Page 65 of New in Town

“I’ve learned my lesson, for sure.”

“Good,” he says, throwing his jacket over his arm and ushering the younger cowboy out the door. Once outside, Grey comes to a stop. “Where’s your suit jacket?”

“I’m not wearing one.”

He shakes his head and points to the cottage next door. “Go get your jacket. And hurry. We can’t be late to a wedding happening on our own property.”

* * *

There’s a spot in the valley where the river comes out the mouth of a mountain pass. And as the sun sets, it falls from the sky perfectly centered between the peaks. At the right time, it paints only the water, the rest of the glow blocked behind the mountains. It’s as if liquid gold is spilling from the sky. Floyd always liked to describe it as the stream from the Heavens. It’s here that the ceremony is taking place, planned for sunset.

An open-air shuttle is moving guests from the compound to the ceremony and then back for the reception. Grey and Cooper arrive in time to take the shuttle over early with the family as instructed. Setting everything up with Laurel’s brothers Charlie and Stephen, he was surprised by how much he liked the two city slickers. Charlie waves them over when he sees Grey.

Brett and Laurel are already on site with the photographer. And as the shuttle approaches, he feels warmth bloom in his chest at how overwhelmingly happy the pair of them look. He reaches over to help Mary to the ground, finding her already in tears.

He laughs and hands her a bandana he had luckily remembered to put in his pocket. She accepts it gratefully and dabs at her eyes as the bride and groom approach their family. Laurel is also tearful as she embraces each of them, Brett grinning proudly at her side.

“I’m so fucking happy for you,” Grey says as he clasps Brett on the back.

“Language, Greyson!” Mary scolds.

“I’m really fucking happy too,” Brett says back to him with a smirk.

“I can’t believe I raised you two,” she tuts as the pair of cowboys grin stupidly at one another.

They’re directed to the front row of white wooden chairs facing two curved pillars of flowers reaching up to the sky. When the rumble of the next shuttle sounds behind them, Laurel is rushed off to hide with her father until it’s time for her to walk down the aisle. Grey peers over his shoulder to watch the guests unloading. Maddie’s not among them, though.

She had texted him earlier that Laurel was ready, and she was heading home to get ready herself. Would she make it in time? Grey wishes he could have waited behind for her.

“Have your lines ready?” Floyd asks from the altar. He is tapped to be the officiant today and Grey knows he’ll lean nicely into the role.

Reaching inside his jacket pocket, he pulls out a notecard with an old cowboy blessing Laurel had asked him to select. “Right here, sir.”

Behind him, the sound of a returning shuttle rumbles once again. Still no Maddie, though. The unsettled feeling in his gut is rising. Desperate for a distraction, he drops his head and reads through his poem.

By the time he reads through it a second time, instrumental music begins to play. Floyd motions for everyone to stand after the third song and the crowd turns to face the glowing bride. Again, Grey can’t help but think about how happy Laurel looks. Her eyes trained straight ahead, only looking at Brett.

With Laurel and Brett side by side at the altar, the ceremony begins. Grey sits and runs his clammy palms on his thighs. His heart rate has been increasing since he first sat down. And now, without the distraction of practicing the poem, the nerves are creeping up. It isn’t necessarily a large wedding—Laurel had used the word ‘intimate’ a lot while planning. But it is still a crowd, with some people he’d never met.

He breathes in through his nose, feeling the air travel down his torso, and then releases it out his mouth. When he finishes the cycle, he starts again.

“And now, a reading from Brett’s best man,” Floyd is saying. That’s his cue.

Grey stands, ignoring the rubber feeling of his limbs, and moves to his designated spot just to the side of one of the flower arrangements. He moves to pull out his notecard when his eyes catch exactly what he needs.

From the crowd, Maddie smiles back at him. She had pulled him from his comfort zone on that first day, without even realizing the effect she had on him. He wanted to expand his life for her. And she made it feel possible. Locking eyes with her, he recites the words he’d practiced so many times. It flows freely from him, as if he’s speaking to only her.

31

MADDIE

It should be illegal for a cowboy to clean up so well. But standing before her is a devastatingly handsome, suit and tie clad Grey. His cool blue eyes lock on her and for a moment, she’s breathless.

She watches him take his seat and shift so he can see her over his shoulder. Being near him again, it’s like she had been lost in the dark and suddenly everything is illuminated. It’s always like that, though. She wonders if she’ll ever stop feeling this way, and a corner of her brain knows she won’t.

“I am pleased to pronounce you husband and wife. Brett, you may kiss your bride!” Floyd booms before them.

Maddie snaps her attention back to the altar to watch the groom dip the bride back and devour her. A smile spreads across her face at the sight, the pure joy between them. She wants to be that happy. Grey makes her feel real joy and she doesn’t want to hide away anymore.

---