by Iris Morland
She squeezed his arm. She’d told him ages ago about how she’d always loved seeing snowshoe hares in the winter, but they were rare in Fair Haven. She couldn’t believe he’d remembered.
“Was this your big surprise?” she teased as they went inside the cabin. “You sent me on a walk with Abby just so you could wait for the hare to show up again?”
Heath pushed open the back door, which led to a back staircase. “Not exactly. Come upstairs with me and I’ll show you.”
She was tempted to make a dirty joke, but she was too impatient to discover what plan Heath had concocted. He led her into their bedroom and shut the door.
Jubilee was about to ask what was going on when she saw it: a wedding dress lay on the bed. The same dress Jubilee had loved when she’d tried it on, but her mother had vetoed it because it wasn’t a longer gown.
“Heath,” she said, “what is going on?”
* * *
Jubilee didn’t look excited. She looked...alarmed. Heath’s speech about how he’d surprised her with a surprise wedding, how he knew how much she hated planning a wedding she didn’t even want, all of it—it flew right out the window.
“Why do you have a wedding dress? Wait, maybe don’t answer that.”
He scrubbed a hand through his hair. “It’s for a wedding. Our wedding.”
“Our wedding.”
“Yes.”
“Our wedding that’s happening next year?”
“I thought, with everything happening with your mom and how you were dragging your feet about planning the wedding, that I’d surprise you with a wedding. Here. Today. On Christmas Day.”
Jubilee’s mouth opened and closed in shock. Then: “Heath David DiMarco, are you serious?”
“Yes, but you don’t have to do it. I should’ve asked you. This was a stupid idea—”
“No! Heath.” She grabbed his arm, her cheeks flushed. “This is amazing. I’m just pissed I didn’t think of it myself.” She shook her head. “Did you really plan our wedding? What about the license? Who’s marrying us?”
Heath pulled out the license that they’d already applied for. “It just so happens that Harrison can marry us.”
“He agreed to marry us?”
“He did.”
“Goodness, I don’t want to know how much you bribed him to do that.” She touched the envelope with the marriage license inside it. “This is really happening?”
“Only if you want it to.”
“Oh no, you’re not getting out of it that easily. I need to get ready. Did you bring everything? Shoes? A strapless bra?”
“I brought it all.” At her incredulous look, he mumbled, “I Googled what you would’ve needed, okay?”
She snorted a laugh. “I would love to see that search history. Thank God, though. I was afraid I was going to have to wear this dress in my sports bra.”
Her face fell then, and he touched her arm. “What is it?”
She grimaced. “My mom and dad. I can’t get married without them here. I know my mom drives us both crazy and that’s why you planned this, but she’d never forgive me—“
He pressed a finger to her mouth. “I got it covered. Don’t worry.”
“Heath DiMarco, you sneaky jerk!” But her smile belied her words, and she then pushed at his arm. “Get out of here. You can’t see the bride before the wedding. And tell Rose and Megan I need them to help me.”
Heath kissed her. “I love you. See you soon.”
“I love you, and you’re a nut. Get out of here.”
After getting dressed in a suit and tie, Heath went downstairs to wait for Jubilee. The rest of the family hurried about with various tasks, although the cabin was already decorated for Christmas. He’d enlisted Megan’s help with the cake, which Sara had taken over when Megan went upstairs to help Jubilee with her hair and makeup.
That was when he realized: he’d gotten Jubilee’s underwear, but he’d completely forgotten to buy wedding rings.
“Shit.” He turned to Harrison. “I forgot to buy us rings.”
Harrison straightened his tie, frowning. “That’s not good. Although I guess you could use Jubilee’s engagement ring for her.”
Seth slapped Heath on the shoulder and handed him a silver ring. “Use this. Just give it back to me when you have the real rings.”
Heath knew this ring: Seth had gotten it to remember his friend who’d died in the war. “Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
“Thank you. This means a lot.”
Before either man could get too emotional, a knock sounded on the front door. Heath breathed a sigh of relief as he went to answer it.
“Lisa, Dave,” he said as he ushered them inside. “I’m so glad you could make it.”
“It wasn’t exactly how we were expecting to spend Christmas,” said Lisa as she handed Heath her coat. “But I am not missing my youngest daughter’s wedding.”
Despite Lisa’s crisp words, Heath knew she would’ve been devastated had she not been invited to this impromptu ceremony. Dave would’ve been upset, too, even though his demeanor remained cool and collected. No matter how much she drove her daughter crazy, Lisa would always be Jubilee’s mother.
When the ceremony finally began, Heath knew he would remember this moment for the rest of his life: Jubilee walking down the stairs, wearing a wedding gown, her hair in some complicated braided updo. Her dress was ivory with lacy three-quarter-length sleeves, the skirt wide and bell-shaped. She’d placed a poinsettia in her hair. But what made Heath’s heart pound was the love for him on her face as she walked toward him.
“Mom,” said Jubilee as she spotted Lisa. Lisa rushed forward and they embraced, tears in each woman’s eyes. Lisa murmured something in Jubilee’s ear before Dave gave his daughter a hug, too.
As Jubilee hugged her parents, Megan and Rose followed her entrance, and then the entire family stood in the living room in front of the fireplace and waited for the wedding to begin.
Heath squeezed Jubilee’s hand. “You look gorgeous.”
“Thank you.”
Harrison cleared his throat. “You two ready?”
“I think so,” said Jubilee.
Heath elbowed her a little, and she laughed. “Yes, I’m ready.”
“I’m ready,” said Heath.
“Before the vows, I wanted to say a few words,” said Harrison.
Heath heard someone groan; Jubilee laughed.
“I heard that, Caleb. You’re the one who needed a box of tissues earlier.”
Caleb snorted. “He’s lying.”
Bea took that remark to mean she should start talking to her parents, and Heath was fairly certain he heard something along the lines of “dog isn’t here” from the toddler.
“Anyway,” said Harrison, “I wanted to say that I didn’t always agree with this relationship.”
Heath’s eyes crossed. “Here we go.”
“I thought that you were too old for my baby sister. I told you both to stay away.” Harrison chuckled. “I should’ve known that would never work. But I realized that it hadn’t been about protecting Jubilee: it had been about protecting me.”
When Heath had asked Harrison to marry them, he hadn’t been sure of his friend’s response. Although Harrison had come to accept their relationship, that didn’t mean he’d want to assist in making it official and legal. But Harrison had agreed without hesitation.
Now Heath watched Jubilee as Harrison spoke, drinking in her beauty. He could see tears shining in her eyes already.
“You were my little sister, of course, but you were also the one who hung on to life so hard that there was no way you weren’t going to thrive. I remember when you were only five years old, and you asked me to tell your cancer to go away. You were too busy to die.” A few people chuckled, but the collective sound was definitely watery now. “I did my best: I tried to keep you safe. I wanted you to live that life that cancer tried to take away from you.
“But I realized that I w
anted to keep you safe because that meant I wouldn’t have to worry. I finally saw how much you loved Heath, and God Almighty, how much he loved you. And I’m not about to stand in the way of love, because I know how precious and rare it is.”
Heath cleared his throat, mostly to get rid of the annoying lump in it. Jubilee was crying, trying to dab at her face so as not to mess up her makeup, and then everyone was crying and laughing at the same time. Abby handed Jubilee a tissue before handing one each to Heath and Harrison.
“So, let’s get this party started.” Harrison wiped his eyes before beginning the ceremony.
“Do you, Jubilee Christina Thornton, take Heath David DiMarco to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
Jubilee’s gaze was fixed on him. “I do.”
“And Heath David DiMarco, do you take Jubilee Christina Thornton to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
“I do,” said Heath.
Jubilee smiled, and Heath couldn’t stop smiling. They exchanged rings, Jubilee scrunching her nose at him when he placed her engagement ring back onto her finger.
“I’ll get you a real wedding ring,” he vowed. “I promise.”
“Of course you will, and I’ll pick them out.”
“Hey, we’re not done yet,” said Harrison. “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride—”
Heath wrapped his arms around his new wife and kissed her, bending her over his arm. The family hooted and hollered, the kiss only ending when Mark muttered nearby, “There are kids here.”
Everyone converged on Heath and Jubilee at once. Congratulations flowed, hugs were abundant, and Heath shook each Thornton brother’s hand like they hadn’t known each other for years. Harrison made a point to murmur in his ear, “If you hurt her, I’ll kill you.”
“I hope you’ll be very happy together,” said Dave as he pumped Heath’s hand. “Take care of my little girl.”
“Oh, Jubi, congratulations.” Lisa dabbed at her eyes before she kissed Jubilee’s cheek. “I’m glad you invited us.”
“I wouldn’t have had you miss it for the world,” she said.
A few hours later, Heath had managed to get a moment of privacy with Jubilee—his new wife, which he could hardly believe—and said, “I love you, Mrs. DiMarco.”
“And I love you, Mr. DiMarco.” This was the best surprise you’ve ever done for me.” She tipped her head back, gesturing with her chin. “So you gonna kiss me under this mistletoe, or am I going to have to do it?”
He pulled her into his arms, right where she belonged. “Don’t worry,” he said, “I’ll kiss you now and forever. Even without mistletoe.”
And then he showed her exactly what he meant.
Coming in 2018
The Youngers
You met them in Dream a Little Dream of Me.
Now prepare to fall in love with The Youngers.
* * *
Then Came You
(Ash Younger’s Story)
Coming March 2018
Also by Iris Morland
Love Everlasting
(including)
The Youngers
Then Came You
The Thorntons
The Nearness of You
The Very Thought of You
If I Can’t Have You
Dream a Little Dream of Me
Someone to Watch Over Me
Till There Was You
I’ll Be Home for Christmas
* * *
Heron’s Landing
Seduce Me Sweetly
Tempt Me Tenderly
Desire Me Dearly
Adore Me Ardently
About the Author
A coffee addict and cat lover, Iris Morland writes sexy and funny contemporary romances. If she's not reading or writing, she enjoys binging on Netflix shows and cooking something delicious.
irismorland.com
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