“Let me.” Chaska took the tie clip, examined it. “Naomi made this.”
“It was a gift from Win when I left Scarlet.”
Chaska got the tie in place and slipped on the tie clip, then straightened Jason’s collar. “You look good, man.”
“Thanks.” Jason reached for his jacket.
Chaska helped him into it, then smoothed one of Jason’s lapels. “I wasn’t sure about you at first. Yeah, I knew you were a Shadow Wolf, but there are lots of big, bad men with impressive resumés who don’t treat women well. I thought you were engaged and sleeping with my sister. I was wrong. You’ve been good for Winona. I’ve never seen her so happy.”
“I will do my best to be the man she deserves.”
“I know you will.” Chaska rested his hands on Jason’s shoulders, met his gaze. “You’re a good man. I am proud to call youbrother.”
Those words meant more to Jason than Chaska could know. “You’ve been Winona’s rock since she was a little girl. Thank you for taking good care of her.”
The door opened, and Old Man walked in, wearing a white shirt and a bright red quilled vest with yellow designs that had been handed down from his grandfather. In his hands was his Medicine Wheel hair-tie with the bald eagle feather. “Chaska, can you help an old man? This arthritis in my fingers is givin’ me trouble. I can’t look sloppy at my granddaughter’s wedding.”
Grandpa was officiating the ceremony.
Chaska took the small ornament and fixed it into his grandfather’s hair, adjusting the feathers. “You’re good.”
From below came the sound of Ren’s voice followed by men’s laughter. Ren, Gabe, and Zach were standing with Jason today. They’d gotten to know one another pretty well last night at the lodge that Old Man had held for him.
Old Man glanced in the mirror, then looked Jason over, nodding approvingly. “You’re lookin’ sharp. You’re a true warrior. You’re gonna be a good half-side to my Winona and a good father to her children.”
Funny he should say that… “Thank you.”
Grandpa didn’t yet know that Winona was pregnant. Winona had only shared that with Naomi and Kat. She’d wanted to keep the baby secret until she was out of her first trimester, when risk of a miscarriage was highest. Jason had been fine with that decision, but for entirely different reasons. He didn’t want anyone in Scarlet believing that he was marrying Winona only because a condom had broken.
“I’ll get my sacred elements, and then it’s time to get up to the camp, eh?”
Ren met them at the bottom of the stairs, drew Jason into an embrace. “Man, you sure clean up pretty. I’m used to seein’ you in dusty camo.”
Jason hugged him back. “I could say the same about you.”
Gabe shook his hand. “Congratulations. Kat and I are so happy for you both.”
McBride gave him a bear hug. “I’m so damned happy for the two of you. I knew something was up between you from the start. I asked, and you denied it.”
Jason couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, yeah. I remember.”
They climbed into McBride’s SUV and made the short drive up to the camp.
Camp Mato Sapa had been transformed. An elegant party tent stood in place of the sunshade. Chairs sat in rows before a table that would act as an altar and hold Old Man Belcourt’s sacred elements, large bouquets of bright flowers on either side. Caterers bustled in and out of the Mess Hall. Guests took their seats in the party tent, while uninvited guests sat on the ground or held tailgate parties.
Winona had warned him this would happen. “When Lexi and Austin got married, the whole town came, even those not on the guest list.”
Hank, who had just finished his six-month jail sentence, was sitting under the tree with a friend. “That’s the man who tracked me the night I drove into the creek.”
Inside the tent, the West clan sat together. The Team took up a couple of rows, Kenzie and Conrad holding their new baby boy, Bruce, and Erik and Vicki with their month-old daughter, Molly. Doug and Star and their kids had come from Pine Ridge and were dressed in their finest. Joe and Rain sat with their little girl and Bear, who wore a neat, white shirt rather than buckskin. Ellio, Milo, and Dale had driven up with Ren and sat off to one side.
Jason waved to them, grateful to have some of his Pack brothers back together.
“Don’t you look pretty?” Megs said.
“You, too, Megs. A skirt? I’ve never seen you in a skirt before.”
It was denim, but for Megs, it might as well be formal attire.