“And for mine,” Jancy said. “I can’t believe you got it to do this.”
“I’m magic with a curlin’ iron.” Waynette waved to them with a smile as she left the tent.
“She’s right about the expression on Ryder’s face when you start up that strip of carpet,” Jancy said.
She’d never wanted a wedding, especially since her mother couldn’t be there, but she changed her mind that evening. To have Shane’s eyes go all wide and to see his smile when she wore a dress like that, it would be well worth a big ceremony.
“Jancy, thank you for everything. For being our friend—not just mine, but Mama’s and Nettie’s. For being Shane’s girlfriend. Ryder and I worried about him ever finding happiness. That’s just the top of the list. I could go on for hours.” Emily hugged her. “And darlin’, Shane isn’t going to be able to blink when he sees you in that gorgeous formal. You look amazing. Sure you don’t want to just have a double wedding today?”
She’d love to, but she and Shane needed more time. She and Shane would have their day, maybe next summer when she’d saved up enough money to buy a beautiful dress and a wedding cake from Andy’s shop.
“Thanks for the offer, but Shane hasn’t even proposed. He’d run away so fast that his tux would catch on fire if we suggested such a thing now,” Jancy answered.
Emily bent to hug the other girls, one at a time. “Y’all have been my friends since my earliest memories. I love you all, and thank you for helping make this day so special.”
“And on such short notice,” Sarah laughed. “Jancy, we will expect a little more time when it’s your turn for this.”
Jancy held up a palm. “I promise I will give everyone more than three weeks.”
“Hey, I hear that it’s time to put on the veil—oh, my goodness. You look like an angel.” Vicky stopped right inside the door. “I knew that was the right dress the minute I saw it on the hanger.”
“And you were so right,” Emily told her. “The ballerina shoes were a great idea, too.”
Vicky beamed. “I can’t wait to see Ryder when he gets the first look at you. And Jancy, your hair is absolutely beautiful. We’ve got to get Waynette to fix it when you and Shane get married.”
“One thing at a time, Miz Vicky. Today belongs to Emily. Besides, like I just told Emily, Shane hasn’t even proposed. We need time. I’m never rushing into anything again.”
Vicky had a million things to say to Emily, but suddenly Sarah’s husband, Jimmy, poked his head into the tent and said it was time for them to go into the diner. It was only five minutes until the music would start for the ceremony.
Jimmy was in charge of the music, which he manned on the diner’s small porch. The playlist for the thirty minutes before the wedding had included Shania Twain’s “You’re Still the One” and “Amazed” by Lonestar. When it came time for Jancy to walk down the aisle, Jimmy hit a button and “She’s in Love with the Boy” started to play.
“You got everything but the music, Mama,” Emily told Vicky as they waited inside the diner for Jimmy to give them their cue. “There won’t be the traditional wedding music. When it’s Jancy’s turn, you can talk to her about that.” Emily giggled nervously.
Vicky tucked her daughter’s arm inside hers. “You know I don’t like surprises and I’ve been good about this whole thing, so tell me, what are we going down the aisle to?”
“You’ll recognize it.” Emily slipped her hand into Vicky’s. “And it’s the truth.”
“Mama, He’s Crazy” by the Judds started playing, and Vicky bit back the tears.
“It’s perfect,” she said. “I couldn’t have chosen better.”
Emily took the first step on the way up the red carpet. When they reached the end, Vicky put her hand into Ryder’s and sat down beside Nettie, who held a white handkerchief with lace around the edges in her hand.
“Loved the song. Fits perfectly. Look at that boy’s face,” Nettie said.
Jancy hadn’t been designated as the maid of honor, but Emily handed her bouquet off to her and put both her hands in Ryder’s. They faced each other with so much love written on their hearts that it put a lump the size of a grapefruit in Jancy’s throat. Even that she was standing there in front of the whole town in her pretty satin dress was so much like a dream that she felt like she should pinch herself.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here on this beautiful night to join Ryder Jensen and Emily Rawlins together in holy matrimony,” the preacher started.
Vicky sniffled into a hankie. Andy draped an arm around her shoulders. Something would come of that, maybe not for a couple of years, but it was pretty plain that they’d wind up together. Jancy would bet a week’s worth of tips on it.
After the vows the preacher took a step back and said, “Emily and Ryder have decided to have their first dance right now. This song will be Ryder’s vows to her.”
“Love Can Build a Bridge” started to play, and Emily looped her arms around Ryder’s neck. They danced together right there in front of everyone to the lyrics saying that love could build a bridge between their hearts, that when they stood together it was their finest hour and they could do anything.
When the song ended, more people than just Vicky were sniffling. The preacher stepped back up and went on with the ring ceremony, and then he said, “By the authority vested in me by God and the great state of Texas, I pronounce Emily and Ryder married. Ryder, you may kiss your bride.”
He didn’t rush the moment but held her cheeks with his big hands and brought her lips to his. In Jancy’s eyes it was the perfect ending to the wedding. But then Ryder danced Emily down the aisle to “Amazed.”
When they reached the end of the center aisle, Shane held out his hand to Jancy, who expected to loop her arm in his and walk toward the diner, but he pulled her to his chest and two-stepped with her all the way to the diner, where the bride and groom waited.
“It was perfect.” Emily hugged both of them when they were alone for a few minutes.
Ryder touched her cheek. “You look like an angel. I can’t believe that you are really married to me.”
“You look pretty fine yourself.” Emily pulled his face to hers for a long kiss. “I’m so happy that words can’t describe the feeling in my heart.”
“I want that,” Shane said.
“So do I.” Jancy nodded. “But we’ve got to give it time.”
“You just tell m-me when there are no m-more buts and I’ll be ready.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed the palm. “You are so beautiful that it takes m-my breath away. I can’t believe that you are going to be m-mine someday.”
In that moment, Jancy shed her wings.
She was home and ready to grow roots as deep and strong as an oak tree.
EPILOGUE
Six months later