Page 7 of Emergency with the Mountain Man (Silver Ridge Mountain Men #1)
Six Months Later...
The scent of pine and wildflowers fills the air as I walk down the aisle created by our friends and neighbors in the meadow behind our cabin. Maple, serving as my maid of honor, adjusts my simple white dress one last time before nodding with satisfaction.
"You look beautiful," she whispers. "Jake's going to lose his mind when he sees you."
I can see him waiting at the makeshift altar built from logs and decorated with flowers from Dahlia's shop.
He's wearing a navy suit that emphasizes his broad shoulders, but it's the expression on his face that takes my breath away, pure love and joy and wonder, like he can't quite believe this moment is real.
Neither can I, honestly. Six months ago, I was running from the ruins of my life in Calgary, convinced I'd never trust my heart to anyone again. Now I'm about to marry the most incredible man I've ever met, in front of a community that's become my family, in a place that's become my home.
"Ready?" Maple asks.
"More than ready."
I start down the aisle, past faces that have become dear to me over these months.
Juniper dabs at her eyes with a tissue, while her daughter Willow grins and waves from Sawyer's lap.
Flint stands beside Jake as his best man, solid and reassuring as always.
Vernon Cooper has his camera out, documenting every moment for the Silver Ridge historical society.
But all I really see is Jake, his brown eyes bright with unshed tears as I approach. When I reach him, he takes my hands in his calloused ones, grounding me in this perfect moment.
"Hi," he says softly, just for me.
"Hi."
Mayor Thompson clears his throat. "Dearly beloved, we're gathered here today to witness the marriage of Jake Webster and Norma McKenzie, two people who prove that sometimes the best things in life are worth waiting for."
The ceremony is simple, heartfelt, everything we wanted. We've written our own vows, promises about choosing each other every day, about building something beautiful together, about loving through whatever challenges come our way.
"I promise to be your safe harbor," Jake says, his voice steady despite the emotion in his eyes. "To see your worth when you can't see it yourself, to stand between you and anything that tries to harm you, to love you completely and without reservation until my last breath."
"I promise to be your partner in all things," I reply, meaning every word. "To support your dreams and share your burdens, to laugh with you and cry with you, to choose you every day for the rest of our lives."
When Mayor Thompson pronounces us husband and wife, Jake's kiss is soft and sweet and full of promise. The cheer that goes up from our gathered friends echoes across the valley, a sound of pure celebration that makes my heart soar.
The reception is held right there in the meadow, with tables of food contributed by everyone in town and dancing under string lights hung between the trees.
Jake's crew provides music with an impromptu bluegrass band, and before long everyone is laughing and dancing and celebrating under the silver-tinted peaks that give our town its name.
"Happy?" Jake asks as we sway together during our first dance as husband and wife.
"Ecstatic. Though I still can't believe Mrs. Patterson caught the bouquet."
We both look over at where the elderly farmer is showing off the flowers to anyone who'll listen, already talking about finding a nice man to settle down with at her age.
"She's got good taste in flowers," Jake observes. "Takes after her new favorite veterinarian."
"I love this town," I say, looking around at our friends and neighbors. "I love our life here."
As the evening winds down and the last guests head home, we sit on our porch swing looking out at the mountains that brought us both here. My head rests on Jake's shoulder, my hand playing with his wedding ring in a gesture that's already becoming familiar.
"So," he says softly. "What now?"
"Now we go inside, take off these fancy clothes, and start our honeymoon."
"I meant long-term. What's next for Jake and Norma Webster, power couple of Silver Ridge?"
"Next, we keep doing what we're doing. Taking care of each other, taking care of this place, building something that lasts."
"Sounds perfect to me."
"Good. Because I plan to spend the next fifty years proving to you that taking a chance on a small-town veterinarian was the best decision you ever made."
"It already is."
As we walk hand in hand back to our cabin, past the meadow where we just promised to love each other forever, I think about how much my life has changed since that morning when Jake called about an injured bear cub.
I thought I was just responding to a wildlife emergency. Instead, I found my future husband, my true calling, my reason for believing that sometimes the most important moments disguise themselves as ordinary Tuesday mornings.
Some love stories start with grand gestures and dramatic declarations. Ours started with an injured animal, a woman who refused to give up, and a man who recognized home when he finally found it.
In Silver Ridge, that's exactly the kind of love story that endures.