Gael’s face was lit up with pride, and he looked very handsome in his suit, loaned to him at the last moment by one of the Cassidy kids.
Jenny was absolutely radiant. Her long, dark hair was swept up, and the gown skimmed her curves andflowed like water as she moved gracefully down the aisle.
But it was the expression of joyful emotion on her face that made her truly beautiful to Erik. How could he be so lucky? How was it possible that the same happiness that squeezed his own chest was lighting up her eyes too?
When Jenny and Gael reached Erik, Gael gave his mom a kiss on the cheek and moved as if to go to his seat.
But Erik instinctively grabbed the boy’s hand and looked to him. Gael grinned and stayed put, looking delighted to be a bigger part of the day.
As the pastor spoke the old-fashioned words, Erik watched Jenny’s face.
She was so young and beautiful. It was hard to remember that this wasn’t her first wedding.
Maybe doing this quickly with so many people involved allowed her not to question her heart. He wasn’t sure. But he was relieved to see her face filled with a calm happiness that told him she wasn’t questioning her decision to be up here with him, promising to be his family for all the rest of the time they were given.
Soon, the beautiful words were finished, and the pastor told Erik he could kiss the bride.
Jenny looked up at him with such a shy smile thathe didn’t dare swoop her up and give her the passionate kiss he wanted.
Instead, he held her close and gave her a chaste kiss that still left his heart thundering.
“You’re getting a better one later, when we’re alone,” he whispered softly enough that no one else could hear.
She blushed and smiled, and the whole church burst into happy applause.
He took Jenny’s hand as she took Gael’s, and they all headed down the aisle together this time.
The beaming smiles from the community warmed his heart, but the feeling of Jenny’s hand in his was what left him feeling like he could walk on air.
A little while later,everyone had gathered upstairs in the Community Center across the lot.
As Erik stood by one of the big windows, watching Jenny receive hugs and congratulations from a few of the ladies in town, Gael came sprinting across the room to him.
“We did it,” he said to Erik excitedly.
“We sure did,” Erik told him, wrapping an arm around the boy. “Was it boring?”
“No way,” Gael said. “I like going to church. And I like weddings. And you guys gettwoweddings.”
“The other one will just be at the courthouse,” Erik reminded him. “Nothing fancy.”
“That’s okay,” Gael said. “It will still be fun and exciting, you’ll see.”
Erik was pretty sure that the boy was just picturing one of the wild courthouse weddings from his grandmother’s beloved soap opera.
But he’d been so right about everything else that had happened so far, Erik figured he ought to give him the benefit of the doubt. After all, why shouldn’t something wonderful and exciting happen at the courthouse? It seemed like from the moment Gael and his mother had arrived, everything in Trinity Falls was a lot more wonderful and exciting than before, at least in Erik’s eyes.
“Hey, there you are,” Ransom Wright said, spotting Gael. “Stayright there—don’t go anywhere. There’s someone who wants to meet you.”
“Me?” Gael asked, looking surprised.
Ransom nodded and headed off.
Erik smiled, realizing what was happening.
“Hey, guys,” Jenny said, joining them. “What are you doing over here?”
“There’s someone who wants to meet Gael,” Erik said.
