A Montana Daddies Christmas (Montana Daddies 4.5)

And it didn’t matter that her parents weren’t there. That she essentially had no blood relatives there. Because Aunt Rose was looking down at her and she knew that tent was filled with her family.

The one she’d chosen. The one who had chosen her.

As she followed Charlie toward the festive tent, the music changed to A Thousand Years.

She, Charlie, Abby and Daisy had spent most of yesterday decorating the tent. And it looked beautiful. Classy and simple. They’d set up rows of white chairs, each with a big pale pink bow at the back. Those chairs were now filled with their guests, all of whom stood to look at her. But she only had eyes for one man.

Bear turned, looked at her and the love shone from his face, almost blinding her. Tears welled in her eyes and she had to blink them back. Kent and Clint stood next to him, across from Abby and Charlie. They all looked gorgeous in their dark pin-stripped suits. But they soon blurred into the background.

She took one step forward, then another, towards the man of her dreams.

Hours later, after the wedding ceremony was over and the twinkling lights in the trees had flickered on, Ellie danced in Bear’s arms. She had never felt happier in her life.

“Mrs. Bear Macall,” she said dreamily.

His chest moved as he chuckled silently. “I like the sound of that.”

“Me too,” she sighed. “Wasn’t the ceremony perfect?”

“All of it was, baby girl. But the most perfect part was when you said, ‘I do’.”

She looked up at him with a sigh. “Yeah, I liked that part too.”

This time his laughter wasn’t silent. Around them people turned and smiled, but they were too busy staring at each other.

The chairs had been cleared away and tables brought in for people to first sit and eat the food that had been catered. Then to sit and talk. A large space had been kept clear up front for the band and dance floor.

“You didn’t miss having your parents here?” he asked carefully.

“I didn’t. I mean, I felt a little sad on the drive here, thinking that it would have been nice having my dad with me to give me away. Or my mom to help me get ready. But the reality is that that they didn’t want to be here for me. They only contacted me because they wanted something. Even if they had been here, they would have made the day about them. And who needs them? Not me. I have everything I could ever need.”

He kissed the top of her head. “So do I.”

She looked around at the people dancing with them, the others sitting at the tables which all had white tablecloths with small Christmas trees as the centerpieces. The trees were decorated with glittery pink and silver snowflakes.

The guys had managed to string fairy lights across the ceiling of the tent so when it grew dark, the tent was lit with thousands of tiny lights.

It was gorgeous.

“Everyone who I wanted to be here is here. Everyone who really means something to me.”

He squeezed her tight. He spun her out then pulled her back and she giggled in delight. For such a big man, he was surprisingly light on his feet.

“I can’t believe I didn’t know you were such a good dancer.”

“You never realized I have rhythm?” he asked with a wink.

“Oh, I knew you had rhythm,” she murmured back. “Just didn’t realize that rhythm was present when you were vertical as well as horizontal.”

This time, he threw back his head as he laughed. A big, booming laugh that filled the tent. He’d trimmed his beard for the big day, but she wouldn’t hear of him shaving it all off. She loved her Daddy Bear just the way he was.

“Can you believe that they gave us a honeymoon?” she asked with wonder in her voice. Everyone on the ranch had chipped in to give them not only first-class tickets to LA, but ten nights at a Disneyland resort and tickets to the park. “I’m going to Disneyland for my honeymoon.” Her big side got a very adult wedding ceremony and party, but her honeymoon was all for her Little. Well, there would be plenty of big girl time too.

“I’m not wearing Mickey Mouse ears,” Bear said quickly.

She grinned. He so would. And then she’d take a photo for evidence for the girls.

“Never thought when I moved here to make a new life for myself, I’d find my everything.”