Chapter Eleven: Only If It's With You

 

“Look at how much better you’re already riding!”

 

 



Chuck really seemed impressed with how my riding was coming along. “Well I have this fabulous teacher. Maybe you’ve met him. He’s tall, dark, and handsome; what most girls dream of.”

Two weeks had passed since the night we had admitted to loving each other.  I had come over to his house every day for a riding lesson and even I could tell I had improved.

“Most girls dream of? Well I’m only interested in what you’re dreaming of.” He pulled his horse next to mine.

 

 

“Well, there is this one guy I’ve been dreaming about.”

He got off his horse, tied her off and walked back over to Shadow and me. He pulled himself up on Shadow and was sitting behind me.

 

 

“Want to go for a ride?”

“Only if it’s with you.”

He took the reins and turned Shadow onto the road.  We rode down his street and then turned onto Pomona Promenade. We went past several houses and the fairgrounds where it was hard not to notice people taking an interest in Chuck and I riding on a horse together.  Nothing stayed out of the town gossip for long and it seemed we were going to be the latest subject. We stopped in front of my house and dismounted.

 

Chuck whispered in my ear. “Do you think if I kissed you right now the people looking might have a heart attack?”

“Hmm…They might, but is that the only reason you want to kiss me?” I reached up and gave him a kiss.

 

 

“You know what, forget them. I think my own heart skipped a beat from that kiss.”

I smiled at him. “You are a hopeless romantic.”

“When it comes to you and me I am.”

 

 

We mounted Shadow again and Chuck steered her back on the road to back to his house. On the way there, we talked about Honey and her fiancé’s upcoming wedding.

 

 

“So did you finally get all the alterations done on your bridesmaids dress?”

Honey had asked Josy and me to be her bridesmaids. “Yep, I picked it up a couple of days ago. It was one of the mornings you were working. I can’t believe the wedding is this weekend. What about you? Did you get your tux yet?”

“I did. This will be my first time wearing one.”

“You’ve never worn a tux?”

“I’ve never had to before.  A tux isn’t exactly bull riding slash traffic cop apparel.”

“Well I personally can’t wait to see you wearing it.”

“I could put it on after we get back to the house.”

I laughed. “That would ruin the surprise. No I’ll wait for a couple more days.”

“Okay, but it’s your loss.” He whispered in my ear.

 

 

I laughed and leaned back into him.

It was Honey’s wedding day and Josy and I were trying to keep Honey calm.

 

 

“Does my dress look okay? Are the flowers okay in the heat? What about John, has he arrived yet? You don’t think he’ll leave me standing at the alter do you?”

 

 

“Honey, everything’s fine! Your dress is gorgeous, the flowers are fine, and there’s no way John won’t be here.” As the ceremony time approached it was getting harder and harder to calm her.

Honey and John had decided to have their wedding on the beach. Thankfully it was a beautiful day but it was a little hot.

The minister knocked on the door and after entering told us that it was time.

 

 

We walked outside to where the aisle was and that’s when I saw Chuck.

 

 

He was wearing his tux and a black hat. The site of him took my breath away. He was talking to Tom when he looked up and saw me.

 

 

He walked over to me and I put my arm through his.

 

 

“You should wear a tux more often.  You look very handsome in one.”

 

 

“And you, look absolutely stunning.  You’re going to take all the attention away from the bride.”

I blushed. The music started and Josy and Tom started walking down the aisle followed by Chuck and me. When we reached the front we split off and stood at the front to watch Honey come down the aisle. She was beautiful as she and her dad walked down the aisle toward John.

 

 

As the ceremony started Chuck and I looked at each other and for the rest of the ceremony, we never looked away from each other.  It was only when the minister told John he could kiss the bride that we looked away and clapped for Honey and John.

After the beach ceremony, there was also a reception that had a gorgeous backdrop of the sunset. Josy, her boyfriend Tom, Chuck and I sat at the same table.

 

 

 

Soon after Honey and John cut their wedding cake, there was music and dancing. After watching Josy and Tom get up to dance, Chuck leaned over towards me.

 

 

“Can I interest you in a dance Ms. Salisburg?”

 

 

“I’d be honored Mr. Hobble.”

He stood up, offered me his hand, and escorted me to the dance floor.

We slow danced for a little bit before either of us spoke.

 

“It was a beautiful ceremony wasn’t it?” I finally broke our silence.

“It was. But you know what made it the most beautiful ceremony ever?”

“What?”

“The fact that you were in it.”

 

 

I laughed and blushed. “I think that if I was going to have a wedding though, I would have not picked the beach.”

 

 

“So do you have your wedding all planned out?”

 

 

“I think most girls dream about their wedding day. I’ve always envisioned getting married in a church. Nothing, big with close friends and family; but besides that, I haven’t really planned it out like some women might have. I dreamed more about the proposal.”

“Really?”

 

 

“I remember my older sister telling me how she hoped when she was proposed to that the guy would do something huge. Like take her to a basketball game and have the proposal on the Jumbo Tron, which is hilarious because she hates sports. Or how she wished someone would ask her by having a plane spell it out in the sky. She always made fun of me because I thought it would be better to be proposed to in a less dramatic way.”

“How so?”

 

 

 

“Like after having a quiet romantic dinner or at a favorite spot. I never understood my sisters need to have the proposal be seen by a large group of people. Like that made it more special. To me it’s more about the feeling behind it then about how it’s done.”

 

We continued to dance and talk till it was time for Honey to throw the bouquet.  All of us unmarried girls stood behind her waiting for her to throw it. At the count of three she threw it over her shoulder. Girls were pushing each other trying to get the bouquet. I started to chuckle at them when I looked up in the sky and saw the bouquet heading right towards me. 

 

 

 

When I caught it everyone cheered and I looked over at Chuck. He had a smile on his face that caused me to blush.

 

 

Honey ran over to me. “Oh Amanda! Maybe this means you’ll be the next one of us to get married!”

 

 

Poses:

The Wedding March by Kiddo's Dreams
Love and Horses Pose Pack by Kalee Kalo
We Heart It v2 - Love Pose Pack by Skylar #7 and #8
Flirtalicious by Eternila
Smile It Looks Good on You by Skylar