Page 107 of The Bodyguard's Fall

“That’s better.”

Something fluttered in my belly, but I reined it all in to give him a look. A look that only made him grin wickedly and pull me down next to him. Obviously, I wasn’t in any frame of mind to resist anything, but I was going to make sure that he knew it was HIM crossing our barriers. Not me.

We ended the night the way I predicted the second Tate mentioned watching that movie. Because, just like the movies, maybe we were all a little predictable.

I had fallen asleep curled against Tate’s chest with my hand on his stomach. He had cocooned me against him with one arm around my waist, holding me close. Both of us had claimed we were too tired to move when the movie ended. Too relaxed to honor the line we’d set only hours earlier. Too cozy to move out of this strange and confusing marriage-induced hazy bliss. I was too happy to have him by my side to want him to go.

Just as predicted.

The Jaxon/Landrie wedding spared no expense. It felt like the prom king and queen had just gotten married. Except, these people were the prom king and queen that you really liked.

The ceremony was in a wooded area just outside of Horseshoe Holler. It was an autumn haven, with trees of all colors dropping leaves on the ground throughout the ceremony. The smell of dirt and woods added to the rustic ambiance.

We hadn’t seen or heard a word from Leroy since our wedding, which put us at a standstill. Did he hear about our wedding? Was he biding his time? Had he tucked his tail and gone back to where he came from? All questions that left no answer and no solution that satisfied. Either way, the longer he was missing in action, the more agitated Tate became. He was a groomsman at the wedding, and would be standing in the front near Jaxon. So it shouldn’t have surprised me when Will came to sit beside me in the Walkers’ row in the front. But it did.

He greeted Tom and Ann warmly as we waited for the ceremony to begin. I was grateful that he seemed in a better mood.

“Did you rent that suit?” I asked, my eyes taking in the sharp, dark-gray suit he wore.

“This old thing?” He was busy scanning the crowd. “How’s married life?”

“Have you decided to stop acting like a baby?” I asked, lifting an eyebrow at him.

“Can’t change anything about it now. I just hope you’re okay when you have to clean up your mess when this is all over.”

“He’s your friend. Don’t you like him?” I asked, whispering, as the entire audience stood for the bride’s entrance.

“I love the guy,” he said in a hushed tone as he stood. “But that doesn’t mean I want him breaking my sister’s heart for a job.”

I shushed him, his words leaving their mark, before I turned away.

Jaxon looked handsome, waiting near the preacher, watching something just down the aisle. The entire audience turned as the bridal music began, and Landrie was spotted on a beautiful white horse being led through the trees toward the aisle by her father. Once she arrived, her father helped her down from the horse before walking her the rest of the way.

Everything was beautiful, down to the tiniest detail. Months and months of planning had gone into this wedding, and it showed. But the details couldn’t hold my thoughts for long. My gaze kept drifting to the dark-haired groomsmen standing near Jaxon.

Three days ago, we walked into a court of law and got married. We hadn’t bared our souls with vows or planned anything beyond just getting us there. But there had been real affection for Tate that came out of me that day. He held my hand, wiped away my tears, and married me to keep me safe. It was ours, that moment. And when it all ended, we would have something sweet to take with us. Something real and raw that wouldn’t get lost in all the details.

Would I change any of it if given the chance?

No.

I don’t think I would.

Jaxon surprised everyone and, instead of jokes, his vows were touching and sweet. Landrie’s confessions of love brought down the house. And beside me, Ann kept dabbing at her eyes, happy and beaming, but with a tinge of melancholy.

During a violin solo in the middle of the ceremony, she patted me on the knee and leaned close. “My son can’t keep his eyes off of you.”

My eyes flitted automatically over to Tate. He was indeed watching me. He didn’t flinch or look away, only raised his eyebrows in question.

I just smiled back, my stomach tingling.

“I’m so sorry I missed your wedding,” Ann whispered. “It all happened so fast, and then I thought it might be easier if you didn’t have an audience. But I’m wondering now if it was more real than we initially thought.”

“Oh, no. It wasn’t real,” I whispered, motioning to our surroundings. Though I’d just been feeling similar sentiments, I wasn’t in any place to share it. “Not like this.”

She smiled and wiped a lone tear from her cheek. “When you believe that, I’ll believe that. But until then…sometimes good things can happen when you least expect it. And it’s been so fun for me to see Tate so happy.”

Those were the words whirring around in my head the rest of the day.