I slipped into the dress. It hugged my body like a glove. Waylynn began to button up the back and when she got to the last one, we all let out a sigh. My mother was now standing next to me, tears rolling down her face.
“It’s like it was made for you, Harley.”
My hands ran over the lace and tulle. I could smell faint perfume on the dress all these years later. It hadn’t been kept in a special bag or treated. It simply was laid in an old trunk with the shoes, along with a stunning veil that Waylynn was now placing on my head.
“You look like a princess,” Paxton whispered.
Waylynn smiled while she adjusted the veil. “Tripp is going to fall on his knees when he sees you.”
When I looked myself over, I swore I saw a different version of myself. Blonde hair. The same emerald green eyes and the same flutter in my stomach.
I stood at the window in my old bedroom at my parents’ house. I’d been poked and prodded for the last three hours. At least, it felt like it had been that long. My hair was in a beautiful swept up-do, cascades of copious curls hanging down to frame my face. The perfect amount to make me look walkway ready, or at least that’s what the hairdresser said. I couldn’t even remember her name. It was French, and she was a friend of Waylynn’s. I was positive the woman was from France, but Waylynn remained tight-lipped. It went the same with the young lady who did my make-up. She somehow managed to make me look like I wasn’t wearing make-up, even though she put a shit ton of it on my face. Everything was natural looking, from my eyes to my lips. The shades looked like they were made just for me.
Turning from the window, I stared at my reflection. My father and Tripp had brought the full-length mirror down from the attic and placed it in my bedroom. I had already told my mother I wanted the mirror. I had the perfect place for it to stand in Tripp’s bedroom.
I pulled in a deep breath and slowly let it out. My eyes drifted up and down my body. Rose’s wedding gown fit me like it had been made for my body, not my great-grandmother’s. I lifted the dress and saw the lace boots. A smile spread across my face while my stomach flipped with anticipation.
The knock on the door jerked my eyes up.
“Do you need anything, Harley?” Paxton’s voice rang out.
“No, I’ll only be a few more minutes.”
“Take your time! We have plenty of time before the cars arrive.”
I blew out another deep breath. After I getting dressed, I had asked for a few minutes to myself. I needed to gather my thoughts. The last two weeks and gone by in a blurry rush. Hell, the last few months had. Everything was happening all at once, and I needed time to slow down, even if only for a few minutes. All of my dreams were coming true at once and a part of me needed to make sure it wasn’t all a dream. That I wouldn’t wake up standing outside Tripp’s house, wondering when he would be back in town so I could explain everything to him.
My eyes closed as I thought about the day he asked me to marry him. When I opened my eyes, my reflection seemed to change for the briefest moment. A strange feeling rushed through my body. It was almost like it was hot and cold mixed together. Leaning in closer, I stared into the old mirror. I could actually feel Rose staring back. My eyes glanced at her old wedding picture sitting on the table. My mother wasn’t kidding when she said I looked like Rose. Everything about us was the same, except our hair. Her hair was a dirty blonde, mine was brown. Even our eyes looked the same. Rose had light emerald eyes, the same as me. When I was little, my grandmother used to tell me when she looked into my eyes she was looking into her mother’s eyes, and now I understood why she said that.
“So, Grandma Rose. How do I look?”
A breeze lifted my curtains and caused my entire body to erupt in goosebumps. She was here with me. I could feel it. And it didn’t feel like it was just her. It was the strangest feeling.
I gathered up the long train and turned toward the door. The entire room turned cold, which was crazy because it was warm outside. Not too hot, and not too cold. When I woke up to a clear blue sky and a high of seventy-five, I nearly cried. It was going to be the perfect day.
My feet stopped walking. I couldn’t explain why my heart had all of a sudden started beating so fast. Deep down, I knew. If I turned around, that same reflection I saw all those years ago would be looking back at me through the mirror. My body trembled at the thought. It wasn’t fear this time, but something entirely different.
With a quick glance over my shoulder, I saw her. Standing in the very gown I had on…a beautiful smile on her face. It only lasted a moment and then she faded away, another breeze filling the room.
The corners of my mouth lifted and my teeth bit into my lip. “I’m going to take that as your blessing, Rose.”
Turning back to the door, I opened it and looked at my mother and Paxton. Both waiting patiently for me.
Paxton handed me a beautiful bouquet of pink roses. She held something in her hand and when I looked at it, my brows pulled tightly together.
“What is that?” I asked.
“I found it, in the bottom of the chest. I think it might be the perfume Rose wore on her wedding day.”
My chest fluttered with delight.
“Shall I?” she asked, holding up the vintage-looking bottle.
“Yes,” I whispered. When the aroma filled the space around us, I nearly cried. I didn’t know my great-grandmother Rose, but somehow she knew exactly what her great-granddaughter was going to need on the most amazing day of her life.
“The cars are here!” Waylynn called up.
Chloe came running up the stairs, dressed in a beautiful ivory-colored gown we had found. Her brown curls bounced as she came to a stop. She was the spitting image of her father. She looked up at Paxton and then swung those sky-blue eyes over to me.
“As your flower girl, I take this job seriously. It’s not my first rodeo, so I know what to do, Aunt Harley. Follow me.”
I had to fight to keep my laughter in as I turned to Paxton. “She is, for sure, a Parker.”
“Tell me about it,” Paxton said as she gathered up my train, and we headed downstairs.
Two Rolls-Royce cars were parked out front. Tripp had clearly remembered our conversations when I’d dreamed about the type of wedding I wanted. Even down to the type of car I wanted to show up in.
“Your brother is going to spoil me,” I said, slipping into the back of the car.
“Let him,” Waylynn replied with a wink. “Y’all have got a lot of making up to do.”
After my train was carefully placed into the car, I folded my hands and took in a deep breath.
“Aunt Harley, do you need me to ride with you?” Chloe asked.
I could see the hopefulness in her eyes.
“I would love for you to ride with me, Chloe.”
She grinned. “I thought so.”
When the drive to the barn was filled with Chloe’s chatter, I silently thanked God for her. She was keeping my mind off of everything.
“Oh! We’re here! Do you feel like you’re gonna puke?”
I frowned. “No. I mean, I didn’t until just now.”
She chuckled. “You’ve still got time if you need to. You can go behind the car and throw up. I’ve seen Aunt Meli do it a couple of times already today. She tries to hide it, though. Nothing’s coming out, but she sure sounds like she’s throwing up.
My eyes widened, and I wanted to ask Chloe more about this little bit of information she’d just handed me. But I couldn’t. I was fixing to walk down the aisle and get married. I filed her comment away to revisit later.
The door opened on Chloe’s side, and she stepped out. “Let’s do this!” she shouted and fist-pumped. I giggled and turned to see my father opening the door. He reached in and helped me out. Waylynn and Paxton were right there, gathering the long train out and spreading out so it wouldn’t wrinkle.
I looked up at my father and my breath caught. He had tears in his eyes and was fighting to hold them back.
&
nbsp; His thumbs brushed lightly over the back of my hands.
“Estás lista, Corazón?”
My chin trembled. “I’m ready, Daddy.”
I’d never been more ready for anything in my entire life.
When I spotted the two white Rolls-Royces driving by the barn, my stomach dropped. I ran my hands down my black tux and tried to breathe.
Steed placed his hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “It’s about damn time.”
I let out a sharp chuckle. “Sure is.”
After another quick squeeze, Steed dropped his hand. I glanced past him, and Mitchell gave me a wink. It was hard trying to decide which of my brothers I wanted to stand with me. Harley only wanted one matron of honor and one bridesmaid. She didn’t want a large wedding party, and I agreed with her. When I broke the news to my brothers, the fight for who was going to stand with me began. In the end, we all ended up at Cord’s Place, drank one too many beers, and they drew straws. Steed and Mitchell won.
Harley asked Paxton and Waylynn to be in the wedding. It was expected, since the three of them were good friends growing up. Paxton was her matron of honor, and Waylynn the bridesmaid.
Chloe appeared from around the corner of the barn first. She came skipping down the aisle in her flower girl dress, tossing rose petals in the air. Everyone awwwwed at the sight. It shouldn’t have surprised me when she stopped and looked behind her. We all followed her gaze.
“Come on, Hemi girl! Come on!”
My mouth fell open when Hemi came bounding into the barn, a giant pink bow wrapped around her neck.
Everyone laughed, and I could hear Steed groan. “How did she get that dog here?” he said as I turned to face him.
“I’d rather have the dog than a goat,” I whispered.
“Amen,” Mitchell and Steed said at once.
Chloe walked over to her spot, Hemi hot on her heels. When she told the dog to sit, Hemi did, and I grinned from ear to ear. Glancing back to Steed, I whispered, “Better start saving up for college. I see another vet in the family.”
The music changed, and I looked back to see Waylynn entering the barn, with Paxton following her. They looked stunning. Both of them were wearing a more adult version of Chloe’s dress. Steed inhaled sharply when he saw his wife walking toward us.
They smiled and nodded to family and friends who were all seated on blanket-covered hay bales. At each end of the rows sat beautiful potted plants that the girls had made over the course of the last two days. Harley was worried her fingers would be stained black from digging in the soil.
The music switched again, and the guitarist and violinist started to play “Jesus, Joy of Man’s Desiring.”
My knees nearly buckled when I saw her turn the corner with her father.
Tears pooled in my eyes. “She’s beautiful,” I choked out to no one in particular.
Steed put his hand on my shoulder as I fought to stay on my feet. It was a reminder that I wasn’t dreaming. That my dream was coming true right before my eyes.
Harley walked toward me, a vision so stunning I had to keep blinking back my tears until I finally gave up and let them fall. When our eyes met, her body jerked with a sob, which did something to my heart I would never forget. Words couldn’t even begin to describe the happiness that bubbled up within me.
Gus held onto Harley a little tighter as they made their way to us. My eyes never broke away from hers.
“Are you breathing?” Steed asked. “You’re wobbling, bro.”
I drew in a deep breath as Harley’s smile grew bigger. When they stopped next to me, I couldn’t pull my gaze off of her while Gus lifted her veil and Paxton straightened it from the back. Wiping a tear from my face, I leaned in closer to her.
“You are absolutely the most stunning woman ever. You look beautiful.”
My knees shook at the look of pure love in her eyes.
“And you look handsome as ever.”
The pastor cleared his throat, asked who was giving Harley away, and the rest was a blur.
Before I knew it, Harley and I were tucked away in one of the tack rooms. I thought my father’s prized main barn was insane, but this barn put his to shame. The tack room felt more like a parlor you’d find in a house. It had been converted to a room where Lori’s family could relax. It had a sofa, TV, small sink with a coffee pot sitting on the counter and a large cooler filled with water. It was the perfect place for us to catch our breath after the ceremony. The photographer was waiting for us, but I insisted that I got to spend at least five minutes with my new bride.
She was breathtaking in the gown. The way it hugged every one of her curves nearly drove me insane. How I was able to keep my cock from going hard as stone during the ceremony was beyond me. It probably had to do with her father standing by her side.
Our eyes met and Harley dropped her bouquet onto the sofa, making her way to me and into my arms. When she reached up for a kiss, I cupped her face and let my gaze roam across her face.
“Let me look at you. You’re my wife. My entire world. You are my corazón.”
Tears spilled from her eyes as she barely got my name off her lips. “Tripp.”
Pressing my mouth against hers, I poured every ounce of my love into her. For every year I foolishly left town when she would come home. For the letter I ripped up and never read. For fighting my love because I was too fucking stubborn to let her back in. We had so much time to make up and I intended on starting tonight.
Our tongues danced with each other, and I nipped at her lip as she let out a low moan.
“I could fuck you right now, I’m so damn turned on.”
“And I would let you…if our family wasn’t on the other side of that door.”
“Who cares?” I said, pulling the dress up and running my fingers along her inner thigh.
“Tripp…we…can’t,” she said, her voice heavy with want.
“We can. Just be quiet.”
Her chest rose and fell as my fingers moved lightly along her lace panties.
“Five minutes. We said we only needed…five minutes,” she panted.
“I can be quick.”
Harley’s eyes turned dark, and I was on the cusp of getting to taste my wife.
The knock on the door and the sound of my mother’s voice deflated my hard-on within seconds. Harley let out a giggle and took a few steps back, adjusting her dress.
“Come in, Mom.”
My mother rushed through the door, shutting it quickly. Her eyes bounced between us and it didn’t take long for the dam of tears to break.
“Melanie!” Harley gasped, making her way over to her.
In some weird language I couldn’t understand, my mom started talking to us. Her mumbled words had us both leaning in to try and figure out what in the hell she was saying.
“What? Mom, what are you saying?” I asked.
“I think she said the words…happy…in love…new beginnings.”
“How in the hell did you get any of that?”
Harley shrugged.
“Mom,” I said, gripping her upper arms gently. “I need you to take a deep breath and talk slowly.”
“I…I…I…” Between each word was a sob. We’d be here all night, at this rate.
“Mom! Get it out!” I urged.
Waving her hands, she finally said, “I’m just so happy!”
Harley chuckled as I pulled my mother into my arms. “So am I, Mom. So am I.”
I motioned for Harley to join us and we stood there in a circle, hugging. When my mother was finished crying, she got herself together and let out a refreshed breath.
She placed one hand on my cheek, the other on Harley’s. “Five down. Two more to go.”
Harley and I both laughed.
After kissing us both, she took a few steps back and a mischievous smirk appeared on her face.
“Mom? That is the face of a woman who is fixin’ to butt into someone’s life.”
“Me?” she asked, pointing to
herself. “Nonsense. Now, let’s get those pictures going so we can get to the reception and y’all can get on out of here. I need more grandbabies.”
Harley and I glanced at one another and I winked. That process had already begun.
The red dress she had on was driving me fucking insane. I’d adjusted my cock at least four times while watching her get ready. There was no way I was going to make it through this dinner.
Harley stood next to me, my arm around her waist. I pulled her possessively against me. I loved the way she leaned her body into mine. Like she needed me to keep her upright. She chatted about some excursion that the young couple had signed up for tomorrow. I wasn’t paying attention, and I was positive the husband of the girl talking was on the same page as I was. I would have been happy staying in our bungalow tonight, but Harley insisted we go out for dinner. I couldn’t argue with her. I’d had her holed up in our little slice of heaven for the last three days. Room service had been the only thing we’d eaten, and she deserved a nice night out.
My hand pressed slightly against the small of her back, giving her the signal I was ready to get to our table. The faster we ate, the faster we got back to our room.
Our room. I smiled. It was more than a room. It was fucking paradise. Harley’s fingers landed on The Maldives when we randomly picked a honeymoon destination. I had no idea how we lucked out getting into the Anantara Veli Resort, but we did. Our first night was spent making love in the hot tub. The second night we went for a swim and made love in the crystal-clear water lit by the moonlight. I somehow managed to talk Harley into that. Hottest damn moment of my life—especially knowing we could have been caught at any moment. Today was spent exploring. I voted for the hot tub again, she voted for a nice dinner out, with the promise of the hot tub later.
“Where are you from again?” the redhaired girl asked for the second time.
“Sweetheart, let’s let them go to dinner. Tripp looks…hungry.”