Checking Holly Twice, page 19
“Are you?” I asked.
“Not really, no. But I’m sure about the two of us together. If we’re going to be a family, there has to be sacrifice on my part too. Or, compromise, not sacrifice. I mean, we’re talking two months in Europe.”
“Traveling all over the world helped shape me into the person I am. The kids will grow and learn from it.”
He smiled as he glanced toward the hallway where his family’s pictures hung. “My sister would love it. No television and a bunch of museums and culture? She couldn’t have asked for more.”
“It might be stressful. All of us living together in a hotel.”
“Are you worried?” Forest asked.
“I suppose I should be, but for some reason, I’m not. I like the idea of being on neutral ground for a while. Then we can come back here and make this into a home again instead of an inn.”
“Bed-and-breakfast.” He chuckled before letting out a long sigh. “Do you know what a relief it will be to have that part of my life over? This was my sister’s dream, not mine.”
“What is yours?” I asked. “You’ve never said what you’ve wanted. What you would have done if it weren’t for the kids.”
“To be honest, I don’t know. Maybe I’ll figure it out in Europe.” He leaned closer to kiss me. “Right now it feels like everything I’ve ever wanted is right here in this room.”
18
Holly
We debated about how and where we should get married. I’d suggested something low-key at the local courthouse, and Forest wanted whatever I wanted. However, the kids acted so disappointed that we had to reconsider. In the end, we decided to do a small ceremony at the house on Christmas Eve. It felt right since that was the time we’d all come together.
I wore a fitted off-white mermaid gown and a veil. When Ruby and I had gone to the local wedding dress shop, she’d been enthralled with the gauzy headpieces. She and the shopkeeper had both agreed when I came out of the booth that the dress was the one. Ruby had clapped and jumped up and down with such vigor that she knocked over a table with a bunch of bridal magazines on it.
I’d opted to wear my long hair up with the veil cascading down my bare back. I turned to see Marge coming out of the bathroom. I’d been thrilled when she’d agreed to walk me down the aisle. There was no one in my life I’d rather have by my side.
She wore an attractive suit the color of champagne that flattered her ample frame. Our hairdresser had put waves in her silver hair. “You look great, Marge,” I said.
“I’m just glad to be here, kid.”
“Thanks for agreeing to this. I know weddings aren’t really your thing.”
“Your wedding to that idiot wasn’t my thing. Hunkerson is a whole different story.” She went over to the dresser to get her phone. “I have a surprise for you. Guess what’s the number one movie for the week?”
“No way?”
“Yep. Check it out.” She thrust the phone my way. There it was in black and white. Steel River was number one at the box office. I hadn’t been paying much attention to it this week, but this was a nice surprise. “And guess what else?”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“The critics are singing your praises.”
“Really?”
“Several have said you’re Oscar material.”
I sank into the chair by the window. I’d made sure to choose a dress I could comfortably sit in. The skirt spread out around me as if I were a princess on a toadstool. “I can’t believe it. And to think I almost didn’t do it.”
“Hunkerson made sure you got what you needed. He’s a good one, kiddo.”
Remembering our time overseas brought a smile to my face. The eight weeks had been filled with work but also fun times exploring Italy with Forest and the kids. We’d ended the trip with two weeks in Paris before coming home in time for the blooming of the tulips planted around the house. They’d gone back to school only to find they’d outpaced their class. “We had such an extraordinary time.” The kids had taken to traveling like naturals. I’d found a great tutor for them who worked with them in the mornings, leaving the afternoons for Forest to take them to museums and explore parks and restaurants. They’d thrived. Even Dane lost the worried, pinched look to his mouth. He’d confessed to me that traveling was his new passion. Forest and I had a good laugh over that one.
“You’re glowing in that film, and that’s not just because of great acting.” She gestured toward the hallway. “It’s almost time. You ready?”
I nodded, looking down at my bouquet of white roses tied with a red ribbon. “Let’s do it.”
We stood together at the bottom of the stairs. I took a moment to enjoy the scene before me. Ruby wore a red tulle dress; Dane had on a dark blue suit to match his uncle’s. Both my boys wore red ties in the same color as Ruby’s dress.
“Doesn’t Ruby’s hair look good?” I whispered to Marge. I’d fixed Ruby’s hair myself, having observed the professionals in my career for so long.
“You did good.”
Forest had invited a few of his buddies and their wives, couples I’d gotten to know over the past year during skating parties, nights out at the Twisted Tinsel, and an occasional poker party. They’d all welcomed me, and after only a few weeks of living here, the gang seemed to have forgotten all about my former life. I was just Holly to them. I loved every minute of it. Finally, I had the sweet, ordinary life I’d longed for all those lonely years before I found Forest.
Minutes later, I stood before the fire with Forest and the children. The officiant asked if we’d like to share our written vows. The fire bathed the room in cozy light. Candles flickered on the mantel and side tables. Our Christmas tree was all aglow and filled the room with the spicy scent of fir.
“Holly, would you please share your vows with Forest?”
I cleared my throat. As many times as I’d performed, I’d never been as nervous to speak out loud. But I locked my gaze with Forest’s, and the sense of stillness that I’d come to know fully in the past year calmed my nerves.
“From the very first day we ever spent together, I’ve known a sense of belonging I’ve yearned for all my life. Being here with you and the children has given me more joy and fulfillment than I thought possible. Thank you for loving me despite all the baggage that comes along with being with someone on the public’s radar. I promise to be your partner, best friend, and supporter in whatever you want and need.” I turned to the kids, taking one of each of their hands. “I promise to always be here when you need me, no matter how old you get. I’ll always be there to pick you up after school and at every school play or hockey game or whatever it is you choose to do with your life. I will never put anything or anyone above you two, other than your uncle, of course. I love you both very much.”
“We love you,” Ruby shouted before plowing into me for a hug.
Our friends tittered, but Forest threw back his head in laughter before sobering to say his vows to me. “Holly, I pledge my heart and devotion to you today and for the rest of our lives. You’ve made everything in my life better than I could have ever hoped for. This house is now a home with you here. I love every moment we have together. I’m grateful for all the sacrifices you’ve made to be here with us. I vow to try to be worthy of you every single day of my life.”
“Holly, do you take Forest Sully to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold for all the days of your life?”
“I do,” I said.
Pastor Donovan asked the same of Forest. “Hell yes.”
Mrs. Knight clucked her tongue but the rest of the room cheered.
“You may now exchange rings,” Donovan said.
Forest placed a sparkling band on my finger that was part of the set he’d gotten for me when he asked me to marry him. I smiled for a second as I took in these symbols of our devotion.
Pastor Donovan addressed the children. “Dane and Ruby have something they would like to say.”
Dane took something from his pocket. “Holly, I have this for you.” He handed me a small wooden ornament in the shape of a dove. “To add to your collection for our tree.”
“Did you make this?” I turned it over to see the date carved into the bottom.
“Uncle Forest helped me,” Dane said. “A lot.”
“I love it very much,” I said. “Thank you.”
Ruby, never one to be outdone, reached out her hand to Forest, who pulled out a small velvet box and gave it to her. She opened the lid to show me. A band with three small diamonds that sparkled under the lights. “This is us.” She tapped the diamonds. “Uncle Forest, Dane, and me. We want you to wear it with your wedding ring.”
Tears blurred my vision and I held out my hand. “Put it on me, please.”
“You have to take the others off, so the big diamond is in the middle,” Ruby said with a serious tone to her voice. “The jewelry guy told us that.”
I slipped the other two rings from my finger and put the children’s ring on first, then the solitaire and then the wedding band. “This one is closest to my heart.” I tapped the ring the kids had given me. “And this wedding band is out closest to the world to tell everyone who I love.”
Dane and Ruby beamed up at me. I gave them each a quick kiss on the cheek before straightening to meet the gaze of my groom. The pastor pronounced us husband and wife. “And a family of four,” Pastor Donovan said. “You may now kiss the bride.”
The room exploded in cheers as we came together for the first kiss of our married life.
After the ceremony, we all drove out to the Italian restaurant for the reception. They’d closed it to the public, and our guests filled it nicely. We dined on pasta and drank champagne and red wine. When we’d all had our fill, the staff moved some tables around to make room for a dance floor. We all danced to Christmas music.
When Beyoncé’s version of “O Holy Night” came on, Forest whispered in my ear to come outside with him. He draped his jacket over my bare shoulders and led me out to the patio.
“Can you find the North Star?” Forest asked.
“No. I don’t know any of the names of the stars, just which ones I like.”
“Kind of like me and wine, eh?”
“Yes, sort of like that.” I leaned against him as he put his arm around me. Our breath made clouds in the frigid air, yet it felt refreshing to be outside after the warmth of the room.
The sky was a shade darker than a deep purple and filled with stars. A three-quarter moon peeked through the forest. Forest wrapped his arm around me as Beyoncé’s voice reached a crescendo. Goose bumps traveled up my arms.
“Do you remember what the sky looked like the night I proposed?” Forest asked me quietly. “The way the full moon was reflected in the water?”
“I do.” Those moments on the bridge as the moon hovered and shed light over the entire city but had seemed to shine just for us had been some of the happiest of my life. Forest had gone down on one knee to propose. I hadn’t thought it was possible to feel such powerful surges of love and joy.
“I thought I was happy that night,” Forest said. “But tonight wins.”
“Every day with you, I wake up a little more in love.”
“Is that true?” he asked softly. “Because I thought it was just me.”
I turned to look at him and cup his face in my hands. “Thank you for making all my dreams come true.”
“I’m so proud of you. And so happy we decided to do that movie.”
I smiled, pleased at the sound of the word we. “We were such dummies, torturing ourselves when the solution was there all the time.”
“In our defense, we’d only known each other a week.”
“When you know, you know. At least according to Mrs. Knight.”
We stood for a moment, enjoying the sound of the last notes of “O Holy Night.” The brightest star in the sky, perhaps that notorious Christmas Star, seemed to wink at us. I breathed in the cold Canadian air and snuggled closer to my husband. Life had surely twisted and turned before we found each other. Yet here we were under the light of the stars and moon at the beginning of our life together.
The kids came out to join us, each taking a side. I put my arm around Ruby, and Forest did the same with Dane. We were a foursome against the world. “We’re stronger together,” I whispered more to myself than anyone else.
“Yes, we are.” Forest squeezed me tighter. I did the same to Ruby. I felt certain Forest did the same to Dane. We stood there until “Jingle Bell Rock” came on and we could no longer stay still and went inside to dance with our friends.
A note from Tess…I hope you enjoyed my holiday story! Have you read the other Garland Grove, Romancing the Rink, books? If not, more holiday fun awaits.
Hate Me Under the Mistletoe by Kelly Jamieson
Blame It On the Eggnog by Jami Davenport
Knight Before Christmas by Kat Mizera
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Also by Tess Thompson
CLIFFSIDE BAY
* * *
Traded: Brody and Kara
Deleted: Jackson and Maggie
Jaded: Zane and Honor
Marred: Kyle and Violet
Tainted: Lance and Mary
Cliffside Bay Christmas, The Season of Cats and Babies (Cliffside Bay Novella to be read after Tainted)
Missed: Rafael and Lisa
Cliffside Bay Christmas Wedding (Cliffside Bay Novella to be read after Missed)
Healed: Stone and Pepper
Chateau Wedding (Cliffside Bay Novella to be read after Healed)
Scarred: Trey and Autumn
Jilted: Nico and Sophie
Kissed (Cliffside Bay Novella to be read after Jilted)
Departed: David and Sara
Cliffside Bay Bundle, Books 1,2,3
* * *
BLUE MOUNTAIN SERIES
* * *
Blue Midnight
Blue Moon
Blue Ink
Blue String
Blue Mountain Bundle, Books 1,2,3
* * *
EMERSON PASS
* * *
The School Mistress of Emerson Pass, Book 1 (First historical installment).
The Sugar Queen of Emerson Pass, Book 2 (First contemporary installment).
The Spinster of Emerson Pass, Book 3 (Second historical installment).
* * *
RIVER VALLEY
* * *
Riversong
Riverbend
Riverstar
Riversnow
Riverstorm
Tommy's Wish
River Valley Bundle, Books 1-4
* * *
CASTAWAY CHRISTMAS
* * *
Come Tomorrow, Castaway Christmas, Book 1
* * *
LEGLEY BAY
* * *
Caramel and Magnolias
Tea and Primroses
* * *
STANDALONES
* * *
The Santa Trial
Duet for Three Hands
Miller's Secret
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling author Tess Thompson writes small-town romances and historical romance. She started her writing career in fourth grade when she wrote a story about an orphan who opened a pizza restaurant. Oddly enough, her first novel, "Riversong" is about an adult orphan who opens a restaurant. Clearly, she's been obsessed with food and words for a long time now.
With a degree from the University of Southern California in theatre, she’s spent her adult life studying story, word craft, and character. Since 2011, she’s published over 20 novels and a five novellas. Most days she spends at her desk chasing her daily word count or rewriting a terrible first draft.
She currently lives in a suburb of Seattle, Washington with her husband, the hero of her own love story, and their Brady Bunch clan of two sons, two daughters and five cats. Yes, that's four kids and five cats.
Tess loves to hear from you. Drop her a line at tess@tthompsonwrites.com or visit her website at https://tesswrites.com/ or visit her on social media.
Tess Thompson, Checking Holly Twice
