Mr and Mrs Fulton's Wedding reception was in a little barn that belonged to Charlene's Aunt and Uncle. It had already been renovated when Charlene's sister Lisa had used it for her wedding several summers ago. The outside was painted fresh in red and white and there were a thousand fairy lights strung around a courtyard with a firepit in its centre. Roasting away on the spit was a huge hog Daryl had helped Jim and Jason catch on their bachelor party hunting trip. The succulent smell of it filled the warm summer air and his mouth salivated at the thought of eating it.
Inside the barn were the same yellow and white flowers that had adorned the church. Scattered around the straw covered floor were tables and chairs hired for the occasion as well as a makeshift bar Jim had constructed over the past few weeks. Most of the barn was made up of a dance floor consisting of wooden pallets joined together with a layer of hardboard on top. To the side of the dance floor was a huge stereo and space for a band. The band was made up of a couple of people Daryl and Jim had gone to highschool with and they would be happy to play for almost the entire evening as long as they had a steady supply of beer.
He pulled out a white washed chair for Kate to take a seat on before he started to point out the various people who were filling the room. He wanted her to feel like she was a part of this community in the same way that he was starting to feel it. His whole life he'd lived in this one horse town where everyone knew your name and your business but it hadn't been until the past few weeks that he had felt like he truly belonged.
In the past he'd been an outsider. He'd been Daryl with the drunken daddy, the Mama who burned her house down and the no good big brother. People were seeing him differently, even treating him differently and he liked it. He liked how people saw him with Kate but he hated that she hadn't said one single thing about him asking her to marry him for the second time.
Goddamn woman, she sat in the little wooden chair with her hands curled all dainty in her lap and her butter wouldn't melt big brown eyes but he knew the truth of her. That woman was as wild and feisty as a mountain lion when she had a mind to be and one wrong move she would have claws enough to kill a man.
He was kicking himself for proposing to her a second time. He hadn't meant to outright say it like that. Hell, he hadn't meant to outright say it the first time either. But when he looked at her and the sappy feelings filled him from head to toe he forget she was stubborn as a damn mule. Daryl had planned a romantic day for tomorrow where he wanted to ask her properly and now he'd fucked it.
He took a drink of his beer and decided to forget about staying clear headed, even without a drink it was impossible to be clear headed when he was around this woman and the sweet smell of her perfume. Plus, he needed some dutch courage if he was going to get up after dinner to toast the bride and groom.
He reached into his pocket to find the scrap of paper that he'd jotted his speech down on. He wasn't sure he would have even known what words to say if it hadn't been for a certain brunette who had brought him in from the outside. He just didn't understand why she didn't want to jump right in and share the life she was helping him create.
/
Dinner was delicious, tender and melt in the mouth. She couldn't believe that Daryl had caught and killed the poor creature but she also couldn't deny that there wasn't something so insanely masculine about it. He was unlike anyone she had ever met before. So wild and rugged from the worn in clothes he wore to the hard lines of his rough hands.
She sipped her second glass of champagne and watched him as he talked so sweetly to the little curly haired flower girl who hadn't managed to sit still throughout the meal. Seeing him interacting with a child like he was did something to her. She felt a weird feeling in the pit of her stomach as she wondered how someone so rough and manly could be so gentle and soft with a little girl.
"Why don't ya ask 'er?" Daryl whispered none too quietly to the little Lily before looking over his shoulder and right at her.
Lily's cheeks were as red as her hair as she shuffled along to Kate, her little fingers gently prodding the red lace of her dress, "are you a real princess?"
How adorable, she felt her cheeks colour the lightest shade of pink at the gravelly sound of Daryl's laugh.
"Auntie Charlene told Mommy and Mary Sue that you were a hoity toity princess."
Kate bit her tongue and the curse word that almost fell out before casting a wry glance to the blushing bride and her two bridesmaids. Hoity toity princess my arse. "All girls are princesses."
Lily beamed and stood on her tiptoes before her nose scrunched up, "does that mean all boys are princes?" She looked as alarmed as she sounded which made Daryl laugh again.
"Of course not," Kate exclaimed to the little girl's delight before casting a quick look to Daryl who covered his chest and pulled a face like he'd just been shot. "Boys are frogs. Until they marry the right princess. She nodded to the groom, "like your Uncle Jim."
When Kate caught the look on Daryl face she realised her faux pas and bit her lip. Shit, after a couple of glasses of champagne her mouth was running away from her head. She could feel his eyes burning into her as Lily asked the rather uncomfortable question of "are you gonna turn Daryl into a prince?"
Bollocks.
"I think ya Mama's shoutin' ya," Daryl picked Lily over the table, almost catapulting the child away. But the damage was done, the awkwardness had settled around them both and she could barely look him in the eye.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Of course Kate had thought non stop about what Daryl had said to her next to that oak tree. A woman didn't easily forget things like that. Especially the way he said it, the seductive sound of his voice as he proposed to her almost had her saying yes despite herself and all good reason. Surely he hadn't really meant it. It was wedding fever, seeing his best friends exchanging their vows had probably made him a little excitable. Thank god for Jason. He can't have meant it, just like he didn't really mean it that night in her kitchen. Asking her to stay was one thing, marriage was something else and she was prepared for neither.
"Char has a mouth on 'er but she don't mean no harm."
Kate let out a relieved sigh as she felt the elephant leave the room. Being disliked by Daryl's best female friend was all the more reason for Kate to leave Georgia. Half the women in the room had given her a evil look as the day at drawn on. The only ones that hadn't were Irma, the ladies of the quilting circle and Lynette.
"So I'm just a frog huh?" he nudged her with his elbow and the elephant stepped back into the room.
She looked at him, her throat dry, "I rather like frogs."
/
"Of course ya do," what Daryl really meant was of course ya ain't gonna gimme a straight answer.
The music disappeared as Mary Sue tapped the mic that was set up for the band, "hey ya'll, it's time to toast the Bride and Groom and I think we should start with the best man."
She had a wicked little look in her eyes and Daryl felt his stomach flip flopping like he might actually hurl at the idea of reading his toast. Fucking hell.
Kate's hand rested on his thighs, the feel of her touch was like electricity as it coursed along his leg spreading a little wave of calm across him. Then she kissed his cheek and he managed to find that scrap of paper again.
"Evenin'," he started, standing up and holding the paper loosely in his hands. Shit, he took a sip of his beer to try and take away the feeling of sandpaper that was making the words stay lodged in his throat. "I've known Jim and Charlene my whole life. I think everyone knew that they would end up together one day. Everyone 'cept Jim," he chuckled and remembered all the times Jim and Charlene had missed out on being together like ships in the night.
"Well, I guess he's finally realised it an' I think they've got somethin' real good. It ain't easy to find someone who'll forgive ya when ya back their brand new truck into a post and dent the whole bumper," he pointed to Charlene who shook her head in denial. "An' it certainly ain't easy to find a woman that will put up with the damn ugliest hat every damn day of the year 'cept his weddin'!"
"The hat looks good!" Jim decided as he pulled it from his pocket and shoved it on his head.
"I didn't plan that," Daryl said before he cleared his throat and look at his paper once more.
"They've found each other an' they're good when they're together an' they're holdin' on tight to what really matters," he looked at Kate thier eyes locking as he raised his beer, "to Jim and Charlene... after a lifetime of knowin' ya'll I'm glad ya finally made it down the aisle."
/
Charlene and Jim had just finished their first dance and the four piece band were playing some country love song that Kate didn't know the name of.
"May I have this dance?" Jason crooned, his arm outstretched.
Kate looked at the people swinging their partners around like she'd only seen in movies, "I don't think I can."
"I'll show ya how to two step, now come on girl." Before she could answer Jason dropped to his knee to help her out of her heels and threw them to Daryl. "Now I can take a turn with the prettiest single gal in the room."
Daryl glared and sat up straight in his chair like he might burst out of it and wrestle Jason to the floor. "Are ya tryin' to get a bolt in yer ass Fulton?"
"I don't see a ring on 'er finger," Jason grinned shamelessly and dragged her to the dance floor. "Okay what ya wanna do is start on yer left foot and yer gonna go quick quick slow."
Kate looked at her feet then back at Jason. "What?"
"Just follow my lead honey bun.".
She trod on his foot more than once but it wasn't too bad, after a couple of turns around the floor he managed to work in some turns and a dip that made her feel like she was Baby with Johnny Castle for her dancing partner although Jason was probably better looking than even Patrick Swayze.
"Hearin' Daryl make a honest to god wedding toast has inspired me Katy," Jason said as he laced her between his arms.
"It has?
"I've told my Daddy the truth and I'm gonna tell the rest," he pulled her a little closer as the song slowed to a ballad, "I met someone. I wanna shout it from the rooftops instead of tellin' him he can't even come to my brothers wedding."
"I'm happy for you," Kate kissed his cheek, and looked up to his bright blue eyes, "when will you tell Daryl?"
"Not tonight," Jason laughed resting his cheek on Kate's head as he swayed her around the floor, "I love his jealous boyfriend death stares far far too much. He looks so fine when he wants to rip a man to pieces."
In that moment she tilted her head to see the look of ice Daryl had in his eyes for Jason. Kate felt a flush of heat searing through her despite the fact that it was all so ridiculously primitive. Ryan would have never fought for her not that she needed fighting for but it was nice to know that, if the time arrived, a man could protect his family from burglars, bears and big bad things.
"Why don't ya stay?" Jason crooned, "I could use ya in my corner."
She couldn't take this conversation from Jason as well as her favourite redneck."I'm sure Daryl will be in your corner."
"Ain't the same. He wouldn't look half as good in this dress."
/
Jim took a seat next to Daryl, "you should stop your brooding an' go cut it."
"I ain't broodin'," alright maybe he was brooding but he had his reasons. Jason was doing a great job at two stepping with Kate, her eyes were glowing with delight as she giggled breathlessly with his instructions. Fucking Jason and his stupid hat, he was going to stomp that hat into the dirt.
"I don't like dancin' in front of folk," Daryl snapped. He knew how to dance his Grandma had seen to that but he was already going soft enough as it was. He wasn't sure he wanted the whole town to add dancing to his pussy whipped list of changes.
"Don't be so goddamn stupid," Jim yanked Daryl off his seat and smacked him around the back of his head before kicking him up the ass towards the dancefloor.
"Fine!" Daryl growled, shrugging off his jacket and throwing it to Jim before giving him the finger. He straightened his shirt, his bow tie had long been loosened around his neck and the top button opened. He weaved between the dancers to reach Jason, "may I cut in?"
It wasn't so much a question as it was a demand.
Kate raised one eyebrow as he took her in his arms, "is there anything you can't do Mr Dixon?"
"Hmm…" he kissed her cheek, "nope."
Holding her and dancing with her in the middle of the barn didn't feel weird and uncomfortable like he thought it might, it felt just right. He could breath in her perfume and hold her tight as he danced with her cheek to cheek. They were wrapped up in their own private world for song after song until most of the wedding guests, including the bride and groom, had left and the night was coming to a close.
Jason hung his arms over both their shoulders, his breath tinged with the hoppy smell of beer and his bow tie wrapped around his head, "they wanna close up the barn now lovebirds. Ya'll need to get home to do the horizontal tango."
"How much have you had to drink?"
"Enough," Jason took hold of Daryl for a turn on the floor and then Bobby ran over to pry him away.
"Where's Dale an' Irma at?" Daryl asked as he helped Bobby drag Jason to the door for some air.
"They went home hours ago."
Shit. He turned to Kate who was sitting on the edge of the dancefloor with her dress all spread around her as she fastened up her strappy shoes.
"The walk home ain't too bad," he promised and she smiled with a carefree shrug of her shoulders. A walk through the dark couldn't dampen his mood and he was pleased it couldn't dampen hers either.
He grabbed his jacket and eased it over Kate's shoulders before they headed out into the night. It was chilly now the sun was gone and the only light came from the half moon and a scattering of stars as they walked down the tiny back roads towards the farm. The walk was longer than he anticipated with Kate carefully tiptoeing on worn out feet. At this rate there would be no time for any more dancing horizontal or otherwise.
"Giddy up," he said as he leant forward to give her a piggy back ride. She obliged in between laughs and he enjoyed having her wrapped about him as much as he enjoyed the sound of her girlish laughs.
"Ya looked good today, tonight. Ya fit 'ere… in this town… with me."
Her head pressed against his shoulder and her arms wrapped tighter around his neck but she didn't say a word.
"Ya tryin' to choke me woman?"
"That all depends are you trying to-"
A pained groan rumbled from the side of the road.
Kate slid to her feet and Daryl inched along to see where and who the noise was coming from. When his shoes were poised at the edge of a small ditch the groans turned into a faint laughter that shook a curled up pile of denim and plaid which was lying about four foot down from the road.
Daryl jumped down to pick up the drunk and his stomach curled in a knot as the scrawny face twisted to look at him.
"Thank ya son," Will Dixon drawled, the stench of whiskey, tobacco and urine flooding from his every fibre as he sagged into Daryl's arms. He wanted to drop the weight of him and pretend he didn't exist but duty held his arms taught. God he fucking hated his father.
A/N- Thank you for reading! Hopefully I'll get the next chapter up soonish since I've split most of it off from this one since it grew out of control. I can't seem to write things as condensed as I want to in my head! Just curious to know do you want to read more of this story or would you like me to draw it to conclusion over the next few chapters then maybe have an epilogue. Either way I'll leave it up to whatever people say but I had a whole thing planned and I worry I have the slowest/wordiest story telling pace in the world!