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  Her father said, “I’d give you a hug but I don’t want to mess you up.”

  Seeing his hesitancy, she hugged him, tears brimming in her eyes. “I’m so glad you decided to spend Christmas with us. I’m so glad you’re here.”

  “I can’t take credit on my own. Zack called me. He found me and told me about the wedding. I assured him nothing would keep me away. I haven’t been a very good father to you, Jenny, but from the first time I saw you with Zack I knew there was something special between you—something special like your mom and I had.”

  “Will you stay for Christmas?”

  “Aren’t you and Zack going on a honeymoon?”

  “We’re not leaving until New Year’s Eve. Everything happened so fast. We decided to stay and spend the holidays with Silas and our friends and then go to Zack’s condo in Vail. We didn’t want to go too far away in case Silas needs us. How long can you stay?”

  “As long as you want me here.”

  “You don’t have to be somewhere?”

  “Just here, seeing my girl get hitched. Silas tells me you’re going to walk yourself down the aisle.”

  “I am.”

  “Good for you. Now I’d better get out there so I get a good seat.”

  “Since Zack called you, I’m sure he reserved you a place in the front row. Oh, Daddy, thank you for coming.” She hugged him again.

  When he kissed her on the cheek, he murmured, “Be happy, baby.” Then in a stronger voice, he added, “You deserve it.” He opened the door and stepped into the hall.

  She’d hardly had time to recover from her surprise when Zack came in. “Are you okay?”

  She and Zack had already agreed that they would make their own traditions and that his seeing her before the wedding wouldn’t bring them anything but good luck. “I’m more than okay.” She flung her arms around his neck. “Thank you. Every girl wants her dad at her wedding. And you’ve made it happen for me.”

  “I want to make a lot of things happen for you…for us. I have something for you.”

  “I don’t need anything but your love.”

  The night Zack had proposed to her had been the most wonderful night of her life. He’d told her exactly how he felt that night. He’d risked his pride and made himself vulnerable. After he’d kissed her senseless, they’d checked on Dusty, making sure he hadn’t hurt himself in his desperate attempt to escape his stall. In between making plans to get married, telling Silas and calling their friends, they’d checked on him. By morning he’d sought the shelter of the stall again, but this time with the door wide open.

  Jenny loved the diamond she and Zack picked out together and the beautiful band that went with it. She couldn’t imagine what Zack was bringing her now. He’d removed something from his inside tuxedo pocket. It was a velvet box.

  When he opened the box, her breath caught. She recognized the beautiful pearls with the diamond and sapphire clasp. They had belonged to his mother. Tonight when she’d put on the pearl earrings Olivia had given her, she could feel Zack’s mother’s presence.

  “My mother would want you to have these,” he said. “Turn around and I’ll put them on you.”

  Jenny turned and faced the mirror over the dresser. The pearls were a special wedding keepsake and she’d treasure them forever. The necklace meant the world to her and her eyes filled with tears again.

  “Don’t cry,” Zack murmured as he secured the necklace and turned her into his arms.

  “They’re happy tears,” she assured him.

  Zack tipped up her chin. “I want to make you happy for the rest of our lives.”

  “And I want to do the same for you.”

  Zack’s kiss spun her into a passion-filled future where their dreams would all come true.

  ISBN: 978-1-4592-1426-2

  ONCE UPON A GROOM

  Copyright © 2011 by Karen Rose Smith

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario M3B 3K9, Canada.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

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  ‡‡ Montana Mavericks: The Texans are Coming!

  § The Wilder Family

  ~~The Foleys and the McCords

  ‡ Montana Mavericks: Thunder Canyon Cowboys

  ** Montana Mavericks: Gold Rush Grooms

  *The Baby Experts

  ** Reunion Brides

  *Baby Bonds

  † Talk of the Neighborhood

  †† Logan’s Legacy Revisited

  ~Dads in Progress