MacKenzie Fire(103)

I look over and nod at the priest. “Tag. You’re it.”

The priest gestures to Mack. “The rings?”

Mack hands them over.

“Ian and Candice will now exchange rings, symbols of eternal love binding them together forever.”

The simple gold band slides onto my hand with ease. This time, I helped pick it out. Ian was surprised it was so simple, but I explained that I wanted something I could wear when I was messing around with chicken butts and baby cows too. My diamond will sometimes need to come off as the situation demands, but my band will be a forever and always thing.

Ian’s gold ring looks beautiful against his tanned skin. Just six months in the sun and he looks like a native. All those hours of putting up barbed wire has made him a real Florida rancher. I’m thrilled we found some land not too far away from my salon. I can live with a commute so long as Ian’s waiting for me at one end of it and Jorge is waiting at the other. I look over at my friends and see all of them wiping tears away.

“You may kiss your bride, Ian.” The priest takes a step back, and I don’t realize why until I’m suddenly dipped down nearly to the sand.

“Kiss me, City.”

“Gladly, Country.” I grab onto his neck and kiss him for all I’m worth. When he finally stands me back up again I’m out of breath.

The priest throws his arms out. “Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Ian and Candice MacKenzie!”

Ian takes my hand and holds it up above us. “We shine not burn!” he yells out into the crowd.

“Luceo non oro!” yells all his family back.

My husband picks me up and carries me across the sand to the boardwalk. As he walks me to the reception room, he grins down at me, his cowboy hat shading me from the hot Florida sun.

“You happy, City?” he asks, his eyes glowing green.

“Happier than I’ve ever been in my entire life. What about you?”

“Couldn’t possibly be happier. You make me want to be the best version of me.” He puts me down and brushes some hair out of my face, standing chest to chest with me. “How am I doing so far?”

“Shining not burning, babe.”

“Excellent.” He lowers his head and kisses me again, and I forget where we are and what we’re doing. I can only think and feel how much I love this cowboy of mine.