Chapter Nineteen

    Ryder shifted his feet, finding it very difficult to hold still up here beside George and Ty in front of all the guests. 

     The pig was roasting, large tables were set up full of all assortments of side dishes, fruits and drinks. Ryder noticed that Justin Vicks had indeed shown up along with most everyone else from town and the surrounding ranches. Susie was popular with the community because she was such a sweet, warm and caring woman... He was marrying the best the world had to offer and Ryder knew that for a fact.

    Ryder shifted his feet and tugged on the collar of his white dress shirt. Would Susie decide that she really did want to marry him? Or would she change her mind, decide she couldn't be married to a brain addled man like him and take off running in the other direction? Suddenly his legs wanted to bolt in the other direction. 

    Ty's throat cleared and Ryder glanced over at him, "Keep them feet right where they are, Ryder. You're the fearless brother remember?" 

    "Yeah I remember," Ryder muttered without much conviction. He was scared as hell that Susie would change her mind. 

    "Don't be scared, young gun," Cookie grunted as he limped up behind Ryder and squeezed his shoulder. "That little woman has been walking up in the clouds all day just thinking about marrying you." 

    Ryder looked up at the sky as if in hopes that he would see Susie somewhere amongst the blueness, "She has?" 

    "Sure has," Cookie replied with a nearly toothless grin. 

    "What.... What about mine?" Ty asked cautiously. 

     Cookie laughed, "I reckon she's pretty happy herself." 

     The organ started up and Ryder's eyes flew to the end of the long white satin runner they'd lain across the yard between the rows of chairs. The children made their way down the aisle. The boys were dressed in fancy suits to match the grooms and little Lexi was in a bright white lace gown and was tossing flower petals with every step she took.

    The music changed as the kids took their seats and Ryder and Ty both stood a little straighter. Ryder was disappointed when it was Liza that walked around the corner of the house. She looked beautiful, like a tiny little porcelain  doll but Ryder knew this meant he had to wait until after Ty and Liza were wed before it would be Susie's turn to walk down the aisle. 

    "Have patience, son. it'll be you and girlie's turn next," George whispered with a chuckle. 

    Ryder nodded and took a step back to give Ty and Liza their moment to shine. Ryder feared his body would self destruct as he worked hard to hold his nerves and excitement in and hold still. His left knee seemed to be bouncing with a mind of its own and his palms were rubbing up and down on the front of his fancy black trousers. 

    When George finally told Ty to kiss his bride and Ty lowered his lips to Liza's, Ryder couldn't contain himself anymore, "C'mon, kiss her quicker!" he whispered impatiently and this caused chuckles from everyone in the first few rows that could hear him. 

    Ty was laughing as he pulled his mouth away from Liza and wrapped his arm firm around her waist, holding her into his side, "We better let him get married or he'll never give us peace." he said. 

    He led Liza over to some empty chairs and then the organ started again and Ryder quickly jumped to his place in front of George. 

    When he saw his angel walk around the house on Brody's arm, he nearly collapsed with relief. She hadn't changed her mind. She smiled at him and the brightness of it put the bright summer sun to shame. Susie's dress was lacy and white; fresh and pure against her pale skin. Her blue eyes were shining with happiness and her steps were long and a bit faster than Liza's had been. Ryder thought it almost seemed like she was trying to get to him before he had a chance to run away. 

    'Silly woman,' he thought to himself. Running away from her was something his legs would never let him do. Not now that he'd seen her... Running to her was his biggest urge right now and George must have sensed it because he laughed lightly. 

    "Stay where you are, son," George whispered, "She'll be here before you know it."

    Susie didn't hear Brody give her away because all of her attention was focused on Ryder. He looked so handsome in his dapper suit. His thick dark hair was slicked back and he had the happiest smile on his rugged, dimpled face that she had ever seen. His honey colored eyes were locked on hers and if Sally had had any doubts of the depth of his love for her before, they quickly vanished. 

    "Before we get started I have to ask--" George said, "--if there is anyone here who sees just cause why these two should not be married, please speak now or forever hold your peace."

     Ryder paid no attention to George's words until he heard a voice in the crowd say, "I object."

     As one, everyone in the crowd turned to look at Justin who was standing in the aisle looking nervous as a saloon girl in church on Sunday morning. He was sweating profusely and his knees seemed to be knocking. As a matter of fact, Ryder was pretty sure he could hear them.

    "What are you doing?!" Susie hissed, as she tried to keep a smile upon her face. 

    "Susie, don't do this," Justin pleaded, "I know that we shared something special.  I am not sure what I did to lose your affection but please give me the chance to earn it back. I want to be with you." 

    "Your bubble is a few inches off of plumb and that is for sure and for certain," Cookie grumbled from his chair, "Sit your fancy ass back down, city boy, and let these good folks get married." 

    "Susie, please--" Justin continued, holding out his hand as he took a few steps forward.

     Ryder wrapped one arm possessively around Susie's waist and his other hand dropped to his hip only to remember that he hadn't worn his guns today. He had wanted to respect Susie 'no violence' policy on her wedding day and had left them at the hotel. Oh well.. He didn't guns to stomp Justin's arrogant ass into the dust. 

    "Justin, you are making a fool of yourself and a horrible scene," Susie whispered quietly, "Please just sit down." 

    "Susie, I care about you. Please think about what you are doing. Look at the man you are marrying? How long before he gets bored of you? How long before he moves on to the next town, the next saloon, the next batch of women?" 

    "Why you..." Ryder was determined to stride forward and let Justin eat a few teeth but Susie elbowed him discreetly and stood on her toes to press her lips to his ear. 

    "Did you invite him?" she demanded for his ears alone.  

    Ryder grinned sheepishly, "Yeah." 

    "Why?" 

    "I was tryin' to be friendly." 

    "Why don't you stop being so friendly all the time?" she scolded. 

    "Susie--" Justin started again. "We shared something special while I was injured and you cared for me. How can you forget that so quickly?" 

    "Probably the same way that you seem to have forgotten that you are married, dearest husband." 

    Justin felt his heart drop into the pit of his stomach at the sound of the ice queen herself speaking behind him. He lowered his head and turned slowly "Hello Lorraine.. Oh and Johnathon too. How nice to see you both," he said, his voice sounding very shaky and subdued. 

    "Husband?" Elizabeth asked. 

    "You're married?" Susie demanded. 

    "Yes he's married. He has been for over a decade, though he likes to forget about that fact every now and then," Lorainne snapped. Justin thought about running but knew that wouldn't do any good.

     Susie looked around at everyone. Her family looked angry enough to kill and knowing Brody's reputation it wouldn't be long before he pulled his gun and did just that. Susie's lip trembled. This was her wedding day and Justin was ruining it.

     Brody's eyes caught the quiver of his sisters lip from where he sat and he stood quickly and turned on Justin, his wife and his father in law, "Am I gonna have to shoot him?" he asked the wife. 

    She shook her head and grabbed Justin by the arm, "I'll take care of him, sir. I daresay he would hardly be worth the cost of a bullet. Don't you give yourself one more second of worry about my husband here. He's going to be kept busy for a long long time, working to give me what I deserve to have." Justin appeared to be near tears as he let Lorraine and Johnathon lead him away, with his head down and his shoulders slumped. 

    "Anybody else object?" George asked with a chuckle. 

    Brody pulled his gun and propped the long barrel against his shoulder, "I'd advise everybody to tell this preacher to go ahead," he warned and the crowd was quick to do just that as Susie threw her brother a grateful smile and he sat back down.  

    Despite Susie's fears that she would mess up her vows she and Ryder both made it through them without difficulty and the kiss he gave her to seal their bond as husband and wife was hot enough to make her forget about the sun beating down on them. 

***

    "I don't like alcohol on the ranch," Elizabeth stated as Ryder began unloading cases of whiskey from the wagon he and Ty had brought from town. He and Ty had also found a bunch of men that could play instruments and they were set up and playing music for the crowd. 

    "Aw, come on Liz," Ryder pouted, "This is my day! Let me have some fun on my day!"

     Elizabeth looked at his bottom lip stuck out and the way his eyes pleaded with her and she laughed, "Fine, but if anybody gets mean and rowdy..." 

    "That's what we have Brody for," Jacob smiled as he walked over, "He likes to shoot people and he hasn't gotten to in a while. I'm sure he'd be more than happy to do it today." Ryder was still smiling as he grabbed one of the whiskey bottles and went off to find Susie in the crowd. 

    "This is looking more like a damn party than a wedding," Brody grumbled as he joined his wife and brother.    

    "Them boys is from Kentucky. They know how to throw one heck of a shin dig out there. I'm sure we'd have some homemade shine to drink if they'd had time to set up a still," Cookie replied as he walked past on his way to the barn. 

    "Where are you from Cookie?" Elizabeth asked. No one really knew where Cookie was from, only that he'd always been around.

    "I've lived just about everywhere, Miss Elizabeth," he replied simply. 

    Ryder found Susie and held up the whiskey bottle, "Come on, Mrs Hampton, have ya a drink," he urged as he looked at the crowd around them. A few people were dancing but most were standing around stiffly. 

    "I can't drink that!" Susie argued. 

    Ryder shrugged and took a swig, "Then dance with me." 

    "Ryder, I can't dance."

     Ryder smiled and hugged her close against him. He used his nose to move a tendril of her blond hair from her face and ran his lips over her jaw, "Have I told you today how much I love you?" he asked gently. 

    She shook her head and her lips curved upward, "No, actually you haven't." 

    "I love you with all my heart," he vowed, "Now relax and have fun, it's your wedding day!" he added and he held the whisky bottle up again.     Susie bit her lip and looked around. Did she dare take a drink of that? Surely Brody would tan her hide. 

    "Don't worry about Brody. You don't have to worry about what anybody else will think of a single thing you do from now.  The only person you gotta worry about pleasing now is you." Ryder said as his lips moved down to her neck, "--and me," he added quickly. 

     Susie shivered with delight and pulled away from him, "You are worse than a child, Ryder," she scolded, though the smile on her face didn't match her words. 

    "You know you love me," he said. "Remember Susie, from now on you don't have to worry about taking care of everyone else or making everyone else happy. All you gotta worry about is making you happy and let me worry about everything else there is to worry about... You'd be amazed at how easy life can be once you let go of those reins and go with the flow."     Susie smiled. Being with Ryder made her feel like a child.. It made her feel weightless and free. She took the bottle from him... One little swallow wouldn't hurt. 

***

    "Please tell me that isn't my sister." Brody muttered about an hour later as he shook his head and looked at Susie. 

    She was in her bare feet, with her hair let loose. She was holding her long white skirt in her hands, showing more leg than would have been seen as proper and she was dancing around in the dirt with Ryder, Ty and Liza. 

    "Yep, that's our sister," Jacob chuckled, "Would you believe she's only had one swallow of whiskey? That's all she managed before she started coughing, sputtering and cussing... yes I said cussing...Her new husband got an earful for not warning her that it would burn. You should have seen Ryder laugh even as she was slapping the hell out of his arm." 

    "She looks happy," Brody said thoughtfully. 

    "She is happy. She finally found her soul mate and look at how he makes her smile," Elizabeth smiled as she walked over and Brody wrapped his arm around her waist. 

    Susie looked radiant. She didn't look shy, quiet or withdrawn as she danced and laughed. Brody had to admit that while he'd had his doubts about Ryder in the beginning, the man had had a damn good influence on his sister and she seemed to be having a good one on him as well. 

    "We have an audience," Ryder noted and Susie followed his gaze to see her brothers and Elizabeth watching them. She wasn't the least bit tempted to attempt to hide herself in the crowd. She was having far too much fun to care. 

    "I love you, Susie," Ryder said as he gathered her in his arms and swung her around.

     She laughed with a carefree feeling that she had never felt before, "And I love you." 

    "You know I'm gonna be around forever right?" he asked gently. He didn't want to admit that the words Justin had told her during the ceremony had bothered him but they had. He didn't want her thinking that he would ever grow bored with her. 

    "I know," she replied and she smiled teasingly, "Look at me.. I'm barefoot, my hair is down, I drank whiskey and I'm dancing like a fool... I'm not as boring as I thought I was and you are darn lucky to have me." 

    "That I am," he replied and then he winked, "Though I happen to think you got pretty lucky yourself." 

    She frowned and opened her mouth to scold him but he didn't give her time before covering her lips with his. Any words she'd been about to say disappeared on the summer breeze.

A/N: The next story in the series is 'Breaking Boundaries'.