Just Add Mistletoe: Christmas in Gingerbread, Colorado Page 19

Ruby appears with a petite blonde by her side. “And this is Ari,” she over enunciates, most likely because it looks as if I’m only paying half-attention. She would be, too, if she just had lotion slathered all over her face. “She’s going to do your hair.”

  “Loose curls,” I say in the event the makeup artist glues my lips shut. “Just something natural. I want to look like myself.” I glare up at the brunette who seems to have a vendetta out on my cheeks.

  A sudden breeze whooshes in just as my mother strides into the room. “Sam and I are here!” she trills, and I glance toward the door to see Samantha, my soon to be mother-in-law, traipsing in behind her. “What did we miss? What do we do? My goodness, where are our dresses?” she shrieks each word out as if there was a fire in the building.

  Holly holds up a hand in my direction. “I’ve got this,” she assures before systematically attending to my mother’s panic attack. Holly promised me that she’d keep a lid on our mother and her panache for spiraling wildly out of control. On poor Holly’s wedding day, Mom had a full-blown panic attack that involved the paramedics and a defibrillator.

  Savanah bops over with her cute little robe and kitten heels with pink feathers wafting in the breeze. “I painted my nails.” She extends a tiny little hand dotted with bright pink polish.

  “I love them. You look quite elegant today.” And she does. Savy is a beautiful girl any day of the week, but throw in a little primping, and she’s a supermodel in the making.

  “My mom says you’re going to have all the fun while she pulls her hair out for two weeks.” She makes a face. “And that Noel will probably make brownies in my room and eat all of Daddy’s shoes.”

  “She might be right—but it’s actually for an entire month. You and Noel should be best friends by then. Word to the wise, hide your best boots.” I wince as my sister does her best to call Savanah over.

  “Hard truths on my wedding day,” I shout over to her, and she gives a playful scowl. “It’s true, though. Noel hasn’t quite grown out of her shoe eating phase. On an up note, I think I just figured out a way to get you a whole new shoe wardrobe. And you’re welcome.”

  Mom scoffs as the hairdresser combs out her locks. “Send her to my house next! Your father is so cheap he squeaks.”

  “I advise you to get a puppy of your own.” I don’t dare send Noel to my mother’s house unsupervised. It’s a well-known fact that she feeds her table scraps every chance she gets. I can’t blame her. Once Noel gives you those sad brown eyes, you’ll want to do anything to lift her spirits. She’s a master manipulator at its finest.

  Samantha chortles out a laugh. “Last week, Noel ate a hole right through Ron’s golf bag. I had no idea he knew so many colorful words.

  Great. My future father-in-law most likely already has a squabble with me. I don’t foresee rough waters with either Samantha or Ron, though. We get together at least once a week for dinner, and they’ve both insisted that I call them Mom and Dad. I’ll admit, it felt odd the first few times, but now it feels like second nature. The only time I seem to hold back is when my own parents are in the room.

  An hour drifts by, then two, and soon I’m admiring myself in the full-length mirror in my snow-white wedding dress with its sweetheart neckline and Italian lace sleeves. My mother and Holly helped me whittle the selections down from a couple hundred to this perfect virginal dream. Holly and Mom took one look at it on me, and the three of us broke down and cried—so much so that the bridal shop insisted I take it off before I washed it with mascara.

  And speaking of which, Mom and Sam have already cried off their makeup twice to be exact—and after the third application, Myrna, the makeup artist, suggested they wait in the sanctuary with the rest of the guests. I figured it was costing her some serious inventory to keep reapplying all of those formidable layers that make both Sam and Mom look that much more like the beauties they are.

  Savy breezes back into the room. “Auntie Missy, I’ve got a note! It’s a love letter from Uncle Graham.” My heart melts each time she calls him that. Holly thought it was best to start right away, and by New Year’s Eve, Savy wouldn’t call him anything else.

  “A note!” I sing as Holly does a nervous dance between the door and me.

  “There’s no time for notes,” my sister blurts. “Ruby says we’re on in five.”

  I make a face. It’s almost amusing the way Holly keeps referencing my wedding as if it were a musical. I peel back the envelope and pull out a beautiful card with a familiar picture on the front, and I catch my breath, my body already bucking with tears. It’s the picture we took at the lake last Christmas—Graham, Noel, and me with our lopsided snowman photo bombing us from behind.

  I land my hand over my mouth as I read it.

  Sprig,

  Are you nervous yet? Don’t be. In a few minutes, I’ll be holding your hand and I’ll continue to do so as your husband until my very last breath. Today is the happiest day of my life, and I plan on drinking down every single moment. I already know you will glow like a shining star as you make your way down that aisle. Just know that I already have tears in my eyes at the thought of seeing you. I have a smile on my face knowing that I’ll get to kiss you before too long. And I have hope in my heart that our future will bring us much love and laughter. I know it will. It’s inevitable, just like we were all along.

  All of my heart forever,

  Graham

  Holly sobs from over my shoulder. “Oh, for Pete’s sake! Myrna!”

  And just like that, Myrna pulls off a mascara miracle for both Holly and me.

  Before long, Holly is gone, and I watch as Savy holds Noel by the leash as they ready to head in after her mother.

  “Savy,” I whisper, hoping that Ruby won’t hear. She’s a bit high-strung and has warned me that Italian lace and yellow labs that have a propensity to hug you are not a match made in bridal heaven. “Bring Noel over.” I wrinkle my nose as I give a quick look around.

  There aren’t any windows into the sanctuary, so I can’t even get a glimpse of how handsome Graham must be. I already know he is. It’s a given.

  Savanah swishes over in her petal pink dress, a rhinestone encrusted tiara pressed over her head. “I won’t tell,” she whispers back. “Go ahead and give her a hug.”

  And I bend over and do just that. “Hey, you?” I try to fight the tears, and she licks my cheek. “You’re the reason Mommy and Daddy are together, you know that? I love you so much. You be a good girl today, okay? We’ll play again later, I promise.” I stand and flatten my hands over the front of my dress.

  Savy pulls Noel a safe distance away. “You should really look into getting her a brother or a sister.”

  “Right.” I avert my eyes at the thought. “I can hardly handle one puppy, let alone two.”

  “Not even a human puppy?” Her violet-colored Winters women’s eyes widen with glee. As much as I appreciate Tom, I’m glad Savy’s genetics swayed toward the Winters’ gene pool.

  “A human puppy?” A quick chuckle bounces from my chest. “You mean a baby?” I whisper so low it sounds like a secret.

  “Yes”—she nods heavily as if she couldn’t annunciate it enough—“a baby. Plus, that way, I’ll have a real live doll to play with.”

  The frazzled wedding coordinator pops up, and she sheds a soothing crimson smile. “You’re up, girls.”

  “Oh my goodness.” Suddenly I can’t breathe or think or move.

  The bridal march begins, and all of my senses suddenly feel heightened, and tears spontaneously blur my vision. My body goes numb, and my feet move just the way they’re supposed to as I follow Savy and Noel to the entry of the church only to find every pew filled to capacity, and each and every body standing at attention, looking this way. A fiery panic rips through me, and the sudden urge to bolt and avoid all this attention hits me. But my eyes follow that white runner right down the aisle until my gaze lands on a tall, dark, and devilishly handsome Graham Holiday.

  Dad comes in close
and threads his arm through mine, offers a kiss to my cheek, and we start down the aisle. I don’t dare take my eyes off that handsome man waiting for me with a wide smile, tear-filled eyes. And when Savy and Noel do something so cute it has the entire congregation giggling, I totally miss it. I can’t seem to take my eyes off my future husband. Don’t want to.

  My father lands me safely next to Graham, kisses my cheek once again, and this time the tears glide down my face.

  The ceremony moves quickly, and before I know it, it’s time for Graham and me to read our vows to one another.

  I nod a quick thank you as Holly hands me my notes.

  “You’re going to kill it!” she whispers before jumping back to her post.

  I look up into my precious fiancé’s bright blue eyes and get lost for a brief moment in the tranquility they exude. A part of me wishes we would have saved the vows for later when we were alone. But then I’m pretty sure we’ll be a bit busy once we’re behind closed doors. A naughty smile curves on my lips, and his left brow rises with his amusement.

  “Graham”—my voice breaks, and I do my best to clear my throat—“it seems I have known you all of my life. And for as long as I can remember, I have looked forward to seeing you. Just having you near me was as soothing as it was annoying at times.” A gentle laugh fills the room. “And once you came back to Gingerbread, I knew instantly I felt something for you, something new that I didn’t quite know what to do with.” I glance to the crowd. “I guess most of you are familiar with that story.” A rumble of laughter circulates once again. I look back to Graham and hook my eyes to his. There’s something spellbinding about the moment, and a part of me wants to hit the pause button on the festivities. “But I want you to know that I do know what to do with you from this point forward. I’m going to love you. I’m going to support your hopes and dreams. I’m going to be there for you through the highs and lows, and I’m going to listen when you need me to listen. I look forward to starting and ending each and every day with you for the rest of our lives. I’m the luckiest girl in the world. Thank you for choosing me.”

  Graham’s entire body shakes and trembles as he struggles to keep it together, and suddenly it feels like an impossible feat for both of us.

  The minister nods to Graham, and he quickly wipes down his tears.

  “Missy”—he swallows hard as if it were taking all his strength to do this—“you have always been my favorite person to torment.” The room lights up with a laugh and so do I. “And, now, I’m going to spend the rest of my life making it up to you. There’s not a day that will go by without me expressing my heartfelt love to you. I’ve been all over the world looking for something—what, I wasn’t quite sure. I thought New York might finally hold the answer, and yet it wasn’t until I came back to Gingerbread, back to you, that I found it. What I needed most was right here at home all along. I’m thankful that we finally made our way to one another.” He takes up both my hands, and my entire body relaxes for the first time since I set foot in this church. “Mistletoe, I promise to love and honor you all the days of our lives. I’m going to cherish you, cherish each moment we get to spend together as husband and wife. Life is an adventure, and I’m glad you chose to have this adventure with me.”

  The minister ushers the ceremony along. We light the unity candle and join hands once again. He says a little prayer over the two of us, so beautiful my eyes sting with tears once again.

  He nods to Graham. “You may now kiss your bride.”

  I can’t help but smile as Graham leans in and lands a precious kiss right over my lips and lingers.

  The minster clears his throat, and the crowd breaks out into applause and laughter.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, for the first time ever, let me introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Graham Holiday!”

  The crowd goes wild, and Noel breaks free from Savanah’s hold and leaps and barks with glee, right along with everyone else. Graham takes me by the hand, and we race down the aisle with Noel racing by our side.

  We hit the foyer, and Graham leads us out through the open doors where the sunshine warms our backs.

  Graham takes up both my hands and sheds a smile as wide as the sea. “We did it, Sprig.”

  “We did indeed. You ready for what comes next?”

  “As long as you’re by my side, I think we’ve got it all.”

  We share another kiss as the bodies stream from the church to offer their congratulations.

  Graham is right.

  As long as we’re together, we really do have it all.

  Mrs. Graham Holiday, I marvel to myself. With Graham in my life, as my husband, every day will feel like Christmas.

  Graham

  Nine months later…

  There are nights where I have marveled at how beautiful my wife is, but tonight at the annual community center auction, on this snowy Christmas Eve, she simply takes my breath away.

  “Merry Christmas.” Tanner pops up and slaps me over the shoulder.

  “Merry Christmas,” I parrot right back as Missy makes her way over in a stunning red dress. Her hands cradle her beautiful belly, and I love her that much more knowing she’s cradling our child safely in her arms. She’s due any minute now. I offered to sit this one out with her, but Missy wouldn’t hear of it. She’s never missed a Christmas benefit yet, and she wasn’t about to start now.

  “Here they come.” Tanner welcomes Sabrina Jarrett with open arms. This will mark one year that the two of them have been seeing one another. To be honest, I gave it a week, but Sabrina seems genuinely interested in Tanner, and I couldn’t be happier for the two of them.

  Missy joins our small circle and wraps her arms around my waist. “So, how’s everything at Holiday Pies?” She looks to Tanner. “This one won’t take me out to Cater to check on the factory. He’s too afraid to be five minutes away from the hospital.”

  Sabrina grimaces at my beautiful wife. “Can’t blame him. Face it, you look ready to pop!”

  Missy glances up at her with that impatient look in her eye. “I am ready to pop. I can’t believe I was hardly able to help at the bakery for the last six weeks.”

  “Doctor’s orders.” I lift my hands as if surrendering. “I had nothing to do with it.”

  Tanner leans in. “Plus, you’re still settling in from the move. That nursery you set up with a view of the lake? Sign me up to babysit. I can get used to looking out that window all day long.”

  The four of us share a laugh. Mom and Dad come over, along with Joy and Jack. I feel as if the Winters are every bit family, and oddly I’ve always regarded them that way.

  Joy gives a playful snarl over at her daughter. “When are you going to have that sweet angel so I can kiss and squeeze those baby cheeks?”

  Mom offers an aggressive nod. “And I’m dying to know if it’s a girl or a boy. I just can’t stand not knowing.”

  Dad tucks his elbow to her arm. “She’s tired of knitting everything yellow.”

  “I like yellow,” Missy offers. She’s been more than kind enough to go along with all of my mother’s schemes and baby dreams. Mom and Joy threw us a baby shower at the house, and the entire theme was gray elephants. Missy didn’t say an unkind word, but once we were alone, she wondered if her size had inadvertently inspired it. I assured her that it had nothing to do with it. Missy looks perfect to me in any size.

  Holly and Tom come up, along with Savanah. And Holly wrinkles her nose at her sister. “Are you still holding in that baby? How about giving us all a nice little gift and pushing that puppy out for all to see?”

  Savanah’s little face lights up. “I knew you were having a puppy!” She takes off screaming, “She’s having a puppy! She’s having a puppy!” And the entire lot of us breaks out into laughter.

  Nick comes over and slaps me over the shoulder. “We did it. Another year at the tree lot under our belt.”

  “That’s right, man” I pull him in and land an arm over his shoulder. “And I’m helping you out next ye
ar, too.” I pull Missy in with my other arm. “And we should have one more helper to add to the staff.”

  “Ow!” Missy shouts, and I lift my arm off her shoulder.

  “Sorry about that.”

  “You didn’t do it.” Her forehead wrinkles with worry as she winces hard. “It’s the baby. I’ve been feeling contractions all day, and they’ve just been getting worse and worse.”

  “What?” Holly jumps forward and lands her hands gently over Missy’s burgeoning belly. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I didn’t want to ruin anyone’s Christmas. It’s probably nothing.” Missy tips her head back and lets out a harrowing cry, altering us to the fact it’s definitely something.

  And just like that, sheer chaos ensues. Our parents mobilize in every direction at once. Tanner and Sabrina appear and do their best to run me out the door. Our entire motley crew ambles out to the parking lot, and an entire fleet of cars attempts to speed out of the lot at once. I jump into the truck and do my best to speed around them.

  “Hang on, Missy.” I glance her way and note the seat is empty. “Missy!” I hit the brakes and spot her standing alone at the entry and throw the truck in reverse. “I’m so sorry!” I rush out and help her into the passenger’s seat, carefully buckling her in, and wave as if I were seeing her off.

  “What are you doing?” she howls into the night.

  “I don’t know!” I shout as I hop back into the truck and speed us all the way to the hospital. Missy and I are about to take that next step—have a baby, become parents.

  Life is about to change in a spectacular way.

  I just hope I don’t pass out and miss it.

  * * *

  Six hours later, after much labored breathing, much coaching from Holly and me, and a heck of a lot of work from Missy herself—the staff has left us alone with our very own pink bundle of joy.

  I land a sweet kiss to our new daughter’s rosy cheek and then to my wife’s as I sit on the edge of Missy’s hospital bed. “Merry Christmas to my two favorite girls—and to the one we’ve got at home, too.”