Leo (Romancing the Ponderosa Book 3)

Chapter 20

"Hoss, hold still!" Joe says tyin' my string tie again for the third time. "I can't get it straight with you moving around like that."

"I cain't help it, Joe, it feels like I've got a whole hive of bees swarmin' around in my belly."

"Those are actually called butterflies." Adam laughs from where he sits on the bed behind me. "I had my fair share of them on the morning that Misty and I got married. Joe, what about you?"

"It felt like I had a bushel of them flying around in my stomach!"

"Well, you two sure did a good job at hidin' 'em." They both laugh at me. "What's so dadburn funny?"

"The way you're carrying on." Joe steps away an' admires his job. "I think it's finally straight, what do you think, Adam?"

"It looks straight to me." He slaps me on the back. "Don't look so nervous, you'll be fine."

There's a quick knock on the door as it opens an' Jeff falls into the room. Laughin', Joe scoops him off the floor. Jeff grabs him around the neck in a hug.

"Hoss, are you almost ready?"

"Yeah, little buddy, I'm all ready."

"Good, cuz Ma is, too." He turns an' looks back at Joe. "Little Joe, could you please put me down, I want to talk to Hoss."

"Sure thing." He sets him down an' both he an' Adam slip out the door, shuttin' it behind 'em.

"What'd you want to talk to me 'bout?" I pick him up an' sittin' on the bed, put him in my lap.

"Since you're marryin' Ma that makes you my pa." I nod. "Can I call you Pa then?"

"Of course you can." I ruffle his hair.

"Good cuz I already talked to Ben an' he said I could call him Grandpa." His grin turns into a slight frown like he's thinkin'. "Do you think Adam an' Joe'll let me call 'em Uncle an' Hannah an' Misty call 'em Aunt?"

"I'm sure they will, I bet they'd even want you to!" I put him on the floor when someone knocks on the door. Openin' it, I find Pa standin' there. "What's wrong, Pa?"

"Nothing's wrong, it's time for you to get downstairs." He grins as he takes Jeff's hand an' starts walkin' down the hall. "You better hurry or your bride's going to be waiting."

I follow 'em down hall an' stairs, walkin' over, I take my place next to the preacher. Takin' a quick look around, I see the faces of my friends an' all the people I love. Misty sits next to Adam with Cherry curled up in her lap while Jeff climbs up onto Little Joe's lap over on the other side of the room. Joe pulls him close as he wraps his arm around Hannah. Leanin' over, he kisses her on the top of the head an' she gives him a big, happy smile. Pa hurries back up the stairs to go get Leo. He's givin' her away since her own Pa ain't here to do it.

It feels like hours but I know it really ain't more than two minutes when Pa an' Leo appear at the top of the stairs. She looks beautiful in her white dress an' long veil. Before I know it, they're standin' in front of me.

Handin' her off to me, Pa goes an' sits down. After that everythin' goes by in a blur. Before I know it I hear Leo say, "I do." and then I say it myself. I seem to get lost in her blue eyes but then the preacher's voice brings me back.

"You may kiss the bride." Pullin' her close, I kiss her soundly. Somewhere in the distance I hear Little Joe whistle an' then people clappin' but I can only think 'bout the purty gal in my arms an' the fact that she's all mine.