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been meeting with Pastor Mark for the past month and—” Her voice broke, and she looked to Ryan for help.
    Elizabeth felt the sting of tears in her own eyes as she watched them. Hadn’t it been yesterday when they were thirteen and fifteen, a couple of kids meeting each other for the first time at a neighborhood barbecue? And in the years that followed, hadn’t they all believed that someday it would come to this? Elizabeth swallowed back the lump in her throat, willing her daughter the strength to do the same.
    “I’ve asked Kari to be my wife.” Ryan gave Kari a slight squeeze and the briefest kiss. “And she said yes.”
    Erin’s squeal came first, followed by a chorus of clapping and congratulations.
    “I knew it!” Ashley grinned and pushed back her chair, leading the way as everyone—even Cole—got up and surrounded the beaming couple and exchanged hugs and kisses.
    “We’re getting married September twenty-first!” Kari cast a quick grin at Ryan, and then back at the others. “Isn’t that amazing?”
    John exhaled and let his shoulders slump forward as he chuckled. “I couldn’t have kept the secret another minute.”
    “Oh, Kari, it’ll be a gorgeous wedding!” Brooke put her arms around them. “I’m so happy for you guys.”
    “And guess where we’re having it?” Kari leaned forward, her face wreathed in the undeniable look of a young woman in love.
    Erin brought her hands together. “Here?”
    “Yes. The ceremony and the reception.” Kari leaned back. “We want a big white tent where we can eat and celebrate and dance into the night.”
    “A backyard wedding!” Ashley hooted and high-fived Brooke. “That’s perfect.”
    Elizabeth slipped past the others and took Jessie from Kari. She laid her down on the sofa, covered her with a blanket, then stood next to John, just outside the circle of their children. They’d known about this for weeks, and they were content to let the others give their congratulations first. Elizabeth slid her fingers between John’s. “Did you ever think? I mean back when everything looked so awful a few years ago?”
    “Actually…” John gave a thoughtful tilt of his head. “Yes.” The celebration going on a few feet away all but drowned his voice. “There’s never been anyone for Kari like Ryan.” He sniffed hard. “I can almost feel God smiling down at us.”
    The congratulations continued, and when they were all seated again they shared sweet-and-sour pork, stir-fried vegetables, almond chicken, and steamed rice. Conversation about the wedding plans continued through dinner and on into dessert.
    “So, who’s coming?” Ashley was helping Cole with his dessert, cutting it into small pieces. “I mean, are we talking small or most of Bloomington?”
    Kari laughed, and she and Ryan took turns explaining that their wedding would be simple, no more than a hundred family members and friends. Though Kari had been married before, Ryan hadn’t, and he told the group that he planned to pay for the reception.
    “Some of my football friends want to come.” Ryan grinned at John. “I think we’ll need plenty of table space.”
    Kari wanted Brooke, Ashley, and Erin—her three sisters—to be her bridesmaids. “Long silky dresses with cap sleeves!” Kari’s eyes lit up. “How does that sound?”
    “What about you?” Ashley flashed a teasing look at Ryan. “I’m sure you can’t wait to pick out just the right tux. And you need three groomsmen, you know. That’s the way it works.”
    Ryan chuckled and gave Kari a light tap on the head. “Kari’s clued me in about all of that.”
    “He even helped pick the colors.”
    “Which are?” Erin leaned forward to get a better look at Kari and Ryan.
    “Navy blue and silver.” Ryan gave a firm nod of his head; then he tossed Kari a doubtful look. “Or was it Essence of Blue and Pewter?”
    Laughter rang out around the table. Elizabeth waited until it died down. “Did you decide on the