I swallowed hard, my throat tightening. “Thank you, Wes.”
He gave me a nod, then offered his arm. “Let’s go get you married properly.”
My laugh came out shaky. “Yeah. Let’s.”
The music started outside, fiddle and guitar, soft and familiar, and my heart slammed against my ribs. Julie and Phil had wrangled all the kids so the aisle was clear, and when the barn doors opened, the whole Flying Diamond family was there.Quilts draped over hay bales, strings of lights glowing overhead, the air smelling faintly of fresh-cut hay and barbecue.
But all I saw was Lincoln.
He stood at the end of the aisle in a black suit jacket, brand-new, starched Wranglers. It was sharp and straightforward; his shoulders were squared, as if he could carry the whole world if I asked him to. His eyes found me instantly, and the breath rushed right out of my lungs.
The first time we married, in Vegas, I hadn’t even looked at him long enough to remember if he smiled or not. It was business. A necessity. We’d signed papers, muttered vows, gone through motions neither of us believed in.
This time was different. This time, it was a choice, a choice I had wanted to make years ago, but my heart wouldn’t let me believe I deserved it.
Wes patted my hand where it clung to his arm. “You’ve got him hooked already,” he murmured, low enough only I could hear. “Just don’t let go.”
“I don’t plan to,” I whispered back, tears pricking at my eyes.
When we reached the front, Wes placed my hand in Lincoln’s. “Take care of her,” he said, though his eyes softened as he looked at me. “And you let him take care of you.”
Lincoln’s grip tightened around mine, steady and sure. “Always,” he promised.
Ryder started speaking, but I barely heard the words. My entire world had narrowed to the man standing in front of me, his thumb brushing slow circles against my hand, his gaze locked on mine.
When it came time for vows, Lincoln went first. He didn’t look at anyone else, didn’t try to play to the crowd. His voice was rough, honest.
“Kristin, I married you once because we had to. Because it was the only way I knew to keep you safe. But today, I’mmarrying you because I can’t imagine one day without you. You’re stubborn and you drive me half-crazy, but you’re mine. My partner. My home. My love. And I promise you this, I’ll spend the rest of my life making damn sure you never doubt it.”
There wasn’t a dry eye behind me, but I barely noticed. My throat was so tight I could hardly breathe.
When it was my turn, my hands shook, but my voice was steady.
“Lincoln, I married you in Vegas because I was scared. I didn’t think I deserved love, didn’t think I was worth the risk. But you’ve shown me every day that I am. That love doesn’t break me, it saves me. You save me. So today, I vow to stop running. I vow to stand by you, not because I have to, but because I want to. Because I love you. You are my safest place, and my greatest adventure, all at once.”
Lincoln’s jaw tightened, his eyes bright, and when Ryder told him he could kiss me, he didn’t hesitate.
His hands framed my face, his mouth found mine, and the kiss was everything, hungry, reverent, fierce. Our crowd whooped and clapped, but it was all background noise. For me, it was just us. The family we had chosen, the life we had built, and the love that had finally, finally brought us home.
When we turned, hand in hand, the Flying Diamond family rose to their feet, cheering, clapping, stomping boots against the barn floor. And for the first time in my life, I wasn’t just surviving. I was exactly where I was meant to be
I had never thought I would wear a wedding gown, or stand in a barn wrapped in strings of lights, wildflowers everywhere, Lincoln’s hand holding mine steady.
The vows had left me raw, wrung out in the best way. Vegas had been survival, a contract. This was love. This was choice. And when Lincoln kissed me, really kissed me, in front ofeveryone, I felt every piece of my past dissolve until there was nothing left but us.
The cheering and boot-stomping thundered through the barn as we turned and walked down the aisle. Hand in hand. Husband and wife, again, but finally the way it was supposed to be.
The reception spilled right into the other barn. Long tables had been pushed to the side, laden with food we’d cooked up all week. Barbecue, cornbread, and pies stacked three high. The smell alone made me laugh through the tears still drying on my cheeks.
“Now that’s a party spread,” Ryder said, winking at me as he clapped Lincoln on the back. “Almost makes up for how long it took you two to get here.”
“Don’t start,” Lincoln muttered, though the corner of his mouth twitched.
Glasses clinked, people found seats, and soon Wes was standing with his hat tucked under his arm, a glass raised. The barn went quiet.
“I didn’t raise this girl,” he began, looking right at me. “But if I had, I don’t think I could be any prouder of her than I am today. Kristin, you’ve fought hard battles. You’ve earned every bit of joy standing here now. And Lincoln,” his gaze shifted, steady and sharp, “you better keep her laughing, keep her safe, and keep her close. That’s my ask. That’s my blessing.”
My throat closed, tears threatening again, and I pressed my face to Lincoln’s shoulder. The room erupted with applause, whistles, and more than a few sniffles.
