The Cowboy and the Angel | ✓

Epilogue

"Your legs are shakin'," Dixie whispered behind her smile, the soft breeze fingering through her wavy tresses.

Jason held back a nervous laugh. "Terribly," he agreed, giving her hands a firm squeeze. How could he not tremble? Standing before him like a living dream in an elegant lace gown was the love of his life. He almost couldn't believe what was happening. Every ounce of love he felt for Dixie welled up inside him as Tavin's words filled his ears.

"Jason, do you take my sister to be your wife and promise to love and cherish her from now until the end of your days?"

The vows might not have been the originals, but they were more than enough to Jason. In a voice he didn't recognize as his own, he affirmed, "I do."

Tavin turned his bright gaze to the bride with a smile. "Dixie, do you take Jason to be your husband and promise to love and support him from now until the end of your days?"

The trickle of a tear streaked down Dixie's face. She stared at Jason, all bright and handsome in his crisp white shirt and jeans, and knew in her heart she would keep that promise, and so many more. "I do."

"Then by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Jason pulled Dixie into the kiss, wrapping and arm around her waist while craddling the back of her neck with his free hand.

Dixie smiled through the kiss. She just couldn't help it. She was smiling so big Jason pulled away, a grin on his face that rivaled her own. Amidst the clapping of both their families, her pulse beat out a love song in her ears. This was the moment she'd always dreamed of and hoped for. She was no longer Dixie Harden, but Dixie Archer.

Jason accepted his hat from Matthew and slapped it into place, steeling himself for the rounds of hugs and congratulations he knew were coming.

Dixie laughed as Annalyn squeezed her up in a hug. "Tell me this is real!"

"Oh, it's real. Trust me," Annalyn assured. "Here comes Krissy!"

"You look so beautiful!" Krissy squealed in her excitement. "I knew this dress would be perfect."

Dixie playfully rolled her eyes. "It definitely is perfect, but I about never got it on. It took forever!"

"But it won't take Jason that long to get it off," Leroy commented with a smirk as he walked up.

As Dixie covered her florid face, Tavin clicked his tongue. "Tsk, tsk."

"Leroy!" Annalyn scolded even though she was unable to hide the laughter in her eyes.

Leroy shrugged, not ashamed in the least. "Well, it's true. Right, Jase?"

"Hmm." Jason arched his eyebrows, wisely not answering the question. He rubbed Dixie's back with a smile. "You gotta watch Leroy, he can be a bit. . . ."

"Looney," Annalyn supplied with a giggle.

Jason grinned, nodding in agreement. That wasn't quite the word he was looking for, but it would do. "Yes, looney."

"He's spent a little too much time on the funny farm, I dare say," Tavin said, voicing his concern while staring at Leroy with a frown.

"Are you implyin' that the Double A is the funny farm?" Matthew asked in a light teasing voice, sending a wink to Charles.

Tavin maintained his serious face by biting back his grin. "Maybe I am, maybe I ain't."

"It sure sounded like you was to me." Charles laughed, patting his son on the back as he watched Laramie and Cohen cut up with Micah. It done his heart good to see them get along so well, especially since they were taking the young man into their home.

Before long, everyone gathered around as Jason related how he survived the gunshot wound.

"So when I woke up, this Indian brave brought me some food. He told me that they'd found me in the bushes and had been praying for me and treating my wound." Jason smiled, his eyes bright with memories and gratitude.

Laramie frowned. "You mean he spoke our language, and even prayed for you?"

Jason chuckled. "Yes. The whole tribe were Christians, and a few spoke English. Anyways, he helped me get to my feet and walk. Long story short, I saved one of the children from a rattlesnake and got those horses as payment. That's when I went straight to Sheriff Reeves."

"Then you ran into me after you left there for home," Micah spoke up, grinning cheerfully.

"That's truly a miracle," Emily breathed out in a quiet voice.

Dixie nodded. She couldn't agree more. She squeezed Jason tighter, mindful of his healing wound. "Yes, it definitely is."

Jason beamed at her. He was truly blessed to alive, and had no one to thank but God and the Indian tribe.

Since the wedding was so hastily arranged, only the immediate family of Dixie and Jason were there, with the exceptions of Jedidiah, Micah, and Krissy. With such few people, one would expect the congratulations and conversations to remain short. But such was not the case.

"Ready to go home?" Jason murmured by Dixie's ear after another half an hour of fellowshipping with the family.

Dixie smiled shyly at him. "Yes. You?"

A half smirk pulled on Jason's lips as he extracted Dixie from the crowd and helped her mount Twilight. A stampede of emotions raced through his blue eyes like a band of wild mustangs. He swung up into the saddle, his gaze never leaving his wife. Yes, his wife. "I was born ready."

Off into the sunset they rode, a ray of light illuminating the dust flying from the hooves of their horses. No matter what life would throw at them, they would never have to face it alone anymore.

Jason took Dixie's hand in his as they slowed to a walk. Regardless of what he'd done, or who he used to be, he had a woman who was beyond comparison. He was nothing but a bad cowboy doing all he knew to do, but yet he had a good girl he didn't deserve in the least. He could only sum her up in two words. His angel. He smiled up at the sky, the beauty of the sunset adding to the magic of the day. He wasn't sure why Dixie's path crossed his, or whether it was by accident or the Master's design, but there was one thing he knew for certain. She was his angel, and would be for the rest of his life.

Dixie smiled over at Jason, and he was sure his heart skipped more than one beat. She was intoxicatingly sweet, he was alluringly wild, and together they were dangerous. The cowboy, and the angel.