and I’d never been more certain. Nash Carter was my future and I’ve never looked back.

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