“How do you feel?” Cody asked from beside her.
She glanced up at him and smiled. The teen looked really sharp in his suit with the red scarf around his neck that Maggie Lawrence had knitted for him.
And Bella apparently wasn’t the only one who thought so. Annika Corbin was sitting in the front row of the plastic chairs that the Lawrences had arranged in front of the pavilion, and she kept sneaking glances at Cody.
The rest of the family was there as well. Bella’s parents had even come up from Florida for the occasion. They had been having a great time getting together with all their old friends this week, and Bella strongly suspected that they would be visiting more often now.
Aside from the family, all sorts of people were gathering in the park now. When Bella and Cash talked about their wedding plans, they had been torn. While they very much wanted a small, family-only ceremony, they also knew that plenty of people in Sugarville Grove would want to attend.
And when his band insisted on coming back to play for them, it became clear that even people outside Sugarville Grove might want to be there too.
Getting married in the pavilion with just the three of them, with family and friends in the chairs just below, and everyone else who wanted to be there milling around the park felt like the perfect compromise. And the journalists in attendance had agreed to confine themselves to the sidewalks surrounding the park.
Looking around, Bella thought that everyone seemed to be happy and relaxed. Even her own nerves had barely shown themselves. They had managed to keep today about the joy of becoming a family together.
The first notes of Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” floated into the air from the musicians gathered on the steps of the pavilion. A handful of Bella’s old friends from the county All-Stars Orchestra had also agreed to play today, along with Cash’s band.
As the bass added its notes to the song and the electric guitar kicked in. the crowd made noises of surprise and appreciation.
“It’s the perfect mix of the two of you,” Cody murmured to her.
She smiled. He was right, of course. And the whole thing had been his idea.
“Are you ready?” he asked her.
“Definitely,” she told him, slipping off her coat and handing it to Allie Lawrence. It would be worth shivering through the quick ceremony so that Cash could see the pretty dress Maggie had made for her.
The musicians moved to the side as Cody led her up the steps, revealing Cash.
The big man looked absolutely incredible in his suit. His expression went soft as he took her in, and Bella felt beautiful, as she always did whenever she saw herself through his eyes.
Cody walked her all the way to Cash, who took her hand. But he stayed there with them, as they had planned.
The pastor moved closer and smiled at the three of them.
“This is such a special day,” he began.
The ceremony was simple and sweet. When Cash looked into her eyes and spoke the old-fashioned words in his deep voice, she felt her heart melting. And she managed to say her parts without her voice shaking too much.
Then they each made promises to Cody, which surprised and touched the teen so much that he dropped all ceremony and wrapped an arm around each of them to hug them tightly.
We’ve got him, Harper,Bella told her cousin inwardly.Don’t worry.
By the time they were finished, the three of them all had tears in their eyes, and even the pastor’s voice was huskywith emotion.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” he said. “Cash, you may kiss your bride.”
He and Cody stepped back, and Cash met Bella’s eyes.
She smiled and nodded, grateful that he was making sure she was okay getting a kiss in front of a crowd and cameras.
He grinned at her, then swept her up in his arms and dipped her low.
She was so surprised that she let out a giggle.
But it was cut off quickly when he sealed his lips to hers.
Happiness lit her up from within as he kissed her. But he stopped too soon and pulled her back to her feet.
