Love by the Yard (15 page)

“Yeah. Your backyard. There's plenty of room, and you've got to admit, your landscaper did a mighty fine job. It would be perfect for a summer wedding.”

Shanna giggled. “I think I'll have to give that man a big, big bonus.”

“I'm sure he can hardly wait,” he said, then kissed her again.

Her yard would indeed be perfect.

Epilogue

A slight breeze rippled through Pastor Harry's hair, which Shanna thought a perfect touch for a perfect day. Usually there wasn't much wind around Seattle, but today was warm, and the slight breeze was refreshing.

“Mom! Come on! It's time!”

Shanna smiled. They had planned to keep the guest list small because the wedding would be very informal and there would be limited seating capacity in her backyard. In keeping with a small guest list, they'd chosen only one attendant each. Since Brendan couldn't have the pastor who was presiding over the ceremony be his best man, he'd asked his friend Thomas, who just happened to be the same man who had delivered and helped lay the sod they were standing on. It was only fitting that he should be part of the ceremony.

Shanna had chosen her daughter to be her maid of honor, a responsibility that Ashley had taken very seriously. Since
Shanna hadn't seen her father since her teenage years,
she wanted the other man who was important to her to give her away, and that would be her son, Matthew.

Shanna patted a stray lock of hair into place and smiled at her son. “I'm ready. We can go now.”

“Mom, before we go, Ashley and I have a surprise for you.”

Ashley stood by the door, shuffling her feet, indicating to Shanna that something wasn't quite right.

Shanna's smile faltered. She didn't want any surprises today, her wedding day.

Outside, the music changed to the wedding march.

Matthew led her one step outside then stopped. He pointed to Boffo, who was wearing a black collar, and a tie hung where his dog tags should have been. In his mouth he held a small basket with a pillow nested inside.

The ring bearer pillow.

Shanna gasped. “Boffo can't be in the wedding party!”

Ashley giggled. “Me and Matthew been training him, just like you and Mr. Brendan.” Ashley's giggle turned into a very serious frown. “Is we allowed to call Mr. Brendan ‘Daddy' now? I think he's gonna make a great daddy.”

Shanna looked to the front of the yard, where Brendan and Thomas stood waiting.

Even though the wedding was the most informal one Shanna had ever been to, Brendan was still a nervous groom. From across the yard, she could see one knee shaking, and
he kept wiping his hands down the sides of his slacks.

“Yes. Brendan is going to make a fine daddy for you two. Now let's get going and make this wedding happen so he can be your daddy.”

Ashley stiffened, blinked her eyes, then turned, ready to walk forward as they'd practiced.

“Okay, Boffo. You can give our new daddy the rings now! Go!”

The children had given Boffo the right idea, but the excited dog didn't know the meaning of the word
slow
. He bounded through the yard, circled the playscape, took a running jump over one of the rock gardens, then ran full speed to Brendan. Unable to contain his excitement, with so many people in his yard, Boffo ran in circles around Brendan, all the while still holding the basket in his mouth.

“Boffo, sit,” Brendan commanded calmly.

Boffo sat. Quickly, Brendan removed the basket from the dog's mouth, set it on the side of Pastor Harry's portable podium, and gave Boffo the signal to lie down, which Boffo did.

A few people snickered quietly, while Shanna thought she'd faint with relief.

Since everything was quiet, everyone turned and watched her and the children, including Brendan.

And then Brendan winked.

All her nervousness dissolved. The man she loved was waiting patiently for her.

Shanna smiled. “Come on, Ashley, Matthew. Let's go.”

Ashley walked beautifully in front of them, and Matthew very solemnly escorted Shanna to stand beside Brendan and in front of Pastor Harry. Just like a real man, he smiled up at Brendan, gave Brendan a brief nod of approval, then stepped back.

Because of the outside setting, they'd planned the ceremony to be very brief, and it was. During the short ceremony,
Boffo remained still, lying as he had been instructed, at Brendan's feet. He rose and sat, watching intently as they exchanged the rings, which brought smiles to everyone present, especially when Ashley started to giggle. They signed the register, and Pastor Harry had just begun to address the guests with his benediction when Boffo decided he wanted the basket with the ring bearer's pillow back.

He raised one paw and scratched at the podium to signal his intentions.

Pastor Harry cringed, then kept talking to the guests.

“Boffo, no,” Shanna whispered, then smiled at Pastor Harry.

Boffo scratched the podium again, this time with an added whine.

“What is he doing?” she whispered to Brendan.

“I have no idea,” Brendan replied, also in a hushed whisper.

Boffo rose up on his back legs, leaning with his front legs high on the podium, his nose inches from the basket.

“Boffo! Down!” Shanna ground out between her teeth, trying to make everyone think she was just smiling, but Boffo didn't listen.

Ashley tugged on Shanna's skirt. “Mommy, Matthew and me put a doggie cookie under the pillow so he wouldn't put it down and lose your pretty new ring.”

“Oh, no. . .” Shanna reached out to snag the basket, but when Boffo saw her going for it, he moved so fast it was as if he'd sprouted wings. The huge dog sprang forward to get it first, banging into the podium. It tottered, then began to tip.

Brendan made a grab for the podium, but he couldn't reach it fast enough without knocking Matthew over.

The podium fell onto the end of the table where Kathy had set a few flower arrangements. With one end of the table going down, the other acted like a catapult, flinging the flowers into the air, pots and all. The women in the front dashed forward, scrambling to catch the flying flowers before the vases shattered on the ground. The men lunged to catch Shanna's boom box and detached speakers, which were now airborne.

Boffo jumped high into the air, caught the basket, then ran helter-skelter among the displaced guests, clearly proud of himself for capturing his prize.

Ashley squeaked and pointed at Boffo, following everywhere he ran. Matthew ran behind Boffo, yelling Boffo's name while trying to catch him.

“I now pronounce you man and wife!” Pastor Harry yelled over the mayhem. “Brendan! Please kiss the bride!”

Brendan nudged Shanna to step away from the center of the action.

Shanna looked up at Brendan. “I love you so much.”

Brendan drew her into his embrace. “I”—Brendan jerked as Boffo sideswiped him then kept going—“love you, too. And your kids. But I'll get back to you on the dog.”

About the Author

Gail Sattler lives on the wet West Coast, where you don't have to shovel rain, with her husband, three sons, two dogs, five lizards, one toad, and a degu named Bess. For three years in a row Gail was voted number one Favorite Heartsong Author, then was initiated into the Heartsong Authors Hall of Fame. Gail loves to read stories with a happy ending, which is why she writes them. Visit Gail's Web site at www.gailsattler.com.

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Gail Sattler

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