“No Christmas carols,” he mused, surprised to find he almost missed them.
“You look like a happy man,” Nathan King said as he walked up to join him.
“I really am,” Tanner said and felt the truth of those simple words slide into his heart. He’d never expected to find this kind of love and acceptance. He’d never hoped to be able to look into a woman’s eyes and read her love for him written there. And he’d never known just how much love could change everything.
“She’s a beauty,” Nathan told him, lifting his bottle of beer in a toast.
“That she is,” Travis King said, coming up on his cousin’s other side.
All of the King cousins had attended the party and Tanner was grateful. Family was the constant of his life. And now he and Ivy would build their own branch of the King family dynasty.
“Rico’s giving the bartender tips,” Jesse said as he joined the others.
“Garrett’s talking plants with Ivy’s grandfather,” Tanner told them. “Apparently, our cousin is thinking of expanding King Organics into public nurseries.”
“With this family, there’s always time for business,” Travis said on a laugh.
“Not today, though,” Mitchell said as he walked up and slapped Tanner on the back. “Today’s the day my best friend gets to listen to me say I told you so for the first but certainly not the last time.”
Tanner laughed and it felt good. Hell, if he had to listen to Mitchell gloat for the rest of his life, having Ivy would be worth it.
The music stopped then segued into another, slower song. On the improvised dance floor, Ivy set Carol’s son down and turned to stare across the distance at her husband.
A slice of sunlight speared down from between thick white clouds to lay across Ivy like a blessing. She wore a strapless white dress that belled into a wide skirt. Her long hair was hanging loose in tumbled curls and a wreath of yellow roses encircled her head while lemon-colored ribbons trailed down her back.
He left his cousins behind as he walked to the only woman he would ever love. “Hello, Mrs. King.”
“Dance with me?”
“Always,” she said, moving into him and locking her gaze on his.
Taking her in his arms, he swept her into a dance that had everyone else clearing the floor to watch. But there were oblivious to their guests. It was as if the two of them were alone in a private, romantic world of promises and new beginnings.
“You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” he whispered.
“Don’t look now, Mr. King, but you’re talking like a man in love,” she said softly.
“I am indeed,” he said and lowered his head to hers. As they kissed, a cheer rose up from the surrounding crowd and Hairy barked his approval.