Hold Me Fast (McCullough Mountain Book 7)

  He chuckled. “Promise me something.”

  “Anything.”

  “Meet me here in forty years so we can do what they’re doing today.”

  “I’ll meet you here in thirty-eight. We already have two in the bag.”

  He kissed her. “Then thirty-eight. Promise.”

  “I promise.”

  “Bray?” He turned as Kate called his name. “Luke and Tristan just arrived with Mum. It’s time to get started.”

  He drew in a long breath and turned back to Becca. “I’ll see you at the altar.”

  “I’ll be looking for you.” She brushed a soft kiss on his cheek and left with his sister.

  The men lined up beside Colin with their backs to the lake. “I’ve never seen so many hairy knees in my life,” Bray joked as he fell in line beside Kelly.

  “One stiff breeze and boy will the lassies in the front row be gettin’ a show.”

  Bray snorted and glanced at his father. “You ready to see your bride, Dad? Any cold feet? Finn’s got a getaway car ready just in case.”

  His father shifted his shoulders, folding his hands at the base of his back and puffing out his chest. “The only direction I’ll be runnin’ is toward my wife.”

  They all smiled and faced the dunes as the music shifted and the first of the wee McCullough’s appeared, dressed as clansman, a future generation of heartbreakers in training.

  Chapter Eighteen

  There seemed to be pollen in the air, because Frank’s eyes were suddenly itching for a swipe. His grandchildren, dressed in shades of blue and green with accents of McCullough tartan, marched in orderly disarray down the aisle as Hunter played a beautiful rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

  “Look at them,” Kelly chuckled. “Precious little devils.”

  “I remember when all of you were that age.”

  Becca came around the corner, her gold gown glittering in the sunlight, green shoes peeking out with each step. He glanced at his sons, Braydon’s gaze turned soft as he smiled at his beautiful wife.

  Next came Ashlynn, her beauty so unrefined and natural. Kelly’s lips parted as his steady stare turned heavy and he muttered a curse and something that was likely inappropriate.

  Sammy followed, her freckled cheeks tight with a smile and her hair twisted off to the side. All of them were so very different, yet equally lovely. Glancing at Colin, he smiled. This was where his son belonged, not far away from home, but here, with the rest of them, a part of the family.

  Mallory turned the corner and Finn drew in an audible breath. The possessive glint in his son’s eyes was so familiar, something they had all been known for. Mallory winked at them and took her place on the other side of Colin, who would be doing the ceremony.

  Ah, and then there was his Devil. Her hair, fire and spice, fanned behind her as she made her way down the aisle. Dear Lord, she was ready to burst. She stepped in front of him and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I love you, Daddy.”

  “I love you too, Devil. You look so much like your mother.”

  She smiled softly and took a seat beside Roy, the Dougherty’s, and Alec’s son, who seemed to be keeping company with Becca’s friends.

  His gaze lifted just in time to see Katherine make her way around the bend. His heart trembled. She was his first. He could still recall how sweet she smelled and the way her tiny body weighed in his arms the day they brought her home from the hospital.

  Swallowing back a lump in his throat, he blinked as she too pressed a kiss to his cheek. “You look great, Dad.”

  “I love you, Katie girl.”

  “I love you too.”

  The music faded and everyone stood. He breathed in a tight breath as the tune of When Irish Eyes are Smiling began. The crowd gasped and he craned his neck, dying for just one glimpse of her.

  And there she was.

  His breath left in a whoosh as her eyes met his and held. His Maureen, his one true love. The tightness in his throat became too much as his vision blurred. Blinking away his unshed tears, he licked his lips.

  “Dad, where are you going?” one of his son’s hissed, but he was too enchanted by her spell to answer. He’d always meet her halfway. So long as he was alive, his love would never walk alone.

  Her gown was all beaded silk and her hair was spun into some fancy twist with Irish lace coming down past her shoulders. He walked slowly, never once lifting his gaze from hers. She was a vision.

  When he met her halfway, just as he always had, she smiled and whispered, “Frank, love, I think you were supposed to wait up front with the others.”

  “No, love. You’re too pretty to be walkin’ alone. Let me take you there.”

  Her cheeks blushed a soft shade of pink as she slipped her arm through his. Their children smiled, many—even the men—wiping away a tear or two. When they reached the front, he laced his fingers in hers and squeezed tight. “You’re up, Colin.”

  His eldest son cleared his throat and the music faded. It seemed they all let out a collective sigh.

  “Forty years,” Colin started. “We are here to celebrate forty wonderful years shared by my parents, Frank and Maureen McCullough. Falling in love is easy, but staying in love is the trick. When I look at my parents, their love is obvious. It’s genuine and evident in every teasing glance, every cutting jibe, and every little laugh.

  “I grew up in a house full of love and laughter. I don’t know how families manage otherwise. Though there were sad times, they were few and far between and always overshadowed by the jubilance that seemed to grow within the very walls my father built. He built that home for her, for us, for the dreams they once shared. Today, we celebrate the fruition of all they created, all their dreams that have come true. Because they loved—without apology—without conditions—but with all their hearts.”

  Frank glanced at Maureen as she dashed a tear away with her thumb. I’ll be damned, those nails are polished. He reached into his breast pocket and removed his kerchief, gently slipping it into her hand.

  “Thank you, love. It must be my damn allergies,” she whispered. “I’m sorry, Colin, dear. Continue.”

  “Frank, will you continue to have Maureen as your wife, to live in this loving and happy marriage?”

  “I will,” he rasped.

  “Maureen—”

  “You call me Mum.”

  Laughter chortled softly and Colin cleared his throat. “Mum, will you continue to have Dad as your husband, to live in this loving and happy marriage?”

  “Well, I’m used to him now,” she joked and batted her eyes. “Of course I will.”

  “Dad, have you prepared your vows?”

  He turned, facing his wife and cleared his throat, then cleared his throat again. “Maureen…you’re a lass like no other. You’re as unstoppable as the wind and as wild as the sea. Your heart is an unfathomable gift you share with every person you meet. I consider myself blessed, as you have shared that gift with me for forty beautiful years. You have honored me, cherished me, and loved me beyond measure. Though you’ve never obeyed a single person besides yourself, you’ve never gone against me either. You are my soulmate in this life and the next, and I thank God every day for bringing you to me.

  “I promise to always love you and hold you fast. No matter how quick you’re runnin’, I’ll never let you stray too far from my side. You’re as necessary as air to me, and our children and grandchildren. I could never love another as fiercely as I do you. I give you my vow and my heart, for all of eternity.”

  “Oh, Frank…” She sniffled into her kerchief and giggled. “I think you’ve been savin’ up your words for the past forty years to say just that. Now you’ve gone and knocked all my common sense away and I’ve forgotten what I wanted to bloody say.” She blotted her eyes and laughed. “Jesus Christ, I’m speechless.”

  The crowd burst into laughter and Maureen reached into her flowers and pulled out a flask. Frank frowned. “Are you drinkin’, woman? The ceremony’s not finished yet,
” he hissed.

  She rolled her eyes. “Well, you’re not gonna go spouting off all sorts of poetic words and expect me just stand here unaffected. For the love of Mike, you’ve shocked me. Give me a moment to find my bearings.” She handed the flask off to Luke. “Hold that, love.”

  She blew out a breath. “Now, I’m ready.” She smiled and took his hands in hers. “Frank, you’re a pain in my arse, but my pain, a pain I can’t live without. I love you to a fault, more than I’ve ever loved another—but somewhat equal to the amount I love Kate, Colin, Luke, Finn, Braydon, Kelly, and Sheilagh.”

  “Focus, Mum.”

  “Right. I love you. They may just be three words, but our story is forty years long and I promise to give you an eternity more. You made me promises and fulfilled them all. The dreams we lost, we made up for in other happy times. You’ve given me more joy and more laughter than any one person deserves, and I hope I’ve given you the same. I promise to love you far beyond my last breath, to honor and respect you well into my next life. And should we find heaven, we’ll find it together, but I’m pretty sure we’re already there.”

  “Your hands.”

  Frank turned his palm, keeping his fingers laced with hers. “Hold me fast, love, and don’t ever let go,” he whispered as Colin wrapped their entwined fingers in tartan.

  “Repeat after me,” Colin whispered and together they repeated.

  “We swear by peace and love to stand, heart to heart, and hand to hand. Holy Spirit, hear us now, confirming this, our sacred vow.”

  Their hands remained fastened as they lowered their arms.

  Colin spoke so all could hear. “It is a sacred thing we celebrate by the water today. With the passing of time, your skin has changed, but your hearts have only grown fuller. What was once chaste, now knows no bounds. There is no faking a love such as this, no truth forsaken in the presence of such affection. And as years go by, tears will sometimes come, but I have faith there will be more joy than sorrow, so long as you hold fast to each other and never let go of the incredible love you share.”

  He smiled. “Mum, Dad, today you have renewed the promises you vowed forty years ago. You have symbolized the renewal of your vows in a tying of hands. It is with great pleasure, that I conclude the ceremony, renewing the marriage that has joined you and forever binds you as husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

  “Come here, woman,” Frank gave their bound hands a tug and caught her in his arms, dipping her back and sealing his lips to hers. The cheers echoed across the lake as he took his time kissing her well and good. “I’ll be hard pressed to get you out of that gown, lassie—though you are prettier than ever in it, I prefer you in nothin’ at all.”

  “Frank!” she clucked as her blush darkened.

  Returning to his full height, he lifted their bound hands and shouted, “My beautiful wife!” The guests let out whistles and cheers as the piano played again.

  O’Malley’s had never seen a crowd like this, Maureen thought as she sat under the tent in the parking lot amongst her many relatives. The place had been transformed with tables and slipcovered chairs, all decorated fancier than any wedding she’d ever attended.

  “This is quite spectacular, Rosemarie.”

  Her sister smiled around the mouth of her beer bottle. “Aye. Your children have outdone themselves.”

  “You haven’t seen nothin’ yet,” Sheilagh commented, her face poised in front of an oscillating fan, hair blowing in a cloud of red. She’d insisted on the fan the moment they arrived at the reception and Alec along with the rest of them accommodated, knowing she was a ticking time bomb they had to keep comfortable over the next few hours.

  “Frank, where are the boys? It’s almost time to eat and I haven’t seen them in some time.”

  The girls snickered. “They’ll be here,” Sammy said.

  “You all look like you’re up to something.”

  They all turned away, smirks tight like cats stuffed with canary feathers. She glanced back at her groom. “Don’t think I didn’t notice your new jacket, Frank. You’re as handsome as ever.”

  He took her fingers and kissed them. “And I noticed how lovely your fingernails are.”

  “Well, this is probably the first day in my entire life I haven’t washed a dish. Look, the polish isn’t even chipped—oh, bollocks! Never mind.”

  The microphone squeaked as the DJ lowered the music. “Oh, there’s Luke. Is he going to make a toast?”

  “Something like that,” Mallory said, a shit eatin’ grin on her face.

  “Can I have everyone’s attention, please?”

  The mob continued to talk over him. “He’ll never get them quiet.”

  Luke rolled his eyes. “We’re out of whiskey!”

  Silence.

  He chuckled. “Just kidding. But now that I have your attention, I’d like to say a few words.” He reached behind him and lifted a glass. “Mum, Dad, today was beautiful. I think I speak for everyone when I say, the love you celebrate was as evident as ever.

  “I’ve watched you all my life, and always envied what you shared. It took me a long time to realize you didn’t love each other for the way you looked, or the possessions you claimed, but for the bond you shared. We have a unique family, each one of us sharing a bit of the other, be it the color of our eyes, our stubborn streak, or our dry sense of humor. All of those traits come from you, both of you. I think it’s a testament to the example you set that in a clan the size of ours, we’ve all found our own version of happily ever after.”

  He paused and grinned. “But it’s just the beginning. Mum, Dad, you’ve worked hard to raise us well, and I think we’ve all turned out all right—even Kelly.” The crowd chuckled and his smile turned nostalgic as he softly said, “Even me.”

  There was a moment of silence where every memory seemed to fill Maureen’s heart, the good, the bad, and the surreal. She pressed her fingers to her lips and blew a kiss to her sweet son as she took Frank’s hand and squeezed.

  Luke caught the kiss in a fist and brought it to his heart, meeting her blurry eyes and smiling softly. “Thank you for everything. There has never been a day you turned us away. You’ve always been there when we needed you and for that, I know, we are the luckiest kids in the world.

  “It’s time to enjoy and take a bite out of life, Mum and Dad. I hope the next forty years are even greater than the first. To start you off on the right foot, this September, we’re sending you to Ireland.”

  Maureen gasped. “Did you hear that, Frank? Ireland!”

  Luke grinned. “And as a special treat, we’ve planned a little something for you today. We love you, Mum and Dad. Thank you for everything you’ve done and continue to do. Salute.”

  “Salute,” the guests echoed.

  “Let’s get this party started McCullough style!” he shouted and everyone cheered. Turning to the DJ, he said, “Hit it.”

  Very rapid electrical guitar began to play accompanied by a sort of chanting. She glanced at the girls who were all frowning. “This is not the song they were supposed to use,” Sheilagh said.

  Sammy grinned wide as Mallory snorted. “This is AC/DC’s Thunderstruck.”

  Heads bobbed, but Maureen failed to recognize the lively tune.

  “Let’s hear it for the McCulloughs!” the DJ called as Finn came out, shirt unbuttoned and rolled to the elbow, bowtie wrapped around his head like a character from Mad Max Thunderdome.

  “Oh my God,” Mallory gasped and snorted.

  He pranced onto the dance floor like a peacock, arms held wide as he clapped to the beat, hands meeting above his head. The crowd followed his rhythm and started clapping to the beat.

  “Oh dear,” Ashlynn muttered, cupping her fingers over little Nate’s eyes as Kelly darted onto the dance floor.

  “Where the hells his shirt?” Maureen cried, wide eyed as her son paraded in all his tattooed glory to the sound of the heavy music.

  Tristan swaggered out next, a grin on his face
as his head bobbed to the beat. Slowly, he slid off his jacket and tossed it aside. He reached in the waistband of his kilt and pulled out Luke’s Irish cap and popped it on his head. The DJ tossed him a microphone and he proceeded to lip synch to the screeching vocals of the lead singer and the crowd went nuts. “You’ve been...Thunderstruck!”

  Luke came out next, also shirtless, as he clapped along with Finn and got the guests out of their chairs, yelling the chanting chorus of, “Thunder!”

  The girls all cracked up as Alec seemed to be pushed into the mix, still dressed in his jacket, tie neatly in place. He shifted from foot to foot as the others danced wildly.

  “Oh, that poor man,” Becca said, sympathetically.

  Maureen looked around. “Where’s Colin?”

  Suddenly everyone screamed as Colin—her sweet, good, Colin—slid onto the stage, prancing like a possessed gazelle doing some sort of Michael Flatley impression. “Sweet Jesus! Is he River dancing?”

  The boys fell into a line just as the song built and the drums pounded and suddenly they were all doing an Irish jig. Maureen’s mouth opened in a wide smile. “Look at them Frank!”

  “It’s like a train wreck. I can’t seem to look away,” he mumbled.

  She glanced at her daughters. “Did you help them plan this?”

  “This was all Luke and Finn,” Ashlynn said, pointing to Mallory.

  “Look, there’s Kate!” Sheilagh called, a huge grin on her face.

  “Well, I’ll be…” Her eldest daughter cavorted onto the dance floor and twirled laps around her brothers as they formed a sort of line to show off her fancy moves. “Look how fast her feet are moving.”

  They formed a circle and kicked and time suddenly stilled, the loud music fading as her mind drifted into slow motion, savoring the incredible moment. As if their smiles all held in a freeze frame of elated joy, she glanced at her husband, laughing at their children’s expense.

  Her daughters were all wearing expressions of pure amusement as her boys and Kate… well they looked to be having the time of their lives, putting on an unforgettable performance.