Page 60 of Wishes on Wildflowers
She turned her hand under Nathan’s and clutched his, palm to palm.
“You’re forgiven,” he said quietly. “I’ve done dumb things, too. I see a lot of similarities between Basil and me.”
Jasmine tried to pull her hand away, but his grip tightened.
“I slept with women. I was filled with my own ego. I drank too much.” Nathan’s free hand lifted her chin until her gaze met his. “I have a DUI on my record and served time. It was a huge wakeup call to me. I pray that it will do the same for Basil. From what he’s said to me in the past few days, Ithink it might be having that effect.”
She’d known some of it, guessed at other parts. Could she let Nathan’s past stay there? Believe that he had changed? Trust God for a future untainted by echoes of the past?
“Thank you for telling me.” She tightened her fingers around his. “You’ve asked God’s forgiveness — you told me so. And I know He gives it every time.”
His hand caressed her jaw even as his eyes held hers captive. “He gives it. Every time. I’m just a man, Jasmine. I can’t promise perfection in the future, but there are some promises I can make with no hesitation. I promise you I will remember happiness cannot be found at the bottom of a bottle. If I hadn’t learned that two years ago, I learned it from watching Pops die from years of being an alcoholic.”
Jasmine nodded slightly. She parted her lips to offer her sympathy, but his finger rested across her mouth.
“I promise I can be loyal to one woman for the rest of my life. No question. There is only one woman I love, have ever loved, and she is you.”
“I love you, Nathan.”
The lights in the room dimmed, and Nathan chuckled as he surged to his feet, pulling her with him. “Looks like a hint for us to leave.”
How had she not even noticed everyone else — her family — filing past them out the door? And Basil… was he in custody now? She should have been paying attention.
Nathan’s lips brushed down her jawline, causing a tremble through her entire body. “Do you have a bit more time?” he murmured against her ear. “We could walk down by the river.”
“I can take as long as you want.” The rest of her life was totally an option.
23
Nathan would hazarda guess that nearly everyone seated in rows of folding chairs in Manito Park’s rose garden was waiting for their first glimpse of the bride. Certainly Logan, standing beneath the white portico with Jacob and Peter beside him, rocked from one foot to the other while his eyes probed the spot where the pathway entered the formal garden.
No doubt Linnea would be lovely. The matron of honor, Eden Riehl, likely would be, too. Nathan had gotten to know Jacob and Eden a little since their wedding last spring. Thankfully, the goat, Pansy, had recovered from the cut on her flank no problem.
But Nathan only had eyes for the first woman who would enter. In the portico, Logan’s friend Keanan Welsh picked a complex song on his guitar. Nathan nearly missed the subtle change in the rhythm as Jasmine appeared at the turn of the path.
His heart hammered wildly. She was gorgeous. The sleeveless turquoise dress hugged her curves perfectly, the angled hem swishing around her knees. She carried a casual bouquet of wildflowers with a sprig tucked in her hair.
Today was the day. He’d had the little box tucked in his pocket for over a week now, but she’d been busy and distracted leading up to her roommate’s wedding. He wanted the right setting, the right mood. He wanted one hundred percent of her attention.
She strolled past him, a wide smile on her face.
He couldn’t help grinning in response.
His brother Jason’s elbow found his ribs. “She’s cute.”
“More than cute,” Nathan whispered to the teen. “Beautiful, from the inside out.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll explain. Ask me later.”
The boy nodded then turned to watch as Eden strolled past, her gaze fixed on the best man.
Nathan had filed for custody of his half-brother. Jason had no one else, with both parents gone. He wasn’t Makenna’s responsibility — she’d moved into a small apartment near Deaconess Hospital, where she’d found part-time work. No, Nathan would do what it took to give the boy a stable home, a place to belong, for the remainder of his teen years. He’d teach Jason that being a Hamelin was a good thing, a noble thing, a respectable thing.
Thankfully Jasmine had cheered his decision to take Jason on. She had to know how it would impact her life as well.
At the front, she turned to face the gathering, Eden stepping into place beside her. Keanan began to pick out the wedding march on his guitar, and everyone rose.
