Flowers of every color filled the centerpieces on the tables. Because of the limited time for the preparations, Hadley had told the florist to pull together whatever he had. She’d carried a bouquet of orange roses and pink lilies, and Liam wore a hot-pink rose on his lapel.
“I had no idea it was going to be this gorgeous,” she murmured.
“The only gorgeous thing in the room is you.”
Hadley lifted onto her toes and kissed him. “And that’s why I love you. You always know what makes me smile.”
And so ended their last intimate moment as newlyweds for the next three hours as social demands kept them occupied with their guests. At long last they collected Maggie from her circle of admirers and headed back to Wade Ranch. Together they put her to bed and stood beside the crib watching her sleep.
“I meant to give this to you earlier but didn’t get the chance.” Liam extended a small flat box to her.
“What is it?”
“Open it and see.”
Hadley raised the lid and peered down at the engraved heart-shaped pendant in white gold. She read the inscription, “Follow your heart. Mine always leads to the barn.” She laughed. “I used to have a T-shirt with that on it.”
“I remember.” Liam lifted the necklace from the bed of black velvet and slipped it over her head. “You were wearing it the first time I saw you.”
“That was more than ten years ago.” Hadley was stunned. “How could you possibly remember that?”
“You’d be surprised what I remember about you.”
She threaded her fingers through his hair and pulled him down for a kiss. “It’s a lovely gift, but it no longer pertains.”
“I thought you’d gotten past your guilt about your friend.”
“I have.” She smiled up at him. “But my heart no longer leads me to the barn. It leads me to you.”
He bent down and swept her off her feet. “And that, Mrs. Wade, is the way it should be.”