Forever Begins
The courthouse in Red Creek looked exactly the way it always had.
It wasn’t grand or beautiful. It wasn’t the sort of place little girls imagined when they pictured their wedding day. The red-brick building sat beneath a wide Texas sky, its white columns faded by years of relentless sunshine, with flower beds that had seen better days and an American flag swaying lazily in the warm spring breeze.
None of that mattered when Rhett Mercer was standing beside Emery Sloan with his fingers laced through hers so tightly she wasn’t sure where her hand ended and his began.
She looked up at him and smiled. “I still can’t believe we’re actually doing this,” Emery admitted with a nervous laugh.
His grin spread slowly, the kind that always reached his eyes first. “You’ve asked me that three times since we parked the truck.”
“Because it still doesn’t feel real,” Emery said, laughing softly.
He leaned closer until his forehead rested lightly against hers. “That’s because you’re overthinking it.”
“I do not overthink,” Emery protested.
He laughed quietly. “You spent twenty minutes this morning trying to decide whether your boots looked too casual to get married in.”
“They do look too casual,” Emery insisted.
“They’re your favorite boots.” Rhett reminded her with an amused smile.
“They’re still too casual,” Emery argued.
“They’re perfect,” Rhett assured her, gently squeezing her hand.
Emery rolled her eyes, although she couldn’t stop smiling. “You know you’re impossible.”
“And yet...” He lifted her left hand and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. “You’re marrying me anyway.”
Emery couldn’t stop smiling.
She’d fallen in love with Rhett Mercer when she was sixteen years old.
He had never been the loudest boy in school or the one trying to be the centre of attention. Rhett was simply a kind man. He helped Coach Miller after football practice without being asked, carried groceries for elderly neighbours, stopped for stray dogs wandering along the road and somehow always found time to help anyone who needed it. He never did those things for recognition. He did them because that was who he was, and somewhere along the way Emery had fallen hopelessly in love with that kindness.
She’d spent four years pretending those little things didn’t matter, but the truth was they’d meant more to her than anything else.
The courthouse doors opened before either of them could say another word.
The county clerk, Mrs. Henderson, smiled the moment she saw them. “Well,” she said warmly, “are you two finally ready?”
“We’re ready,” Emery said as she gave Rhett’s hand another gentle squeeze.
The ceremony lasted less than ten minutes. There were no rows of families waiting with tissues in their hands, no music, no flowers and no photographer. Only a quiet office, a smiling clerk, and two witnesses borrowed from another department because every couple deserved someone to clap when they kissed.
Mrs. Henderson read the vows slowly, giving them time to take in every word. Emery barely heard any of them because she was too busy looking at Rhett. His blue eyes never left hers, not once.
When the time came to exchange rings, his hands trembled slightly and she noticed.
“I’m not nervous,” Rhett whispered, although the slight tremble in his hands suggested otherwise.
Emery smiled. “Liar.”
“Alright,” Rhett admitted with a sheepish grin. “I’m a little nervous.”
“Good,” Emery replied with a smile.
“Why’s that?” Rhett asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Because if you weren’t nervous, I’d start wondering whether this meant as much to you as it does to me.”
“It means everything,” Rhett said quietly.
“I know,” Emery whispered.
Mrs. Henderson cleared her throat with a patient smile. “I hate interrupting, but your audience would like to know whether we’re finishing this wedding today.”
“Sorry,” Rhett said with an apologetic smile.
He carefully slid the simple gold band onto Emery’s finger. It wasn’t expensive but neither of them cared.
She had worked weekends at Harper’s Diner to save for his ring and he had secretly taken extra shifts at the veterinary clinic to buy hers.
Every dollar had been earned with sore feet and long hours. That somehow made them more precious.
When Emery slipped the ring onto his finger, she blinked hard as tears filled her eyes. “I love you,” Emery whispered.
“I’ve loved you for half my life,” Rhett replied without hesitation.
Mrs. Henderson smiled. “I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
Neither of them moved. Rhett slowly lifted his hands to her face, gently cupping her cheeks before leaning in to kiss her. His kiss wasn’t rushed and it wasn’t dramatic, it was slow, tender, and full of every promise they hadn’t had time to speak aloud.
When they finally pulled apart, the two witnesses applauded.
Mrs. Henderson quickly wiped at the corner of one eye. “I’ve married a lot of couples,” Mrs. Henderson admitted with a smile. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen two people look at each other the way you do.”
Emery laughed softly through her tears. “We’ve waited a long time.”
Mrs. Henderson handed them the marriage certificate inside a cream-colored folder. “Take care of one another.”
“We will,” Rhett said without taking his eyes off his wife.
His wife. The words settled deep inside Emery in a way she couldn’t quite explain. She wasn’t his girlfriend anymore, or the girl he’d fallen in love with in high school. She was his wife, and somehow hearing those words made everything feel wonderfully real.
Outside, the Texas sun wrapped around them like a blessing. They stood on the courthouse steps for a while, neither of them eager to leave.
“So...” Rhett said with a grin.
“So...”
“What do married people do now?” Rhett asked.
Emery laughed. “I was hoping you knew.”
“I thought maybe we’d magically become responsible adults,” Rhett joked.
Emery laughed. “I don’t think a piece of paper can perform miracles.”
“No?”
“No.”
“Good,” Rhett replied with a grin.
“Why?” Emery asked.
“Because I fell in love with the girl who danced barefoot in the rain and nearly failed algebra.”
“I did not nearly fail algebra,” Emery protested.
“You absolutely did,” Rhett laughed.
“I got a C.”
“You cried over that C for two days.”
“It was a traumatic experience,” Emery insisted.
“It was algebra,” Rhett reminded her.
“It was personal,” Emery argued.
He laughed so hard that a couple walking past turned to smile at them. Emery leaned against him, listening to the sound she loved most in the world. She hoped she’d hear it for the rest of her life.
They had lunch at Harper’s Diner, ordered milkshakes they definitely didn’t need, and spent the afternoon driving through the countryside with the windows down.
They stopped beside Miller’s Lake, where they’d had their first date, and sat on the tailgate of Rhett’s truck sharing a slice of pecan pie because neither of them could finish one alone.
“What happens when you graduate?” Emery asked quietly.
He reached for her hand. “I come home.”
“And then?”
“We buy a little place,” Rhett said with a grin.
Emery smiled. “With a porch.”
“A big porch,” Rhett agreed.
“And horses,” Emery added.
“At least four,” Rhett teased.
“Four?” Emery laughed.
“I’ve met your horse-buying habits.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“You’d rescue every horse in Texas if I let you.”
“I absolutely would,” Emery admitted.
“I know.” He brushed his thumb across her wedding ring. “I’ll work at the clinic until I can open my own practice.”
“You will.”
“You’ll finish your teaching degree.”
She looked away for a second. “And my mom?”
Rhett’s smile faded. “We’ll figure it out.”
“She needs me.”
“I know,” Rhett said as he brushed his thumb over her wedding ring.
“I can’t just leave her,” Emery whispered.
“I know,” Rhett said gently.
“You don’t mind waiting?” Emery asked, searching his face.
He turned her gently until she was looking at him again. “Em.” She blinked.“I’ve loved you for years,” Rhett said, smiling at her. “I can wait a little longer for the rest of our life.”
She threw her arms around him before he could say another word. He held her tightly, kissing the top of her head.
Neither of them noticed the dark SUV parked across the road or the woman sitting behind the wheel, quietly watching them from a distance.
Vicky Mercer lowered her sunglasses just enough to see the gold band on Emery’s finger. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she started the engine and without another glance, she drove away.
The sound of the SUV faded into the distance, swallowed by the quiet country road before either Emery or Rhett noticed another vehicle had ever been there.
The afternoon sun hung low over Miller’s Lake, turning the water into rippling sheets of gold. Rhett set the empty pie tin beside him on the tailgate before climbing down onto the grass. He stretched his arms over his head with an exaggerated groan.
“I think I’ve officially eaten too much pie,” Rhett joked.
“You say that every time,” Emery teased.
“And every time I mean it,” Rhett insisted.
“No, you don’t,” Emery laughed.
“You’re right,” Rhett admitted.
“I know I am,” Emery replied with a grin.
“Come on,” Rhett said, holding out his hand.
“Do we have to?” Emery asked.
“If we stay much longer, we’ll miss the sunset,” Rhett replied.
“I thought sunsets were the whole reason people came to lakes.”
“They are.”
“Then why are we leaving?” Emery asked.
“Because I’ve got a better one waiting,” Rhett said with a smile.
Curiosity quickly got the better of her. “So there really is a surprise?” Emery asked.
“There really is,” Rhett replied.
She slipped her hand into his, letting him help her down from the truck. “You know I don’t like surprises.”
“You don’t like bad surprises.”
“I don’t like not knowing.”
He opened her truck door with an exaggerated flourish.“Trust me?” Rhett asked.
“Always,” Emery answered without hesitation.
The drive took them away from town, following narrow country roads that wound between sprawling ranches and fields where cattle grazed beneath the fading afternoon light. Emery rested her elbow against the open window, letting the breeze play with loose strands of her hair while country music drifted quietly from the radio.
They hardly spoke during the drive. They had never needed words to enjoy being together.
Comfortable silence had always been one of the things Emery loved most about Rhett. There had never been pressure to fill every quiet moment with conversation. Simply being together had always been enough.
When he finally turned onto a gravel road shaded by towering oak trees, she frowned.
“This isn’t the way back to town,” Emery said.
“No,” Rhett replied.
She looked over at him. “Are we lost?” Emery asked.
“Not even close,” Rhett said with a grin.
After a few more turns, the trees opened to reveal a little cabin sitting on the edge of a meadow.
It looked as though it belonged inside one of the romance novels Emery loved reading.
A wide porch wrapped around the front. Window boxes overflowed with wildflowers. Smoke curled lazily from a stone chimney while the last rays of sunshine painted everything in soft shades of amber.
Emery stared through the windshield before finally finding her voice. “...Rhett.”
“I know it isn’t much,” Rhett said, suddenly sounding unsure of himself.
She turned so quickly he barely had time to switch off the engine before she wrapped both arms around his neck.
“It’s beautiful,” Emery whispered as she hugged him.
“You really think so?” Rhett asked.
“I’ve never seen anything this perfect,” Emery admitted.
“I wanted to give you a honeymoon,” Rhett said quietly.
She pulled back just enough to look at him. “You already gave me everything I wanted.”
“You deserved more than a courthouse and pie.”
She smiled. “I got to marry you.”
“I couldn’t ask for more,” Emery whispered.
He kissed her forehead before climbing out to collect their overnight bags.
Inside, the cabin was warm and welcoming. The scent of cedar lingered in the air, mixing with fresh wildflowers arranged in mason jars throughout the little house. A handmade quilt covered the bed, while neatly stacked firewood waited beside a stone fireplace.
Emery wandered through the rooms slowly, smiling at every small detail. “You planned all of this?”
“I’ve been saving for months.”
“You didn’t have to,” Emery said.
“I wanted to,” Rhett replied with a shrug. “I knew I couldn’t give you Paris.”
“I don’t want Paris,” Emery said with a smile.
“No?” Rhett asked.
She walked back to him until only inches separated them. “I want wherever you are.”
They stood looking at each other before Rhett reached for her hand, lifting it until the simple gold wedding band caught the light streaming through the window.
“I still can’t believe this is real.”
“It is,” Emery replied.
“My wife,” Rhett said quietly, as though he still couldn’t quite believe those words belonged to him.
Every time he called her his wife, Emery found herself smiling all over again.
She slipped her arms around his waist. “My husband,” Emery whispered with a smile.
Dinner turned into exactly the kind of meal two twenty-year-olds would make.
Rhett insisted he knew what he was doing but Emery disagreed the moment he reached for sugar instead of salt. He claimed it had been a test and she informed him he had failed spectacularly.
By the time they finally sat down to eat, the chicken was slightly overcooked, the potatoes were a little lumpy, and they’d laughed so much while cooking that neither of them could remember what had started the argument in the first place.
“I hope this isn’t what married life always looks like,” Emery teased.
“If it is, I think we’re going to be just fine,” Rhett said with a grin.
When darkness settled over the countryside, they carried two blankets outside and built a small fire a short distance from the cabin. The flames crackled softly while thousands of stars slowly appeared overhead.
Emery tucked her legs beneath the blanket and rested against Rhett’s shoulder. “I’ve never seen the sky look like this.”
“You’ve just never stopped long enough to notice.”
She smiled. “Maybe.”
For a while they simply watched the fire and eventually she broke the silence. “So...” Emery said.
“So?” Rhett asked.
“What happens now?” Emery asked.
“I finish college,” Rhett replied.
“You become the best veterinarian in Texas,” Emery said confidently.
“I don’t know about that,” Rhett laughed.
“I do,” Emery insisted.
He chuckled. “And my wife becomes the teacher every kid wishes they had.”
She looked toward the fire. “I want a classroom full of books.”
“You will,” Rhett said.
“I want my students to believe they can do anything.”
“They will,” Rhett replied.
“I want them to know someone believes in them.”
He squeezed her hand. “They’ll have you.”
She looked at him. “What do you want?”
He didn’t answer straight away. “A little ranch.”
She laughed. “Only little?”
“Little by Texas standards.”
“Which means enormous,” Emery laughed.
“A vegetable garden,” Rhett continued.
“You gardening?” Emery teased.
He looked offended. “I can garden,” Rhett protested.
“You killed my cactus,” Emery reminded him.
“I was overwatering it.”
“You drowned it.”
“It died loved.”
“What about children?” Emery asked after she’d stopped laughing.
His expression softened. “I’d like a house that never feels empty.”
“How many?”
“As many as we can love.”
She leaned her head back against his shoulder. “I hope they get your eyes.”
“I hope they get your heart.”
The words settled quietly between them. The fire burned lower as the night grew cooler.
Rhett wrapped the blanket a little tighter around her shoulders before brushing a kiss against her temple. “I love you, Emery.”
She turned to face him. “I love you too.”
He kissed her slowly, unhurriedly, with all the tenderness of a young husband who couldn’t quite believe the woman he’d loved for years was finally his wife.
Later, they went inside, leaving the fire glowing softly beneath the Texas stars.
Behind the closed cabin door, they began the first night of their marriage together, wrapped in quiet laughter, whispered promises, and the certainty that they had a lifetime ahead of them.
By the time they finally fell asleep, Emery was curled against Rhett’s chest while his arm remained wrapped around her as though he never intended to let her go.
By the following morning, neither of them was ready for the honeymoon to end.
The smell of coffee drifted through the cabin, followed by the unmistakable sound of something sizzling in a frying pan.
Emery wandered into the kitchen to find Rhett making breakfast with a level of confidence she immediately distrusted.
“I’m almost afraid to ask,” Emery teased as she folded her arms.
He looked over his shoulder. “I’ve improved since yesterday,” Rhett said confidently.
“We’ll let the eggs be the judge,” Emery replied with a grin.
He laughed.
Breakfast was simple, but neither of them lingered over it for long because reality was waiting for both of them outside that little cabin.
The drive back to the Sloan Ranch felt much shorter than the one that had brought them there.
Neither wanted to talk about why.
Rhett carried her overnight bag onto the porch before setting it beside the front door. “I’ll call you as soon as I get back,” Rhett promised.
“I know,” Emery replied.
“I mean it,” Rhett said.
“I know you mean it,” Emery said with a smile.
He stepped closer and rested his forehead against hers. “One more year.”
“One more year.”
“Then I’m coming home for good,” Rhett promised before kissing her one last time. “I love you, Mrs. Mercer.”
A smile spread across her face. “I love you too, Mr. Mercer.”
“I’ll see you soon,” Rhett said as he climbed into his truck.
“You’d better,” Emery called after him with a smile.
He laughed, gave her one last wave, and slowly drove down the long gravel driveway.
Emery stood exactly where he’d left her, one hand resting unconsciously over the gold wedding band on her finger.
She watched as the truck grew smaller and smaller before finally disappearing around the bend in the road.
A smile still lingered on Emery’s lips as she turned towards the house. In her heart, she believed they only had one more year apart.
She couldn’t have known that life had other plans, or that it would be five long years before she saw Rhett again.
