Honey Kisses

Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Wedding Day

Pastor Porter boomed, "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."

Ann lifted a tissue to blot tears as she watched her only child, Jacob, kiss Julie Tanner, now Julie Hackstetter. Across the aisle, Julie's father and stepmother, Sage and Sarah, lovingly held hands. Sage lifted Sarah's hand to his lips and kissed it.

Pastor Porter asked the newlyweds to face the congregation. To everyone's delight, Jacob sneaked another kiss as the portly pastor loudly announced, "I now present Mr. and Mrs. Hackstetter. Please congratulate our newlyweds in the foyer and then head on over to Lazy M Ranch for the reception. Everyone's invited!"

There was a little crackle over the speaker system and then Shania Twain sang, From this Moment. The happy couple descended the few steps of the chancel platform, followed by Julie's maid of honor, Tooty Townsend, and Jacob's best man, Bobby Joe Banyon. Julie's gown, a simple strapless A-line with lace overlay, matched her easy going personality, and Jacob, in a gray cowboy tux with black vest, looked striking. The pair had insisted on a small wedding, so there were no bridesmaids or groomsmen.

Beaner, a ranch hand from the Lazy M, and now an usher in the wedding, stepped to the first aisle and offered his arm to Ann. She placed her hand in the crook of his elbow. Sarah and Sage stepped into the aisle behind Tooty and Bobby, and Beaner led Ann behind them. The bride and groom waited just outside the entrance to the sanctuary, ready to greet their guests. Ann took a position beside her son, and Sage and Sarah stood next to her.

Mr. and Mrs. Mercer, the parents of Julie's dead mother, and Mr. and Mrs. Carter, Sarah's parents, exited the sanctuary followed by Sarah's sister, Libby, on the arm of another ranch hand, Ned Waldo. Next, Ann's parents, Abby and Bert Baxter, and her grandmother, Molly Baxter, entered the foyer. The old cowpoke, Newt Tucker, escorted Molly, who was talking a mile-a-minute and gesturing with her hands to emphasize her words. He'd craned his bony neck downward so he could hear. Ann grinned at the sight of her granny talking Newt's ear off. Of course, Newt could hold his own in spinning a tale. Between the two of them, they could probably talk nonstop for days.

Ann returned her attention to accepting congratulations from guests and tried to keep her emotions at bay--her son was married. She blinked rapidly, wishing Jerry had lived long enough to see their son wed, and dabbed at her eyes again. Jacob bent and whispered, "You okay, Mom?"

"Oh, yes, Jacob."

He looked into her eyes and read her unspoken thoughts. "I know. I wish he was here, too."

Julie stepped around Jacob and hugged her. "I love you, Mom," she said to her new mother-in-law.

"I love you, too, Julie."

For the next half hour the bride and groom and family members greeted guests. Ann was exchanging pleasantries with Sally Higginbotham, a vocalist in the wedding, when she heard a familiar voice that shifted her heartbeat into triple rhythm. She wanted to look in the direction of the voice, but kept her gaze riveted on Mrs. Higginbotham's red lipstick teeth. She smoothed a hand down her pale green chiffon-over-satin, form fitting dress, with satin bolero jacket, and hoped it didn't make her look too matronly. Sarah and Julie had assured her the color contrasted beautifully with her olive complexion and set off her hazel eyes. She hoped so.

Jackson Martinez continued speaking, "Julie and Jacob, you're a fine looking couple. After you're back from your honeymoon and settled in, I'd sure enjoy your company at the Triple T for dinner."

Jacob responded, "We'd like that, Jackson. By the way, congratulations are in order for you, too, now that you own the Triple T."

"Thanks. Tommy always said he'd give me first dibs if he ever put it up for sale, and when he did, I didn't have to think twice."