Page 139 of Beware of Dog

The fingers of his right hand tapped at his thigh, a nervous tic, and he leaned fractionally so he could get a better look at her as she and Devin started down the aisle. His face looked so young: nervous, and hopeful, and excited, and cautious. His throat jerked hard as he swallowed, and then his lips twitched into a little smile that made her want to cup his face in both hands and rub their noses together.

Even as her eyes filled with tears, Cass smiled; it felt like her face splitting itself in two, unstoppable and bright and bursting with all the energy that mounted in her chest.

Shep’s smile widened, a helpless response, and he looked so happy, happier than she’d ever seen him.

As they made their slow progression across a scattering of petals, Devin patted her hand where it rested in the crook of his elbow and leaned in to whisper, “That’s a happy man.”

“Yeah,” she said, shakily.

“What d’ya say we walk faster?”

“Yes, let’s.”

~*~

There was something incredibly vulnerable and intimate about pledging your life, and your body, and your heart to another person. It didn’t matter that Cass loved Shep completely, and was proud of the man he was, of his strength, and his endurance, of what he’d survived and come out on the other side of with his sense of humor and his Yankee personality intact. She always got a thrill walking hand-in-hand with him on the street, strangers seeing them like that and knowing they were together. But getting married in front of all the most important people in her life felt like being naked in a way that even displaying her art didn’t. Art was an offering; marriage was wholly personal, something just for her, for them. It saidat the very deepest core of me, I want this man,and she’d spent last night and all this morning jittery with something akin to stage fright.

But when she and Devin reached Shep, and she saw that his hands were shaking, those jitters melted away. Shep needed her; she needed him. What was a little vulnerability in the face of getting to have each other?

The ceremony itself was simple. Joanna had called in a local minister who was a kindly-faced stranger, and his words were plain, and true, and he didn’t bother with frills or big speeches. She slid her hands into Shep’s big, warm, trembling ones, and they clung tight. They hadn’t written special vows; there wasn’t anything new to say to one another: they were each other’s best friend, favorite person, soft landing at the end of a long day. That was all they needed.

When it was time, Toly produced the rings, plain white gold.

The minister smiled when he pronounced them.

When the kiss came, Shep captured her face in both his palms, cradled her there, and ducked down so she didn’t have to stand on tiptoe. It was chaste, for them, but solid, and sweet,and he smiled dopily at her when he pulled back, thumb stroking over her cheek.

She reached up to hold his wrists, keeping him there a beat longer. “I love you.”

“Love you, too, kiddo.”

“May I present to you,” the minister said, “Mr. and Mrs. Francis Shepherd!”

A cheer went up, raucous and whooping and fitting for a crowd of bikers and the women who loved them.

Thirty-Three

Last night had been fun, a good weeknight barbecue. But tonight? Wild.

When Devin drew her out onto the parquet dance floor set up on the grass, he informed her, “I’ve told your young man not to drink too much so he doesn’t disappoint you on your wedding night.”

“Dad, gross!”

She danced with all of her brothers. Some of it was easy swaying with no footwork. To no one’s surprise, Tenny had Fred Astaire moves and she could barely keep up with him.

Ian had ballet training, elegant and light on his feet, but his large hands were careful on her, and he towed her patiently through the steps.

Shep couldn’t dance at all, but she was happy to lay her head on his chest and listen to his heart beat steadily as they shuffled along at the edges of the dance floor.

Around nine, Raven caught her attention and pulled her to a quiet patch of grass, along a string of lighted flower garland. “You’ve been eyeing the trail up to the cabins for a good half-hour now,” Raven said, grin knowing.

Cass dabbed at the sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand. Her rings caught the light, and made her smile. “I’mexhausted. God. It’s lame, but I just want a nap.”

Raven chuckled. “It’s been a long day. But. I wanted to tell you: the girls and I slipped up to the cabin earlier to spruce it up a little.”

“Oh no! What did you do?”

Raven shrugged, faux casual. “Just added a little romantic atmosphere.”

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