Read Online Wolf's Oath (After the Crash 3.25) by Maddy Barone - Free Book Online
Authors: Maddy Barone
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she glanced quickly away from them. Carla’s waist-length brown hair was a glossy fall down the back of her ivory dress. She was whispering instructions to the teenaged wolf who was giving her away. Tami was in green, holding Snake’s arm, looking cool and serene. Renee, another crash survivor whose face had been damaged in the crash, was talking to a wolf named Jay. Or maybe she was talking to herself. Connie couldn’t help a grin when she heard her mutter her hope that the ceremonies wouldn’t go so long that the venison she was roasting for supper would be dry.
Connie’s churning stomach wasn’t interested in food, but she wanted this over with. She was going to be given away by Stag. Aside from Des and Snake, he was the only man she knew here. His face was calm, but under her fingers, his forearm was tense. He had taken Sherry aside a few minutes earlier. He’d leaned close to her, speaking passionately while she kept her face stubbornly turned away. Connie could guess what they’d talked about. But he was here with her, and Sherry was in the rec room across the hall. If he’d asked her to marry him, she had refused.
Marriage. It was a lifetime commitment. Four years ago Connie had been prepared to make that commitment with a man she loved. They had known each other for three years, first as friends and fellow Marine pilots, then as lovers when they could steal some time alone, and then as an engaged couple. Marriage between two fighter pilots stationed thousands of miles apart might have been a struggle, but they’d known that, and were prepared to sacrifice for their relationship and their future together.
Their future had ended when Paul’s plane was shot down by insurgents in Iraq.
Stag tapped a finger on the back of her hand. “Miss Connie? Could you loosen up, please?”
She hastily released his arm. Her hands threatened to cramp from the grip she’d had on him. “Oh, my God, sorry! Sorry.”
He gave her an understanding smile and Connie wondered why Sherry wasn’t utterly infatuated with this gorgeous man. “Bridal nerves?” he teased.
“Yeah, I guess so.”
She took a deep breath, and put her hand lightly over his arm again. “Let’s get this rolling. It’s time.”
The five couples paraded solemnly across the hall and into the rec room. Through the aisle created by the rows of standing men crowded into the room she could see Sherry sitting close to the fireplace beside the elderly lady everyone called the Grandmother, and Rose, a sixteen-year-old crash survivor. Father John, the priest from a nearby town, was between the fireplace and the Christmas tree with the five bridegrooms lined up in front of him. When she saw Des, Connie’s heart stopped dead and then gave a wild bound. He was wearing a white button down shirt and jeans. She’d never seen him wearing a dress shirt. The pristine white almost glowed against his dark skin and his long, unbraided hair hanging over it. She hadn’t ever seen his hair unbraided, either, and it was gorgeous. His square chin was lifted an inch higher than normal, a small smile playing over his lips.
God, he was handsome. Men with long hair had never been her thing, but Des was stunning with his shiny black hair loose. She stared at him in a daze all the way up the short aisle until Stag took her hand from his arm, put it in Des’ and announced, “I do.”
What? Shit, the ceremony had already started, and Stag had just given her away. She tried to focus on the priest. She was getting married, dammit ; she ought to follow along. Stag left her there, her cold hand in Des’ warm one, and went to stand near Sherry.
She tried to pay attention, but words floated around her like the clouds she’d flown through. With five couples being married at the same time, the priest’s words were confusing. Sometimes he seemed to be addressing all of them at once, and sometimes he seemed to be speaking to a particular couple. Des squeezed her hand. She looked
Connie’s churning stomach wasn’t interested in food, but she wanted this over with. She was going to be given away by Stag. Aside from Des and Snake, he was the only man she knew here. His face was calm, but under her fingers, his forearm was tense. He had taken Sherry aside a few minutes earlier. He’d leaned close to her, speaking passionately while she kept her face stubbornly turned away. Connie could guess what they’d talked about. But he was here with her, and Sherry was in the rec room across the hall. If he’d asked her to marry him, she had refused.
Marriage. It was a lifetime commitment. Four years ago Connie had been prepared to make that commitment with a man she loved. They had known each other for three years, first as friends and fellow Marine pilots, then as lovers when they could steal some time alone, and then as an engaged couple. Marriage between two fighter pilots stationed thousands of miles apart might have been a struggle, but they’d known that, and were prepared to sacrifice for their relationship and their future together.
Their future had ended when Paul’s plane was shot down by insurgents in Iraq.
Stag tapped a finger on the back of her hand. “Miss Connie? Could you loosen up, please?”
She hastily released his arm. Her hands threatened to cramp from the grip she’d had on him. “Oh, my God, sorry! Sorry.”
He gave her an understanding smile and Connie wondered why Sherry wasn’t utterly infatuated with this gorgeous man. “Bridal nerves?” he teased.
“Yeah, I guess so.”
She took a deep breath, and put her hand lightly over his arm again. “Let’s get this rolling. It’s time.”
The five couples paraded solemnly across the hall and into the rec room. Through the aisle created by the rows of standing men crowded into the room she could see Sherry sitting close to the fireplace beside the elderly lady everyone called the Grandmother, and Rose, a sixteen-year-old crash survivor. Father John, the priest from a nearby town, was between the fireplace and the Christmas tree with the five bridegrooms lined up in front of him. When she saw Des, Connie’s heart stopped dead and then gave a wild bound. He was wearing a white button down shirt and jeans. She’d never seen him wearing a dress shirt. The pristine white almost glowed against his dark skin and his long, unbraided hair hanging over it. She hadn’t ever seen his hair unbraided, either, and it was gorgeous. His square chin was lifted an inch higher than normal, a small smile playing over his lips.
God, he was handsome. Men with long hair had never been her thing, but Des was stunning with his shiny black hair loose. She stared at him in a daze all the way up the short aisle until Stag took her hand from his arm, put it in Des’ and announced, “I do.”
What? Shit, the ceremony had already started, and Stag had just given her away. She tried to focus on the priest. She was getting married, dammit ; she ought to follow along. Stag left her there, her cold hand in Des’ warm one, and went to stand near Sherry.
She tried to pay attention, but words floated around her like the clouds she’d flown through. With five couples being married at the same time, the priest’s words were confusing. Sometimes he seemed to be addressing all of them at once, and sometimes he seemed to be speaking to a particular couple. Des squeezed her hand. She looked
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