Merry Cowboy Christmas (Lucky Penny Ranch #3)(90)

When she passed the pew where her granny sat with Allie, Blake, and Katy, Fiona stopped and pulled a rose from her bouquet and handed it to Irene. She planted a kiss on Irene’s forehead and sent up a silent prayer of thanks that her grandmother was lucid right then.

Deke led her right to where Jud waited and kissed her on the cheek. “Be happy, darlin’, and, Jud, you remember who you’ll have to deal with if you ever hurt her feelings.”

“Never happen.” Jud grinned as he took Fiona’s hand in his.

“Who gives this woman to be married to this man?” the preacher asked.

“Her family and I do,” Deke said.

The first chords of “Amazed” began to play on a CD player. Fiona looked deeply into Jud’s eyes all during the song. She’d found her place and now she belonged. Jud had been right when he’d said that maybe what she’d been looking for was someone to put down roots with and she was more than ready to do just that—right there in Dry Creek, Texas.

When the song ended, Fiona took the microphone from the preacher’s hand. “Every word in that song is my vow to you, Jud. I can feel how much you love me and it does blow me away. I truly have never been this close to anyone. I can actually hear your thoughts and see your dreams and I’m so glad that I’m spending the rest of my life with you beside me because I’m totally amazed that we have this love.”

Jud’s lips met hers in a brief kiss as he took the microphone from her. “Darlin’ Fiona. I don’t even believe in love at first sight, but it happened. And those words sunk into my heart at the bar where we danced that night. I realized that I had the best thing that could ever happen to me in my arms and I wanted you to be there forever and ever.”

He gave the microphone to the preacher, who smiled and cleared his throat. “I’m getting used to the Logan ladies doing things their way, so we’ll get right into the ceremony.” He went on to perform a traditional ceremony, ending with, “And now, Jud Dawson, you may kiss your bride again.”

Fiona was breathless when the kiss ended and she was standing upright. She could almost feel the roots growing as she shed her wings that day in front of God and her whole family.

Fiona threw her bouquet toward the back of the church. A pair of hands came up and caught it, but she didn’t notice who it was.

The preacher pulled the microphone closer to his mouth so everyone could hear above the noise. “I would like to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Jud and Fiona Dawson for the first time. I’ll miss these holiday weddings but there are no more Logan ladies so…”

“Whoa!” Fiona said loudly. “There’s still Deke! He’s like our little brother so…”

“And I caught the bouquet.” Deke held it up.

“And I damn sure ain’t married,” Granny Irene piped up.

Jud grabbed her hand and the two of them did a fancy swing dance all the way to the back of the church as “Amazed” played for the second time. At the end of the song, Jud scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the fellowship hall.

“We did it our way, didn’t we, Mrs. Dawson,” he said.

“We did.” She pulled his face to hers for a long, lingering passionate kiss.

“Merry Christmas,” he drawled.

“Merry cowboy Christmas to me.” She grabbed his hand. “And just think, we’ve got a whole lifetime ahead of us,” she said.



Jud carried Fiona from the pickup and across the yard. She used her brand-new key to unlock the door to their house. It wasn’t different than when she’d left it a few hours earlier. The outside lights were still sparkling. The Christmas tree still stood in the corner of the living room. But it felt different because it was now her house and it was part of the Lucky Penny.

He shut the door and locked it without setting her down, then carried her all the way up the stairs and to his bedroom, where he kicked the door shut with the heel of his boot. Then he gently put her feet on the floor and pulled her close to his chest.

“You are really my wife. I’ve lived in fear that something would happen to make you change your mind. I love you so much,” he said.

“Jud Dawson, when I said yes when you proposed, I was more at peace with myself than I’ve ever been in my life. I love you and our hearts are wrapped up together now and forever.”

“Now where are those glow-in-the-dark…” He grinned.

“No need. I made a trip to the doctor in Throckmorton. I got a shot that covers all that for three months. We’ll talk later about whether I’ll take another one or not,” she said as she started unfastening the buttons on his shirt, one by one.

“Merry cowboy Christmas to me,” he singsonged as he slid the zipper of her dress down slowly, the touch of his hands making her insides quiver…again.