Page 160 of Stolen for Keeps
Behind me, Sheryn fluffed my veil with a wink, then handed me the bouquet Claire had made herself. Fiery wildflowers and purple thistle, tied with twine and a ribbon the color of dusk. It wasn’t traditional. It was perfect.
Claire had called itThe Montana Promise.Whatever that meant, it smelled like something that lasted.
“Is it true you’re retiring?” I asked Dom. He’d brilliantly defended the crew who’d helped me get the HERF gun, but word was he’d been thinking about stepping away from the law.
“Maybe.”
“Montana scarred you that bad, huh?”
He gave a quiet laugh and tapped the back of my hand. “Even lawyers have to take care of their hearts.”
Noah had told me about his heart attack.
“Then move here. Embrace the slow life.”
“As if. But hey, why are we talking about me?”
I just smiled.
Dom leaned in as we stepped forward. “Watch your step.”
I nudged him. “If I fall, you’re coming with me.”
His chuckle was still lingering when the music started.
As best man, Elia stood tall beside Noah, wearing the kind of grin that said he knew every single thought running through the head of the man about to marry me…again.
In the front row, Logan sat between Claire and his wife, Riley, their smiles calm and quietly proud.
Just before I stepped under the wedding arch, I glanced at Sheryn, who was glowing in her matron-of-honor dress. She caught my eye and gave me a wink, a promise that we’d be recapping all of this over cake and champagne.
Finally, I reached Noah. He took my hands in his, his eyes soft, the way I’d seen a hundred times. And still, it made my knees go wobbly.
“You look beautiful, Blue,” he murmured. “Technically, you’re in white, but you’ll always be my Blue.”
The vows weren’t just words. We’d already lived them. We’d done this once before, but this time, there was no edge of fear and no rush to outrun the past. Just him. Just me. And the certainty of forever.
When the officiant finally said the words?—
“You may kiss the bride.”
Noah didn’t hesitate.
He grabbed me, dipped me slightly, and kissed me. Lingering and thorough, as if he were staking his claim all over again.
The Lazy Moose roared with cheers.
Hank wiped at his eyes, though he’d later blame it on hay fever and swear he wasn’t crying. Mrs. Appleby didn’t bother hiding her tears. She wept, her eyes locked on us as if we were her favorite chapter finally getting its ending.
The ceremony was everything I never thought I’d have. Intimate, breathtaking, and filled with the people who had become my family.
As the light thinned and the sky deepened, the fairy lights took their cue, string by string, until the whole barnyard flickered to life. The dance floor, marked by scuffed planks and laughter, waited beneath the first shy stars of Montana’s wide sky.
The music started, slow and sweet.
Noah took my hand, pulling me against his chest. “Déjà vu?”
I huffed a laugh, remembering the moment. The first time I’d known Noah Lucas wasn’t just some cowboy with a soft spot for strays. “Almost,” I quipped.
