Jenna's Cowboy (35 page)

•• On Saturday afternoon, in the bright, warm West Texas sunshine, Nate and Jenna stood beneath the old pecan trees at Aidan’s Spring. She wore her pretty peach sweater and calf-length turquoise and peach flowered skirt with white cowboy boots. The lovely gold heart-link bracelet and a sparkling diamond ring were her only jewelry.

Nate wore his best Sunday jeans, a new silver-gray shirt his folks had gotten him for Christmas, and his best pair of cowboy boots. And a fancy yellow and white gold watch that he kept checking every few minutes before the service started.

Lindsey stood up with Jenna. Chance served as Nate’s best man. With Pastor Brad officiating, Jenna and Nate pledged themselves to each other before family, friends, and their God.

Dressed in his finest Western shirt and jeans, Zach watched from his grandfather’s arms. “What they doing?”

“They’re getting married,” whispered Dub.

“What’s that?” His little voice rang out loud and clear in the quiet afternoon.

“I’ll tell you later.”

“Why?”

Waiting for their pastor and friend to finish the ceremony, Jenna and Nate looked into each other’s eyes and laughed.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife.” Pastor Brad beamed them a smile. “Nate, you may kiss your bride.”

When Nate took her in his arms on this most special of days and kissed her, Jenna knew how it felt to be loved and cherished.

“Why they kissin’?”

Laughing, Jenna and Nate ended the kiss.

“It’s not like you haven’t seen it before, buddy.” Nate turned and reached for the little boy. Dub handed his grandchild to his new son-in-law and wiped a tear from his eye.

Zach looked around at all the people with a tiny frown as if he was trying to figure out why they were laughing.

“Are you wondering why Nate kissed me in front of everybody?”

“Uh-huh.” Her son focused on her.

“Nate and I just got married. Like Grandma and Papa are married. And Ramona and Ace. That means we belong together now. He’s going to stay with us all the time. He’s going to live at our house.”

Zach grinned and looked at Nate. “You live at our house?”

“Yes. I’m going to be your daddy.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Jenna saw Chance nudge Will. “Does he even know what that means?”

Will shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“My daddy?” Zach’s eyes were wide as saucers.

“Is that okay with you?”

Zach started wiggling in excitement and threw his arms around Nate’s neck. “Yeah!”

Jenna looked at her brothers. “Guess he knows what it means.”

“We’re a family now, Zach. The three of us. What do you think of that?”

Zach released Nate’s neck and sat up, resting his hand on his new daddy’s shoulder. He thought for a minute and threw his hands up in the air. “Awesome!”

Jenna knew she would love this brave, battle-scarred, and honorable man for the rest of her life. The healing the Lord brought to her broken heart was now complete.

Nate was not only the hometown hero.

He was hers.

Sharon Gillenwater
was born and raised in west Texas, and loves to write about her native state. The author of nineteen novels, including ten for the Christian market, she is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. When she’s not writing, she and her husband enjoy spending time with their son, daughter-in-law, and two adorable grandchildren.