Page 158 of The One With the Mountain Man

"Gift. I agree it's an excellent gift. But you can't wear a cottage. Tourists will take one look at that bare ring finger and think she's available. You're playing with fire my friend."

I didn't agree. Besides, we were exchanging simple bands at the wedding. If she wanted to wear it, fine. If she didn't, also fine. The ring was a symbol and nothing else.

"Travis and Scottie will be here in a few. I'm heading up to the cottage."

"Don't worry, darling," he sang in a British accent. "We'll have your wedding venue ready in no time."

I'd briefly lobbied for the ceremony to be at Sammy's cabin since Sammy was the whole reason Marley came to Lost Creek and brought her to me. But it made much better sense to host everything at Golden Hour. The whole fucking town thought they were invited, which wasn't entirely wrong, and we had the space to accommodate that many guests in the meadow. Plus Marley could get ready right here at home.

The pavilion we were building was where the ceremony would take place, followed by the party.Reception.There was a tent going up as well to accommodate the crush of people who were going to show up whether they had an invitation or not.

Marley's parents rented a cabin down the road. Her brother Eric was staying with them while Elora and her fiancé took the barn apartment. Charley switched to showering and shitting in the cabin until the apartment was vacated. It was all working out perfectly.

"I've got a cottage to finish. Call me if you need an extra set of hands." Digger had helped me frame it out and I took it from there. And, in my overzealousness, took it far beyond a simple little one-room building with a bunch of windows. Nope, not for Marley.

It was basically all glass except for the main wall and fireplace. Yep, I installed a fucking fireplace. I also bookcased the shit out of that wall. And since it was basically all windows and French doors from there, I added shelves for plants or herbs or flowers. Whatever she wanted in her space. It was all dark woods and soft blues. The couch was blue too. As was the armchair. She had a writing desk, a rug on the wood floor, and now I was installing storm shutters because there was no way I was letting a bad storm destroy all my hard work.

Like I said,overzealous.

But Marley deserved it. If I couldn't build her a fantasy writing cottage then what the fuck was I doing?

Besides, the shutters were multipurpose. If it was a particularly sunny day and she wanted some shade, she could lower them. Or if we had a property full of friends and family, but needed some alone time...

Look, there was a reason a couch was necessary.

After the shutters were good, the remote worked, and the app was tested, I made final adjustments and then went in search of my wife.

I found her day drinking with Charley and Elora on the deck. "There you are, love." I bent over her shoulder to kiss her cheek.

"How are things going? Are you sure you don't need our help? This feels very gendered." Her eyes were bright but she wasn't drunk. Just tipsy.

"This is my half of the wedding preparations, remember? You've got your lists and I have mine."

"Yeah," Charley leaned closer, "let him use his wood for you." Then she snickered. Definitely closer to drunk than Marley.

"I feel like I should make a comment about pounding nails or wood or something, but I can't think straight," Elora giggled. We were moments away from a repeat of girls' night. I was sure of it.

"I'm going to steal Marley for a few minutes."

"Boo!" Elora gave me a thumbs down and a raspberry. "You get her for the rest of your life. She's ours right now."

"I don't think she stops being your sister when she says I do."

Marley took my hand. "Don't worry. I'll be back. Mack and Joanne will be here soon. So will Eve and Aviana."

Instead of strict bachelor-bachelorette shenanigans, we were doing girls' night here and poker up at the barn. No rules about who had to be where or when. In fact, I was fairly certain I overheard Charley whispering about a plot to take over the barn sometime tonight.

But I had my money on peeling some very happy women off of tables before that happened.

"Don't worry. I'll deliver her to the party with plenty of time to have all the fun."

"Where are we going?" Marley whispered.

"You'll see." I led her to the gravel drive and then down the new path that led to her cottage.

"Is it done?" she squealed.

"You'll see," I repeated.

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