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MATT BOUNCED ON THE BALLS of his feet, managing for a moment to ignore the fact that the place was crawling with undercover security guys. He was too busy fighting the urge to run down the aisle, grab Taylor and fling her over his shoulder like a caveman. A lot of trouble went into the wedding and he didn’t think they’d appreciate all their hard work going to waste because he couldn’t keep his hands off Taylor. Especially the women waiting outside with his bride.
God, his bride.He couldn’t wait to make her his. He shoved his hands in his pockets, making the jacket of the tux span uncomfortably across his back, but it kept him from grasping at the air like a crazy person.Desperate times.
Adam stood beside him as he watched the doorway Taylor would walk through. He’d asked the detective to be his best man. He didn’t have friends or family of his own to do the job and next to Taylor, the cop probably knew him best of all. He’d seen everything—the police record and every dirty little detail—and despite that, he was still willing to stand beside him as Matt married his sister. With men as protective as the Southerlands, there was no stronger endorsement. Although he didn’t doubt for a second the lot of them would beat the crap out of him if he ever hurt Taylor.
They had nothing to worry about. He’d spend the rest of his life doing everything in his power to make sure she was happy.
The only thing still threatening to mar his happiness was the vandalism to Taylor’s painting. They hadn’t caught the guy, but with the Bedford and Roanoke police departments working on it, along with Southerland Security, he didn’t have any doubt they would.Maybe sooner rather than later, he thought as Emerson started up the aisle toward him and Adam. Taylor’s cousin slipped his phone back into his pocket and grinned.
“We got him,” he said, lowering his voice and leaning in so both Matt and Adam could hear him. “I thought today would be too much for him to resist. I was pretty sure he’d show up to watch so I’ve got guys hidden all over the place. One of them spotted a guy matching the description and when my man approached him, he bolted. Roanoke cops have him in custody now. You should be hearing something any minute.”
As if on cue, Adam’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He scowled and Matt knew he was torn between gratitude for his cousins’ help and a regular cop’s deep-seated distrust of private security firms. Matt also knew gratitude would always win out. His future brother-in-law stepped away for a few moments while Matt tried not to think about the guy who trashed Taylor’s painting showing up here today to watch her marry him.
“Call me when you get back from your honeymoon, and we’ll figure out a plan to make sure this kind of thing never happens again,” said Emerson, seeming to read his mind.
Matt nodded, grateful to have something to do besides rage against anyone who threatened his bride. “Thanks. I appreciate you looking out for Taylor.”
“She’s family, man. It’s what we do. And in about fifteen minutes, you’re going to be family too.” Emerson thumped him on the shoulder, and Matt smiled in spite of himself
Adam came back, cutting the bonding short, and confirmed that the cops had the vandal in custody with enough evidence to hold him. Gabe and the rest of Taylor’s brothers finished seating the last of the guests and joined them at the area of the gallery set up for the ceremony. All of them except Jude. Taylor’s oldest brother would be the one walking her down the aisle in place of her father.
Matt had mixed feelings about Taylor’s father when she was struggling with the idea of being an artist, but glancing down the row of men standing beside him and the women waiting in the back to join them, it was hard to imagine anyone but a good man could have left such a legacy of love. Maybe the world wasn’t as black and white as people tried to make it. Maybe there was room for good people who made mistakes. Maybe it didn’t have to be one or the other.
Except for one thing, he thought as the music started. There was one undeniable in Matt’s life: he loved Taylor Southerland with every fiber of his being, and he’d keep loving her past the day that he died.
He felt the men beside him stand straighter as the women started down the aisle. Each beautiful in their own way, Matt barely noticed them. He couldn’t see anything but Taylor on her brother’s arm, walking toward him. And then Jude placed her hand in Matt’s and his entire world narrowed to the woman in front of him. He held her hand and repeated his vows while she repeated hers, but he didn’t need the words to tell him what he already knew. He and Taylor belonged to each other. They were both better that way.
“I love you,” she said, tears shining in the hazel eyes he intended to wake up to every morning for the rest of his life.
“I love you too, wife,” he said and then he kissed her as the cheers erupted around them and he lost himself in the love he’d only just begun to find.
