“Is Rhett okay? I just talked to Macie.” Mama sounds worried.

“Mama, Trent proposed, and he wants to get married today.”

“Today?”

“Yeah, so Rhett can be there and see it.”

“Oh, honey! He’s a good man,” she says and then yells for my father. “Jim! Trent finally proposed to Grace!” I hear him yell something back, but I can’t understand it. “No! She’s gettin’ married today at the hospital.”

“Mama,” I try to stop her.

“No! The hospital! So that Rhett can see it.” She keeps going as if I’m not on the phone.

“Mama!”

Once again, she carries on. “In an hour, so you need to get off your behind and get dressed!”

“Mother!” I yell louder.

“Well, I don’t know about that, James, I found out about it myself not two minutes ago.” She huffs before coming back on the line. “Grace, your daddy wants to know if he has to wear his good pants or if you mind him wearin’ his jeans.”

I shake my head and stare at my ring. “He can wear whatever he wants.”

“Well, don’t tell him that, Grace. He’ll wear his good pants. It is your weddin’ after all.”

“I need to call a few people, I love you, and I’ll see you at the chur—I mean hospital.”

I call Emily, and she starts screaming. She’s on her way to Bell Buckle as luck would have it. She heard from Presley and was coming to be here for support. I don’t know if she’ll get there in time, but I hope she does.

I’m in front of my closet just staring. I don’t have a wedding dress, and there’s no way I’d wear one to the hospital, but I would like something white. I feel Trent’s arms wrap around me from behind and his head rests on my shoulder. “You almost ready?”

“I don’t know what to wear,” I admit.

He leans back, and I turn to face him. “Anything you wear will be perfect. I hate that I’m takin’ your white dress and big wedding from you.”

“No, no, it’s not that.” I stop him before he misunderstands. “I don’t need all that. Family and friends are what matter to me. I only care about the who, not the where. Plus, we can have a big ole party later on, right?”

“We can do anything you want.”

“I’ve always wanted a barn wedding.” I smile.

The barn at my parents’ house is rustic and beautiful. It’s dark grayish wood and tall ceiling is where I would have my pretend wedding all the time. I pictured Trent standing at the end when the barn doors opened. I can close my eyes and see the lanterns lining the path to him. We wouldn’t be dressed up crazy and the ceremony would be small with just the people who truly matter in our lives.

I’m a simple girl. I spent half my life in pageants and wearing big dresses because Mama thought it would make me a lady. I think she liked playing Barbie and I was a real life version for her—minus the blonde hair.

My friends all wanted the big gowns and fancy parties, but I only cared about the right guy at the end of the aisle waiting for me.

“We can have that. I’ll give you whatever wedding you want.”

I rest my hands on his chest and grin up at him. “Oh! What about rings and a marriage license?”

I didn’t even think about those things until just now.

Trent tucks my hair behind my ear and brushes my cheek. “I already called Judge Wheatley. He said we should come by the courthouse after the ceremony and he’ll officially marry us there. As for the rings . . .” He touches my face before admitting, “I don’t have them, but we can pick out anything you like tomorrow.”

“You thought of it all.” I lean in and press my lips to his. “And in a few hours, you’re going to be my husband.”

“You’re never getting rid of me now.”

I snort. “If I haven’t done it yet . . .”

“You tried, sweetheart.”

“And I’m glad I failed.”

He kisses my nose. “I am, too.”

“I need to get to the hospital.”

“Wait!” I say grabbing his hand as he lets me go. “What about a cake or food?”

“Don’t you worry about that.” He tugs me back against him. “I’ve got all this taken care of. You worry about getting yourself dressed so we can go. Everyone is headin’ there now.”

He kisses me again and then heads off to the other room. Married. I’m getting married today.

A knock on the door causes me to jump. It opens a little and Presley peeks her head in. “Hi, honey.”

“Pres!”

“Can I come in?”

“Yes! Please!”

She enters the room, and I tighten my robe around me. “Let me see the ring!” She rushes over and takes my hand. “Oh, he did better than I thought! When Zach told me a few months ago, I was a little skeptical.”

“You knew?”

She shrugs. “I knew he bought a ring. He told Zach about it.”

“But—” I pause for a second. “If you knew that Trent had a ring before the wedding, why would you tell me to date Cooper?”

Presley sits on the bed and pulls me next to her. “Because I hoped it would set things back the way they should go. Maybe it makes me a shitty sister, but I know you belong with Trent and I know my brother, he needed to see that, too. Zach warned me not to meddle.” She waves a hand dismissively and smiles. “I guess the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. God, I hope I’m not as bad as my mother. Can you imagine? We’re the next generation of old busy bodies.”

Presley’s hand flies to her mouth before dropping. “We’ll worry about that later, I knew Cooper would always wonder if you guys would work, and I thought you’d always regret not trying to see if there was life beyond Trent. If you hadn’t dated Coop, you never would have known for sure. And Trent would’ve kept thinkin’ he could act like an idiot and you’d take it.”

“But what about Coop?”

“I think we both know who Cooper likes, but he would never let himself go there. Not as long as he thought there was a chance with you and him.”

I sit back and try to think who she’s talking about. There’s only one girl he ever asked out when we were kids. I remember him telling me about it, but I can’t remember who. He just mentioned a blonde girl who stole his heart. There are only a few blonde girls we went to school with. One of them is . . .

“Emily?” I ask when it hits me.

She smiles.

“Our Emily? If he likes her why the hell would he ever try to date me?”

“Because you were safe. Because Emily scares the shit out of him.” She laughs. “He’s a good guy, but his life is here. He can’t leave the farm, even with him and Wyatt and Zach talkin’ about becoming more of partners. Imagine allowin’ himself to love a girl outside of Bell Buckle!”

I’m not sure what to say. Emily made a few comments about him, but I always brushed them off because that’s Em. She says whatever she wants.

“Wow.” I shake my head with a smile. “So, you had this big plan to get me to date Cooper, not fall in love with him, and end up marryin’ Trent?”

Presley slaps my leg and grins. “I had a plan to get Trent to see his way out of his ass. You to see that your heart will always be Trent’s, and for Cooper to figure out he needs to take risks. I did good, right?”

I roll my eyes and laugh. “Yes, our mamas would be proud.”

“Now, enough about all that. You’re gettin’ married, and we need to get you ready!”

“We?”

The door opens and Angie comes through. She’s wearing the same pale yellow as Presley.

“You guys!”

“Emily is about fifteen minutes out. That gives us enough time to get your makeup done and get started on your hair.” Angie walks over and touches my arm. “I’m so happy for you. We’re all sisters!”

I’ve always been a part of this family, but it hits me . . . I’m going to be a Hennington.

Mrs. Trent Hennington.

Chapter 23

One by one, my friends head into the hospital room. Rhett got his transfusion very early this morning, but the doctor explained he could not handle being out of bed. So, this was the only way we could ensure he’d be present.

I don’t feel anything but complete joy. I’m going to marry Trent in front of our family and friends.

Presley braided my hair and then pinned it up. Angie found a pretty white short dress that I forgot I had. It was buried in the back of my closet, but it’s perfect. It comes right above my knees and we swapped out the dark brown belt for a yellow scarf I had.

Emily arrived a little bit after we started and changed into a yellow skirt I had. I have my matron of honor, Presley, and my two bridesmaids. Trent asked Rhett to be his best man and Zach and Wyatt are his groomsmen. We have a full bridal party, a reverend who works at the hospital to marry us, and everyone who matters ready to see us say “I do.”

Daddy holds my hand outside the room and turns to look at me. “You okay, Daddy?”

He smiles, and his eyes fill with tears. “I’m givin’ my last little girl away.”