“Yeah,” she said, cupping his face with her hands, rolling onto her tiptoes to brush her lips against his. “A short engagement sounds good to me.”
Epilogue
There were three things that everybody in Hartson’s Creek agreed on. It hardly rained in November, a wedding should never be held after the last crop of corn was brought in, and Savannah Butler and Tanner Hartson were two crazy kids who never listened to advice.
And still Tanner found himself standing at the front of the First Baptist Church, his hair soaked from the downpour that had caught them on their way in, plastering their hair to their faces.
Not that he cared. Because in a few minutes she would be here. The woman who brought sunshine into his life on the darkest of days. She was going to be his wife, and he was counting down the seconds.
“Stop looking at the door,” Logan murmured. “She’ll get here when she’s ready.” He was standing on one side of Tanner, Cam and Gray were on the other. He couldn’t decide between his brothers who would be the best man, so he’d asked them all.
A loud cry came out, and Tanner looked over his shoulder at Maddie, who was cooing at her baby son. Well one of them, anyway. Tanner was pretty sure that was Marley. Presley, the younger twin, was being cradled by Aunt Gina, who was smiling happily at the babe in her arms. Even his dad looked happy as Presley gurgled up at them both.
Apparently, surprise twins were still a thing. Tanner bit down a grin when he remembered Gray telling him the first thing Maddie said when she got her breath back after giving birth.
“I told you I was big.”
That was the understatement of the year. According to the doctor, hidden twins were rare but not completely unknown. Marley – the bigger baby – had been hiding his twin during the ultrasounds, and their heartbeats were in sync, confounding even the obstetrician.
Tanner looked at the church door again, then back at Reverend Maitland who was smiling patiently at them all. From the corner of his eye he saw Gray lean over to take Marley, hitching him up against his wool suit jacket and kissing his fuzzy head. Somebody at the back of the church sighed, making Logan chuckle softly.
“Babies and guys,” he murmured. “Ovary exploders.”
“How would you know?” Cameron whispered to his own twin. “You haven’t exploded anybody’s ovaries for years. When was the last time you got laid?”
“Last time you won a game.” Logan raised a brow at his brother.
Reverend Maitland cleared his throat, making Tanner bite down a grin. It was so good to have his brothers here with him. It felt like coming home, except he was already here. Every piece of the jigsaw was sliding into place.
The doors finally opened, and Zoe walked forward, wearing a pale green dress that wrapped around her neck and fell in gentle folds to the floor. She grinned at Tanner, and he smiled back at her, watching as she moved down the aisle, scattering pale pink petals in front of her.
Then came Becca, wearing the same color, but this dress was fitted and sophisticated. But Tanner wasn’t looking at her. Because behind her was the only person he ever wanted to look at.
And damn, was she beautiful.
Van’s hair was pulled back from her face, caught in a low chignon at the top of her neck. Golden tendrils spilled from it, curling around her cheeks and catching the light of the autumn sun. Her eyes caught his, and he felt his chest tighten. This was it. The moment he made her his.
The music began, the organ reverberating through the church as Van and her mom slowly walked down the aisle. With every step she took, his grin widened, knowing that in a few moments he’d be able to touch her, hear her, kiss her.
It filled him in a way nothing else ever could.
Then she was there, her head lifted as she gazed up at him, a smile playing at her lips. He swallowed hard, emotions spilling through him as Reverend Maitland spoke out, welcoming them to the church.
She was beautiful. She was everything. She was his.
He took a deep breath and slid his hand over hers. “Ready?” he murmured.
“Yes.” She nodded, her face radiant. “I’m ready.”
The party was dying down. The music was softer now, slower, too, as a few couples swayed drunkenly on the dance floor at the center of the huge circus-style tent Gray had erected behind his house. Tanner was leaning on the bar, Logan and Cam next to him. Gray had disappeared, no doubt helping Maddie with the babies. And Van was sitting in the corner with Becca, her mom and Zoe, and some of their girl friends, laughing as they talked.
“So Fairfax didn’t come,” Logan said, ordering all three of them a whiskey.
“Nope. But we didn’t invite him. Or his family.” Tanner shrugged. “Van didn’t want them here.”
“She not interested in connecting with him?” Logan asked.
“Doesn’t seem to be.” Tanner took a swig of his whiskey. “Says I’m the only family she needs.”
“Damn, that girl needs a lobotomy,” Cam said, winking at him.
“What an asshole, though, pretending he wasn’t her father for so long.” Logan shook his head. “What kind of man does that? Denies his child? No wonder she doesn’t want to see him.”
“What would you do if you found out you had a kid?” Tanner asked him.
Logan smirked. “Sue the condom manufacturers.”
Tanner laughed. “Logan wouldn’t have a surprise kid. He doesn’t have sex? He’s too busy for that.”
Logan rolled his eyes. “Yeah, right. You go on believing that.”
“Who doesn’t have sex?” Gray asked, walking over to them. “Apart from me, that is. Maddie’s already told me we’re never having sex again. She’s scared that next time it’ll be triplets. I told her it doesn’t work that way.”
“Logan,” Cam said loudly. “He’s the one who needs to get laid.”
“Thanks for saying that in front of Reverend Maitland, by the way.” Logan shook his head at his twin. “And for your information, I get plenty. I just don’t brag about it like you do.” He grinned.
Cam shrugged. “Can’t help it. Girls throw themselves at me.”
“You could dodge them. You’ve been pretty good at dodging the ball this season,” Tanner teased him. “Just channel that skill.”
Gray started talking to Cam about next week’s game, leaving Logan and Tanner leaning on the bar. “You think you’ll ever settle down?” Tanner asked his older brother.
“Probably not.” Logan shrugged. “Not many women like the restaurant business. I work nights, weekends, and holidays. It pisses them off when I’m not around. It’s easier when it’s casual. No expectations, you know?”
“What are you gonna do when you decide to have a family?” Tanner tipped his head to the side.
“Dunno. All I can tell you is that kids and restaurants don’t mix. I guess I’d have to rethink my career choice.” He drained his whiskey. “But there’s plenty of time for all that. Not all of us need to settle down before we’re thirty. Maybe I’ll make my millions and have a family when I’m in my fifties.” He grinned. “I can be a stay at home dad.”