Page 53 of The Cowboy's Best Friend

Boone couldn’t wait to get started.

Epilogue

Zeke and Belindastood in the field at the bottom of Boone’s property, dressed up fancy and proud enough to burst.

Today was Boone and Sierra’s wedding and their family was gathered all around them. Zeke didn’t see how he could possibly ask for more.

Harlan stood with Kendall, who had about a month left in her pregnancy. She looked big and uncomfortable and happy, all the same. Wilder and Cat stood there holding hands, and Zeke thought about the credible rumors he’d heard that Cat planned to bulk up on prerequisites at the community college with an eye toward nursing school. He thought it was interesting that she hadn’t shared that with anyone—except, he suspected, that doctor boss of hers.

But all secrets came out in time, as Zeke knew all too well.

Ryder and Rosie were trying to contain their boys. It was a failed enterprise, but they didn’t seem to mind. They were glowing, in fact, as they should be. Rosie had announced that she was not only pregnant, but was once again carrying twins.

This time, Ryder had said to the whole of his family, his eyes locked on his wife,I get to be here for it.

Zeke knew he wasn’t the only one who’d gotten choked up at that.

Knox stood by himself, looking perfectly pleased to do so. Zeke wondered if he could feel his mother’s gimlet eye set upon him as the only one here who hadn’t succumbed to any matchmaking. The last man standing by any measure.

If he did, it wasn’t obvious from a distance.

Zeke noted that even Sierra’s pursed-mouthed parents were here. Apparently on their best behavior. He’d heard tell that the law had been laid down and the Tates had decided that, all things considered, they’d prefer to remain on speaking terms with their only child.

This was perhaps the only thing the pair of them had ever done that Zeke could support completely.

“I think that Mary Catherine Tate is trying to stab me with the daggers in her eyes,” Belinda whispered, though she looked amused.

“I like your chances, my love,” Zeke replied.

“I’m not going to get violent at our son’s wedding, Zeke,” Belinda said reprovingly. But then she smiled up at him, reminding him of the delightfully spicy way she’d woken him up this morning. Making him think about ways he could repay that blessing when they turned in tonight. Or before. “I can’t promise that I’ll behave at the reception, though.”

“My love,” Zeke said, taking her hand to his lips, “no one has ever expected you tobehave.”

Then they all simmered down and gathered close, because Boone and Sierra were walking toward them. They were coming down from the barn together, hand in hand, and heading toward the flat rock where Zeke moved to meet them.

The bride was stunning, in Zeke’s utterly biased opinion. She wore flowers in her hair, a white dress that caught the breeze, and a smile so wide and filled with joy that it was impossible not to look at her and smile back. Beside her, Boone looks handsome beyond measure—a chip off the old block, by Zeke’s reckoning.

Zeke stood before them and led them through the quick ceremony.

Quick, but heartfelt.

“Boone,” Sierra said, when it was her turn, gazing at Boone with stars in her eyes even though the sun was shining, “marrying you feels like the most natural thing I’ve ever done. You’ve been my best friend for half my life and I can’t believe I get to love you forever. I promise you that I will love you, defend you, take care of you, and show you—every day—that none of the years we’ve known each other was a waste of time. That all we have before us is that big blue Montana sky, and love rolling out to the horizon. I can’t wait to be your wife.”

“Sierra,” Boone replied in that deep, certain voice of his, “I love you. I have always loved you. Loving you has been my north star all of these years and I promise you that it will only get better. I want to grow with you. I want to grow old with you. I want to raise babies together, build up our business, and at the end of every day, find you all over again. You’re the only woman I have ever imagined marrying and the fact that I get to be your husband will humble me forever. I swear that we’re going to make forever so good it shines.”

And with the power vested in him by the state of Montana, and to the sound of thunderous applause that echoed off the hills, Zeke married them at last.

He felt a little choked up, being that involved something so intimate. So profound. So absolutely perfect.

Later, as they were all celebrating out in the Labor Day sun near Boone’s still-blooming gardens, Zeke went and clapped the groom himself on the back.

“You did good,” he told Boone. “I couldn’t be prouder of you.”

“But if it takes you sixteen more years to have a baby, we might revisit that pride,” Belinda warned him, hugging Boone from the other side.

“Sierra is never going to have one second of doubt about marrying me,” Boone told them both, like another vow. “Or about having my babies. This I promise you.”

“I don’t doubt it,” Zeke said, looking over to where the bride was standing in a huddle with the other Carey daughters-in-law, all of them laughing.

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