duty, killed serving his country and defending the rights of freedom. Now the sacrifice was borne by Nicole as she raised their little boy alone.
Luke’s sigh came up from his feet, dragging through him and leaving him in no doubt that he couldn’t refuse Nicole. Her life had been turned upside down and somehow she managed to get up each morning and put one foot in front of the other despite her grief. As much as he hated the idea, he knew he could put up with one bride.
That means Erin too.
Crap. He’d make sure he wasn’t anywhere near the sunflower field that day. In fact, he might just go fishing.
“Luke?” Expectation shone on Nicole’s face.
He ran his hands through his hair and went for damage control. “Only if I deal direct with you. I don’t want to have anything to do with crazy brides or photographers with purse dogs who bite.”
A startled expression crossed her face. “A purse dog?”
He shook his head. “Don’t ask.”
“I’m sure both the bride and Erin will be more than happy to liaise through me. Thank you, Luke. It means a lot.”
And he knew it did, because even he’d noticed that when Nicole was working on a wedding she looked less drawn and sad, and the town could breathe again.
She consulted her watch and went straight into wedding planner mode. “Now it’s time for your speech. There’s a microphone on the table next to the cakes, along with a glass of champagne for you to use when you give the toast. Are you ready?”
He threw a longing glance at the chef who was closing the spit-roast lid over the remains of the pig and he realized he’d just missed his chance at lunch. “Point me in the right direction.”
Although Lindsay had wanted the day to be informal, Keith had insisted on one speech and he’d asked Luke to give it. As he picked up the microphone, the trumpeter in the band played a long, loud riff which silenced everyone and expectant faces turned to him.
“I think it’s safe to say that everyone here today had given up on this day ever happening. We know that Keith lost all his hair waiting for Lindsay to say yes.”
Loud cheers erupted.
“In typical Lindsay and Keith style they’ve chosen to share their day with us all, just as they share their produce and their time. Whitetail wouldn’t be the same without their theme movie nights—”
Keith leaned into the microphone. “The next one’s a fifties night on Saturday the tenth so put it on your schedule now.”
More cheers went up and Luke laughed. “You’re supposed to be concentrating on your wife.”
“Have you seen the zucchini groom’s cake?” a slightly slurred voice called out. “She’s gonna be the one concentrating.”
Lindsay peered into the crowd. “Douglas Peterson, it’s time to start drinking water because I expect you to be on the farm tomorrow at dawn, fresh and ready to pick the beans.”
The young man hung his head slightly. “Yes, ma’am.”
Luke decided at that point to ditch the bulk of his speech and move onto the toast. He raised his glass to the crowd. “Please join me in wishing Lindsay and Keith all the very best. May their lives together be fruitful—” he paused for the expected collective groan at the play on words and was rewarded, “—and may they find joy and peace as they move forward together united by their love and shared goals for the future. To Lindsay and Keith.”
“To Lindsay and Keith.”
Wolf whistles pierced the air as Keith dipped Lindsay in his arms and gave her an enthusiastic kiss on the lips.
Luke found himself taking a long gulp of champagne as he noticed lots of couples in the crowd sharing a kiss. Nothing like a wedding to remind people of the vows they’d made to each other or were going to make. For five years, Luke had been giving speeches at weddings as his friends had one by one settled down and usually at this point he sat back filled with relief that it wasn’t him and absolutely content with his single status. Only
Luke’s sigh came up from his feet, dragging through him and leaving him in no doubt that he couldn’t refuse Nicole. Her life had been turned upside down and somehow she managed to get up each morning and put one foot in front of the other despite her grief. As much as he hated the idea, he knew he could put up with one bride.
That means Erin too.
Crap. He’d make sure he wasn’t anywhere near the sunflower field that day. In fact, he might just go fishing.
“Luke?” Expectation shone on Nicole’s face.
He ran his hands through his hair and went for damage control. “Only if I deal direct with you. I don’t want to have anything to do with crazy brides or photographers with purse dogs who bite.”
A startled expression crossed her face. “A purse dog?”
He shook his head. “Don’t ask.”
“I’m sure both the bride and Erin will be more than happy to liaise through me. Thank you, Luke. It means a lot.”
And he knew it did, because even he’d noticed that when Nicole was working on a wedding she looked less drawn and sad, and the town could breathe again.
She consulted her watch and went straight into wedding planner mode. “Now it’s time for your speech. There’s a microphone on the table next to the cakes, along with a glass of champagne for you to use when you give the toast. Are you ready?”
He threw a longing glance at the chef who was closing the spit-roast lid over the remains of the pig and he realized he’d just missed his chance at lunch. “Point me in the right direction.”
Although Lindsay had wanted the day to be informal, Keith had insisted on one speech and he’d asked Luke to give it. As he picked up the microphone, the trumpeter in the band played a long, loud riff which silenced everyone and expectant faces turned to him.
“I think it’s safe to say that everyone here today had given up on this day ever happening. We know that Keith lost all his hair waiting for Lindsay to say yes.”
Loud cheers erupted.
“In typical Lindsay and Keith style they’ve chosen to share their day with us all, just as they share their produce and their time. Whitetail wouldn’t be the same without their theme movie nights—”
Keith leaned into the microphone. “The next one’s a fifties night on Saturday the tenth so put it on your schedule now.”
More cheers went up and Luke laughed. “You’re supposed to be concentrating on your wife.”
“Have you seen the zucchini groom’s cake?” a slightly slurred voice called out. “She’s gonna be the one concentrating.”
Lindsay peered into the crowd. “Douglas Peterson, it’s time to start drinking water because I expect you to be on the farm tomorrow at dawn, fresh and ready to pick the beans.”
The young man hung his head slightly. “Yes, ma’am.”
Luke decided at that point to ditch the bulk of his speech and move onto the toast. He raised his glass to the crowd. “Please join me in wishing Lindsay and Keith all the very best. May their lives together be fruitful—” he paused for the expected collective groan at the play on words and was rewarded, “—and may they find joy and peace as they move forward together united by their love and shared goals for the future. To Lindsay and Keith.”
“To Lindsay and Keith.”
Wolf whistles pierced the air as Keith dipped Lindsay in his arms and gave her an enthusiastic kiss on the lips.
Luke found himself taking a long gulp of champagne as he noticed lots of couples in the crowd sharing a kiss. Nothing like a wedding to remind people of the vows they’d made to each other or were going to make. For five years, Luke had been giving speeches at weddings as his friends had one by one settled down and usually at this point he sat back filled with relief that it wasn’t him and absolutely content with his single status. Only
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