His Darling Bride (Echoes of the Heart #3) (30 page)

A couple of Nic’s serving staff arrived with Bethany’s easel. It and the framed landscape beneath were covered in a cloth that matched the bright white table linens. They set it down beside Oliver and Travis, exactly where Bethany had wanted it.

“Mom and Dad,” she said through her nerves. She raised her glass. “We all love you so much. We’re grateful that thirty-five years ago today, your love for each other started us all on a journey that’s made not just today possible for Dru and Brad, but so many other remarkable days for all of us. Unforgettable moments in our family’s life and the lives of many others in Chandlerville. To show you how much you’re loved and how much love you’ve given all of us, I’ve been working on something I hope will help you see . . . just how much you’ve blessed the lives of everyone lucky enough to be here with you today.”

Joe kissed his wife as they listened to their daughter.

Marsha hugged his arm and leaned her head against his shoulder. They were eager to see whatever Bethany had saved to show them. It would be the icing on the cake of a perfect day—and the coming surprise for
Bethany
that the family had been waiting all evening to arrive.

Their Dru was married to a man who’d cherish her forever. Their kids and friends were grouped around them on a perfect fall night. Joe had made it through the ceremony and reception and all the pre-wedding photographs and fuss with enough energy in reserve to dance with the bride soon, and then with Bethany and hopefully Camille and Shandra before he called it quits and headed home to collapse into bed with his own bride.

But the look of confident joy on Bethany’s face as she gazed at them, surrounded by her brothers and sisters, was the real victory for Joe and his wife. They’d watched their daughter thrive over the last few weeks, no matter how difficult the waiting to hear from Mike had been for her. Bethany was finally embracing who and what she was, both as a part of their family, and as a woman who could love with her whole heart. Even if that love came with worry and waiting and the chance of losing—as loving the most important things in life often did.

Their Bethany was finally home to stay.

“We’ll make this quick,” she said, “because there’s more dancing and fun to get to. But, Mom and Dad, this day—so many days—would never have happened if it weren’t for everything you’ve given us.”

She looked to Oliver and Travis and the rectangular something hidden beneath the cloth that had been thrown over her easel. Joe had been blown away by the amazing images Bethany had created for the wedding’s slide show, from work she’d done with her paintings and Mike’s photography. The thought that there could be something more, just for him and Marsha, had his heart swelling with pride.

“Joe and Marsha Dixon,” Bethany said with damp, smiling eyes, “this is what I’ve been trying to paint for you ever since I came back to Chandlerville. But I didn’t understand what it needed to be, how to finish it, until recently. I hope you like it.” She raised her glass higher, toasting as everyone joined in. “We all love you very much.”

She sipped and then nodded to the boys. Oliver and Travis removed the cloth to reveal the most beautiful painting Joe was certain he’d ever see. He stood, slowly, his wife next to him, and they walked closer. His legs were tired, his entire body was aching, and he’d likely hurt all over tomorrow. But in that moment, he was certain he could run a marathon.

“It’s amazing,” he said.

“It’s wonderful, honey,” Marsha agreed tearfully. “It’s so beautiful.”

Bethany had painted their house in a way Joe had never seen her use color before. It was so light, transparent, but remarkably full of energy and motion and beauty.

The trees and the sun and the porch and each window of the home where he and Marsha had raised their family was recognizable, but only with hints of what the building looked like in real life. Brief touches of Bethany’s brush had suggested the structure, rather than reflecting it in detail. But there was so much life and love and beauty in the dreamy way she’d captured their world. Hope and possibility, swirling in ghostly wisps of glorious green.

And on the matting that she’d used when she’d framed the piece were more of the photographs she and Mike had combined into the collages in her slide show. Faces and eyes and smiles and places so familiar and dear, a lifetime of them, surrounded Bethany’s beautiful perspective of the house she’d been welcomed to and loved in. The collection seemed to capture every chance at the happy life she’d been given. And the happiness of the woman she’d become, now that she was finally, fully, loving them back.

Joe pulled his daughter into his arms. “I’m so proud of who you’ve become, Bethie. Thank you for letting us be your family.”

Marsha joined their hug, then Shandra, holding Camille, and Oliver and Travis and Selena, too. And at their center, Joe could hear Bethany laughing softly. Or maybe she was crying. Maybe all of them were. But it was the happy kind of crying. The best kind of crying, with your family around you and the future ahead of you, and it felt as if there was nothing you couldn’t conquer together.

“I have one more surprise for the evening, if I may,” a familiar voice said from outside their family circle.

Joe turned, hugging his daughter to his side, until she could see that Mike Taylor stood at the edge of the crowd of spectators, dressed in an expensive suit, his hair cut short and conservative, wearing his Stetson and a smile for the woman he’d called Joe last night to say that he loved with all of his heart.

Mike glanced to Bethany’s painting and then back to her.

“I hope you don’t mind the interruption,” he said as Bethany squealed and ran into his arms.

Chapter Twenty-One

“You’re here!” Bethany couldn’t believe it. She couldn’t let Mike go.

“I’ve wanted to be here every day I’ve been gone.” He lifted her onto the toes of her red cowboy boots. He kissed her beneath his Stetson until she couldn’t breathe. And then he eased back.

Her cowboy was dressed like a banker in his beautiful suit and a silk tie that was the exact shade of her dress.

“How did you sneak in here?” Bethany asked.

A thousand questions raced through her mind about why he hadn’t called and how things were with his family and what his showing up now meant. But there was only one answer that mattered. Mike had come back, and he was smiling down at her as if he’d never leave.

“Have you been here all day?” she asked.

“I had a little help. And no, there’s no way I could have stayed away from you looking this beautiful if I’d been here all day.” His next kiss was less ravenous. Sweet, even as instant heat sparked, promising much more to come.

“Help?” she asked, a day’s worth of her family and friends’ suspicious smiles and half-answered questions coming back to her. “Help with what?”

“There was something important I wanted to talk with you about.” He tilted her chin up.

Her breath caught at the serious tone that had crept into his voice. “Here? In front of everybody?”

“I wanted your family and friends to hear what I have to say. I’ve already checked with the bride and groom and your parents, to be sure they were okay with me intruding on your family’s special day.”

“Everyone wanted you here,” she insisted, hoping he’d found a way to see them belonging together, loving together, sharing each other’s good and bad times, no matter what life had in store for them next. “My family wanted you to be part of
our
special day.”

He gazed at her painting.

A look of longing crossed his features that would have confused her once. He seemed so confident and easygoing most of the time. Then he’d let her see all of his heart. And she’d chased him to New York and witnessed firsthand the darkest and the bravest, most loyal parts of Mike that he’d never wanted her to know.

“You did a beautiful job with it,” he said about her painting.

“
We
did a beautiful job. I would never have finished it if you hadn’t helped me let go and play and dream.”

She kissed him, loving him for everything he was and all they could be.

“Mine,” she said softly, so the words were just for them.

“All mine,” he whispered back. “You look like a princess and taste like bubble gum.”

Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a red velvet box.

“What . . .” She gasped as he took her hand and knelt, slipping his hat off so she could see all of his handsome, smiling face as he gazed up at her. “What are you doing?”

“Asking you to forgive me,” he said, “for losing sight of the most important thing you’ve taught me. And—”

“You’re forgiven.” She tugged on his hand, her ears ringing as she glanced around at the sea of smiling faces staring at them. “Whatever it is, get up off your knees and we can talk about it later when—”

“I’ve already waited too long to ask you to marry me.” He popped the top of the box open to reveal the most gorgeous ring she’d ever seen. A delicate band that could have been platinum or white gold or silver, or tin for all she cared, had been set with a sparkling, heart-shaped diamond.

A collective gasp sounded from the crowd.

“Mike . . .” She lifted her eyes to his face. “What have you done?”

“I’ve decided that I need you to be my home, wherever we are. And that whatever we have to face in this world, you’re what’s best for me. I know you’ll be okay without me, Bethany. But I’ll never be what I could be, without you in my life.” He glanced at their art, flashing silently on the projection screen. He smiled at her, pride in his eyes for what she’d done with their images. “Please be my bride, Bethany Darling, and I promise I’ll never forget that again.”

Bethany looked up from the love on Mike’s face, to the smiles and hugs being exchanged beneath the stars and twinkling lights of Dru’s wedding. Her sister and Brad were holding each other close, not minding a bit that Bethany and Mike were hijacking their reception.

“Answer the man,” Dru said, wrapped in her husband’s arms. “We’ve been waiting all night for Mike to make his move.”

“But . . .” Bethany tugged Mike’s hand until he was on his feet beside her.

Oliver had Camille in his arms now. And Camille had her bottle of bubbles and was blowing through the tiny wand to shower Bethany and Mike in a cascade of iridescence. Marsha laughed, softly clapping and smiling as Dru and Brad and others began clapping, too. Softly at first and then with more enthusiasm, the rest of the reception guests joined in, encouraging Bethany, accepting Mike.

“But”—Bethany gazed into the bottomless brown eyes of her
wandering soul mate—“what about your mother and your family’s
foundation and your fight with your parents over your place there?”

“You and I can do a lot of good at JHTF,” he said, “if that’s what we decide to do. We can do a lot of good at the Atlanta Artist Co-op, or starting more nonprofit centers, or making art and selling it to raise money to do whatever we decide is best to do next. We can do anything we want, make whatever we want work, Bethany, as long as we do this together.”

We.

Together.

I was scared to death of all of it,
Marsha had said about the risks she and Joe had taken over the years.
But I trusted the man I loved more than I trusted the fear.

Bethany threw her arms around Mike, the tulle of her skirt bunching between them.

“And your parents?” she asked as Mike held her close. “It’s not like either of them were thrilled to discover me in your life.”

“I’ve settled things with Livy and Harrison. I told them that they’re my family, and I love them, and I’m not going to let them down just because we don’t see eye to eye. I’m going to be there for my mother for as long as she has left. And I’ll find a way to have a better connection with my dad. But I told them that I love you, too. And they’ll have to accept that, and you, without reservations. That I’ll only be involved with the foundation in whatever way I think is best. And that I won’t know what that will be”—he eased Bethany away—“until I’ve had the chance to discuss it with my fiancée. So, no more pretending, darlin’. It’s you and me out in the open now, for both our families and the whole world to see.”

Bethany heard someone sniffling, and she realized that it was Nicole, her unsentimental friend, melting at Mike’s words.

“I love you, Bethany.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “I need you. I’ll always need you. Say you’ll marry me.”

“I need you, too,” Bethany gushed out. “Wherever you are, Harrison Michael Taylor, wherever you go, that’s where I’ll always want to be.”

An ear-splitting cheer went up from the crowd. Mike plucked the ring from its bed of velvet and tossed the box to Oliver, who snatched it from the air like a fly ball. Bethany’s brother nodded his approval at her, his and everyone else’s support meaning the world. And then Mike was slipping the representation of his heart over her finger and kissing her softly.

“Hi,” he said as he held her gently.

“Hi, yourself,” Bethany answered back, the peaceful beat of her heart pressed close to the strength of his. She pushed up to her toes to whisper into her cowboy’s ear, “Let’s take each other on the adventure of a lifetime.”