Have Gown, Need Groom (20 page)

“Will you marry me, doc?”

“I thought Santa already had a wife,” Simon said.

Hannah laughed, tears slipping down her cheeks as she saw the truth in his eyes. He had been afraid, but he was willing to take the risk—and so should she. “I love you, too.” She threw her arms around him, forgetting all her fears. “And yes, I’ll marry you.”

Jake lifted her in his arms and spun her around as the children laughed and squealed.

“Click your heels,” a little girl shouted.

“You have to say ‘There’s no place like home’ three times,” another child yelled.

“But then they’ll disappear and go to the North Pole,” Simon said.

Jake stopped spinning and clicked his boots together three times as he repeated the line, “There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home.” Hannah broke into a grin as the kids chimed in.

“I don’t know much about family,” he admitted, dipping his head for a kiss. Will you teach me, doc?”

Hannah looped her arms around his neck. “You know the Hartwells are a pretty crazy bunch?”

“I know, and I love
all
of you.”

She tousled his furry cap. “Then welcome to the Hartwell clan, honey. I think you’re going to fit right in.”

A
FEW HOURS
later, Hannah stared at the heirloom hope chest at the foot of her bed, smiling at the changes in her life since its arrival, then crawled into bed with Jake, ready to make mad passionate love to her soon-to-be husband, the man she intended to spend the rest of her life with. She finally understood what her grandmother had meant when she’d included the note about the rock—
Don’t let the man you marry weigh you down.
Jake wouldn’t weigh her down—he was rock hard in all the right places.

Epilogue

Mimi fluffed the train to Hannah’s bridal gown while Alison adjusted the layers of netting from her veil. Deciding superstition and the folk legend might have something to do with her destiny after all, Hannah had worn her grandmother’s dress and included something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue in her wedding theme, taking advantage of each of the items her grandmother had placed in her hope chest. The bride doll served as a centerpiece for the lace-draped gift table and the pearl ring gleamed from her right hand—she was saving her left ring finger for her wedding ring.

Her father stepped up and offered his arm, his gray suit and hot-pink tie a perfect accent to her sisters’ rose-colored dresses and the roses that were scattered everywhere. Jake had insisted on red roses. They decorated the refreshment table, the red carpet on which she would walk, and the wedding arch of the gazebo where they would exchange their vows. Right on top of Pine Mountain. She and Jake had decided to marry at her grandmother’s house in the old-fashioned gazebo in the backyard overlooking the beautiful countryside. Grammy Rose waved a dainty handkerchief from the front row of white chairs, her eyes twinkling with pleasure.

Soft strains of a guitar began, “I Will Always Love You,” and her sisters took their places, beaming as they walked down the aisle. Hannah recognized several of her father’s friends in attendance, along with a few doctors and nurses, including Tiffany, from the hospital. Even Jake’s partner, Trevor Muldoon, showed up. And she was grateful Seth had decided to join them, too. But the biggest surprise of the day was her mother—she had shown up unexpectedly. Hannah still wasn’t sure how she felt after not seeing her for so many years.

When the beautiful song had ended, Hannah emerged from behind the canopy and spotted Jake standing at the end of the walkway. Dressed in a black tux with his dark hair combed and a sexy grin on his face, he looked like a prince from one of her childhood stories. Finally, the guitar strummed the wedding march.

“Ready, hon?”

Hannah smiled at her father and squeezed his arm. “Yes, Dad. This time I’m ready.”

The two of them walked slowly down the aisle together until they reached the gazebo, Hannah’s gaze locking with Jake’s as her father offered her to him in marriage. The preacher, Grammy’s minister from Pine Mountain, offered a word of prayer, then began the service. “I understand you’d like to say your own vows.”

Hannah and Jake nodded. Silence descended on the meadow, the fragrance of spring grass and flowers filling the air with the promise of rebirth.

Jake folded her hands between his own and kissed them gently, then began, “I came to Sugar Hill as an imposter. A man who knew nothing of love or family or belonging. And you, Hannah Hartwell, taught me how to open my heart. I will love and honor and cherish you as long as I live.”

Hannah had to swallow against the tears. She pressed Jake’s hands to her heart. “As a little girl, I used to dream of being rescued by a prince someday. But then one day I forgot how to dream. You, Jake Tippins, brought me out of that shell, forced me to take a chance and not be afraid. You are my prince—you rescued me from a life without dreams. I will love and honor and cherish you all the days of my life.”

The minister completed the ceremony by having them exchange rings. Hannah smiled at the solid row of diamonds in the simple gold band she and Jake had chosen, knowing the wedding band would complement her grandmother’s heirloom ring. She’d finally told Jake the story about how the ring had brought them together. One day she would pass the priceless antique on to her own daughter.

The minister continued, “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Jake swept her into his arms and kissed her to the sound of clapping and laughter. Several minutes later, when everyone had hugged them and offered congratulations, Grammy Rose stepped up to greet them. Hannah saw Seth talking to Mimi in the corner and was grateful they could all be friends.

Grammy Rose cupped Jake’s handsome strong face between her gnarled wrinkled hands and kissed his cheek. “You take care of my granddaughter, you hear me? She’s a special one.”

“I know that, and I will,” Jake assured her.

Grammy Rose patted his arm. “My, my, he’s got some muscles on him, child.”

Hannah laughed at the coy expression in her grandmother’s eyes. “By the way, I always meant to ask you, Hannah, how did you like that stripper I sent to your bachelorette party?”

“You sent Zorro, Gram?” Hannah asked.

“Yes, was he as good as they say?”

Hannah blushed.

“He was fabulous,” Alison and Mimi said in unison.

“What about Zorro?” Jake’s dark eyebrows arched teasingly, but his voice held a note of possessiveness. Maybe jealousy.

“He was a stripper,” Mimi explained.

Jake dragged Hannah into his arms. “Well, my wife won’t need Zorro around anymore. Now she has me.”

Alison whistled suggestively. “You know, Hannah, Jake’s a cop. I bet he’ll know what to do with those handcuffs.”

Hannah laughed again. “Alison!”

Jake nuzzled her neck with kisses. “I certainly do. And I can’t wait to get you alone to show you.”

“You’ve got your work cut out for you, Jake.” Mimi gestured toward a bright silver gift bag sitting by the wedding cake. “But I packed you a honeymoon goody bag for starters. All kinds of erotic—”

“You don’t have to explain, Mimi,” Hannah warned.

Jake chuckled. “Don’t worry, Mimi. I think Hannah and I can figure things out.” He bent her across his arm for a long tender kiss, eliciting sighs and cheers from the family.

Hannah finally caught her breath and noticed her grandmother’s eyes twinkling with appreciation. “Yes, ma’am, Hannah,” Grammy said with a wink. “I couldn’t have chosen a more perfect husband for you if I’d handpicked him myself.”

ISBN: 978-1-4268-5380-7

HAVE GOWN, NEED GROOM

Copyright © 2001 by Rita B. Herron

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