Page 15 of Her Grumpy Cowboy
He laughs.“Pretty sure Ernie and Lorna would.”
Inside the diner, Walker doesn’t sit across from me in the opposite booth.Instead, he joins me in mine, pressing close to me.I like the way he always wants to be beside me.
The night passes in a blur of conversation and laughs.We stay until it’s nearly sunset and we have to leave so we can cross the creek while it’s still light outside.But even the boat ride is wonderful because I’m with Walker.He listens to everything I say, studying me as I talk.He doesn’t seem to think any of my ideas are dumb and always encourages me.
When we’re at his home, I head for the guest bedroom down the hall.But he tugs me against his chest.
“Oh, no,” he growls against my ear.“You’re with me.”
He opens the master bedroom to reveal that he’s moved all of my furniture into the room.He even hung my clothes in the closet along with his.I smile at the sight of them together.“We’re really doing this, aren’t we?”
He’s silent so I turn to find him holding out a tiny velvet box.“There’s something I have to ask you.”
“Walker…”
“Let me say my peace, woman,” he barks at me.But his expression is soft, and his eyes are smiling.“I figured I’d be alone forever.Then one day, a ball of sunshine bounced into my life.My heart stopped in that moment and it didn’t start again until the first time I held you in my arms.You’re beautiful and resilient and mine.All mine.I want you wearing my ring every day.I want you screaming my name every night.And I want you growing big with my babies as we fall more in love together with every passing year.”
He’s blurry now but I manage to nod my head.Whenever I’m around this man, I always end up crying happy tears.We’re going to build a life together and it’s going to be a beautiful one.
10
Walker
“Did you see her?”I ask River as I tug on my tie.The damn thing feels like it’s strangling me, and my palms are damp with sweat.I haven’t been this nervous since I got on Blue, the bull that was mean as a rattlesnake and nearly killed two of my fellow riders.But this is a different kind of nervous, the good kind that has me thinking of my woman.I haven’t seen her in three days.That’s three days too long and the moment I get her alone, I’m spanking that pretty ass for putting me through this.
“Yeah, I saw her,” River grunts.Lily squeals in his arms and he manages to juggle her long enough to grab a flask.He tries to pass it to me to calm my nerves, but I’m not interested in alcohol right now.There’s only one thing that will soothe me—getting Jenna back in my arms again.“Looks pretty today.”
I growl at him.We’re in the back room of the only church in town.I’m pretty sure that means I shouldn’t throw a punch, no matter how badly I want to.No man should ever be looking in the direction of what’s mine and Jenna is most definitely mine.
He growls back at me.“My wife designed your wife’s dress.Of course, she looks pretty.”
It’s a fair point but I’m not in a gracious mood.I glance at my watch again for the tenth time in the past hour.How is it there’s still fifteen minutes to go before I can stand beside the love of my life and claim her in front of all of Courage County?
“There’s no accounting for her bad taste in men though,” River complains.
Lily tugs on his tie and he glances down at his baby girl.“You’re never leaving Daddy and getting married.You hear me?”
She grins at him, drool dripping down her chin and onto the red dress she’s wearing.She’s the happiest baby I’ve ever met and I’m already thinking about how it’s going to feel when Jenna’s arms are filled with a little one of our own.
I take off my Stetson and run a hand through my hair before plopping down on a bench in the corner.“Was it this bad when you married Mallory?”
“No, but I dragged her to the courthouse.No sense in prolonging the inevitable.She was mine and it was high time the world knew it.”He nods to himself and Lily coos as if in agreement.It used to amaze me the way the three of them became an instant family then I met Jenna and I get it.I understand how when you meet the right person, they become an instant part of you.
I could have taken Jenna to the courthouse.It’s what I wanted to do the day after I slid that nine-carat princess cut diamond ring onto her finger.I didn’t want to wait a moment more.
Still, I couldn’t have her thinking that I was ashamed of her or that I was trying to hide our marriage.I’m proud to be with her.I’ll call her mine to anyone that’s willing to listen.So instead of a courthouse ceremony, I insisted on having a wedding here in town.
A big wedding with all of our friends invited.It took three months to put together and I left all of the decisions up to Mallory and Jenna.Whatever makes my woman happy makes me happy.
There’s a knock on the door and the preacher is poking his head inside.“It’s time for y’all.”
We make our way to the front of the church and standing here in front of the altar, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude.I was given the most amazing woman on earth and I’m going to work hard to make sure she feels loved and wanted every day for the rest of her life.
The music swells and I wait impatiently as the bridesmaids walk down the aisle.Or wheel as in the case of Mallory.But the entire time, I’m silently willing everyone to go faster because there’s only one person I want to see right now.
As the old organ continues the melody and the doors open at the back of the sanctuary, my breath catches in my throat.There’s my bride.She’s dressed in a floor-length white wedding gown with long, lace sleeves.Her face is glowing as she clutches a mix of autumn flowers.
Her hand is tucked in the crook of her father’s arm.The night after we got engaged I went to him and demanded that he set things right.I made it clear that he’d never get to spend time with her or his future grandchildren if he didn’t make some changes.
