Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

D awson Rhinehart didn’t like all the bodies in his barn office. It was barely big enough for him to sit at his desk, step over to his whiteboard, move his sticky notes around, and house a filing cabinet. Today, everything had been put away. Dawson’s whiteboard didn’t hold any sticky notes. His ledgers, notebooks, and computers were all closed and stowed away. For today, he was getting married, and by tonight, he and Caroline would be on the first leg of their road-trip-honeymoon.

He’d be gone for the next eight days, and a lightning bolt of anxiety flashed through him. “My tie’s too tight,” he grumbled, and Duke turned toward him.

Brandon had also come into the barn office, and Daddy was expected to arrived at any moment. Four grown men in the barn office, and Dawson felt like he was about to suffocate.

“Your tie is fine.” Duke put two fingers under the collar. “Look how much room you’ve got. It’s fine.” His eyes met Dawson’s, and he said, “It’s okay to be nervous, but don’t miss out on today.”

“I’m not going to,” Dawson said crossly.

“Well, you’re totally grumpy,” Duke fired back. “You think Caroline wants to see your growly bear face as she comes down the aisle? I can guarantee you she doesn’t.”

Duke was just as grumpy as Dawson, as evidenced by the lecture he’d just spewed. The truth was he was right. Dawson didn’t want to feel like this on his wedding day. He turned toward the little window above his desk and looked outside.

“Did it stop raining?” he asked.

“I’ll go check,” Brandon said.

Dawson had awakened to rain on his new roof that morning. He’d made breakfast through it. Caroline had shown up twenty minutes early with a somber look on her face. She really wanted to get married outside. Dawson wanted to do whatever he could to make his lovely bride’s dreams come true.

So he, her daddy, her brother, Duke, Brandon, and her sister’s husband had set up the tents that morning. Zona and Belle had started setting out chairs and decorating them according to their plans.

Because Arizona came from the Glovers, who had plenty of money, she’d found some last-minute rentals that she wouldn’t reveal the price of, and she’d paid to have them installed from the back of the barn to the wedding tent in the pasture.

It was only about twenty feet, but if it rained, those extended tents would keep the ground dry and allow them to have the wedding outside. Guests might get a little wet if it was raining when they came and parked, but they’d be dry once they made it into the barn. Everything was covered after that.

Zona had found heaters somewhere, and Dawson had given up trying to ask her how much everything cost and when he could pay her back. “Nonsense,” she’d said to him. “You don’t need to pay me back. We’re family, and this is your wedding.”

He loved his sister-in-law so much. She’d been so good to him and Brandon over the years, and she’d tamed Duke. She raised good kids, and Dawson hoped April would have a good time at the wedding.

Caroline had been extra-kind to her over the months, as April came around Dawson often. She’d said she was worried she wouldn’t be able to, but Dawson had assured her Caroline wouldn’t mind, and that April could still pop by whenever she wanted.

The door opened, and Dawson expected either Brandon or Daddy to come in, but instead, he heard “Uncle Dawson,” in April’s voice. He turned toward her. She wore a pretty green dress the color of sagebrush, almost gray but definitely still green.

Caroline had chosen blue, yellow, green, and pink for her colors. “I can’t decide on just one,” she’d said. All the girls in the family, in the wedding party, wore a different color, and Dawson thought it looked like a field of wildflowers, just like the dresses Caroline liked to wear.

She’d been wearing a flowery, flowing dress for breakfast, and then she disappeared into the farmhouse where her mama and sisters and Dawson’s momma and sister-in-law would all prepare. She’d do her final staging in the barn as that was where the aisle started—right at the back where the big double doors could be opened to the ranch beyond.

“What’s up, little miss?” he asked.

“Grandpa says it’s time for you to come over. We’re lining up.”

Dawson’s pulse practically attacked him, but he nodded. Duke looked at him, grabbed him, and pulled him into a hug. “You are so ready for this. You are gonna make her so happy.”

Dawson had never really thought that he would do anything for Caroline. He felt like the lucky one.

“Let’s go.” He stepped out of the barn office and down onto some extra mats that someone had put down, which was a brilliant idea because then he didn’t have to walk in the mud.

The ranch would be mucky in spots, but he hoped they’d gotten the tent up soon enough to keep things mostly dry. Daddy had mowed the aisle right down to the dirt almost, and a certain buzz filled the air that also seemed to crawl right into Dawson’s bloodstream and make him more excited than he’d been before.

He went into the barn, scanning for Caroline, but he didn’t find her. A whole mess of people stood by the doors in the back—the family wedding party.

Brandon should be off getting the crows to do what they needed them to do. Nobody had any idea if Rocks and Nugget were even around today. They certainly wouldn’t come under a tent. They were wild animals, so Dawson wasn’t sure how he was going to get them to hop down the aisle the way Caroline wanted them to.

He heard the warbling of chickens, which meant his hens were here, but he couldn’t find Judy to see if she had them leashed the way they’d planned. She’d practiced a couple of times, and it really was the cutest thing Dawson had ever seen—his five favorite hens tied with twine and walking along, bobbing their heads behind a little girl.

“Where’s Ruffin?” Just as he asked, Daddy appeared at his side with his dog.

“Hey, Daddy.” Dawson melted right into his father’s arms. “I’m really doing this.”

“You’re really doing this,” Daddy said. “And it’s about time.” He grinned at Dawson, and turned him toward his mother to hug.

“I love you, Momma,” he said.

“Oh, I love you too, my precious boy.”

Then Daddy took her arm and tugged her away from Dawson. “We have to go up to the front.” Everybody shifted that way, in fact.

Dawson would exit the barn last. Not quite—Caroline would come after him, but her daddy was spying to make sure that Dawson was all the way out of the barn and walking toward the aisle before she would come in.

“All right,” Duke said, waving his arms above his head and employing his loud voice. “All right, everyone, we’re about to get started. Everyone get in line. Please, get in line.”

Dawson swallowed. He tugged on the ends of his jacket sleeves, putting them right in place. His tie still choked him, but he didn’t reach to adjust it. He said, “Ruffin, right here,” and the dog stayed right by him.

Duke turned and opened the double-wide barn doors, and all the energy of the guests came in from outside. It flooded the barn, nearly knocking Dawson back. The love and support of the people who’d come to see him get married was incredible to him. He’d always thought of himself as a small piece, a tiny little cog that no one ever really noticed, both here on the ranch and in the greater community of Three Rivers.

Sure, he showed up and helped when there were disasters, when houses needed to be fixed, when food needed to be brought in, when extra hands, extra shovels, and extra smiles were needed. Dawson always showed up, but he’d never really thought anyone noticed or, frankly, cared.

Of course, he had friends in Lincoln and Misty, Alex and Nikki, Finn and Edith, Mitch Glover, and Henry Marshall. Combined with his family, they made up his wedding party. Caroline hadn’t asked anyone from work, claiming she wasn’t that good of friends with them, and instead, had only her family walking in the wedding party. They started to move out, all of them pairing up or grouping up and walking down the aisle together.

Belle went last after she bent down and said something to Judy. Judy turned and looked at Dawson, and he held up the five fingers that they’d agreed on, then four, then three, then two, then one. When he dropped his hand, Judy turned and took the first step out of the barn. To his great relief, the hens followed. Their warbling went with them, their small clucks, their little guttural noises, their heads bobbing. Oh, how Dawson loved them.

“It’s our turn next, Ruffin,” he said, but he wanted to give Brandon a chance to get the crows there. Caroline really wanted the crows, and Dawson really wanted Caroline to be happy.

So he moved through the barn until he stood at the double-door entrance, and he looked at all of the people who had come to the wedding. They smiled at Judy. They pointed. People snapped pictures.

Then they looked to him. He put a smile on his face. The love and gratitude, brotherhood, and camaraderie he felt for everyone there overwhelmed him. He sure was glad that Duke had told him to pay attention, to be present, to enjoy this day. This was his wedding day , after all, and he aimed to only have one of those.

Down at the altar, which had been a saddle horse that he had upholstered and then Caroline had pinned flowers to, the pastor waited. All of the chairs had flowers pinned to the white clothes covering them, and flowers hung from the tent poles as well.

Dawson suddenly understood why Caroline wanted to get married outside so badly. It was so much better than an indoor wedding with the fresh air, the green pasture, and all of the blooms that really represented Caroline. The ranch itself represented Dawson, and bringing them together like this formed a union between the two of them that was as physical as it was mental, emotional, and spiritual.

He found his parents down in the first row on the left, Caroline’s mama on the right. As he watched, Brandon came in from the back of the tent, holding a string of silver beads in his hand. Both Nugget and Rocks flew in and landed on the altar. Rocks wanted the beads, of course, and Brandon let him take them. Nugget just wanted everyone to know that she was there, so she cawed, and several people cried out in surprise. Dawson laughed.

His crows had come. Caroline would be so happy.

With the birds in place, he stepped down the aisle, Ruffin right at his side. With every move he made, he felt sure he would disintegrate into ashes or dust or the ground would disappear beneath his feet. He almost felt like he existed outside of his body. But he kept going, kept walking, and he arrived at the altar, where he hugged his momma and daddy again, reached out and patted his crows, bent down and touched the top of Ruffin’s head, and then looked back down the aisle.

Caroline stood there now, and Dawson pulled in a tight breath. Tears came instantly to his eyes. She had come.

Of course, he hadn’t expected her not to be there, but it was still awe-inspiring and breathtaking to see her standing there. Her dress, as white as it was, also bore blooms in as many colors as Dawson’s eyes could comprehend. They seemed to be sewn under the lace, so the colors were muted, pastel, soft, and beautiful—the exact epitome of Caroline herself.

She clung to her daddy’s arm. She’d curled and clipped up her hair. Her eyes met Dawson’s. She smiled, sparkled from her inner beauty, and she too took step by step until she reached her family. She hugged her mom and all of her sisters, and then she turned to Dawson and took his arm.

Just like that. A movement so simple and yet so meaningful it stole his breath all over again.

“This is the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen,” he whispered to her. “You are the most beautiful woman in the world.”

She simply hugged his bicep and leaned into him, her eyes falling closed in one moment of bliss. Then they turned to face the pastor.

Pastor Patrick Knowlton—Willa Glover’s brother—smiled warmly at both Dawson and Caroline. The guests behind him settled into their seats, into respectful silence, the only sound the rushing of the wind as it intensified.

Dawson tensed, because they really only needed a few more minutes to get the I-do’s said. Rocks hopped over to Caroline and held up his claw clutching the silver beads.

“I see you, buddy,” she whispered, her voice made of pure fondness.

Dawson’s heart pounded as he lifted his eyes back to Pastor Knowlton, his arm securely around Caroline. The weight of the moment settled over him, a blend of awe and reverence. Every bit of his love for her radiated from his chest, mingling with the joy and excitement of their friends and family gathered around.

Pastor Knowlton smiled warmly. “We are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the union of Dawson Rhinehart and Caroline Thompson in holy matrimony,” he began. “This is a sacred moment, a pledge of love and partnership, witnessed by family, friends—and animals—” He nodded to the crows and over to the still-warbling hens. “And God.”

Dawson’s dropped his hand to Caroline’s as he absorbed the pastor’s words. The steady rhythm of her heartbeat pulsed against his arm, grounding him in the surreal-ness of the moment.

“I just wish to say this one thing.” He took a moment, and Dawson couldn’t even imagine how many weddings Pastor Knowlton had performed. A lot. “A marriage is multi-faceted. There aren’t just two sides to every story; there are an untold number of feelings, words, emotions, thoughts, and conversations. Nurture your love with patience, understanding, and unwavering commitment.”

He looked with some urgency from Caroline to Dawson and back. “Let your bond be rooted in mutual respect and open communication, and may your shared faith guide you through all of life’s seasons, whether they are filled with rain and hail, or sunshine and flowers.” He nodded with a smile to Caroline’s dress.

“Dawson,” Pastor Knowlton said, his voice steady and kind. “Do you take Caroline Denise Thompson to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, in joy and in sorrow, to love and to cherish, from this day forward and for all the days of your life?”

Dawson swallowed hard, emotion choking his voice as he managed to say, “I do.” His eyes locked onto Caroline’s, wanting to be right there in front of her today. She smiled at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, and he seriously thought his heart might burst in that moment.

“Caroline,” Pastor Knowlton continued. “Do you take Dawson Wade Rhinehart to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, in joy and in sorrow, to love and to cherish, from this day forward and for all the days of your life?”

Caroline’s voice came out clear, unwavering. “I do.”

Pastor Knowlton nodded to Brandon, who stepped forward with a small pillow bearing the rings. Rocks took one look at it and hopped that way instantly. “That’s right,” Brandon whispered. “Take it to Daws, buddy.”

The crow plucked one ring from the pillow, but he couldn’t get both. After a couple of tries, and some audience members starting to twitter with laughter, Dawson extended his hand toward the crow.

“One at a time is fine, Rocks.”

The crow looked at him with his beady eyes, and Nugget took the moment to caw throughout the tent. The wind picked up again, ruffling everyone’s feathers.

Rocks, thankfully, dropped the ring into Dawson’s palm, and he flipped Caroline’s ring in his fingers before slipping it onto her finger.

“With this ring, you’re mine,” he said softly, gazing at the glittering diamond and aware that Rocks had gone back to Brandon. “It is a symbol of my love, my faithfulness, and my commitment to you.”

Caroline wiped at her eyes and tried to get Rocks to give up Dawson’s ring. But the crow wouldn’t do it. He didn’t make much noise, but he cawed and took flight, sending a murmured cry through the crowd—and pure fear through Dawson’s bloodstream.

“Rocks,” he barked at the crow, and Ruffin added his voice to the conversation. That only caused Nugget to bark back at the dog, and the wedding guests were outright laughing now.

Dawson felt way too hot, and he looked at Caroline, who wore a somewhat stupefied look on her face. “Hey, you wanted the crows,” he said.

Thankfully, Brandon brandished another string of beads, this one bright gold, and Rocks dropped the comparatively boring wedding band in favor of that fake string of beads. Caroline looked at the ring on the ground, and Judy swooped in to rescue her.

“Here you go, Auntie C.” She handed the ring to Caroline, who smiled prettily at her niece.

“Thank you, baby.” She held his ring, and his hand trembled as he held it out for her. Her touch landed steady and sure against his skin, nearly burning him. “With this ring, I’m yours and you’re mine,” she echoed. “It is a symbol of my love, my faithfulness, and my commitment to you.”

Dawson sure liked the weight of the silver band around his finger, and he took Caroline’s hand in his again. His left hand with hers, both of their rings sparkling though the light had definitely turned a shade of gray that meant nothing good.

Pastor Knowlton placed a veined, seasoned hand over their joined two. “By the power vested in me by the state of Texas, and by God, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Dawson, you may kiss your bride.”

Dawson leaned in, capturing Caroline’s lips in a tender, loving kiss. The crowd erupted in cheers and applause, and Dawson heard Nugget and Rocks cawing loudly as if in approval. The hens clucked mightily, probably startled by the applause and all the yeehaws. Even Ruffin barked and barked.

He smiled against Caroline’s lips, pulling back to gaze into her eyes. “It’s a real zoo around here,” he quipped, and she tipped her head back and laughed.

As they turned to face their guests, Dawson somehow heard the first drops of rain against the tent. He glanced up though they’d be protected, and couldn’t help but smile. Caroline’s prayer had been answered in the most poetic way. They started down the aisle together, hand in hand, as the drizzle became more earnest.

By the time they reached the barn, the rain had turned into a downpour, the drops landing loudly against the taut fabric of the tent. Laughing, they ran the last few steps, ducking inside to more applause. The guests followed, cheering and laughing as they sought refuge from the sudden storm.

Inside the barn, safe and dry, in the middle of everyone who knew and loved him—and who he knew and loved—Dawson pulled Caroline into his arms. “We did it,” he murmured against her hair, his heart overflowing with love and joy. “I love you, darlin’.”

She looked up at him, her eyes shining with love, with relief, with happiness. “Yes, we did,” she whispered back. “And it was perfect. Absolutely perfect.”

The sound of rain pounding on the barn roof became a comforting backdrop as they stood there, surrounded by the warmth and love of their friends and family. Dawson knew in that moment that this was just the very beginning of a beautiful life together.