Eli pulled up in front of Bridget house, putting the truck in neutral as she turned to look Bridget over. “You’re serious.”

  “Yes. I thought we’d established that.”

  The grin that broke out on Eli’s face was enough of an answer for how she felt about the situation. “I thought you were just going to come out to the town that night. I didn’t think you were going to seal the deal! You haven’t been dating all that long.”

  “I know.” Bridget twiddled her thumbs together as she stared at her house. “But it feels right.”

  “Are you sure about this?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Good, because I love Jerica. And my answer is yes. I have to talk to Sarah, but I don’t think she’ll mind. Really. Do you have a ring?”

  Cold washed through Bridget, and she nodded.

  “You bought a ring already? Damn, Bridge! When you move, you move fast.”

  “I didn’t buy it.” At Eli’s confused look, Bridget continued, “I have Gram’s ring.”

  “How did you manage to snag that over your sister?”

  “Well, originally it went to Eddie, but his wife didn’t want it. So they offered it to my sister, and she didn’t want it, claiming it was too old, so mom gave it to me.”

  Eli blew out a breath. “They are missing something with you, I swear. Let me ask Sarah, and I’ll let you know, but I’m pretty sure it’ll be a yes. How do you want to do it?”

  “I was thinking at the reception.”

  “We’ve got this.” Eli had that look in her face, the one that meant trouble. “Let me plan this. Trust me.”

  “You helped me plan the first date, and that did not go well. What makes you think I trust you to plan this?”

  Eli giggled. “It’s my wedding. I have to plan it, but I promise I’ll really just tell you when and hand the baton off to you and you can propose however you want.”

  “Thanks. No Buddy this time?”

  Eli groaned and closed her eyes. “Sarah loves that damn bull. He will make an appearance for the wedding, but I promise you I will sell him if he comes near your proposal.”

  “Promises are hard to keep when you’re making them to me and not your soon-to-be wife.”

  “I know, but…I won’t let him ruin this moment. I swear.”

  “Good.”

  Eli grinned again, then leaned over and captured Bridget in a hug. “I’m so happy for you.”

  “Thanks, Eli. That means a lot.”

  “I know it does. Now get out of my truck so I can go talk to Sarah. Oh, this is going to be a fun conversation.”

  Happy at her best friend’s own excitement, Bridget climbed out of the truck and made her way into the house. She spent the first thirty minutes prepping dinner, and as soon as Jerica texted that she was driving home, Bridget slipped it into the oven to cook.

  Somehow, now that she’d said it out loud, it became real. Proposing wasn’t just a thought in her head any longer, and sure, they hadn’t been together that long, but everything about her and Jerica seemed to click. And getting engaged didn’t mean they were getting married any time soon. Just look at Eli and Sarah for proof of that. They’d been engaged over a year and still hadn’t tied the knot.

  Shuddering, Bridget pulled up her work computer and started in on some more office stuff to try and get a little bit ahead since most of her day was a wash. She would stop as soon as Jerica got back so they could spend some proper time together. Except she couldn’t get her head out of the place it was in. Proposing.

  Bridget had always wanted that to happen. She’d always wanted to fall in love, get married, maybe have a family—no, definitely have a family. She wanted kids, and she wanted to do right by them unlike her parents had done by her. She would use them as a prime example of what not to do. She just hadn’t thought it would ever happen, so she’d forgotten that dream.

  She must have gotten lost staring at her computer screen, because she’d done no work by the time the front door opened and Jerica came inside. “Bridge?”

  “I’m in the kitchen!” she called, loudly so Jerica would hear her. When Jerica came into the room and planted a kiss on Bridget’s lips, she asked, “How was work?”

  “It was good, not as busy as I expected it to be.”

  “Oh?”

  “It’s a full moon. I bet they all show up tonight.”

  “I hadn’t even noticed,” Bridget answered, closing the lid on her laptop. “My day was a wash. They brought in cake, though, and a bunch of other food.”

  “Oh yeah?” Jerica’s eyes lit up as she pulled off her jacket and draped it over the back of one of the chairs.

  “Yes, and—” Bridget tugged Jerica’s arm so she landed in Bridget’s lap “—thank you for the flowers. They’re beautiful. I left them at work so I can think of you every time I see them.”

  Jerica smiled. “I’m glad you liked them.”

  Bridget kissed her, deepening the embrace and lingering for as long as she wanted. Jerica really was the one for her. She’d changed a lot since she’d been in love with Eli, and while she might still love Eli, she could equally see that Eli had found her own match—one where loving was far easier than it had been between the two of them.

  Jerica nipped Bridget’s lower lip. “What’s for dinner? It smells amazing.”

  “Some spaghetti casserole thing Eli showed me how to make.”

  “Really? It smells good.”

  “I hope it is.” Bridget kissed her again. “But I’m not quite ready to be done with this.”

  Jerica giggled but moved back in to kiss her. They stayed that way, lips locked until the timer on the oven went off. Jerica extracted herself from Bridget’s lap with a couple more kisses and pulled out the food. She smiled. “I’m going to change before we eat. I feel nasty from my day at work.”

  “You do that.” Bridget stayed put as Jerica made her way into the bedroom, already completely comfortable in the house.

  They had talked about where they might live, what they might do, plans for the future, hopes and dreams. It’d been just about every conversation they’d had lately, and Bridget knew they both wanted the same things—marriage, family, kids, and careers they both loved.

  Climbing to her feet, Bridget walked to the bedroom and watched as Jerica stripped down naked before pulling on loose clothing, eyeing her ass and tits every chance she got. When Jerica turned around, she pursed her lips. “While I love you in your uniform and think it’s absolutely hot, do you want to get out of it?”

  “I might need some help with that.” Bridget raised an eyebrow. “What do you think?”

  “Oh, I think I could definitely help, Sheriff.” Jerica walked closer, putting her hands on Bridget’s hips as she leaned in, her lips so close to Bridget’s ear that she could feel her breath. “And if you want, I can absolutely help with something else, too.”

  “Yes.” Bridget turned her chin and captured Jerica’s mouth with her own.

  In seconds, Jerica was pulling at the buttons on her uniform and stripping Bridget as naked as she was. They stumbled around her cast, finally getting it off so they could get her pants down, but as soon as Bridget fell backward onto the bed, she knew she was home. Wherever Jerica was, that was her home. It wasn’t a house, a building, a job, or a friend. It was this woman.

  CHAPTER 20

  Jerica and Bridget drove up to Indigo mid-morning, mostly to help with the final touches for the wedding. The house was busting with people already, which Jerica assumed was the rest of the family finally having arrived, including Sarah’s. Seeing a woman who looked very much like Sarah but equally different was the tip-off for that.

  Bridget grasped Jerica’s hand as they walked into the house, finding Karen in the kitchen directing traffic. Her gaze softened as soon as she saw the two of them. “Oh good, you’re here.”

  “What do you need?” Bridget asked, squeezing Jerica’s hand at the same time.

  “Can you direct anyone coming in where to park and walk down to the wedding site?”

  “Sure.” Bridget’s chest puffed out.

  Jerica nearly smiled at the look, pretty sure that Bridget was made for this kind of helping. It was essentially police work but not at the same time. Karen stepped in and gripped Bridget’s arm and kissed her cheek.

  “You look lovely, by the way. You, too, Jerica.” Karen did the same for her and stepped back. “It’s good to see you both again. Now get, I’ve got to figure out which kid isn’t listening.”

  “Yours or grands?” Bridget joked.

  Karen gave her a flat look and pointed a finger at Bridget. “All the kids. Including you.”

  “I’m on my way out the door.” Bridget turned, Jerica following as they went out the way they’d come.

  She was walking much better with only the black air cast, which they both enjoyed. It was far easier for Bridget to maneuver around and do things she wanted to. Jerica kept their hands locked together as they made their way behind the barn where Eli had moved the wedding arch and they had set up chairs they’d borrowed from the church.

  They still had about an hour before the wedding was going to start, so as soon as they got to the fork in the road, Jerica tugged Bridget in and pressed their mouths together in a tender kiss. “Karen is right, you know. You are very handsome in this.”

  Bridget wrinkled her nose. “I can’t remember the last time I wore it.”

  Jerica ran her fingers over the suspenders all the way down to Bridget’s hips and just under the edge of her jacket. Leaning in again, she stole another kiss. “Well, I for one had fun watching you get in it this morning.”

  Bridget’s cheeks tinged pink.

  “And I think I’m going to have loads of fun getting you out of it.”

  With hands on Jerica’s hips, Bridget shook her head slowly. “Your mind is in the gutter.”

  “It’s a wedding, Bridge. We’re supposed to be thinking about that kind of thing.”

  “No, the wedding couple is. We’re supposed to do exactly what Karen tells us to do to help out around here.”

  “Uh-huh, right.” Jerica kissed her again.

  It wasn’t long before people started arriving, and Bridget directed traffic and told them all where to park. Jerica stayed mostly silent but helped with what she could. Bridget checked her watch several times before grabbing Jerica’s hand and walking toward the back of the barn.

  Jerica had never been to that part of the farm, so she followed dutifully to the place they’d told everyone to go. She was surprised Bridget continued to hold her hand the entire way, twining their fingers and locking them together. She went with it, of course, because she loved it, but was surprised Bridget was being so forward with their relationship.

  As they got to the site where the ceremony would happen, Bob waved at them from the front row. Bridget went full speed ahead, walking with Jerica right next to her as they got to the front.

  “What’s going on, Bob?” Bridget asked.

  “You’re sitting up here.”

  “Oh…um…” Bridget shifted her glance from him to Jerica. “We can just sit in the back. It’s fine.”

  “No. You’re family. Eli wants you up here.”

  “Okay.” Bridget shrugged but moved to sit in a chair in the first row.

  Jerica leaned into Bridget’s side as Bob disappeared. He brought Karen down the aisle to sit next to Bridget and the rest of Eli’s family. Another couple walked down, sitting on the opposite side, and Jerica could only assume they were Sarah’s parents, and since they sat next to the woman who looked like Sarah, she bet she was right.

  Next up was the minister. Bridget leaned over and whispered, “That’s Pastor Scotty. She’s the most open pastor in town.”

  “Is she?”

  “Yeah.”

  “So she could do our wedding?” Jerica asked the question innocently enough, but she could feel Bridget tense uncontrollably, her entire body going rigid. It was probably too far to push that question just yet. They hadn’t been dating that long, although Jerica became more convinced by the day that there was no one else out there for her but this woman.

  Bridget didn’t answer as the minister moved her hands upward and asked everyone to stand. They shifted around, waiting for the next thing to happen. Music began softly, only a guitar and two male voices, weaving together in a tight harmony. Jerica looked to see where they were, trying to figure it out, and finally found them just off to the side in the back of the aisles.

  Sarah came down first, the stark ivory suit she wore absolutely stunning on her. She’d barely touched her hair, just making sure it stayed out of her face as she and the two men with the guitars walked down the aisle with her. Jerica kept her hand in Bridget’s, but she assumed they were the two men who were in the band with Sarah, although she didn’t understand why Sarah’s sister wasn’t up there with them.

  The tune stayed the same and they continued to play as Eli came down next. Bridget gave a shuddering gasp as soon as she was in full view. The dress she wore was very simple. It cut around her knees, dropping below in strips of fabric that swayed with her movement and the slight breeze outside. The top had short lace sleeves to cover her shoulders and a beautiful wide V-neckline.

  “She’s beautiful,” Jerica murmured.

  “I never thought she would wear a dress for this,” Bridget answered as quietly as possible. “Never.”

  “People change, Bridge. Isn’t that the point of growing up?”

  “Yeah, I guess.”

  Two women followed Eli in, their dresses not matching in the least, but they still looked beautiful. “Eli’s sister, you know, and the other one is Ava. She’s Eli’s neighbor and was also in our class.”

  “Ah. They must have been close.”

  “They were. I think they got closer after all the drama between us.”

  “I bet if you two had reconciled sooner, she would have invited you up there.” Jerica kissed Bridget’s cheek, wondering if that’s where some of this stress was coming from.

  Bridget shrugged. “Who knows.”

  Eli grinned at Sarah, then looked at Pastor Scotty before getting a mischievous glint in her eye.

  “Before we begin,” Pastor Scotty said. “I believe Eli has one thing she wants to do.”

  Confused, Jerica stayed still, her hands wrapped around Bridget’s arm as she held on tightly. She’d never seen a wedding like this, and she’d been to plenty with her large family. No one walked either woman down the aisle. Their attendants followed them, and now…this next thing was just odd.

  Eli stepped away from the group up front and came straight to Bridget, that same mischievous look on her face. “Bridge.”

  “Elijah,” Bridget stated, her voice firm and low. “What the hell are you doing?”

  “Well, I think I’m missing someone up here. So, you coming or not?”

  “What?”

  “Get up here. I need you.” Bridget and Eli locked gazes. Jerica let go of Bridget’s hand with a squeeze and helped propel her to take a step forward. Eli nodded at Jerica and led Bridget up to the front, taking a position right behind Ava.

  Karen reached over for Jerica’s hand, and she allowed her to take it. “Eli has wanted Bridget up there with her for a long time.”

  “I’m glad it all worked out.”

  Karen turned soft, watery eyes on Jerica. “It did, didn’t it?”

  They focused on the ceremony. As the pastor began talking and they were all allowed to be seated, it was a beautiful thing to watch. Jerica had rarely been to such an open wedding of two women in their part of the country. Usually her friends who were gay left town to get married, which meant she rarely got to attend.

  This, however, was one of the most stunning and miraculous things she had ever witnessed. There were at least a hundred people there—the service was unique and so them. She smiled as they exchanged vows and rings, grinning at each other the entire time. Jerica even had to wipe some of her own tears away. She happened to glance up at Bridget, who stood tall and proud, but Bridget’s gaze was locked on Jerica, not on Eli and Sarah.

  The look was so powerful that it caught Jerica’s breath and stole it. She wanted this for the two of them. Whether it was a big wedding or not, she wanted Bridget to be her wife, to be married and to never have to be alone again. If she hadn’t known she was in love before, that single look from Bridget was enough to tell her exactly how they both felt then.

  Maybe in the next year they could start actually talking marriage and wedding and kids. That was absolutely something Jerica wanted, and she wanted it with this amazingly beautiful and tough woman standing in front of her.

  The round of applause distracted them, and their gazes broke as Sarah stepped in and dipped Eli down, kissing her passionately in front of the entire crowd. Jerica’s heart burst with excitement as they came back up, hands clasped together. Bridget was crying, but so was Jerica and everyone else around her. She’d never felt so drawn to a family other than her own before, but this family radiated love. It was amazing to see so much support.

  Sarah and Eli walked back down the aisle and stopped as they got to the end. Jerica had no idea who brought him over, but the bull from their first date stood tied to a post, even dressed for the occasion. Eli untied his harness and they walked with him back toward the house.

  Pastor Scotty got everyone’s attention and directed them toward the house, where there would be dancing and food out in the front. As she left, all the attendants followed, Bridget last in line, once again making eye contact with Jerica. A shudder ran through her spine. Oh yes, she was going to have fun with Bridget later that night when they got home. She was going to take each piece of clothing off and torture her with kisses.

  Her cheeks heated as Karen grabbed her hand and led her down the aisle with the family. They walked back toward the house, where Karen asked for Jerica’s help in getting the food out for people to eat. Jerica gladly agreed to be of service.

  Everyone had food and the dancing began. Jerica sat next to Bridget at a long table, talking animatedly with an elderly woman, Cady, who was there with her partner, MaryBelle, and apparently owned the hardware and lumber store in town.