A Cowboy's Christmas Proposal. Cathy McDavid

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      “We don’t have much time,” she reminded him. “We should get started.”

      With Willa sleeping peacefully, Owen leveled a finger at Cody and Marisa. “Be good,” he warned and took his position at the altar. Facing Molly and her makeshift groom, he asked, “What ceremony did the couple request?”

      “The Art of Marriage, and they’re going to recite their own vows, which makes things a little easier for you.” She handed him a sheet of paper on which was printed the ceremony. “This is a second wedding for both the bride and groom. Only their teenage children, parents and a few close friends are attending. They requested the ceremony have an intimate, casual feel. For you, that means infusing lots of warmth into your voice.”

      “Can do.”

      At her nod, Owen began with the same welcome speech from the previous night, including the joke about the open house.

      Molly stopped him there. “Why don’t we leave out the part about the open house? These people weren’t here yesterday and don’t care.”

      She was right, about that and infusing warmth. “Life is a journey,” he continued.

      “Wait. That’s too cliché.” Molly tapped a finger on her cheek. “Let’s try, the journey of life is made better when traveled together. Wayne and Tasha have chosen each other to share their journey.”

      “You make me wish I’d brought a pen,” Owen teased.

      Always prepared, Molly promptly extracted a pen from her shirt pocket and handed it to him. Owen scribbled the changes in the margin.

      “You know,” she said when he was nearly done. “I’m not the only person in the room. There’s the groom and the guests. Look at them, too.”

      Busted. He had been concentrating on her. Hard to ignore those amazing green eyes which were focused directly on him.

      Clearing his throat, he glanced over at his kids. By some miracle, Cody and Marisa weren’t fighting. Instead, they watched him with an intensity akin to wonderment. That hadn’t happened since he’d taken them to the office one Saturday when he couldn’t get out of work and their mother had plans. He’d fully anticipated a trying morning filled with reminding the kids to lower their voices and stay out of trouble. Instead, they’d wound up having enormous fun.

      Picking up where he’d left off, he pushed through to the end of the ceremony.

      “Better,” Molly announced.

      “Good.” He rolled the papers into a tube, assuming they were done. They weren’t.

      “Let’s have another go from the top.”

      By their third run through, Cody and Marisa had grown bored and started bickering.

      “He touched my rose.”

      “She kicked me.”

      “It appears the guests are growing restless,” Owen said. “We can try again later.”

      Molly checked her watch. “Can’t. Too much to do. The bride and groom’s family members are staying at the ranch through Tuesday. As of this morning, we have all five available cabins rented.”

      “That’s great.”

      “We’re taking the entire wedding party on a hayride after the ceremony to the Poco Dinero for a barbecue dinner and line dancing. Most of the family has never been to a ranch before and they want the full cowboy experience.”

      “I can always practice by myself.”

      “Record yourself with your phone and play it back,” she suggested. “Better yet, video yourself if you can.”

      He could do that. He had before when called on to give a speech at work functions. “Okay, you two, let’s go.”

      Cody and Marisa immediately bolted from the pew. Owen bent and lifted Willa into his arms. She woke up only briefly, falling back sleep the moment her head found his shoulder.

      She was cute like this, thumb in her mouth, wispy curls framing her face. Shame on him for leaving her and going on the road so much. He could have enjoyed countless more moments like this one.

      That, too, was going to change this month at the ranch. He’d make sure of it. Nothing mattered to him more than Cody, Marisa and Willa. Even finding a new job came second. At least until after Christmas when the kids went back with their mother.

      “Do you have a lot of couples like Tasha and Wayne,” Owen asked, “requesting the full cowboy experience?”

      “A few.” Molly fell into step beside him as they left the chapel. “They want their wedding to be unique, out of the ordinary. Especially if it’s a second wedding or vow renewal.”

      “Makes sense.”

      He’d do something entirely different if he ever married again. And at the moment, that was a big if. He was in no place to consider dating, much less a lifelong commitment.

      “I suppose that’s why Grandma and Homer eloped,” Molly mused aloud. “Something out of the ordinary.”

      “Imagine how many weddings Uncle Homer’s officiated. A tacky chapel in Reno probably appealed to him.”

      “I wish you hadn’t said ‘tacky.’ Poor Grandma.”

      “What do you bet she doesn’t care? When you’re in love, you see the beauty in everything.”

      Molly sent him a skeptical look. “That’s a rather romantic sentiment for a guy.”

      “I recently started marrying people for a living. Comes with the territory.”

      They stopped in the foyer. Cody and Marisa immediately descended on the bowl of birdseed packets.

      “Hey, hands off,” Owen scolded.

      “Daddy, can we feed the birds?” Cody begged.

      “Please,” Marisa added.

      He supposed they deserved a small reward for behaving reasonably well during his practice session with Molly, but it was up to her. “Do you mind?”

      She bent at the waist, putting herself on eye level with the kids. “Two each. Okay?”

      Ah. More softening around the edges. Nice. “You heard Miss Molly. Two each.”

      Jackets donned and their treasures clasped tight in their hands, Cody and Marisa dashed outside, competing to be the one to open the heavy front door. Owen and Molly followed. They stood on the veranda watching as the kids tossed handfuls of seeds onto the lawn, their loud antics scaring the birds instead of enticing them nearer.

      Owen followed Molly’s gaze as it wandered to the distant mountains. This time of year, at the start of winter, the greens and yellows that had previously blanketed the slopes were now a dull brown. Even so, the mountains were majestic, with Pinnacle Peak like a giant hand reaching heavenward.

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