Wildflowers adorn the fence line as far as the eye can see and horses nicker softly nearby. These are some of the sights and sounds of the home I love.
Jonas waits for me beneath a big grapevine arch threaded with white ribbon and solar fairy lights. He’s wearing new denims and a white button up dress shirt looking so handsome he steals my breath just like he stole my heart.
I can’t take my eyes off him as I walk the distance to where he stands beside the wedding officiant and his father as his best man.
“Wow,” Jonas mouths, his gaze on mine.
“Same to you,” I mouth back.
The officiant welcomes everyone, then begins the ceremony.
When it’s time to say our vows, Jonas clears his throat and takes my hands in his. “I promise you that I will fiercely protect you, your dreams and your heart. There will never be a day when you won’t know how much I love you. You are and always will be my horizon.”
I try to hold back, but the tears fall anyway. “I’ll be your calm and your shelter in every storm. I promise to build dreams with you, to always stand by your side and to always love you. You are my cowboy forever.”
Jonas brushes away my tears before taking the ring from his father to slide it onto my finger. Then I take the band from Raven and place it on Jonas’s finger.
The officiant announces that we’re now married and everyone erupts in cheers as Jonas kisses me.
We pose for pictures and my heart is so full it feels like it could burst from happiness.
Frances wraps her arm around my shoulders and whispers, “Hello, daughter,” as the photographer takes the shot.
Gavin stands on Jonas’s other side, beaming. How proud he is of his son is written all over his face. Though Gavin isn’t his biological father, they share a lot of the same mannerisms.
Wedding pictures are taken with all of the family, then dozens more of Jonas and me.
Afterward, we head to his folks’ house for a meal. I had asked that we all share dishes made at home. Because what’s important to me are the people I love, not fancy wedding food.
I beside my now husband and eat comfortably while sharing conversations filled with love and laughter. Gavin regales us with tale after tale of funny ranch mishaps until I laugh so hard my stomach hurts.
A few hours later, Jonas leans closer to whisper, “You’ve had a long day. We should go so you can get some rest.”
“I’m not tired,” I say.
“Me either.”
“Oh…ah…” I grin and he grins back.
“Well, the wife and I are gonna hit the road,” he announces.
The wife and I. That phrase gives me a thrill.
We all exchange hugs and then say our goodbyes.
Since our ranch isn’t far from his parents, we arrive home quickly.
“Wait a minute.” Jonas exits the truck and comes to the passenger side. “I’m going to carry you inside.”
He lifts me securely against his chest and strides to the front porch. The door swings open as he touches the doorknob and he frowns. “I locked that.”
“Why? No one would barge in if we’re not home.”
“You don’t know what my brothers are capable of.” He flips on the light and I understand now. The living room is filled with inflatable penis balloons. They’re hanging from the ceiling, taped to the walls, and covering all of the furniture and the floor.
Jonas sighs and lowers me to my feet. “This was probably Marshall and his friend Dallas’s idea and the rest of them jumped on board.”
I laugh and wade through a sea of ballon penises. I bat some of them out of my path to get to a large gift basket on the coffee table. The card says it’s from Raven.
