Smiling, I leaned in and brushed a soft kiss on her lips. “You ready to marry me…again?”
Her head bobbed quickly before I gave her another kiss.
“Bishop, that part comes later!” Hunter called out.
Abby and I both laughed. I dropped my hands, and we faced Buck.
As the ceremony began, I couldn’t hear anything but the beating of my heart, or maybe it was Abby’s heart—or possibly both of our hearts beating as one. Abby reached a hand down and wrapped her fingers around mine while we stood there and said our vows for a second time.
“Shall we bless the rings?”
Abby untied my wedding band from her bouquet of flowers and handed it over to Buck. They both looked at me as I stood there, not making a move.
“Bishop? Do you have the wedding band?” Buck asked, slight concern in his voice.
I glanced over my shoulder and nodded to Hunter and Lance.
Abby chuckled. “Tell me Jack isn’t wearing the ring…”
Her voice trailed off as our eight-week-old golden retriever started down the aisle toward us. A giant blue bow was tied around her neck, and she trotted like she owned the damn place.
Abby gasped and whispered, “A puppy!”
Of course, the pup got distracted and made a few stops to say hello to Arabella, then my mom, then Kyle, slowly making her way closer to us. I whistled, and her head popped up. I bent down, and she started running toward me.
Abby bent, too, and was nearly knocked over by the little rug rat. “Oh my goodness! Whose puppy is she?”
I turned her collar and untied the bag Lance had attached. I smiled. “She’s your puppy, Abs.”
Her eyes went wide with shock. “Mine? She’s mine?”
I nodded, scooped up the puppy in one hand, and helped Abby stand back up. Kyle came to my side and took the puppy as I opened the ring pouch and tipped it so the diamond and band both landed in my hand.
Abby was so preoccupied with the puppy Kyle was holding that she hadn’t seen the rings. I handed them to Buck, who smiled.
“Shall we continue then?” Buck asked as Abby grabbed the puppy from Kyle and hugged it to her chest.
I laughed, watching her smother the dog with kisses. She gave Buck a quick look. “Yes! Please don’t mind the dog.”
“You’re going to hold her while we say our vows?” I asked.
She nodded. “Yes! Just for a bit.”
Our friends and family laughed while Buck continued on with the blessing. I had already arranged for Buck to have me go first with the rings.
I took both of them from his hand and slotted them together. Abby beamed with happiness when I slipped both the engagement ring and her wedding band on her finger and then said my vows. Once I had finished, she looked down…and sucked in a breath.
“Bishop! Oh, Bishop.”
The puppy started to slip from Abby’s arm, so Kyle jumped into action and took her again. He quietly went back to his table with the puppy fighting to get free.
“Do you like it?” I asked, watching her stare down at the ring.
She lifted her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I love it. It’s so beautiful. It’s perfect.”
I reached over and wiped her tears away.
We somehow managed to get through our vows while we both cried like babies. I had never been so happy in my entire life. Happier even than the first time I’d married Abby, and I never thought that was possible.
“Friends and family,” Buck said, a wide smile on his face. “I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Bishop Harris, round two. Now you may kiss your bride, Bishop.”
The room erupted in cheers and laughter as I cupped Abby’s face and kissed her passionately, then dipped her and made her laugh. Kyle let out a whistle, and Hunter called out, “Save it for tonight, you guys!”
When we finally broke the kiss, I leaned my forehead against Abby’s. She ran her fingertip lightly over my jaw and sighed. “Finally, you’re mine again.”
“I was always yours, Abs.”
She drew back slightly and looked up at me. “Do you think they’d miss us if we slipped away?”
The corner of my mouth twitched. “Didn’t we do that at our last wedding too?”
Abby
Wet puppy dog licks on my face woke me from my peaceful slumber. I opened my eyes and smiled as I looked into the sweetest brown eyes I’d ever seen.
“Good morning, sweet puppy.”
Bishop rolled over and groaned. “Why is she in our bed, Abs?”
I sat up and scooped the puppy into my arms, holding her like a baby. “I couldn’t keep her in the crate, Bishop! She kept crying to get out.”
He sat up and scrubbed his hand down his face as he sighed. “You do realize you’re spoiling her already.”
I looked down at the pup and smiled as she chewed on my finger. “She’s had such a crazy last few days. Stuck with Kyle, then Lance, who was trying to train her like a future K9! Then the wedding and all the excitement. She needs extra love.”