Page 52 of The Cowboy Who Worked Late

Dawson swallowed hard, emotion choking his voice as he managed to say, “I do.” His eyes locked onto Caroline’s, wanting to be right there in front of her today. She smiled at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, and he seriously thought his heart might burst in that moment.

“Caroline,” Pastor Knowlton continued. “Do you take Dawson Wade Rhinehart to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, in joy and in sorrow, to love and to cherish, from this day forward and for all the days of your life?”

Caroline’s voice came out clear, unwavering. “I do.”

Pastor Knowlton nodded to Brandon, who stepped forward with a small pillow bearing the rings. Rocks took one look at it and hopped that way instantly. “That’s right,” Brandon whispered. “Take it to Daws, buddy.”

The crow plucked one ring from the pillow, but he couldn’t get both. After a couple of tries, and some audience members starting to twitter with laughter, Dawson extended his hand toward the crow.

“One at a time is fine, Rocks.”

The crow looked at him with his beady eyes, and Nugget took the moment to caw throughout the tent. The wind picked up again, ruffling everyone’s feathers.

Rocks, thankfully, dropped the ring into Dawson’s palm, and he flipped Caroline’s ring in his fingers before slipping it onto her finger.

“With this ring, you’re mine,” he said softly, gazing at the glittering diamond and aware that Rocks had gone back to Brandon. “It is a symbol of my love, my faithfulness, and my commitment to you.”

Caroline wiped at her eyes and tried to get Rocks to give up Dawson’s ring. But the crow wouldn’t do it. He didn’t make much noise, but he cawed and took flight, sending a murmured cry through the crowd—and pure fear through Dawson’s bloodstream.

“Rocks,” he barked at the crow, and Ruffin added his voice to the conversation. That only caused Nugget to bark back at the dog, and the wedding guests were outright laughing now.

Dawson felt way too hot, and he looked at Caroline, who wore a somewhat stupefied look on her face. “Hey, you wanted the crows,” he said.

Thankfully, Brandon brandished another string of beads, this one bright gold, and Rocks dropped the comparatively boring wedding band in favor of that fake string of beads. Caroline looked at the ring on the ground, and Judy swooped in to rescue her.

“Here you go, Auntie C.” She handed the ring to Caroline, who smiled prettily at her niece.

“Thank you, baby.” She held his ring, and his hand trembled as he held it out for her. Her touch landed steady and sure against his skin, nearly burning him. “With this ring, I’m yours and you’re mine,” she echoed. “It is a symbol of my love, my faithfulness, and my commitment to you.”

Dawson sure liked the weight of the silver band around his finger, and he took Caroline’s hand in his again. His left hand with hers, both of their rings sparkling though the light had definitely turned a shade of gray that meant nothing good.

Pastor Knowlton placed a veined, seasoned hand over their joined two. “By the power vested in me by the state of Texas, and by God, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Dawson, you may kiss your bride.”

Dawson leaned in, capturing Caroline’s lips in a tender, loving kiss. The crowd erupted in cheers and applause, and Dawson heard Nugget and Rocks cawing loudly as if in approval. The hens clucked mightily, probably startled by the applause and all the yeehaws. Even Ruffin barked and barked.

He smiled against Caroline’s lips, pulling back to gaze into her eyes. “It’s a real zoo around here,” he quipped, and she tipped her head back and laughed.

As they turned to face their guests, Dawson somehow heard the first drops of rain against the tent. He glanced up though they’d be protected, and couldn’t help but smile. Caroline’s prayer had been answered in the most poetic way. They started down the aisle together, hand in hand, as the drizzle became more earnest.

By the time they reached the barn, the rain had turned into a downpour, the drops landing loudly against the taut fabric of the tent. Laughing, they ran the last few steps, ducking inside to more applause. The guests followed, cheering and laughing as they sought refuge from the sudden storm.

Inside the barn, safe and dry, in the middle of everyone who knew and loved him—and who he knew and loved—Dawson pulled Caroline into his arms. “We did it,” he murmured against her hair, his heart overflowing with love and joy. “I love you, darlin’.”

She looked up at him, her eyes shining with love, with relief, with happiness. “Yes, we did,” she whispered back. “And it was perfect. Absolutely perfect.”

The sound of rain pounding on the barn roof became a comforting backdrop as they stood there, surrounded by the warmth and love of their friends and family. Dawson knew in that moment that this was just the very beginning of a beautiful life together.

Chapter Seventeen

Misty Glover closed her notebook as the last class in her “Raising Independent Children” course ended. She smiled around at the other ladies who had attended with her, only a handful of them, for the past eight weeks. This was the third parenting class that Misty had taken and completed. As she hugged the instructor and said goodbye to her friends, she wondered if she needed to take any more.

Of course, she didn’t know everything about how to raise a child, and she knew that actually having another little human being to take care of was different than just studying about how to do it.

She left the community center, got situated in her SUV, and started the car. She needed a moment to run through what the rest of her day would be, as her birthday was this weekend.

They had celebrated Link’s while Mitch was in town for Dawson and Caroline’s wedding, but Misty hadn’t wanted to combine their birthdays this year. It was fine last year when Sammy took charge and really wanted to make everything special. But Misty wanted to start her own family traditions with Link.

She’d asked if they could have a private birthday party at the Top Cottage for her and invite only his immediate family. So that was what she’d planned; she and Sammy had started working on a menu together.

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