So, she’s my ‘mare of honor.’ Both of them bonding with me so much over these past few months that it’s like Mack said, “They’re part of our family, so why shouldn’t they be in the wedding party?”
And he couldn’t have made a better decision.
With a little help from Mack as he lifts me up so I can sit side saddle, just for today, he eases himself up onto Ruby, and with a nod to each other, we make a wedding procession that would make city folk cringe.
But the swarms of neighbors and people from all the nearby towns who’ve come to share our special day think it’s perfectly normal and natural to ride your horse to the altar.
Once word got out that we were getting hitched, we had to build bleachers around the corral to make sure there’d be enough room for everybody.
And it feels like half the state turned out, all dressed in their best country clothes. Even the organ from the church has been carted out, filling the whole valley with our wedding march.
The gentle, sun-soaked breeze is heavy with the scent of white roses and cut hay.
Paddocks filled with our guest’s trucks, and plenty of horses still saddled up are making the most of the fresh green grass.
Doing us a favor by making it shorter as they have their fill.
Passing by my mom and Ben, who are sitting right up front by the altar, I feel a lump in my throat when my eyes catch hers.
She mouths the words, ‘I’m so proud of you, honey,’ before dabbing a tear from her eye. And it feels like this is the start of a new life for all of us.
Starting for Mack and me on our first night. But starting new for me and my mom, who’s soon to be a grandma as well as a bride herself.
We’ll have a little life of our own come into the world, and Silver Fox Ranch will have its lineage continued.
Just the way Old Foxx Macintyre always wanted it, even though it’s a few hundred years too late for him to see it for himself.
The local preacher conducts the ceremony from a raised platform.
Mack and me, side by side on our mares. Their manes and tails beautifully brushed and plaited by Mrs. C., who’s also dabbing at her eyes when I smile over at her.
Our vows are simple, and traditional. But with every word of them so true, there’s hardly a dry eye by the time I finally get to say, “I do,” making me all Mack’s.
Officially Mrs. Tina Mackenzie Macintyre.
We exchange gold bands, leaning out of our saddles so we can kiss to seal our bonds of wedlock. It’s clearer to my mom and the other city folk who’ve joined us today why we’re on horseback.
Mack’s planned honeymoon is for us to ride straight to the old cabin at the top of the hills.
With strict instructions that we’re not to be disturbed by anyone.
We take a few slow laps of the corral. Making sure to thank everyone we need to before leaving them all to celebrate with a giant wedding feast and dance.
Mack and me preferring to do our own celebrating someplace else.
And in private.
He helps me off Lucy once we reach the old cabin. The one I knew I’d see again, but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it would be as Mack’s bride.
And as we cross over the threshold, his huge arms hugging me close to him, we both smile knowingly into each other’s eyes.
Finally, together.
Forever.
His cowgirl.
And more than ready for him to show me over and over again just how a man like him puts a baby inside this cowgirl’s belly.
EPILOGUE
FIVE YEARS LATER
Mack
The storm overhead soothes me into a restful half-sleep and I smile as I listen to Tina humming a lullaby to our baby daughter, Stacy now that she’s had her midnight feed.
Like me, baby Stacy doesn’t mind a good storm. But her mom as well as her two older brothers don’t seem to feel the same way.
“You awake?” Tina asks me, and I grunt in a low tone. Competing with a rolling boom of thunder to let her hear me.
“Mack?” she asks, a shiver in her voice. I peel my eyes open as I prop myself up on my elbow.
Knowing well enough to make some more room in the bed for the two more little bodies I know will be here any second.
“Can you go check on the girls?” she asks me, making me have to do some quick math.
Last time I looked, we only had one daughter.
“Oh. The girls,” I groan, not even trying to stop myself from yawning before I lean over and peck her lips.
“They were doing fine out in the valley, before you came along,” I tease her.
Glad when she pokes out her tongue to let me know she’s not taking me seriously.