Lucky in Love (Southern Bride 4)

When our eyes met, my breath caught in my throat and I stumbled slightly. Daddy held onto me and leaned down to say, “I thought he was the klutz, not you.”

I giggled and squeezed his arm. Truitt must have seen me trip, because he laughed slightly and shook his head. My eyes drifted to Liliana skipping down the aisle.

“Mommy’s getting hitched!” she cried out as everyone laughed over the music. I quickly searched for Ryan and gave him a stern look. He had taken it upon himself this past week to teach my daughter that when she walked down the aisle she needed to sing a special song. It was supposed to be a surprise for me. He laughed and shrugged.

“Mommy’s getting hitched!” Liliana cried out again. Then she saw Truitt and ran to him. He bent down and caught her in his arms, lifted her up, and pointed for her to look at me. He whispered something into her ear, and she nodded and smiled as she waved to me.

“Oh, Daddy,” I mumbled at the sight that nearly had me tripping again.

“He’s a good man, Saryn. There’s no doubt in my mind that he loves you and Liliana. He’s going to make an amazing father.”

A single tear slipped free, and I didn’t even bother to wipe it away.

My father stopped in front of Truitt and gave him my hand. I didn’t even hear what the preacher was saying because my gaze was locked on the man I had loved since I knew what love was. The man I had once dreamed would be mine and then thought I’d lost. The man who not only loved me but loved my daughter. Our daughter. And would love the child growing inside me just as fiercely.

He lifted my veil and drew in a sharp breath. His voice cracked slightly as he whispered, “My God. You are so beautiful.”

I smiled and felt every nerve ending in my body tingle.

“You look awfully handsome, Mr. Carter.”

Truitt leaned down and kissed me. It wasn’t a quick kiss.

Roger stepped up and placed his hand on Truitt’s shoulder, giving him a slight jerk to get him to stop kissing me. Roger was now holding Liliana in his arms. He looked beyond handsome in his tux, holding his niece. I could only imagine what was going on in Lucy’s head right now. The two of them tried to pretend they weren’t attracted to one another, but both Truitt and I saw the sparks.

“Um, Truitt, as much as we all love to see you displaying your affection for Saryn, I don’t think we’re at that part yet, dude.”

Truitt winked at me and took a step back.

We hardly took our eyes off each other during the ceremony. And when it finally came time for the kiss, Truitt gave me another searing kiss. Then everyone cheered as we were introduced as Mr. and Mrs. Carter.

Truitt took Liliana from Roger, and we walked down the aisle hand in hand. Our little family of four. No, our family of five. Rus raced past us with his little black tie around his neck and made a beeline for the open field. All that sitting still must have been too much for him.

Truitt placed Liliana in the carriage and then took my hand and helped me up. He sat down next to me and let Liliana crawl onto his lap.

“I don’t know how it happened, but God has answered almost every one of my prayers,” he said.

With my brows raised, I asked, “You have more requests?”

He nodded and flashed me that smile of his that made me want to strip him down and lose myself in him. “Just one more.”

“Now what?” Liliana asked.

I looked down at her and said, “Well, now Mommy and Truitt are married and we’re all going to live together in Truitt’s house and be a family.”

Her eyes lit up, and she turned to face Truitt. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and she cried out in joy, “I wuv you, Daddy.”

My heart instantly felt full, and a rush of happiness raced through my body. Truitt seemed utterly shocked at first and didn’t move. We hadn’t talked to Liliana about her calling Truitt Daddy.

He wrapped his arms around her and I watched as the tears he had been fighting to hold back broke free.

“I love you, too, baby girl. So very much, Liliana.”

Truitt reached for my hand and smiled. “Now he’s answered all of my prayers.”

Truitt — Two years later

“DADDY, MAY I ask you a question?”

Turning my attention to my five-year-old daughter, I smiled. “Of course you can, pumpkin. You can always ask me anything.”

She grinned. “When can I have my own horse?”

I laughed. “Always in a rush to grow up, aren’t you?”

Those blue eyes looked up at me and sparkled. Nearly every day, Liliana and I went for a ride on my gelding, Marco. From the first time Saryn placed her in front of me in the saddle, Liliana had been hooked. It was our thing, and I fucking loved it.