By His Hand: Truly Yours Digital Edition (20 page)

“Today’s the day?”

Chris peered back at his sister. “Yep.”

She walked over to him and adjusted his tie. “You look very nice.”

“Thanks.”

“I can’t wait to have a big sister.”

Chris smiled. “I can’t wait for you to have one either.” He leaned down and kissed Abby on the cheek and then walked out the door.

The park will be a beautiful place to propose, and it’s such a nice day
. He stopped at the florist’s shop and picked up a dozen red roses. He envisioned her sitting on the park bench reading the lines of the play. Her long hair whipping in the wind. He could almost smell her sweet scent and feel the softness of her cheek. He would take her hand in his, get down on one knee, and declare his love for her.

Turning onto the park’s street, he saw her Suburban and his heart raced. He experienced a mixture of excitement and nerves. Pulling Mary Ann into the space behind her vehicle, he closed his eyes and offered a quick prayer to the Lord for courage. As he reached for the roses, he realized his hands had grown clammy, so he wiped them on his pants legs. Exhaling a slow breath to calm his nerves, he grabbed the flowers and opened the door.

A smile split his lips as a song of praise filled his mind. He’d never been so excited, so sure of a decision in his life. He could hardly wait to make her his wife, to take her into his arms, to kiss her as a man kisses his wife. With purpose, he walked into the park.

He saw her. He gasped.

Zack Bradshaw kneeled before her. He held one of her hands in his.

Chris’s heart dropped as Victoria nodded.

Disillusioned, Chris turned away.
I don’t think they saw me
. He couldn’t bear the thought of speaking to either one of them. How could he have been so wrong, so stupid? He didn’t even know Zack and Victoria had spent any real time together.
Well, she had hugged him at church, agreeing to meet him somewhere
.

His heart thudded against his chest. Then why had she gone with him to the chorus dinner? To appease Abby, he supposed. But why had she kissed him in his truck? Why?
God, I love her. I was so sure she was the right one for me
.

A sudden fury filled his gut as he envisioned Zack holding Victoria in his arms. He couldn’t bear the thought of it. He wouldn’t bear the thought of it. He loved Victoria, and he was willing to fight for her. Turning on his heels, he bounded back up the sidewalk toward the woman he had every intention of spending the rest of his life with. “Victoria,” he called.

She turned toward him. “Chris?”

Chris closed the last few steps between them, threw the roses to the ground, and took her hands into his. He looked at Zack. “I like you, Zack, but I have to do this.” He gazed back at Victoria. “I can’t stand by and let this happen. You cannot marry Zack.” He pointed to his chest. “I love you. I want you to be my wife.”

“What?”

“And I won’t take no for an answer. I don’t know what has happened here. I didn’t even know you and Zack were spending time together, but I’m willing to do whatever I need to, to show you that I am the right man for you.”

Zack started to laugh. Chris glared at him. “This is not funny.”

He covered his mouth and hunkered down. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled. Grabbing the cooler, he added, “I think I’ll leave now.”

Chris snorted and peered back at Victoria. “See there. The slightest bit of opposition comes his way and Zack is hitting the high road.”

Victoria crossed her arms in front of her chest and stomped her foot. “You are making no sense. What are you talking about, Chris Ratliff?”

He grabbed her arms. “I’m saying I won’t let you marry Zack. I love you. I want you to be my wife.”

Victoria frowned. “Why would you think I’m marrying Zack? I’m not marrying Zack. We’re friends.”

“But …” Chris released her arms. “But he just asked you to marry him, and you nodded yes.”

Victoria shook her head. “No, he didn’t.”

“Yes, he did. I saw it.”

Victoria’s mouth opened in a perfect O and she covered her lips with her hand. A small giggle escaped. “We were practicing the play.”

“The play?”

“The community play. Zack is trying out and asked me to help with his lines.”

“I thought you were trying out.”

Victoria shook her head. “No, I was helping him. Where would you ever get the notion that I was trying out?”

Heat raced up Chris’s spine into his neck and to his cheeks. “So you didn’t just accept a proposal from Zack?”

“Nope. In fact, Zack’s got a bit of a crush on Rosa from church.”

“He does?”

She nodded.

“I guess I’ve made a big ol’ fool of myself then.”

Victoria nodded again, and Chris bent down and picked up the roses. He tried to straighten them out a bit and then extended them toward Victoria. “Can I try again?”

Sighing, Victoria stepped away from him. “I don’t want your pity, Chris.”

“My pity?”

“Yes. I heard what you said to Abby’s teacher.”

He scratched his head. “Now
I
don’t have a clue what
you
are talking about.”

“I heard you the night of the chorus dinner.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “I heard you say that I just needed to feel a part of a family.” She opened her arms wide. “Well, you know what, Chris Ratliff? I did feel a part of your family. I wanted to be a part of your family, but not out of pity.” She turned away from him. “Never out of pity.”

Chris tried to recall what Victoria was talking about. Then he remembered Mrs. Smith talking to him about Abby. He smiled and touched Victoria’s arm. She flinched. “Vic, I wasn’t talking about you. Mrs. Smith and I were talking about Abby. I said that Abby needed to feel a part of a family.” He walked around her so that he could face her. “I told her you had made us like a family again.”

Victoria peeked up at him. “You did?”

He nodded and touched her cheek. “I think we’re both a little goofy.” He caressed her skin with his thumb. “Victoria, I love you.”

“Promise?”

The sincerity, the sweet honesty that shone through her eyes never ceased to nearly unravel him. He could read her wants and her desires so perfectly in her gaze. “Oh, Vic.” He ran the back of his hand down her cheek and jaw. When she closed her eyes, he traced her lips with his index finger. “I promise.”

She opened her eyes and wrapped her arms around him. She kissed his lips quickly. “Oh, Chris, I love you, too. I’ve been miserable these last few days. So much has happened that I want to share with you.”

“I’ve been so busy, and I have so much to tell, as well.” He stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out the black box. Getting on one knee, he took her hand in his. “But I want to spend every day of the rest of my life hearing everything you want to share with me.”

He opened the box, and Victoria gasped and placed her hand on her chest. “My grandma’s ring. I thought it was gone forever.”

“I made a deal with the pawnshop owner. If you weren’t able to purchase it before the time was up, I’d buy it. I did, and I hoped, knowing how much it meant to you, that you would want to wear it as my wife.”

Joy surged through her as if she’d been struck by lightning. “I had always hoped to wear it. Oh, Chris.” She jumped into his lap, almost knocking him to the ground. “Of course I’ll marry you.”

Victoria took a quick bite of the cream cheese covered bagel Sondra had brought from the ranch. If she didn’t stop eating, she’d never be able to squeeze into the bodice-fitted dress she and her mother had picked out. “I think I’m weird.”

Sondra furrowed her eyebrows. “Weird?”

Victoria nodded. “How many brides do you know who can’t
stop
eating on their wedding day?”

Sondra laughed and rubbed her blossoming belly. “Weirder things have happened. Try having three kids in a little over three years!”

Emily toddled toward her mother and wrapped her arms around Sondra’s leg. Her little bit of light brown hair had been coaxed up into the tiniest ponytail Victoria had ever seen. Victoria bent down and tightened the satin bow at Emily’s tummy. “You look like a little princess.”

“Well, what do you think, sis?”

Victoria turned at the sound of Abby’s voice behind her. She gasped and stood to her full height. Drinking in her soon-to-be sister-in-law’s long dark curls swooped up and away from her face but down her back, Victoria could hardly believe the perfect fit of the light green satin gown that streamed down her shape. “You’re the most beautiful maid of honor I’ve ever seen.”

“I agree.” Ethel tousled a few of Abby’s curls.

Victoria bit back the spilling of emotion that threatened at the tenderness between her mother and Abby. Though her mother hadn’t made a commitment to Christ yet, the embezzlement scare had frightened her enough that she valued her time with Victoria as well as taking Abby under her wing as a second daughter. Victoria was sure it was just a matter of time before her mother also recognized her own need for a Savior.

“Lizzie’s ready, as well.” Grace walked into their makeshift dressing room that was actually one of the Sunday school classes. She placed her hand in the small of her back and stretched. “I wouldn’t mind if this baby decided to come right this minute.” Her cell phone started to ring. Pulling it out of her purse, she looked at the caller ID and shook her head.

“Eric Nickols is the biggest mother hen I know. I better get on out there before he comes looking for me.”

Emily released her mom and ran for Lizzie. She grabbed the older girl’s hand and swung it back and forth. Victoria smiled. “You two are the prettiest flower girls ever.”

“Definitely. Now I think we’d better be getting you into your dress,” said Ethel.

Abby agreed. “Yep. My brother will be beating down this door if you’re not down at that altar when you’re supposed to be.”

Victoria bit back a chuckle, as she believed Abby to be exactly right. Slipping into her dress, she inhaled, wishing she’d eaten one less bagel as her mom fastened each clasp. With a final once-over, her mother hugged her and then left to go to her place at the back of the church to await one of the ushers to escort her to her seat.

“You ready?” Her daddy’s voice sounded from outside the door.

“Yes.” She opened it and watched as her father’s eyes glazed.

“Oh, honey, you’re beautiful.”

Victoria felt her own eyes mist, and she swatted her hands in front of her face. “Daddy, don’t make me cry. My makeup will smear, and my freckles will pop out.”

He placed her hand into the crook of his arm. “Your freckles are beautiful.”

She allowed him to guide her to the back of the church. She tried to see Chris through the crack of the door but couldn’t. Instead she sneaked peeks of Abby, Sondra, Lizzie, and Emily as they started their descents down the aisle. Finally, it was her turn. The doors were opened wide, and she saw the altar … and Chris!

His eyes widened and a smile split his lips. Her heart fluttered, and even from a distance he made her feel as if she were the most special woman in the world. The aisle seemed too long. Her dad moved too slowly. She wanted to be beside the man she loved. She could hardly wait to say her vows and have Chris take her into his arms as his one and only.

“Aunt Vic’s pretty.”

Her sweet nephew’s voice echoed through the church. Amongst the laughter Victoria skimmed the crowd and saw Zack and Rosa holding hands in a middle row. She grinned and then gazed at Peewee. He stood tall and proud beside the only daddy he’d ever known.

His face lit up with pure happiness, and Victoria had never been so thankful that God had allowed a tragedy to be the biggest blessing He had ever bestowed. Not only had she become a part of a family in Lasso but one with her own parents, as well.

Closing the distance between them, Chris took her hand in his. The coarseness of his palm scratched hers, and she relished the feel of it. Her man worked hard, completely, and with integrity. He loved the same way.

She gazed up at him and noted her burly fellow’s eyes glistened with the threat of tears. He leaned over and whispered, “You’re beautiful, my Mary Ann Mangler.”

She smiled. “I love you.”

“I love you.” His gaze spoke of his commitment and yearning.

They turned and faced the pastor.
There is a time for everything
, God’s Word spoke to her heart,
and a season for every activity
… Victoria thought of all the seasons of life she’d weathered this year—the alleged embezzlement, the wreck, her first job, Peewee, Abby … and Chris.
Maybe God will use me to help
. Chris’s words from the night of their first kiss ran through her mind.

And He had. Chris had shown her patience when precious treasures were damaged, he’d shown her strength when people in their lives were tough, and he’d shown her love, even when he thought it wouldn’t be returned. God had used Chris, and Victoria longed to see what God would show them for the rest of their lives together.

They turned to face each other to recite their vows. Chris leaned over and whispered, “I’ve never felt so blessed.”