I shook my head and said, “Don’t worry. Everything is going to turn out fine.”
There was a knock on the door as my daddy entered with his hand held over his eyes. “Man in the room! Man in the room! Put some clothes on.”
“Daddy, the coast is clear.”
He peeked through his fingers, still joking around, but his hand fell as he looked upon me. His face radiated a gentle sadness, but also a sense of accomplishment.
He reached out for me as he pulled me into a bear hug, and whispered, “I’m so proud of you, Jordan.” I smiled as he continued, “I couldn’t have asked for a better daughter.” And the blasted tears rolled, messing up my mascara.
The door opened again as Lance walked in and suddenly stopped, not looking at me, but at Katherine. Her face turned a deep blush. Well, this should be interesting.
“I, uh, came to, uh… are y’all ready yet?” he babbled.
I nodded and said, “Okay, it’s show time!”
Today I would become Mrs. Thomas Everett McCloud!
• • •
Tom, you lucky bastard. You got her to marry you. I stood anxiously at the end of the makeshift aisle in my back field. I wouldn’t let Jordan peek outside, as this was my wedding gift to her. It was hard keeping her from snooping, but Katherine and her parents had been good distractions. I had turned the outside area into what I hoped was her dream wedding. Wooden logs lined each side of the aisle on a diagonal, as we had a small number of people attending. A white aisle runner led from the back door to the edge of a wooden platform, where I stood with the preacher. The aisle was lined with daisies and glass hurricane lanterns with candles nestled inside, just as I had done for my proposal. White paper lanterns hung from the trees overhead, casting a flickering light as the sun set on us. If my timing was right, the fireflies would come out when I kissed my bride.
Paul and Lance stood down the few stairs from the deck. When Marie was seated, Ellie appeared at the back door. She smiled at Paul as she stepped down from the deck. He wrapped her hand around his arm, as he could barely take his eyes off her. After all they had been through, I smiled for them. I glanced over at Lance and his face beamed for them as well. His eyes widened as his face slacked. I looked back toward the door as Katherine appeared. He stood in awe for a second too long and then snapped out of it. She stepped off the deck as he carefully looped her arm through his. When they reached the front, they separated as he winked at me. I chuckled as I shook my head. Always the player.
The violinist changed his tune, and I gazed up at the doorway as my heart thumped with happiness. Cal stepped out and then turned back, holding his hand out. My eyes started to glaze over as my beautiful water goddess, my darling, my Jordan, smiled at me as she took in her surroundings. She stopped in awe, taking it all in, and beamed at me. I covered my heart with my hand as it beat with a love like it had never done before. All I ever wanted to do in life was make her happy. Her eyes were as teary as mine by the time she and Cal met me at the end of the aisle. He kissed her cheek, and he placed her hand into mine. I looked into the eyes of my love and mouthed, “I love you.” She smiled and mouthed, “I love you.”
The preacher began, “Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this company, to join together this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony…”
• • •
I looked up at Tom while we held each other’s hands, smiling the giddiest grin a girl could ever smile as the preacher said, “By the power vested in me in the state of North Carolina, I now pronounce you man and wife. Tom, you may kiss your bride.”
We smiled at each other as he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me against him, and he greedily kissed my lips. I could hear the applause erupting as Tom picked me up by my waist and swung me around. We broke apart, giggling, as he rested his forehead against mine. My eyes flickered to the evening sky as my fiery friends blessed our wedding. Always and forever, I would be with the man I loved as we spent the rest of our lives, watching fireflies.
“I love you, Mrs. McCloud.”
“I love you, cowboy.”
After the introductions and greetings, the DJ introduced us as Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Everett McCloud, and we walked onto the dance floor for our first dance. I looped my arms around his neck as he held me tight around my back, and we swayed, gazing into each other’s eyes.
“There’s just one more thing to make this the best day, cowboy.”
He leaned in and pecked my lips, “What’s that one thing, darlin’?”
I smiled as I leaned up to his ear and whispered, “Letting you know that you’re going to be a daddy.”
I looked back and smiled as his face blanked.
He stopped moving.
“Tom?” He stared in my eyes with no expression on his face. “Tom?”
“I’m going to be a daddy?” he whispered.
“Yes.”
“Wait, wait, wait,” he said a little louder. “I’m going to be a daddy?”
The crowd had quieted now as they all trained their eyes on us. I nodded and said, “Yes,” again.
He picked me up and spun me around as he yelled, “I’m going to be a dad!”
The wedding attendants all cheered as we were joined in welcoming hugs by Paul, Ellie, Lance, and Katherine. We danced with the light of the fireflies around us. Tom’s lips found mine, with his hand grazing over my stomach.
Wrapped in the arms of the man I loved, I was finally home.
I never expected to get to this point. I never thought that my words would be read, and I would acknowledge people after a story. If it weren't for these people, Watching Fireflies would have never flown.
Where to begin … and will it ever end …
To my awesome parents: Thank you for your undying support and sending me to LSU. Geaux Tigers!
To my sister: Thank you for lending me a book that will go unnamed here. After reading unnamed book, I decided that I could write. So, I did.
To my hubster: Thank you for the endless supply of coffee and helping me make this dream possible. I know I suck as a wife sometimes, but I hope this makes up for being locked away in the writing cave.
To my besties: Even though we don’t see each other every day like we used to years ago, I’m thankful for y’all every single day of my life.
To my girls in accounting: Thank you for listening to me for over two years about these damn bugs!
My biggest cheerleaders have been from people I’ve never met. When embarking on this writing journey, I first submitted my work on the website Wattpad. For over two years, the friendships I’ve made within writing groups are ones that I never want to lose.
To Alex Rosa and Len Webster: Watching you both achieve your dream of publishing helped inspire me to follow in those footsteps. Maybe I should thank Jane Austen. If it weren’t for her, our trio might have never been. May the world tour begin!
To Maja Skvorc: May our love of cowboys and dragons never die. Thank you for everything. I’m coming to Croatia! I promise!
To Laura Perry: Thank you for pointing and saying, “This! Fix this!”
To the Pub group: I can officially add one to the published column now. Thank you for helping me get there.
To Michal, Becky, and Veronica: The best beta readers ever!
To Jaycee’s Army: There’s no better support than a Street Team! Keep on Buzzin’!
- And last but never least -
To Josh Vitalie: I would have never guessed that my biggest help in writing a romance novel would be from a dude. Thank you for analyzing this cowboy and helping me restructure this into a story that I am now actually proud of. I don’t think it’s shit anymore. Thank you for assuring me that it isn't shit. I think I owe you a donut.
Website: www.jayceeford.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorJayceeFord
Twitter: @atJayceeFord www.twitter.com/atJayceeFord
Google +: www.google.com/+JayceeFordAuthor
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bsp; Instagram: www.instagram.com/JayceeFordLoveBugs
Jaycee Ford grew up chasing street cars around the city of New Orleans. After doing a four year stint at Louisiana State University, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and fled for the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. New Orleans beckoned her home again where she discovered her love of writing romance novels. In between writing, she’s found behind her desk at a top rated law firm … or still chasing street cars.
Dragonfly Awakening
Hornet’s Nest
Mosquito Chase
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Acknowledgements
Author Links
About the Author
Coming Next
Table of Contents
Chapter One. 6
Chapter Two. 10
Chapter Three. 16
Chapter Four. 20
Chapter Five. 24
Chapter Six. 28
Chapter Eight. 37
Chapter Nine. 41
Chapter Ten. 46
Chapter Eleven. 53
Chapter Twelve. 58
Chapter Thirteen. 63
Chapter Fourteen. 69
Chapter Fifteen. 73
Chapter Sixteen. 77
Chapter Seventeen. 81
Chapter Eighteen. 85
Chapter Nineteen. 90
Chapter Twenty. 94
Chapter Twenty-One. 99
Chapter Twenty-Two. 104
Chapter Twenty-Three. 108
Chapter Twenty-Four. 112
Chapter Twenty-Five. 116
Chapter Twenty-Six. 121
Chapter Twenty-Seven. 126
Chapter Twenty-Eight. 130
Chapter Twenty-Nine. 135
Chapter Thirty. 140
Acknowledgements. 144
Author Links. 145
About the Author. 146
Coming Next. 147