Page 31 of The Mountain Man's Mail Order Surprise
"Is it too much? I don't want Gia to feel overwhelmed."
"Trust me, she's going to love it. The women know what they're doing."
The drive to Iron Vine Estate takes twenty minutes, and I spend it trying not to think about everything that could go wrong.What if Gia changes her mind? What if the ceremonyis too much pressure? What if she realizes she's making a mistake?
"Stop spiraling," Noah says as we pull into the estate's circular driveway. "She loves you. You love her. Everything else is just details."
Iron Vine Estate buzzes with activity. Caterers are setting up tables on the back lawn, florists are arranging what looks like a forest's worth of flowers, and someone is testing a sound system near the overlook where we'll exchange vows.
"Wow," I breathe, taking in the scope of the operation. "How did they put this together in one day?"
"Kane women are terrifying when they're motivated," Zaire says, appearing beside the truck with a garment bag. "And apparently, getting you married was motivation enough."
"Where is everyone?"
"Eli and Darius are helping set up chairs. Roman and Micah are handling the music situation. Silas is reviewing the ceremony script Jordyn wrote because apparently 'Do you take this woman' isn't good enough anymore."
"Ceremony script?"
"Personalized vows, readings, the whole thing. You're going to cry, man. Fair warning."
We spend the morning getting everything ready. The overlook where Gia and I will exchange vows has been transformed with white chairs arranged in a semicircle, an arch woven with late-season wildflowers, and candles ready to be lit as the sun sets behind the mountains.
It's simple but stunning, exactly what Gia said she wanted when she described her dream wedding.
"Lunch," Talia announces, appearing with sandwiches and forcing everyone to sit down and eat. "The bride is having her lunch at Tangled Roots with the girls while they do her hair, so you boys need to fuel up too."
"How is she?" I ask, accepting a sandwich I'm too nervous to eat.
"Glowing. Happy. Asking if you're nervous too."
"Oh, I’m terrified."
"Good. That means it matters."
The afternoon passes in a blur of last-minute preparations and increasing anxiety. By four o'clock, I'm pacing the estate's main house in my wedding clothes, checking my watch every thirty seconds.
"Relax," Silas says, straightening his tie. "She'll be here."
"What if she changes her mind? What if she decides this is too fast, too much?"
"Then she wouldn't be the woman you fell in love with." He claps me on the shoulder. "Gia's not going anywhere, Rosco. She chose you. Trust that."
At five-fifteen, cars start arriving. Sage and Luna, Jake and his security team, Dr. Martinez and her wife, even the mayor and his family. More people than I expected, all here to witness Gia and me make promises to each other.
"Places," Jordyn calls out at five-twenty-five. "Groom, groomsmen, officiant. Let's do this thing."
I take my position at the overlook, the entire valley spread out below us. The sun hangs low in the sky, painting everything in golden light. It's exactly the view Gia dreamed about, perfect for the promises we're about to make.
Music starts, something soft and acoustic that I don't recognize but that makes my chest tight with emotion. The wedding party processes down the makeshift aisle: Talia and Jordyn as Gia's bridesmaids, Noah as my best man, even Jordyn’s son, little Oliver, toddling along as ring bearer with the rings tied to his wrist with ribbon.
Then the music changes, and everyone stands.
Gia appears at the top of the aisle, and my heart stops completely.
She's wearing a simple white dress that flows around her pregnant curves like water, her dark hair styled in loose waves with tiny flowers woven through it. She's carrying a bouquet of wildflowers that match the arch, and she's smiling like sunrise.
She's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.
