Faith Shepherd took a deep breath of mountain air. The scent of pine had always been her favorite. She closed her eyes, leaning her head against her fiancé's back as they rode double through the pass. Apollo lifted his legs high through the drifts of snow. It was just after Christmas, and the mountains were snow-packed and dangerous for travel.
Gabe had insisted on accompanying Faith on her house visit to an old trapper. The man's daughter had come into town against her father's wishes, desperate for help. The trapper, Josiah Engles, had gotten his foot caught in one of his traps. Infection had set in. Rather than watching her father die, Lettie Engles had rushed to town on horseback to find a doctor. Faith wanted to set out immediately, but Gabe intercepted her as she was trying to saddle a horse.
"You've never ridden a horse," he said, hands on his hips. "There is no way I'm letting you go through the mountains by yourself. It's dangerous out there."
Faith ignored him, cinching the saddle. "Josiah needs my help," she said, a determined note in her voice. "I am not going to let him die when there's a chance I could save him."
"Faith, you could die if you go out there," Gabe returned, his tone bordering on desperate. "You don't know how to ride. What makes you think you can get on a horse you've never ridden and travel through a mountain pass covered in snow?"
"I have to," Faith said. "I'm a doctor, Gabe. This is what I do. I can't just turn my head from another person's suffering, especially when that person could die."
Gabe was clearly struggling, but he soon stiffened with resolve. "We'll go together," he said. "On Apollo. He's been trained to make it through any kind of weather and terrain." He held up his hand when Faith opened her mouth to protest. "This isn't up for debate. Let me do this for you. I need to know you're safe." A half-smile tugged at his lips. "I can't have anything happening to my fiancée days before our wedding."
Knowing he was right, Faith relented. Gabe quickly saddled Apollo, then got them to the cabin faster than Faith would have thought possible with his expert horsemanship. She was able to clean Josiah's wound and cauterize it, then left some medication with Lettie to administer to her father as needed. She made Lettie promise to come get her again if Josiah took a turn for the worse, but Faith was confident that the man would recover. It would just take some time.
Now, their ride back was more leisurely. After a while, though, she became aware of a rigidness in Gabe's back. Lifting her head, she spoke softly. "Is everything alright?"
"Yes," he said quickly.
Faith frowned. He'd said the single word much too fast. "Gabe," she said, a warning in her voice. They'd promised never to lie to each other, and she had a distinct feeling everything was not alright.
Gabe sighed, reining Apollo to a stop and twisting to look at her. "I'm sorry, sweetheart," he said. "I don't want to worry you."
She placed a hand on his back. "You can tell me," she said.
Gabe glanced up at the sky. Faith followed his gaze, noticing the storm clouds that were gathered there. She blinked. When had that happened? When she looked back at Gabe, he was looking at her grimly.
"That's what's wrong," he said. "It looks like we're in for some nasty weather." Concern filled his handsome features. "We're still at least a half hour from town. If that storm breaks before we get there…" His voice trailed off as he shook his head. "It wouldn't be good."
As soon as the words left his mouth, snow began falling from the sky. Silence descended between them as Gabe nudged Apollo into a walk again. They couldn't go fast. The snow was deep in the pass, requiring the horse to lift its legs high from step to step. By the time they were through the pass, the snow had reached near blizzard conditions. Faith held onto Gabe as fear crept over her. She knew he had ridden through conditions like this before, but she couldn't see more than five feet in front of them. It was a terrifying reality. She shuddered as she thought about the fact that she had planned on coming up here alone.
She would have been hopelessly lost.
Gabe must have felt her shudder. He placed one hand on her arm, squeezing it reassuringly. "We're going to find shelter," he hollered, his voice raised to be heard over the blowing wind.
Faith simply nodded as her teeth began to chatter. The cold seemed to go straight through her body. The warmth she'd felt from being close to Gabe vanished as the cold permeated every inch of her being.
Gabe turned Apollo off the path. Faith felt another flash of fear as they rode through the trees, still unable to see. She didn't know how Gabe was able to direct the horse. They were riding blind. She wasn't sure how long they moved through the forest, but it felt like an eternity.
"We're almost there," Gabe said. As if he sensed her fear, he gripped her hand in his, holding it to his heart. "I promise I'll keep you safe, Faith. We're going to be alright."
Feeling herself getting sleepy, Faith nodded slowly. It was so cold. Gabe jerked, pushing her back momentarily with his body. Faith yelped, wrapping her arms tightly around him once more.
"Don't fall asleep on me," Gabe told her. "Stay awake, Faith. You know it's dangerous to go to sleep in a blizzard."
Yes, he was right, but for the life of her, Faith couldn't remember why. She began nodding off, only to have Gabe jerk backwards again, jolting her out of it. "Faith!"
She fought against the darkness trying to take her, but she lost the battle. Gabe's back rumbled as he said something else. Faith didn't hear it. She slipped into sleep as warmth finally enveloped her.
"No!"
Gabe felt a rush of fear as Faith went limp against him. At almost the same moment, the small cabin he'd been aiming for came into view. The Mounties had several of these little cabins scattered throughout the mountains for instances such as these, when bad weather showed up without warning and shelter was needed immediately. They'd been so close. He knew how dangerous it was for someone to fall asleep in this kind of weather.
He rode Apollo into the lean-to that served as a shelter for animals. There was plenty of hay. Gabe knew he would have to unsaddle his horse soon, but for now, Faith needed his immediate attention. Swinging down, he gathered her into his arms and made his way into the blowing snow. Her cheek rested against his jacket. Gabe could feel her chilled skin even through the layers of his jacket and serge. He walked as fast as he could for the cabin door. Kicking it open, he went in and gently placed Faith on the small bed. He then set about building a fire.
It took several minutes, but he soon had a cheerful blaze warming the room. He moved to the stove to start a fire in it as well, hoping that the double sources of warmth would help Faith wake up. When both fires were roaring, he sat on the edge of the bed and took one of her hands in his. He began rubbing it briskly, trying to get her blood flowing. After a minute, he did the same for her other hand before turning his attention to her arms. Glancing at her feet, he took in the boots that were made for cooler weather, but not heavy snow. Casting aside propriety, he took off both boots to rub her chilled feet in his hands. Keeping his eyes averted, he began rubbing her legs as well. Guilt nagged at him for touching her like this before their wedding, but he reminded himself that it could very well save her life. He would do the same for anyone else in this situation, male or female.
When he finished, he carefully rearranged her skirts. He left the boots off, opting instead to cover her with a blanket. Leaning over her, Gabe began slapping her cheeks as gently as he could while still being firm. "Wake up, Faith. Come on, sweetheart. Open your eyes."
Faith moaned, turning her head away from him. Gabe turned it back, holding it in place with one hand while the other continued to pat firmly. She fought him weakly, though her eyes still didn't open.
"Come on, Faith. Please wake up."
Her eyelids fluttered. Hope rose in Gabe's heart as she struggled to open them. It took several minutes, but eventually her blue eyes cracked open.
It was the most beautiful sight Gabe had ever seen. Relief crashed into him. He wrapped his arms around her, lifting her up and into his embrace, pressing fervent kisses against her cheeks and forehead.
"Gabe?" Faith mumbled. "Why is it so cold?"
"You passed out, sweetheart," he whispered, the lingering effects of his terror making him shake. "Wait here a moment, okay?"
She nodded. He laid her back against the pillow, then took the blanket covering her and spent a few moments warming it by the fire. When he brought it back, he tucked it around her body so that the heat would be trapped completely. "How's that?"
Faith sighed, a small smile on her lips. "That's better."
The room was warming nicely. Gabe knew that Faith needed to warm up internally as well. Maybe he should make some hot food. He knew he needed to care for Apollo soon, but he wasn't ready to let Faith out of his sight. Not yet. He began rummaging around the shelves that stood near the stove. Several cans of beans caught his eyes, so he grabbed a few, along with a bag of rice. Within half an hour, he had a simple but hearty meal ready for them. As he turned to get some bowls, he saw Faith struggling to rise from the bed.
"Whoa, now!" he said, rushing toward her. "Steady."
She smiled at him. "I'm fine, Gabe. I'm nice and warm now." She placed a hand on his cheek. "Thank you for saving me," she said softly, pressing a kiss to his lips. "I would have died out there if you hadn't insisted on coming with me today."
Gabe returned her kiss, wrapping her tightly in his arms. The fear of what could have been made him hold her closer than usual. Faith wiggled slightly. "Gabe," she whispered. "I can't breathe."
He immediately relaxed his hold. "Sorry," he murmured. "I was so scared, Faith. I thought I might lose you."
She kissed his cheek. "But you didn't, sweetheart," she said. "We're both safe now, thanks to your quick thinking." She glanced out the window. Night was falling, and the snow was blowing hard. "I guess we're not going anywhere tonight."
"No," Gabe agreed, finally releasing her. He smiled wryly. "I'll make a bed on the opposite side of the room from you out of some blankets so there's a respectable distance between us."
Faith glanced at the "opposite side of the room". There was maybe twenty feet of space between one corner of the room and the other. She chuckled. "There's not much space there anyway, but I appreciate the sentiment, sweetheart." Placing a hand on his shoulder, her eyes became serious. "I know you're a gentleman, Gabe. I trust you completely."
Her words warmed him inside. "I appreciate that, Faith," he said. "I won't break your trust."
She smiled. "I know."
Taking her hand, Gabe tugged her toward the stove. "Let's eat."
Nathan Grant looked out the window for the hundredth time. The snow was still falling heavily as night descended on Brookfield. Neither Gabe nor Faith had returned from their trip into the mountains. He'd heard from the stablehand that Gabe insisted on going with his fiancée on a house call. They should have been back by now.
"Staring out the window isn't going to make them come home any faster, sweetheart."
His wife's gentle voice sounded from the doorway. Nathan turned to see Elizabeth standing there, six-month-old Bella Joy on her hip. Their daughter smiled at him happily, her blue eyes standing in stark contrast to her dark curls. She reached for him even though he was across the room. Melting instantly, Nathan crossed the space between them in a few long strides, taking his baby girl into his arms. She nestled against him, her little head resting on his shoulder as her thumb found its way into her mouth. Nathan gave Elizabeth a quick kiss before turning to again watch the falling snow.
"I don't like that they're not back, Elizabeth," he said.
She rested a hand on his back. "I know," she said quietly. "But Gabe is resourceful. He would know not to leave the trapper's cabin in a snowstorm."
"True," Nathan conceded. "But what if they left before the storm and then got trapped? This came up suddenly." He felt another flash of fear. "And what about Bill? He was traveling here on horseback today for the wedding. What if he got caught in the storm?"
Elizabeth's hand began moving gently up and down his spine. "Nathan, Bill got in just now. That's what I came in here to tell you. He's downstairs."
Relief flooded Nathan. That at least was one less worry. The Bouchards and the Coulters were already in town. Everyone was now accounted for from Hope Valley. The only ones missing were the bride and groom.
The wedding was in two days, set for the first of January. But what if something had happened to them?
Faith looked up as Gabe made his way back into the cabin. He'd gone to care for his horse and make sure the animal had plenty of food. Her fiancé was covered in snow and shut the door behind him quickly to keep out the chill.
"It's getting colder," he remarked. "I put a blanket on Apollo. Hopefully that helps."
Faith tried to keep a shudder at bay. It had been miserably cold before they arrived at the cabin. She couldn't imagine what colder must feel like.
Gabe removed his jacket and serge, hanging them on the pegs by the door. The room was cheerfully warm, so much so that Faith had finally removed her own coat. When she discovered that her boots had been taken off, she blushed furiously. After Gabe went out to care for his horse, she quickly put them back on. They had been near the fire, so they were nice and warm. If Gabe noticed that she had them on again, he didn't say anything.
He settled on the settee against the wall. It was small, but he patted the spot beside him. "Sit with me?"
Faith obliged. She snugged beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Can you believe we're getting married in two days?" she asked, closing her eyes and smiling. "Lillian has been such a wonderful help. I don't know what I would have done without her."
Gabe smiled. "I'm glad you two were able to work together so well," he said. Giving her a playful nudge, he chuckled. "And I'll bet it didn't hurt that you were able to cuddle Leah all that time."
Faith grinned at the mention of Lillian's little girl. "That was definitely a perk," she admitted. "Leah is a precious baby." The child was a miniature version of Lillian, though she boasted Sam's blue eyes. Faith was taken with her from the moment she delivered the baby.
"There really are so many babies around the same age," she murmured. Leah's birth had been the first, occurring in late March. Then when Faith went to Hope Valley for a visit in June, she had the unexpected opportunity to deliver Elizabeth and Nathan's daughter. It had fallen to her because the other doctor was occupied with delivering Lucas and Fiona's son, John. The memory still made her smile. The two babies had been born at the exact same moment, leaving Nathan and Lucas baffled about how to settle their wager over whose child would be born first. A few months later, Faith had delivered Grace's son. She and Chuck named him Matthew after the late Mr. Stewart. That little gesture had effectively softened Tess's heart toward Grace.
She came abruptly out of her thoughts when she felt Gabe's nose nuzzle her cheek. "And someday soon, I hope we can add our own baby to that growing population," he said.
Faith blushed. Even so, she was excited at the prospect of having children. A longing for motherhood had grown the longer her relationship with Gabe went on. She found herself hoping they were able to have a passel of kids.
In two days, that possibility would become a reality. In two days, she and Gabe would join their lives together. In two days…
Faith gasped, a hand flying to her throat. Gabe looked at her in alarm. "What's wrong?"
She stared at him, mouth open in shock. "Gabe!" she exclaimed. "Our wedding is in two days!"
He nodded slowly. "Yes…?" It came out more of a question than a stated fact. He clearly wondered what was going on in her mind.
She pointed out the window. Even though it was dark, snow was still falling heavily. "What if we can't get back to Brookfield in time?" she asked, feeling a shot of worry.
Gabe settled his arm around her shoulder. "It's a little too soon to be worrying about that," he said gently. "Hopefully the snow stops overnight and we'll be able to travel back to Brookfield in the morning."
Faith tried to share his confidence. She made herself relax, leaning against the settee as they began to dream about their future together out loud. When it was time for bed, they settled into their respective resting places. Faith said a soft goodnight, then fell asleep to the sound of wind blowing fiercely through the trees.
In the morning, she woke to see Gabe standing at the front door, looking out. She sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Did the snow stop?"
He turned to look at her. Faith's stomach dropped at the grim look on his face. "What's wrong?"
He pointed out the door. Faith looked to see a wall of snow blocking their exit. Getting up, she peered out the only two windows in the cabin. She could see nothing. The snow was piled up higher than the window. Mouth dropped, she stared at Gabe in shock.
"We're snowed in."
Nathan waited until mid-morning before gathering a search party. Bill, Lucas, and Lee joined Joe, Sam, Chuck, and the men of Brookfield to organize efforts to find their missing friends. When the snow had finally stopped falling last night, there were only four inches coating the ground, but Nathan knew that it could be a different story in the mountains. The men loaded a wagon with various tools while Nathan, Sam, and Chuck came up with a plan.
"How far is it to that trapper's cabin?" Nathan asked.
Joe pointed to a spot on the map. "About an hour's ride," he said. "It's very isolated up there, and it takes some time to get through the mountain pass."
Sam pointed to another dot. "There's an emergency Mountie cabin about thirty minutes from here," he said. "It's relatively close to the mountain pass. I'm sure Gabe knows about it. If they got caught in the storm, he would have tried to shelter there."
Nathan nodded. "I agree. And if they're not back yet, that must mean they are stuck. That cabin isn't too far away. Let's check there first, though I do want two people to ride to the trapper's cabin to see if they stayed there overnight."
Two ranchers familiar with the mountains volunteered for that assignment. The rest prepared to make the trek to the emergency cabin. Before they rode off, Rosemary, Elizabeth, and Lillian came out of the hotel holding baskets in their hands.
"Here," Rosemary said, placing her basket in the wagon and waiting for Elizabeth and Lillian to do the same. "We packed a hearty lunch for everyone. Hopefully it will suffice."
"Thank you, Rosemary," Nathan said, thankful for the women's thoughtfulness. He made his way to Elizabeth, pulling her into a hug. "I love you, sweetheart," he said.
"I love you too," she replied. "How long do you think you'll be gone?"
Nathan glanced toward the snow-covered mountains. "That depends on if we find them at the cabin or not," he said. "I have to hope that's where they are. If not…" He paused with a slight shudder. "I don't want to think about the alternative."
Elizabeth hugged him once more. "You'll find them," she said softly. "I have a feeling they're in that cabin. Gabe is smart and he loves Faith. His only goal would have been to keep her safe."
Nathan smiled. "I know. Love makes a man do things like that." He winked at her. Elizabeth chuckled, pushing his arm lightly. Her face soon sobered again. "Nathan, the wedding is tomorrow."
"I know," he said. "That's another reason we need to find them quickly."
Rosemary overheard that. She came over, a determined light in her eyes. "We will make sure everything is ready for their wedding," she said. "Faith and Gabe won't have to lift a finger when you bring them home."
Lillian joined them. "Faith and I have been working closely on this wedding for months," she said. "Everything is already here. It's just a matter of getting the hotel decorated for the reception and the church decorated for the wedding ceremony. Ronnie is taking care of food and the cake." She smiled. "You find our friends, and tomorrow we'll have the most joyful wedding Brookfield has yet seen." A fond look filled her eyes as she looked at Sam. "And that's saying something, since there have been several wonderful weddings here so far."
Nathan followed her gaze, taking in the strapping handyman. There was a time when he was upset that Lillian had chosen Sam over Gabe. His own heart had hurt seeing his friend's heartache. But now, seeing how everything worked out, he was thankful things had happened the way they did. Gabe had been dejected for a time, but then he found the woman of his dreams. Now it was time for Nathan to find them so they could begin their married life together.
With a farewell kiss to Elizabeth, Nathan swung onto his borrowed horse. The animal was no Newton, but he was strong and serviceable. Nathan nodded at Sam. "Lead the way."
Sam nodded back, then nudged his horse into a walk. The others followed. As they made it to the base of the mountains, Nathan could see it would be slow going, especially with a wagon. Snow was piled nearly a foot high, and it looked to get deeper further into the forest.
They had their work cut out for them, but there was no way he was going to leave his friends in the mountains any longer than necessary. Pure determination filled him. One way or another, they would find Gabe and Faith in time for the wedding.
The day wore on. With little light from the snow-covered windows, Gabe and Faith couldn't tell what time it was at any given moment. Though there was plenty of wood for the fire and lots of food – albeit canned food – Gabe wondered if Faith had been right to worry about them missing their own wedding. He had tried pushing through the snow a few times, but the wall of white might as well have been made of bricks. Giving up, Gabe tried to be optimistic about their circumstances. He looked at Faith, thankful for the quality time they were able to spend together here with no distractions. With the wedding coming up, they had been busy planning and working and planning some more.
Holed up in this tiny cabin, they had only each other for company. It was proving to be a much more pleasant experience than Gabe would have expected. Though he was worried that their wedding would have to be postponed, he was thoroughly enjoying the time with his lovely fiancée.
"Maybe we could try to cook something," Faith suggested.
Gabe raised a brow. "I thought you hated cooking."
She chuckled. "This was meant to be a surprise for you, but I've been teaching myself to cook," she said proudly. "Lillian has been helping too. I'm getting quite good at a few dishes." She smiled. "Like peach crisp." Standing, she went to the shelves by the stove. "Let's see," she murmured, moving around some cans. "Here we are! Canned peaches." She set them on the small counter, then picked out flour, sugar, and oats as well. "Now we have what we need to make a lovely dessert."
Still a little dubious, Gabe came over to her. "Do you think this will work?"
Faith pulled a skillet from a nail on the wall. "Oh ye of little faith," she teased. "It'll work. Trust me."
She was right. Within thirty minutes, a bubbling crisp was ready. Faith placed it in two bowls, and they took their treat to the settee. Gabe chewed his first bite, then smiled. "This is really good. Faith."
Grinning, she winked. "Told you so."
As they ate the crisp, a memory flashed across Gabe's mind. "This reminds me of something," he said, giving her a tender smile.
She smiled back, her eyes softening. "The night we got engaged."
Gabe nodded. "You looked so pretty in your summer dress," he said. "I can still see the yellow and white checkered pattern vividly." She had been spinning around on the grass, arms flung wide, laughing at the sky with happiness simply at being alive. Gabe thought she'd never looked more beautiful than she did in that moment.
"You packed a picnic dinner from the restaurant," Faith said. "We had peach crisp for dessert."
"I hadn't planned on proposing that evening," he admitted. "But you looked so happy and the moment just felt right. It was providential that I had the ring with me."
"You took my hand, told me you loved me, and dropped to one knee," Faith said, her eyes alight with joy. "That was one of the best moments of my life. Knowing you wanted to spend the rest of your life with me took my breath away."
"It took mine away to hear you say yes," Gabe replied. "You are my dream come true, Faith."
She leaned forward to kiss him. Gabe could taste peaches as he kissed her back, a scent and taste that he would forever associate with his soon-to-be wife.
"You're mine too," Faith whispered. She closed her eyes. "My beauty from ashes. I didn't think I could love again after Carson died, but you proved me wrong. I love you so much, Gabe."
Placing his bowl on the ground, Gabe took her hand. "Do you think Carson would be happy for us?" he asked, rubbing his thumb over her fingers.
Faith smiled, no hesitation in her eyes. "Yes," she said softly. "I think he would have liked you a lot. If he could have chosen someone for me, I have a feeling it would have been you." She rested her head against his shoulder. They were quiet for a few moments. Gabe found himself silently thanking Carson for giving Faith the gift of his blessing to love again. He hated that she had to go through the pain of losing her first husband, but he was thankful that they had eventually found each other.
In the quiet, the two of them must have fallen asleep, because the next thing Gabe knew, he was jolting awake as a pounding jarred the door. Immediately following it, he heard a familiar voice calling.
"Gabe! Faith! Are you in there?"
The door opened, and Nathan burst into the cabin. His face was a study in relief as he took them in. "Thank God!" he exclaimed. "We were hoping to find you here. Are you alright?"
Gabe stood, then reached back to help Faith to her feet. "We're fine," he said. "But very, very happy to see you!" He stepped forward to hug his friend. "Thank you for coming to find us."
Nathan slapped his back. "Like I would leave you on the eve of your wedding," he said, grinning. "That would never do." He glanced around. "It's a good thing this cabin is here. You never would have made it down the mountain in that storm, if the amount of snow up here is any indication."
"How did you get through all this snow?" Gabe asked. "It's higher than the doors and windows!" He frowned. "It must have taken all day. What time is it?"
Nathan chuckled. "One question at a time," he said. "First of all, it's about three in the afternoon. Second, the snow is deep, but not that deep. Our horses were able to pick their way through, and the wagon was able to come until we were about a hundred feet from the cabin. That's when we had to start digging our way through the snow." He grinned. "However, your cabin got the worst of it." He waved a hand. "Put on your coats and follow me."
They obeyed, then walked out the door. A small crowd of men cheered as they came into sight. Gabe felt his throat tighten at the sight of his friends and neighbors. They had spent time to find him and Faith. That touched him deeply. He lifted his hand, waving at them in gratitude, unable to find the words. They seemed to understand.
Someone had gotten Apollo from the lean-to. The horse was saddled and ready to go, looking none the worse for his night in the makeshift shelter. Gabe was thankful to see that.
Nathan led them through the path that had been made, then turned them to look at the cabin. Gabe gasped.
Snow had been blown against the cabin, creating a wall of white up to the roof, but all around the snow only came up a couple feet. Gabe shook his head. "So we weren't actually snowed in!"
Faith's mouth dropped. "Those were drifts?" Understanding dawned in her eyes. "And we wouldn't have known because the only windows in the cabin faced the front, so they were covered in snow."
Nathan nodded. "Exactly."
Gabe laughed softly. "Well, I'll be," he murmured. Placing a hand on Nathan's shoulder, he looked him in the eyes. "If you hadn't come up here, we would have been stuck in that cabin for days. We certainly would have missed our wedding." He sucked in a quick breath. "Our wedding…the wedding there's still so much to prepare for."
Nathan shook his head. "Rosemary, Elizabeth, and Lillian were making all the necessary preparations," he said. "You and Faith can go home and rest before your big day. You ready to be a married man, Kinslow?"
Gabe smiled, looking at Faith. "Most definitely."
His fiancée blushed prettily, but she returned his smile. "I can't wait."
Looking between them, Nathan smiled widely. "Then let's get you home so you can get married!"
Despite the snowstorm just two days before, the morning of the wedding was bright and clear. Sunshine reflected on the snow, casting a brilliant light over Brookfield.
Faith was positively giddy. Today was the day she got to marry Gabe, one year after they began courting. She smiled, remembering the Christmas scavenger hunt that had brought them together. They hadn't won that year, losing to Sam and Lillian, but in Faith's opinion she and Gabe had won in what mattered most: love. That hadn't stopped Gabe and Sam from a friendly competition in this year's scavenger hunt, which she and Gabe had won. Already the two men were playfully trash talking over who would win next Christmas.
The morning was a blur of excitement. Elizabeth, Fiona, Rosemary, and Lillian all came over to help her get ready for the wedding. She thanked them profusely for setting everything up while she was stuck in the mountain cabin. Rosemary, acting as the spokesperson for the group, waved aside her thanks.
"You're our friend, Faith," she said warmly, watching as Fiona twisted Faith's hair into an elegant style. "We are just happy we were able to help make your day special."
Elizabeth picked up a small box from the dresser. "And speaking of special…" she said, deliberately trailing off with a smile. Opening the box, she handed it to Faith. "These are our gift to you."
Faith gasped. Inside lay a pair of beautiful pearl hair combs. "Oh!" she exclaimed, gently lifting one from its resting place. "These are exquisite!"
Fiona grinned. "And they'll go perfectly with this hairstyle," she said, winking at Faith in the mirror. "I know that for a fact."
Laughing, Faith handed the combs to Fiona. "Is that why you said this hairstyle would look best when we were picking out which one to use?"
"Maybe," Fiona admitted, chuckling. She placed the combs on either side of Faith's head. "You look beautiful, my friend."
"And we haven't even gotten her into the dress yet!" Lillian said.
Faith stood, untying her robe and looking at the dress laying on the bed. "I guess now is a good time to put that on," she said. "Though I will definitely need help with all those buttons."
"That's what we're here for," Rosemary said in a sing-song voice. She helped Faith lift the gown overhead, careful to avoid any damage to the hairstyle Fiona had created. The dress settled over Faith's body perfectly. The white fabric flowed down to her feet. Faith stood in front of the mirror as Rosemary started on the row of pearl buttons along the back. The dress was simple, with long sleeves, a straight neckline, and no adornment other than a silver beaded design at the waistline. The satin material felt cool and smooth against her skin. Once Rosemary had finished the buttons, Lillian arranged a warm, velvet wraparound shawl over Faith's shoulders. Elizabeth hung some pearl cluster earrings at Faith's ears, and just like that, she was ready for her wedding.
Faith put a hand on her stomach. "I've done this once before," she murmured. "You'd think I wouldn't be so nervous a second time around." She was quiet for a moment. "I don't know why, but I feel a strange mix of joy and sadness at marrying another man."
Elizabeth slipped an arm around her shoulders as the other women filed quietly from the room. "Carson was your first true love," she said softly. "A part of your heart will always belong to him. That's why the small sense of sadness is present. But I promise you, it will fade as soon as you see Gabe standing at the altar."
Faith looked up at her friend. "Is that what happened when you married Nathan?" she asked, her voice hushed.
Elizabeth nodded. "I woke up the morning of our wedding thinking about Nathan, but it was quickly followed by thoughts of Jack. There was a sense of unfairness that he was gone, though I was thrilled to have found love again. But when I got to the church and saw Nathan standing there, I felt only happiness. Total, complete happiness." She hugged Faith. "Carson would be so happy for you."
"I know," Faith said, a smile blooming on her face. "He gave me a precious gift. He taught me what it was to really love another person. I'll always be thankful for that, as well as for our time together, no matter how short our marriage was."
"Those are my exact feelings on my marriage to Jack," Elizabeth said. "He will always be a part of me like Carson will always be a part of you. But our hearts were both big enough to love again." She smiled. "That is a gift, my friend. Cherish it."
Faith nodded. "I do. Thank you, Elizabeth."
The two women hugged again, then joined the others for the short walk to the church. Faith felt the sadness decrease with each step she took. By the time they reached the church, it was a distant memory. And as promised, the moment she saw Gabe, only one emotion was present.
Joy.
Gabe felt uncharacteristic tears sting his eyes as he watched Faith walk down the aisle toward him. She looked beautiful in her wedding dress, but it was the glow in her cheeks and the sparkle in her eyes that captivated him. Their guests faded from view and only Faith remained as she walked down the aisle toward him.
He stood a little straighter. His dress uniform bunched a bit as he did so, and he quickly smoothed it back in place. It wasn't an outfit he wore often, but he was happy to wear it on his wedding day. Beside him, Nathan was dressed in a matching uniform as his best man. Lillian had made her way to her spot as Faith's matron of honor. Now, as Faith drew ever closer to him, Gabe's breath hitched as he realized they were finally going to join their lives together.
She smiled as she came close enough to touch. Gabe reached for her hand as she handed her rose bouquet to Lillian, a bouquet he only now noticed. He had been too busy looking into her eyes. He didn't care about the flowers. He cared about his bride.
Their eyes met and held as the preacher led them through the ceremony. Gabe said his vows with all the love in his heart, meaning every word fervently. Faith's voice was soft but sincere as she said her vows to him. When they exchanged their rings, a smile worked its way onto Gabe's face. Only one thing was left.
"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife," the preacher said. The man was a traveling parson, coming to Brookfield especially for Christmas services and the Shepherd-Kinslow wedding. For the life of him, Gabe couldn't remember the man's name, but that felt irrelevant in the moment.
"Constable, you may kiss your bride."
Faith laughed as Gabe dipped her back slightly before giving her a sweet kiss. When they parted, Gabe slipped an arm across her shoulders and turned them both to face their friends.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to introduce you to Constable and Mrs. Kinslow!" the preacher announced.
Cheers broke out. Gabe and Faith headed down the aisle, laughing and waving at those who had come to witness their union. They stood just inside the church doors to greet their friends. The receiving line wasn't too long, and before he knew it, he and Faith were getting into Lee's car and being driven to the hotel for their reception.
Everything was wonderful. The women had decorated the dining room beautifully. Gabe wasn't sure how they'd done it, but it looked as spectacular as the church had been. The food was incredible. Ronnie had outdone himself. Even so, Gabe's focus was entirely on his new wife. They ate dinner and then made their way around the room, talking with their friends and spending time with each one. The wedding invitation list hadn't been large, but there were still plenty of people to talk to and thank for coming. Eventually, the first dance was announced.
With a little bow, Gabe grinned at Faith. "May I have this dance, Mrs. Kinslow?"
She smiled back, placing her hand in his. "Of course, Constable."
He led her to the dance floor. They swayed to the music for a minute before other couples began to join them. Nathan and Elizabeth. Lucas and Fiona. Lee and Rosemary. Sam and Lillian. Joe and Maggie. One by one, more couples made their way onto the dance floor.
Faith looked up at him. "What a day this has been."
Gabe kissed her before answering. "Indeed." He winked. "I think it qualifies as the best day of my life so far." Leaning a little closer, his voice dropped to a whisper. "Though I think spending my life with you will mean there are many best days ahead of us."
Faith's cheeks turned pink at the compliment, and her smile became tender. "I love you, Gabe."
He pressed another kiss to her upturned lips. "I love you too."
She leaned her head against his chest as their dance continued. Gabe let his head rest against hers, moving slowly to the music. Surrounded by their friends, holding the woman he loved in his arms, knowing they had the rest of their lives to grow in friendship and in love, Gabe knew he was blessed. This had not been what he pictured as his future when he moved to Brookfield. He'd planned on simply protecting this little town and recovering from his bullet injury. He hadn't been sure whether Brookfield would become his home. It had been one more place he was passing through.
Everything changed when he met Faith. He'd fallen in love with her while their relationship was nothing more than friendship. He loved her for a long time before she returned his feelings. A Christmas scavenger hunt had changed everything for them. Gabe was beyond thankful for that day. He was thankful for Sam and Lillian's not-so-subtle attempt to get him and Faith to do the hunt together. It was as if they knew some time together would finally push his friendship with Faith into something more.
And it had. Now he and Faith were husband and wife. They were starting on the adventure of a lifetime. For better or for worse, their lives were tied together in the bonds of love and matrimony.
He couldn't wait to see what the future held.
