Chapter 14

CHAPTER

FOURTEEN

B ryce Young paced in the farmhouse, his eyes automatically drifting to the big wall of windows that overlooked the deck and then the ranch. “She should be leaving soon.”

“Everything is on schedule,” Daddy said. “Except your tie isn’t on, and heaven only knows where your cowboy hat is.”

Bryce couldn’t even tear his eyes from the glorious sunshine streaming through the windows. “Thank you, Lord, for good weather today.”

His wedding day.

He could scarcely believe this day had come. That the sun had risen, though even in his darkest times, it always had. And today was a happy occasion, and he’d been praying and praying they’d have good weather, minimal wind, and easy travel for everyone today .

Codi’s daddy and brothers and their families had been in town for a few days already. Of course, all of Bryce’s uncles and their families lived in the Coral Canyon and Dog Valley area. No travel needed there.

But Harry had come in from Nashville with Adam, and his parents had a lot of friends making the drive up the apple highway to the Rising Sun Ranch for this wedding.

“I feel like I’m carrying a five-thousand-pound backpack.” He hadn’t even realized he’d spoken out loud until his mom appeared in front of him. He blinked at her unsmiling face. “I’m so nervous,” he admitted.

“Every cowboy is on their wedding day,” Abby said diplomatically. “But you want to enjoy this, Bryce. Come on.” She slid her hand down his coated arm to his hand. “Come finish getting dressed. You watchin’ this farm isn’t going to change anything.”

His house held plenty of activity, from his grandma mixing punch in the kitchen to Uncle Trace plucking through chords on his guitar in the corner, Harry only a foot from him. Bryce was having them play the wedding march music, and they’d timed it meticulously with Kassie.

Codi was currently staged at the little red brick house where Kassie and Reggie lived, and she’d ride Dragon over to get married. Bryce was riding a pretty gray he’d named Violet, as her hair almost shone with a pale, dirty violet color, and she was sweet as pie.

He’d sell her once he and Codi returned from their honeymoon. Or maybe he wouldn’t. Bryce couldn’t make any decisions about anything right now .

“Bryce,” Daddy said, and he looked up to find himself standing in his front living room. Harry’s personal assistant sat on the couch, along with Uncle Luke, who held his baby daughter on his lap. They looked up as Bryce came to a stop.

Daddy smiled at him, and the whole world narrowed to just that. His father had been Bryce’s anchor for so long, even when they weren’t talking much. “Let’s get your tie on.” Daddy did that while Bryce lifted his chin and held very still.

He took in a long breath through his nose and as he exhaled, he forced his shoulders away from his ears. “Okay,” he said as the last of the air left his lungs. “I’m calmer.”

“Yeah, you spiraled there for a second.” Daddy grinned at him. “The guests are almost all here. We’re just waitin’ on a couple of the rodeo cowboys Blaze and Jem know.”

“Mm.” Bryce didn’t care who came to the wedding, as long as Codi showed up. Having her family there was important to her, and he wanted all of his uncles and everyone there. But rodeo cowboys Bryce probably knew but didn’t interact with every day didn’t matter that much to him.

“Ames Hammond hasn’t arrived either,” Daddy said, tugging the tie into place. “But he’s on the way. He’s been texting Graham.”

“Bailey?” Bryce knew she’d come to town. He’d seen her a few days ago.

“She’s here,” Momma said. “And…your mother came, Bryce.”

He jerked his attention to her. She stood at Daddy’s side, the pair of them so strong and so united. He’d looked to them for so much in the past several years, but now, he didn’t quite know what to say.

“She texted me this morning,” Daddy said casually, as if they were talking about the luncheon they’d have after the ceremony. “It’s not a big deal, son.” His hand curled up behind Bryce’s head, and he guided him to look at him. “Okay? See my eyes? It’s not a big deal.”

“Not a big deal,” Bryce said.

“She holds no power over you,” Daddy said. “She’s not perfect by any means, but you’re her only son, and she wanted to be here.”

Bryce swallowed, coming back to himself. “I did invite her.”

“You sure did,” Daddy said as he stepped back and dropped his hand. “Now, an alarm is going to go off on my phone in about five minutes. That’s going to empty the house. We’re all going to go line up and you’re going to have to go out the front door with Grandma and Grandpa and get them safely to the altar.” He grinned at them. “Can you do that still?”

Bryce heard the teasing quality in his daddy’s voice. “Yes, Dad,” he said.

“Great, because Grandpa doesn’t need to be trippin’ over rocks or anything.” He grinned at Bryce. “I’d like to do a family prayer before the alarm goes off. You said it was okay earlier, but if you’re too nervous, I?—”

“No, we have to do that,” Bryce said. His phone chimed with Kassie’s notification sound, and he pulled his phone out to check it. “Codi is getting in the saddle.”

She wouldn’t arrive for another fifteen minutes, because she was wearing her wedding dress—a garment Bryce still had not seen—and surely her hair and makeup had been done to perfection. She wanted to ride Dragon from Kassie’s to wear him out so he’d behave better in front of the large crowd already staged outside.

Bryce swallowed, and then he reminded himself that if Codi could get up there in front of everyone, he certainly could. She hated the spotlight far worse than he did.

“Family prayer then,” Daddy said, then he turned toward the main part of the house. “Family prayer, everyone! Let’s all gather in the kitchen, please. If you’re not here in sixty seconds, you’re getting left out!”

“Family prayer!” OJ yelled. “Family prayer, family prayer, family prayer!”

Some of the other teens started making the words a chant, and that loosened up Bryce even more. “Fam-i-ly prayer! Fam-i-ly prayer!”

Cole clapped with every syllable, and Bryce’s face heated as he got jostled to the center of the Young Family. He grabbed onto Uncle Mav, the closest man to him and said, “Thank you for being here.”

“I wouldn’t miss this for the whole world,” Mav said. He moved back, grinning. Bryce suddenly wanted to tell every aunt how much he loved them, how amazing they all were for loving his uncles and raising his cousins.

He hugged Uncle Blaze next, his gruff, grumpy demeanor melting away as he gathered Bryce close. “You’re my hero, bud.”

“Okay, okay,” Daddy said. “He can’t hug everyone right now. We’ve got less than five minutes until we all need to be headed outside.” He reached up and swiped his hat from his head as kids kept coming into the house from outside.

“Hats off,” Uncle Trace called, which caused more movement and more clamoring.

“Everyone here?” Daddy asked. “Dad?”

“Right here,” Grandpa said, and Bryce fell back a step to stand beside his grandfather. He linked his arm through his, and they smiled at each other.

“Who’s missing? Everyone check your families.” Murmurs went around, and then Daddy held out a deep, dark, rich cowboy hat toward Bryce. “Your hat, son. Then you’ll be ready.” His whole being shone with gold, with love, with joy, and Bryce wanted to be like him so very much.

The moment lengthened, and then Daddy turned his sunshine on the rest of the family. He led them effortlessly, and Bryce could only hope to be half the father he was one day.

“All right.” Daddy cleared his throat. His eyes dropped and then closed, and he pressed his cowboy hat to his thigh. “Dear Lord.”

Silence draped over the house and everyone in it. Bryce settled even further into himself, into this moment right here, into his faith.

“It’s been a while since we’ve had a wedding in this family, and this one is special for that reason alone. ”

Bryce fought against the emotions now spiraling through him. Surely there was activity all around outside. People still coming in to sit down. Codi’s family making their way here from Kassie’s house. The wind making the ribbons and flowers move and dance. The music filling the air along with the sunshine, the blue sky, and the puffy spring clouds.

None of that touched him in here, and right now, he felt himself drawing closer and closer to his father, his momma, his aunts and uncles, his nieces and nephews.

Small, slender fingers slid into his, and Bryce tipped his already ducked chin toward OJ, the little boy who’d changed everything in Bryce’s life. He thought he’d known what religion and faith was before OJ.

He’d been wrong.

“Please pour out Thy spirit upon us here in Dog Valley today,” Daddy said. “Bless and sanctify this ranch and all who come here today to witness the marriage of Bryce and Codi.” His voice broke over both names, and Bryce only experienced an outpouring of love. Hope. Joy.

Daddy cleared his throat and said, “We love Thee, Lord, and we’re grateful for Thy hand in bringing us together into this family. Bless us to get along today and always, forgive each other when necessary, and always return to Thee when we feel lost, alone, or afraid.”

“Amen,” Grandma whispered, and Bryce nodded along too.

“Now, it’s time to get my son married, so please bless him to have a clear mind and an open heart, with his memory able to absorb as much as possible from this day. We ask these things according to Thy will, amen.”

“Amen,” chorused through the house in male voices, female voices, children’s voices. Even a baby yelled, “-men!” after most everyone else had said their closing on the prayer, sealing it in Bryce’s heart.

He opened his eyes and lifted his head, the first person he saw his uncle Luke. He grabbed onto him and held him tightly for a few seconds. “This is the best day of your life so far,” he promised. “Enjoy it.”

Bryce nodded and hugged Aunt Dani, then bent down and hugged OJ. “You better get outside,” he said. “You’re leading the whole thing.”

OJ’s face split into a grin. “I’ll get the dogs.”

Bryce chuckled as the nine-year-old headed out onto the deck. Pentagon, Codi’s dog, and Lucky, Bryce’s had been dressed appropriately for the wedding, with gem-studded leashes and everything, and OJ was walking them down the aisle.

That started just past the green stable, where Bryce’s best horses lived while he rehabilitated them and got them ready to return to their best equine life. Tents, chairs, a gazebo, and an altar took up the space where he’d hosted the spooky Halloween walk last fall, and the wedding party would stage at the corner of the barn until Codi arrived.

He turned in a full circle, seeing people gathering their core families closer to them, giving them instructions, and straightening cowboy hats, ties, and gloves. Yes, his mother wore gloves, and Bryce couldn’t leave the house without hugging Abby, the woman who’d come into his life and shown him what it meant to have a mom love him. Truly love him.

“Still nervous?” she asked as she wrapped him up.

“A little,” he said. “But she’s coming, so I best be ready.”

“The dress is gorgeous.” Abby smiled as she stepped away. “You know you’re the luckiest man on the planet today, don’t you?”

“One hundred percent,” Bryce said. He grinned and turned toward his grandparents. They beamed at him, and his grandmother reached for his hand.

He took it easily, feeling so accepted and cherished by them. “You two ready? I need help getting to the altar. Maybe you know the way?”

“I do,” Grandpa growled out as if Bryce were serious. “This way.” They’d made this walk yesterday, and then he’d have to walk down the aisle flanked by his grandparents. He hadn’t wanted to do so himself, and his parents were both walking in the wedding party. So Grandma and Grandpa became the obvious choices.

Once outside, Bryce breathed in the afternoon spring air here in Wyoming. The sky above him went on and on, and he said, “I’m so excited to get married.”

“As you should be,” Grandma said. They made their way past Codi’s white bus with the cartoon dogs. Bryce had erected a semi-permanent covering over it to protect it from the elements, especially now that she didn’t use it very often.

They worked around the ranch together, and she only used the bus for a few canine clients now—Lucky and Penta included.

Uncle Trace and Harry had beaten him outside, of course, and the moment his uncle saw him, he nodded to his son. They started playing, and just like they’d worked out in their rehearsals, the classical music that had been playing stopped. Bryce wanted country music at his wedding, from the best country music band he knew.

Country Quad would perform for the dancing that would take place after dinner was served, but Bryce didn’t look over to the set and waiting tables. Right now, he let his true joy shine on his face, and he paused with his grandparents between Trace and Harry while the audience got to their feet.

His phone chimed, but he didn’t check it. Kassie had just told him Codi was two minutes away. They had everything timed perfectly. He’d have to wait next to the altar alone for only two more minutes, and he told himself to take the first step.

Do it , he thought. Go. Do it now.

Thankfully, his grandmother took that step, and Bryce had no choice but to go with her. He nodded and grinned at those in the audience he managed to see. He noted the four empty rows on either side of the extra-wide aisle that had been reserved for his enormous, loud, and amazing family.

Then he bent to kiss his grandmother, hug Granddad, and face the pastor. He shook the man’s hand and took the reins from Uncle Jem, who held Violet for him. Bryce swung into the saddle, wondering how many seconds had passed since Kassie had texted.

He moved Violet into position beside the gazebo as the pastor climbed the steps to it. The whole thing really functioned as the altar, and Codi would come down the aisle on Dragon and stand next to him. They could face the pastor and a lot of the crowd from their position, something his parents had wanted.

“None of this thing where you stand with your backs to everyone,” his father had said. “We want to see you.”

And he could see all of them and right down the aisle. He took a deep breath, getting a noseful of floral, sunshine, and hope. The guests had remained standing, and now OJ stood at the other end of the aisle, the dogs waiting casually at his side, their tongues out and their eyes squinted.

Bryce couldn’t stop smiling, and he wouldn’t. Not now that the wedding was starting. He glanced down the aisle, and his gaze caught on Laney Whittaker, then her husband. They watched OJ like the proud grandparents they were. Everyone seemed to be looking that way instead of at Bryce.

Except Bailey.

She met Bryce’s eyes, and just like she did every time he’d seen her lately, she cried. She reached up and wiped her eyes, giving him one final nod of acceptance. He hoped she could find her own happily-ever-after the way he had, and his heart pumped out an extra beat as OJ took the first step past Harry and Uncle Trace and the festivities began.

He looked down the long line of the wedding party, hoping for a sneak peak of Codi atop her horse. But she hadn’t come around the corner yet.

The procession continued, and people started peeling off left and right and standing in front of their chairs.

Bryce checked the line again, and this time, he saw his beautiful Codi. She’d opted not to wear the wig, and he grinned all the wider. He’d told her to choose for herself, and last he’d heard, she was going to wear one of her blonde, shoulder-length hairpieces.

But she hadn’t, and her snowy white hair had been clipped back on the sides. She wore a radiant smile as she rode side-saddle, her skirt splayed out for all to see. She burned in the sun, so Bryce wasn’t surprised to see the lacy, glimmering dress go up over her shoulders and then billow out into puffy, striking sleeves that narrowed back to hug right above her elbow.

“Dear Lord,” he said right out loud. “I love her so much. Thank You for bringing Codi Hudson into my life.”

Her eyes met his then, as if she’d heard his out-loud prayer, and Bryce cocked his head as if to say, Well, you’re almost mine now.

And she ducked her head and he heard, I think you’re almost mine, cowboy.