“Shade, you have to at least give me one.”

A warning gleam appeared in his deadly eyes. “Like I said, it’s your funeral.”

“It might just be worth it,” Lucky replied, hastily raising his hands in surrender when Shade took a step forward. “I promise I will behave to the best of my ability.”

“You do that,” Shade said, still not relaxing his threatening manner.

Lucky stood up, coming from around his desk. He reached out his hand for Shade to shake. “I told you I didn’t think you deserved Lily. Let’s see if you can change my mind, John.”

“Pastor”—Shade shook his hand back—“I want to marry Lily tomorrow.”

“Congratulations.” Lucky slapped him on his back. “When did you ask her to marry you? I saw her at the church store today, but she didn’t say anything.”

“I haven’t asked her yet,” Shade admitted grudgingly.

“You haven’t asked her yet?” he repeated in astonishment.

“No. I’ll tell her in the morning,” Shade said, taking a seat in front of Lucky’s desk as he stared down at Shade in shock.

“You can’t spring something like that on Lily.”

“She wants to get married during December when it’s snowing, and I’m not waiting another year,” Shade said stubbornly.

Lucky stared down at him, frowning, and Shade looked right back up at him.

“Lily has strong moral convictions.”

“I know; I’m her pastor.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I still don’t—”

“She has very strong moral convictions,” Shade stressed.

“You mean…”

“Yes.” Shade turned red in anger when Lucky’s lips began twitching. If he didn’t love Lily so much, he would have decked the man five seconds ago.

Lucky went behind his desk and sat down. “I see.” He cleared his throat several times before saying, “You would like me to perform the ceremony?”

“Yes.” Shade unclenched his hands. One day, he was going to make Lucky pay for this. “And I want you to tell Lily you’ve given your permission.”

Lucky’s face went serious. “Shade … I know you and the brothers don’t take my role as pastor here seriously, but I do. And Lily is special to me. When she sits through my sermons, I know at least one person is listening and receiving God’s word.

“I decided when I took this job that my decision about how I wanted to live my life would be postponed until my work is completed. When I’m no longer a pastor, it won’t be because I lack faith in God, but because I lack faith in myself to follow the path God wants of us. Until then, I have made a commitment to serve this church to the best of my abilities. It’s been difficult, time-consuming, aggravating, and rewarding, and that’s only been for a few years.

“Couples who come to me before their wedding want their commitment to be lifelong, as their faith in God will be. Before I give my permission to couples, I counsel them for at least six months. With Lily, I have no reservations that, when she gives her vows, she will be able to keep them. You…”

“Pastor Dean,” Shade mocked, “if you were to ask me if I share Lily’s convictions about God, I’d say no. If you ask me if I intend to start attending church with Lily regularly, I’d say hell no. If you were to ask me if I plan to lead a Christian life, I’d say no and laugh in your face. If you ask me if I love Lily, I’d say with all of my heart. If you ask me if I will support Lily when she does things important to her, like go to church, work in the church store, or give to the needy, I’d say yes.

“I plan on being a good husband, provider, and being faithful to her until the day I die. I know you and everyone else say I don’t deserve her, and you’re all right, but no one does. She’s special. I recognize that and will treat her like she is until—”

Lucky held up his hand, stopping him. “Shade, if you would have let me finish, I would have told you that I don’t know of another man who can give Lily the life she deserves. I’ve known you several years, and while you’re a cold-hearted bastard and crazy-assed, you are, without a doubt, loyal. If you give Lily a fourth of what you have given to The Last Riders and our country, then Lily is in good hands.

“I’ve come to think of Beth and Lily both as sisters, and if I could have chosen men for them both, it would be you and Razer. I’ve never believed you had to sit in church every Sunday to deserve God’s blessings. You and Razer are proof of that because both of you have been truly blessed with the gift of those two women’s love.”

Shade asked, “You’ll give your permission?”

“Yes.”

Shade stood as Lucky took out his cell phone. “What are you doing?”

“Taking a picture of you. If you ever fuck up, I’m going to show you this picture and remind you of the promises you made me.”

“You won’t need a picture,” Shade told him. “I’ve never forgotten or broken a promise, and I won’t start with Lily.”

* * *

Shade felt Lily’s excitement as she bounced off the mattress, jumping out of the bed and to the windows, pulling back the curtains.

“It snowed, Shade.”

“I know. It started getting heavy last night,” he grumbled from the covers.

The day before, he had gathered the brothers and even Lucky had worked to pull together Lily’s dream wedding in the backyard of the church. Thankfully, the church had chairs for them to set up and cover with tarps to be pulled off just before the ceremony.

Beth and the women had shown up to set up the tables and decorations in the warmth of the church after dinner when Lily had gone to bed. They would arrive an hour before the ceremony to place more decorations outside.

When Knox had arrived with the sheriff’s car filled with fresh flowers, Shade had stared at the vehicle in amazement. “How did you manage this?”

Knox had grinned. “Told old man Carter I had to confiscate them.”

Shade had burst out laughing. “For what?”

“Illegal flowers. Came into the country without being taxed. It’s a thing now.”

“It is?”

“Shit no, but it was the best I could come up with. He didn’t argue when I handed him the cash.”

Shade hadn’t thought it was anything other than Knox’s fierce appearance which had kept the florist from arguing.

“Who were they meant for?” Shade had asked.

“Betsey Watson’s wedding. She’s getting married at the country club the day after tomorrow.”

“She’s going to be pissed.”

“Don’t really care, do you?”

“Fuck no.” Shade had slapped Knox on the back. “Let’s get them unloaded before Betsey comes looking for them.”

Back in the present, Lily jumped on the bed again. “I love snow.”

“I know. You told me.” Shade grinned, pulling her back down.

Lily circled his neck with her arms. “Does your family open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?”

“What?” Shade asked, not understanding what she was getting at.