Page 102 of The Troublemaker

“You may now kiss the bride.”

He did. Full on the mouth and with all the passion that he had inside him. A promise, not only of tonight, their wedding night, but of their shared future together, which would contain all this. The family around them, and the passion between them. The tradition, old as time, but new for them.

They might not have had examples around them. But people did this. This family thing, this marriage thing. They did it; they had done it. They continued to do it. And hell, they could do it, too. They could.

They were doing it.

“May I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. McCloud.”

They turned and everyone in the barn cheered. All the McCloud men had gotten married.

Not a single one of them had turned into their dad.

Everybody here probably considered it an earthly miracle. One they couldn’t explain. But he was glad of it. Lordy, he was glad of it. He felt like he had escaped something. A boulder that he hadn’t even been aware was rolling behind him. One he’d now successfully sidestepped. With this.

This had saved him.

She’d saved him.

Afterward, they cleared the chairs and set them off to the sides so the people had a place to sit and eat their barbecue and cake. Outside, a big bonfire was roaring, so those who weren’t concerned about the spring chill could enjoy their place out there.

And people began to pair off and dance. He and Charity never danced together. But he figured they ought to now. It was one of those things that was different about them. Husband and wife ought to dance together at their wedding.

He pulled her into his arms and spun her in a circle.

She laughed. “Are you happy?” he asked.

“Yes. I wish... I wish my dad were here. I wish he could have given me away. Because I think he would’ve liked to give me to you, Lachlan.”

“Sweetheart,” he said, “don’t you know he already did?”

“What?”

His chest squeezed. “Right before he passed, I had a conversation with Albert. And he said... He said ‘don’t you let anything happen to my baby girl, Lachlan McCloud. Or I’ll tan your hide.’”

“He did not.”

“He did. I believe it was a threat to tan my hide quite literally from beyond the grave.”

“And what did you tell him?”

“I told him that I would always be there for you. And I will be. I promise you that, Charity. Nothing is ever going to come between us. You’re mine. You’re my girl.”

“Thank you. That was just the perfect thing to say.”

“I think he’s here. Because I think he gives his blessing on this. He loves you. Still.”

“Andyoulove me,” she said.

“I always have,” he said, a strange emotion welling up in his chest. One he couldn’t readily define.

They quit talking. And just danced. And they cut the biggest cake together after the song was over, and he fed her a bite and watched as she blushed.

It was such a traditional wedding. For having been thrown together in just a few days, it was perfect.

People took countless pictures on their phones, and he knew that they’d get all of them sent to them. Evidence that this day actually had happened, because as the evening wore on it was starting to feel surreal.

When they came out of the barn, his truck was decorated.

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