Her Gentle Giant, Part 2: Remember to Dance (30 page)

* * * *

Rachel was seated in front of the vanity mirror in Grace’s bathroom. Soft country music played on the stereo in the bedroom. She watched as Grace separated her hair into small sections and rolled each into a hot roller and pinned it down on her head. Rachel had assured Grace that she could do this. Rolling her hair was something she’d done on a regular basis, but Grace insisted that she should relax and allow herself to be fussed over a little.

Rachel was doing her own makeup, but Grace asked Carrie to help since she was going to be here, anyway, taking pictures as the bride got ready. There was even going to be a shot of Rachel in just her heels, lingerie, jewelry, and bridal veil that she knew Eli would
love
. The rollers were in place when Carrie came in and shot a grinning picture of Rachel with rollers and pins all over her head.

“Aren’t you nervous?” Grace asked.

“I’m not nervous at all. I’m worried that I’ll take one look at Eli at the end of the aisle and make a fool of myself bawling like a baby. He insists I’ll be fine, and it’ll be the other way around. But we’re not nervous at all. No. Just make sure I’ve got a hanky on me and that we use waterproof mascara and eyeliner.”

“Do we know where the rings are?” Grace asked, lacing her into the corset after she had the G-string on.

“Teresa has both of them in safekeeping in their boxes until right before the ceremony. I have to say I’m glad we ditched the ring pillow. I liked your idea better.” Rachel smiled as she remembered the rehearsal the night before. To a little boy, a small pillow is just too much like a football.

Carrie did her makeup, Grace finished her hair-do, and they moved on to the stockings and shoes. Then Grace pinned the flowing, lightweight veil into Rachel’s hair. Carrie snapped some pictures, giggling when Rachel warned her to quit shooting her ass.

Carrie snorted with laughter and said, “Nah, Eli will be thanking me, honey, for making sure this freaking-hot outfit got immortalized. Maybe I’ll put them all in a naughty little wedding album for him to keep in a safe place since I have a feeling he doesn’t share well.”

“Rachel, why don’t you camp it up a bit before we put on the dress? That’s
perfect
!” Grace encouraged as Rachel struck a sizzle pose with her fingertip on her ass, and said,
“Tssssss!”

That few minutes of silliness did a lot to help her jitters about becoming too serious and teary-eyed, and maybe that was Grace’s purpose all along. Grace helped her into the dress, which felt like a dream on, not stiff and bulky at all. Because there were several layers of fabric to the skirt, she wore no slip underneath, just her lingerie. Carrie was busy snapping pictures as they talked.

There was a tap at the door, and Carrie opened it when they heard Rachel’s father’s voice. Her mom and dad had brought the Escalade to escort Rachel back to the Lopez ranch. Rachel stood by the open window and turned as they entered. Both her parents stood there looking at her, a mixture of love, pride, and pain on their faces. Her mom started crying first, and her dad, bless him, shed tears, as well, as they came to her. Carrie was ready for it and shot quietly as they embraced Rachel, and she wiped their tears, fighting tears of her own.

Grace stood back in her royal-blue dress and quietly waited as they spoke softly to Rachel, touching her dress and her hair and her cheek. She smiled and nodded, and they turned to go. Carrie snapped that portrait as they looked up. Perfect.

When they were within sight of the pavilion on the ranch, Grace had Rachel turn away so she wouldn’t be able to see it. The sun was nearing the horizon, breathtaking in brilliant colors and the perfect background. The ceremony would start in less than twenty minutes. As instructed, all the drapes and blinds in the large back windows of the house were drawn so she couldn’t see out yet.

The bride’s party waited inside the ranch house with Justin and Ethan. Eli waited out at the pavilion with the preacher. They all wore admiring smiles as Rachel entered the front door. Kelly helped her with her short train while Grace hurried to put Rachel’s things in the Dodge Ram. Grace came in, her cell phone to her ear, talking to Charity, who was overseeing things from the other side of the backdoor.

“Rachel, do you need a few minutes?” Grace asked as Ethan escorted her mom out through the barely-open backdoor to walk her to her seat.

Rachel nodded and took steady, calming breaths for a couple of minutes.

Grace patted her shoulder and said, “You take your time and let me know when
you’re
ready.”

“How is my lipstick?” she asked, standing to look in a mirror. Grace had done a beautiful job on her hair.

Grace replied, “Your lipstick is perfect.”

Ethan slipped back in the backdoor and nodded. Grace held her phone to her ear then looked at Rachel. “Ready to go, Rachel?”

Rachel turned to her and smiled. “I’m ready.”

Carrie shot pictures as Grace lined them up in order. Teresa removed the wedding bands from their boxes, tied a ribbon through them, and then looped the ribbon over Little Michael’s sweetly tousled black curls so that it hung around his neck. He grinned and stuck his hand in his little pocket and reached for his mommy’s hand. He was being escorted by his mommy, who found a dress in the same shade of royal blue so she would fit in with the rest of the wedding party. Teresa would walk him down the aisle, to where he would stand with Ethan and Justin. She would have a seat in the front row so he could join her when he lost interest or when one of the men brought him to her, whichever came first. He was dressed in a black tuxedo that matched Justin and Ethan’s and looked as cute as button.

Grace lined them up, positioning Rachel away from the doorway on her father’s arm. Kelly went first, a bouquet of deep red roses in her hands as she stepped to the door on Justin’s arm. Grace whispered into the phone, and Charity opened the door from the other side, glancing in at Rachel. Her eyes popped wide open, and she gave her the big thumbs-up then disappeared just as quickly. Kelly looked back and winked then allowed Justin to lead her through the door.

Grace joined Ethan at the open door and smiled up at him. Rachel smiled, catching Ethan in the act of looking down Grace’s cleavage admiringly. Grace rolled her eyes and hugged his arm, and then she turned and blew an air kiss to Rachel as he led her through the door. They moved closer to the door, and Rachel could hear guitars playing. The basic melody was familiar, but Rachel couldn’t place it at the moment.

Teresa smiled down at Michael and nodded then led him through the door. Rachel turned to look at her father. He gazed into her eyes, fighting tears hard, and tried to smile at her but failed miserably. She pulled her hanky from inside her sleeve and blotted his tears and kissed his cheeks as Carrie shot one last image then slipped through the door.

“Your mom and I love you so much, Rachel. You’ve made us very proud of you. You’ve found a man of worth, and I hope he makes you happy in your lives together. This is your time, princess. Ready? He’s waiting for you.”

She tucked the handkerchief back into her sleeve, took the bouquet of vivid red and flaming orange roses he handed her, and took his arm. He led her to the door, and she turned to him.

“Do I look all right, Dad?”

“A little better than all right, princess. Can you see him up there? I’ll guide you, honey. You just keep your eyes on him.”

Rachel looked up the gentle, smooth slope to the pavilion, awash now in a thousand twinkling lights. She stood still, searching for him as her eyes adjusted to the dimmer lighting outside the door. She found him easily because she need only look for the tallest man there. She couldn’t clearly make out his features yet, but she knew the moment he caught sight of her as she stepped out on her father’s arm and moved forward into the dwindling light.

Eli’s body language changed. He became motionless, focused on her. Other people noticed the change, and guests began turning to watch her. The soft guitar music continued, and she realized that Grace must have speakers set up between the pavilion and the house. Otherwise, there was not much chance she would have heard the music playing from the pavilion, but the music was a perfect wedding processional. Charity adjusted her short train and backed away, smiling at her.

Her father patted her hand and led her forward. Eli stood with the preacher, flanked by the members of the wedding party. Little Michael was perched happily on Justin’s arm. Each step brought her closer to Eli until she could clearly make out his features. His handsome face was illuminated by candlelight, and anyone could tell he was a man very deeply in love. It was in his eyes and his sensual smile and the way he held himself. Rachel’s lip quivered when she clearly saw his gentle heart in his eyes and prayed for the waterworks to hold off a bit longer.

The area where the ceremony was to take place was surrounded on either side of the wedding party by two long rows of evergreen trees. The sunset blazed beyond where Eli and the preacher stood.

Processing slowly forward on her dad’s arm, Rachel was thankful her tears and quivering lip were under control as they moved down the aisle between the rows of guests who now stood for her. The guitar music intensified, heralding her arrival in their midst.

Gazing into Eli’s crystalline eyes, she remembered walking to him at the club the night she faced her fears of insurmountable jealousy and dealt with a whole horde of females as they flirted with him. Rachel remembered facing the women again and again, singly and in groups, proving to herself that she could overcome her jealousy and she did have what it took to hold him. Humbled that the love in his eyes was for her, she reflected it back in her own. Her heart throbbed with adoration and respect for him that he didn’t try to play it cool for everyone there. He watched her as she moved toward him like she was the only woman in the world and she was his.

Taking a deep breath, Rachel felt her rigid body relax. Her stiff spine, tall and straight as always, loosened
.
Sauntering Rachel, the woman who moved
for
him, to please him, made her appearance. Whether it was walking away from him while he ogled her ass or walking toward him as he eyeballed her swaying hips and full breasts or dancing for him, Sauntering Rachel smiled at him with a seductive twinkle, and she watched his reaction. She could tell by the glitter in his eyes that he was
liking
what he saw as she closed the remaining distance between them.

Her father stopped with her at the end of the bridal runner as the preacher and Eli approached them. Rachel turned to her father, who was once again fighting tears. She kissed his leathery cheek and looked back at her mom and smiled. Her father responded as he was directed in the rehearsal the night before. Then he backed away and sat in the empty chair beside her mother, dabbing his eyes with his handkerchief.

Rachel looked up at Eli and smiled happily. Love glowed in his gray eyes as he took in her appearance. He led her to the spot where they were to say their vows. As she moved beside him, he looked down at her and whispered, “You’re a vision, angel.”

Rachel softly replied, “You look so handsome.”

The preacher shared a short message with Rachel and Eli and the congregation. He detailed a little of their history for those who did not know their story and spoke about marriage vows being sacred. He asked for the rings.

Justin nodded to Michael and set him on his little feet. He stopped in front of Eli and looked up, and up, and up, and up, until his little head was craning far back. The congregation chuckled. Michael slipped the ribbon from around his neck and handed it to Eli, who squatted down and accepted the rings then held out his hand. Michael slapped his palm with a little cracking sound and returned to Justin, who picked him up again so he could see what was going to happen.

The preacher prayed for them and spoke about the rings and their significance. “Rachel and Eli both wanted to have something special inscribed inside the other’s wedding band. They kept the inscriptions a secret from each other until now. They wanted to give each other a part of themselves they could carry inside their wedding band and in their hearts. They communicated the inscriptions to me separately and told me how the words spoke volumes to their hearts even though they were few. After all, how much can you fit inside a wedding band?

“It is my earnest prayer that they keep those words in their hearts and that we would do the same. We should care for each other in such a way that we can say we live with
no regrets
. This is a philosophy they have both developed in their love for each other and in the life they look forward to living. I pray it continues on and believe that it will because they both chose the exact same inscription for each other without knowing it.”

Rachel looked up at Eli and laughed with him, not surprised at all. Eli took her hand in his.

The pastor laughed with the congregation and held up his hands, “Whoa, Eli. Can’t kiss her yet. I’ll get on with it, though.”

Rachel exchanged rings with Eli and thought she held it together pretty well as she repeated her vows and listened to him say his. When he was given the go-ahead, Eli gathered her bodily in his arms and kissed the daylights out of her amidst cat calls, whistles, and clapping. Soon, they were surrounded by guests hugging Rachel and patting Eli on the back.

As their guests congregated around them, the rows of chairs were removed and dispersed around the tables. The guests were invited to take a seat so that they could be served while the bride and groom and the wedding party took pictures briefly.