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I sigh. “Can’t we put the flowers back up? I want it to be pretty.”
He shakes his head. “Why didn’t you wake me up? I would have helped. I could have at least corralled the goats for you.”
I deflect the only way I know how, because I don’t want to think too hard about how excited it’s made me to think about surprising him with this wedding. I love his smile far more than I should. “You’re too practical. You’d probably say Barley and Begonia don’t care about decorations and put the kibosh on the whole thing.”
His lips quirk up. “I would’ve done no such thing.” He points at Barley, who’s happily chomping away at the flowers. “And if I had, I’d clearly have been wrong.”
“So you’ll help me hang the flowers back up?”
“Nope.” He pats my knee. “I’m not taking a chance of anyone else getting hurt today, and Barley clearly prefers the flowers on the ground where he can eat them.” He stands. “Stay here and I’ll get everything set up.”
I open my mouth to argue and, even though he’s facing away from me, it’s like he senses it.
He looks back with so much concern and tenderness in his expression that I close my mouth. “Please, Honey. Take care of yourself.”
He waits until I nod, then turns and gets to work like he didn’t just say something that has shaken me to my core. His intense focus and his concern is so tangible it’s like a warm blanket wrapping around me.
It’s like he actually sees me and wants what’s best for me.
I can’t think of a single other person in my life who’s ever insisted so forcefully on my well-being, except maybe my mother. But that’s what mothers do. She has no choice but to take care of me.
I wrap my arms around myself like I can keep my heart in my chest. Like I can keep myself from falling for this man.
I watch as he corrals the goats and straightens their wedding outfits, talking to them in a low voice about how important this day is and what it means.
It’s adorable how much he loves them and the view of him, in fitted jeans and a t-shirt that hugs his biceps, is enough to make me happily sit here and watch him all day.
Barley lifts his head a little higher, like maybe he understands Mac, and Begonia walks over with Barley to stand in front of me as Mac takes his place beside me, one hand on my shoulder.
“Barley and Begonia,” I say, in my best solemn voice. “We are gathered here today to join the two of you in goatly matrimony.”
Begonia wanders back over to the food table, and Barley follows.
“Guess they don’t have vows to say.” I get up to bring them back, but Mac pushes me down with his hand on my shoulder.
“Keep going.”
While Begonia munches on carrots, I continue. “The love between you is an inspiration and an aspiration for goats and humans around the world. May you both live in joy and—”
Barley mounts Begonia and starts pumping enthusiastically.
I slap a hand over my eyes. “Should we stop them?”
“I’m not getting between them right now.” Mac’s voice is strained.
“You may now kiss the bride.” I turn until I’m fully facing Mac, my back to the goats. He peeks at me between the fingers of the hand over his eyes.
“We should give them their privacy,” he says. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”
He’s back in about three seconds, his arms full of food. “There’s no way she’s not pregnant, right?” he asks as I stand and hurry with him out of the enclosure and to the house. “Should we separate them?”
“It’s way too late for that.” I let us into the house and he carries the food to the kitchen and spreads it out on the table. “I thought you were going to keep them separated until Barley’s neutered?”
Mac sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “I need more fencing to do that, but the hardware store in Vance Vale was out. They’re getting more today.” He waves me over. “Sit and eat. Are you still feeling okay?”
I sink into the chair next to him and wince as a bruise on my butt makes itself known. “I’m fine. If something was broken, I wouldn’t have been able to sprint to the house just now.”
He opens a container of hummus and dips a carrot stick into it. “It was nice of you to set this up.”
