Page 88 of Bear Creek Valentine
As the resort’s events coordinator, Gina Roux had been handed the arduous task of putting together a wedding with only two weeks' notice—in a double-booked space, no less. Were it anyone but the owner himself, she would have told them to go pound sand. Mister Hawthorn, however, was generous to a fault, and as it was his own wedding, she wasn’t about to tell him no. He’d probably overdone things a bit, even for a Valentine’s ceremony, but if his mate wasn’t duly impressed, she’d personally kick his ass.
The man’s lovely brother, Ashton, was in charge of the ceremony itself, and she gave him the awaited signal. People hurriedly found their seats and others scurried to make the finishing touches. Gina shooed the catering crew into the prep area, made sure the sound tech was good to go, and then stood at the back of the vast room to observe—ready to intervene in case of disaster. One never knew with hastily arranged functions like this, but she hoped the best for the happy couple.
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As they approached the ballroom, Aiden spotted a photographer and videographer loitering in the hallway, along with others—Ryder, Bram, Ashton, Leo, and someone in a dress he couldn’t quite see. As they neared, he realized who it was and nearly stumbled. Dash hadn’t told him his mother would be here, and it both surprised and delighted him.
He’d planned to contact her soon anyway, and it was wonderful to have his small family in attendance for such an important occasion. Her very presence at a gay wedding was proof she’d changed her tune since he’d last spoken to her. If this was a goodwill gesture, he’d happily accept and then see about mending fences later. Unfortunately, she slipped back inside before he and Dash arrived, probably to avoid upsetting the groom or making a scene. Hopefully, they’d have a moment or two after the ceremony.
Ashton and Bram met them with boutonnieres; single red rosebuds which matched their ties and cummerbunds. As they fastened on the flowers, Aiden’s eyes went wide when he noticed the transformation of the ballroom. The entire space was decorated with red and white bunting, hearts, balloons, cupids, and red roseseverywhere. In addition, a wide scarlet runner stretched from the doors to a white lattice arch bedecked with twinkle lights and flanked by huge sprays of still more roses.
If it was Dash’s intention to remake the holiday into something they could both enjoy, he’d certainly gone all out. Aiden would have been happy to simply fill in the forms at the courthouse and call it good. He was glad Dash came up with the idea, for it was his broken heart that had suffered for so long at this time of year. If a bit of overkill was what it took, then so be it. In the end, they’d still have each otherandsomething wonderful to celebrate.
While the photographer clicked away, music began playing softly and the guests all stood to watch the procession. The wedding party positioned themselves for their entrance, with Ryder and Leo going first, followed by Ashton and Bram—shoulder to shoulder, all dressed in black, and looking like a million bucks. When they reached the front, Ashton and Leo stepped to the right while Bram and Ryder went left. In the center, under the arch, stood their friend, Judge Becker, dressed in a flowing black robe with red stripes down the front and on each sleeve.
Aiden took Dash’s hand as they strode down the aisle together. Furtive glances told him the audience consisted of Dash’s entire family, friends from town, and all of his employees. Upon reaching the officiant, they turned to face one another, and the music faded out. Becker smiled at the men and began the short ceremony.
“It gives me great pleasure to officiate the joining of Dashiell Hawthorn and Aiden Romero in marriage. The mystical shifter bond they share is broken only by death, and yet they come before these witnesses to testify of their love and commitment. Dash and Aiden, please repeat these vows together after me:
You are my mate and my true love.
I will cherish our union until parted by death.
I will trust and respect you, laugh and cry with you,
And stay with you through good times and bad.
My heart is now and forever yours.
“Gentlemen, by what token do you affirm these vows?”
Ashton and Bram answered the question in unison.
“With these rings.”
They each handed their brothers a ring, and Dash went first—placing a simple gold band on Aiden’s finger. He, in turn, slipped a plain leather cord around Dash’s neck with his ring attached. They joined hands again and turned back to Judge Becker.
“By the power vested in me by the state of Pennsylvania, I pronounce you joined in matrimony. You may now seal your commitment with a kiss.”
Aiden grabbed Dash’s head and hauled him in for an epic lip-lock. The crowd clapped and hooted, and only their need for breath forced the couple apart. Both men were crying happy tears as they turned to shake Becker’s hand and hug their best men. Without missing a beat, the wedding party and guests moved to the already-set tables for lunch—a sensible move, considering the large number of shifters among them.
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Gina Roux directed the staff to remove the wedding furniture, clearing the floor for dancing later on. As they worked, she heard one of the newest employees, Wayne, grousing about the decorations to a co-worker.
“It looks like a greeting card threw up in here!”
Gina pulled him aside for a chat.
“If you wish to remain employed at Pocono Ridge Resort, there are a few things you must learn. One is to keep your opinions to yourself regarding the choices our guests make, especially when you can be overheard. The second is to recognize that theownerof this resort, and your employer, is one of the men who just got married. He personally requested these decorations, and I won’t have an employee under my supervision trash-talking Mister Hawthorn. Is this understood?”
Thoroughly chastened, Wayne apologized and returned to work, leaving Gina to her thoughts. If even half the rumors she’d heard about Dashiell Hawthorn were true, the poor man had suffered a horrendous loss and deserved whatever happiness he could find. Based on the ceremony she just witnessed, it seemed he’d found it.
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Dash and Aiden hurried through their meal so they could make the rounds of the tables and greet their guests. Fortunately, Dash had skipped the alcoholic toasts and Best Man speeches, much to Bram’s relief. They would, however, need to cut the cake soon and then pose for some pictures before the dancing started, so it was now or never. Though Aiden didn’t change his last name, the Hawthorns made no bones about him now being one of them. It already felt that way to him, but their love and support warmed his heart.
As a shifter family, they weren’t well acquainted with human weddings and peppered the couple with questions. The whole experience was novel; just the thing to pique the interest of curious bears. Jean teared up when Aiden called her mom, and the couple was nearly hugged to death by Dash’s littermates. His younger nieces and nephews were fascinated by the wedding rings and began asking their parents if they could wear one too.
