by L. P. Dover
We hurried over to the bar and the bartender poured us each a glass of white wine. Jessica slammed hers and set it down, nodding to the bartender for another.
“Where’s Trent?” I asked, glancing around the room. I could only see her parents and her wedding planner, Margaret.
Jessica tried to hide her smile and failed. “He’s at the airport, picking up his brother and one of his cousins.”
“Oh, you mean the same brother I’m walking up the aisle with?”
She nodded, her grin growing wider. “And the same man I want you to meet. I still can’t believe we never ran into them growing up.”
Rolling my eyes, I took a sip of wine. “That’s because they’re a couple years older than us and went to different schools. Besides, doesn’t Trent’s brother live in California now? The last thing I need is a long-distance relationship, especially with someone who lives on the opposite side of the country.”
“It just so happens that Will is moving back here this week. He’s coming in for the wedding, then going back for a couple of days to get the rest of his things. He’s excited to meet you.”
I tossed back the rest of my wine. “Great,” I replied sarcastically.
With brows furrowed, she pulled me over to a vacant corner, away from the bartender. “Please don’t be like that. I want you to have fun and meet new people. Life isn’t always about history books.”
“In mine it is,” I said with a wink.
She shook her head and laughed. “You’re too much.”
We walked over to the other side of the country club, where the party was going to be this evening. Her and her fiancé had decided to have a huge shindig for all their friends, instead of separate parties. I couldn’t blame them for that. There were plenty of canceled weddings as a result of wild and crazy bachelor/bachelorette parties.
I snuck a carrot off a vegetable tray, just as more people walked through the door, including the other two bridesmaids, Jessica’s younger sisters, Alexis and Bridgette. They all had the same auburn hair.
Jessica nudged me with her elbow. “I’ll be right back. Once Trent gets here, we’ll go through the rehearsal, and then, party it up.”
I grabbed another carrot. “Sounds good to me.”
While Jessica conversed with all her people, I sat down at one of the tables overlooking the golf course.
“Sitting by yourself?”
I turned to see Margaret’s smiling face. Margaret Grant was the wedding planner—a middle-aged woman with short, curly brown hair and brown eyes. She always had a glow about her, and was very sweet. If I ever got married, I’d want her to be my wedding planner. It was a shame that was probably never going to happen.
“You can join me.” I patted the seat next to me.
Margaret brushed her hands down her black pants and sat down. Her red jacket looked festive, with a sprig of mistletoe wrapped in ribbon, and tiny white and red berries pinned to it.
I nodded toward the plant. “You must love mistletoe. Every time I see you, you’re wearing it.”
Margaret giggled. “I don’t leave home without it, especially around the holidays. Christmas is in a week.”
If I recalled correctly, mistletoe wasn’t exactly the romantic plant everyone thought it to be. “Isn’t mistletoe considered parasitic?”
“Some specific forms are, but not this one,” she said, gently touching the red berries. “History would call it magical.”
I snorted. “More like a way for men to take advantage of women. It was considered bad luck if a woman refused to kiss underneath it. Imagine how many people felt obligated to kiss men because of that plant.”
Her eyes narrowed, and she stared at me as if she could see right through me. “I’m beginning to think you need a little Christmas magic in your life.”
“Tell me about it.”
“Margaret, I think everyone’s here,” Jessica called out.
I turned, expecting to see Trent and his brother, only to find the man with him wasn’t Will. Jessica leaned in close and whispered in the guy’s ear. He was cute, but not ruggedly handsome, like all the Blair men were known to be. Although, he was impeccably dressed in a blue button-down and black slacks, with his blond hair gelled into messy spikes.
Margaret grinned at me again and patted my hand. “Come on, my dear. Let’s get this rehearsal going so we can eat. The brownie cheesecake is calling my name.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
Margaret walked off, but Jessica hurried over with the mystery man in tow. She gestured from me to him. “Adeline, I’d like you to meet Trent’s cousin, Caleb. Caleb, this is my best friend, Adeline.”
Caleb held out his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
I shook his hand, curious as to why Trent’s brother wasn’t there. “It’s a pleasure. Are you from California too?”
His smile broadened. “I am. I was supposed to fly in with Will, but he missed the flight.”
“Oh no,” I gasped, turning to Jessica. “Will he make it in by tomorrow?”
She nodded. “He got another flight. He’ll be in the air within the hour. I should’ve known work would get in the way.” Her gaze turned to Margaret. “Looks like she’s ready for us. Caleb’s going to fill in as your partner during the rehearsal.”
He held out his arm. “Shall we?”
I linked my arm through his. “We shall.”
We rehearsed a couple of times, while more and more people walked into the country club. It was going to be the biggest bachelor/bachelorette party I’d ever seen. Trent invited all his college buddies, and they both invited all their colleagues from the hospital. If everyone showed up for the wedding tomorrow, they weren’t going to have enough seating.
During the rehearsal, Caleb told me all about his fiancée and their life in California. He seemed like a nice guy, but I was glad he was taken. It made talking to him much more enjoyable.
Jessica’s youngest sister snuck over and nudged me in the side. Alexis had her auburn hair pinned up in a bun, and she was draped in a green sequin top and tight-fitting black pants. “Check out all the hotties here tonight.”
Chuckling, I took a sip of my wine and looked around, but no one caught my attention. “I’m surprised you’re not out there flirting with them all.”
Alexis was twenty-one years old, but over the years, we’d grown close. It was almost like she was my little sister. She snorted and waved off the comment. “Jessica will be furious with me if I try to flirt with Trent’s friends. She’ll say they’re too old for me.”
I shrugged and tried to hold back my smile. “She may be right. They’re at least a decade older than you.”
Her nose crinkled. “When you say it like that, it makes them sound ancient. However, I love me some older men.” She patted my shoulder. “Don’t tell Jess, but I’m about to go over and talk to that guy at the punch bowl.”
I checked him out. He appeared to be in his mid-twenties, with light brown hair, and was dressed to perfection in a pair of gray slacks and a blue button-down shirt. “Go get him. If you don’t, I will. And nobody wants to see that happen.”
She giggled and nudged me in the side before sauntering over to him without a care in the world. Oh, to be that young again. I missed those days. Now, I was a single, thirty-year-old, history teacher. Most of my friends were already married and having children at this point. And with Jess’s wedding tomorrow, I was officially the one left behind. Not that I pitied myself—because I didn’t—but it was eye opening to realize I was the last one standing.
Taking my glass of wine, I walked onto the terrace, overlooking the golf course and the mountains; the moon highlighted the dusting of snow on the hilltops. There were lights sporadically placed around the golf course, adding to the snowy glow. It was almost magical.
“There you are.”
Gasping, I turned around, sloshing my wine everywhere.
Caleb held up his hands and laughed. “Sorry about that. Didn’t mean to scare you.
”
The wet spot on the front of my dress grew as the material soaked up the wine. My cheeks burned as I batted uselessly at the stain. “It’s okay. I was lost in my thoughts.”
He walked forward until he was leaning against the terrace rails. “What were you thinking about?”
I shrugged and drank the last of my wine. “Just that all my friends are married now. Kind of depressing.”
Chuckling, he shook his head incredulously. “There’s nothing depressing about it. A lot of people get married for the wrong reasons. It took me five years to ask my fiancée to marry me. We’re tying the knot next spring. We were just smarter for taking things slow.”
“Tell that to my mother,” I scoffed. I looked inside, only to find her giving me the thumbs up. She clearly didn’t know he was spoken for. “My mother’s full-time job is making attempts to set me up,” I added. Then, I nodded toward Jessica. “Same thing goes with your soon-to-be cousin-in-law. Is that even a thing?” We both laughed. “Anyway, when people find out I’m single, they always ask what’s wrong with me.”
Caleb’s brows lifted curiously. “Why are you?”
I shrugged. “I haven’t found the right man yet. I’ve never felt that . . . spark.”
“You will one day. Maybe my cousin will be the one for you.” He winked, and I smacked his arm.
“Don’t start. Jessica is dead set on me meeting Will. But at this point, I’m tired of people playing matchmaker.”
He chuckled. “Who knows, you might like him. The move back here will be good for him.”
“Oh yeah? Why is that?”
“He’s worked so hard the past few years, and I think it’s caught up to him. It’s been seven years since he’s been back to North Carolina.” He looked out at the mountains. “Guess you could call him Scrooge. Out in Cali, my fiancée and I live forty-five minutes away from him. We invite him to Christmas dinner every year, but he turns us down every time. I’m not surprised he didn’t make his flight; his work takes precedence over everything these days.”
“That’s sad.” Did I really want to get mixed up with a workaholic? “There’s nothing more important than family.”
He snorted. “Tell that to him.”
“I will.” I wasn’t scared of this guy.
Most people ended up regretting the amount of time they spent working, instead of sharing quality time with family members. I planned on never having that kind of guilt. Growing up, I only had my mother’s parents, since my father’s had passed away, and now I had none of them. But I treasured the few memories I had. Like Grandma Holland’s perfect cinnamon toast, or making homemade biscuits with Granny Hamilton.
“Caleb,” Trent called out. We both turned in time to see him nod toward the golf course. “Want to play a round of night golf?”
“Seriously?” I cut in. “You won’t be able to see anything.”
Caleb grinned down at me. “That’s the fun of it. Want to come with us? We use glow-in-the-dark balls.”
I shook my head. “I think I’ll just stay here, but you guys have fun. I’ll see you all tomorrow.”
Turning on his heel, he followed Trent through the party and out the front door. It didn’t take long for their voices to carry across the wind as they ventured out onto the golf course.
“He’s a handsome young man,” my mother gushed, coming up behind me. In recent years, streaks of white had overtaken her light brown hair. But she had aged gracefully, and was more beautiful than ever.
“Yes, he is. I’m sure his fiancée thinks the same thing,” I added.
She winced. “The good-looking ones are always taken.”
I shrugged. “Eh, I’m not worried about it.”
“I know you’re not, sweetheart, and I understand you don’t want to settle for just anyone. You’ll know when the right one comes along.”
“I know,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest.
Sheepishly, she backed away. “Okay, okay, I’ll stop. I’m only making it worse, aren’t I?”
“Just a little, but I know it’s because you love me.” I wrapped my arms around her neck. There was nothing my mother wouldn’t do for me. She squeezed me tight and I let her go. “Do you still want me to stay with you and dad on Christmas Eve? We can make cookies and watch Christmas movies until we fall asleep.”
Her face brightened. “Of course, I want you to stay. It’s tradition. Your father has been saving a bottle of Riesling for you to drink together.”
“It’s settled then. I’ll be there next Friday night, with an extra bottle of wine.”
She hugged me again. “It’s going to be an amazing Christmas. Having you at home with us will only make it better.” Hurrying back inside, she went straight over to my father, no doubt to tell him the news. His eyes lit up, and it only made my decision to stay with them that much better. I loved seeing them happy.
Breathing in the crispy air, the wind was chilly, and I could almost smell a hint of the coming snow. We were supposed to get a few inches over the night. That was the one thing I loved about living in the mountains . . . the snow. Asheville was my home and it always would be.
Four
Adeline
“Leaving already?” Jessica asked, drinking the last of her red wine. She set her glass down on the table and I hugged her tight. The DJ was still playing music and there were people out on the dance floor.
“You should be getting home too,” I told her. “You don’t want to be exhausted on your wedding day.”
“True.” She winked and hugged me goodbye again. “I promise I’ll head out as soon as Trent and the guys get back.”
“Okay, my darling. We’ll talk in the morning.” I squeezed her hands, then headed toward the front door.
“Adeline!” Margaret shouted.
Turning around, I watched her scurry across the dance floor with a sparkly, silver gift bag in her hand. She slid to a halt in front of me and pushed the bag forward until I took it. “This is for you. I wanted to catch you before you left.” She nodded for me to open it.
Tentatively reaching in, I pulled out a long, black box. Inside was a silver, heart-shaped antique locket. It was exquisite. There looked to be a crest symbol on the front, and on the back, my name.
“Margaret, this is so beautiful,” I gushed.
She grinned. “Jessica wanted to make sure her bridesmaids were taken care of. She wanted yours to be special, so I had it engraved.”
Tears filled my eyes. “Thank you.” I pulled out the necklace and she helped latch it in the back. When I opened the locket, there was a piece of mistletoe inside. Brows furrowed, I closed it back up. “What is that doing in there?”
Margaret beamed. “It’s supposed to bring many years of happiness to those who wear it. Why do you think I wear mine all the time?” She tapped the strand of mistletoe pinned on her jacket. “I figured it couldn’t hurt to put some in yours.”
I snorted. “Are you trying to tell me something?”
Her lips tilted slyly. “Maybe. It’s a shame you didn’t get to meet Trent’s brother tonight. I was very fond of his grandfather. Our families go way back.”
“Let me guess, Jessica told you she was trying to set us up?”
Margaret shrugged, but there was a twinkle in her eyes. “Even without interference, I have no doubt your paths would’ve crossed on their own. You seem like a nice fit.”
“I’m not too worried about it,” I said, propping the door open. “All my relationships fail at one point or another. Who says this one will be any different?” It was getting colder outside, the breeze funneling through the doorway caused a shiver to run down my spine. “It looks like I’ll need a Christmas miracle, Margaret. How else would I ever find my true love?”
I chuckled at my joke, but Margaret was studying me seriously. She stared right into my eyes, her brows furrowed. “So that would be your Christmas wish, would it? To find your one true love?”
I shrugged. “Sounds silly, right? But yeah, I’d
love to find true love. Who wouldn’t?”
Margaret patted my arm and squeezed. “It’ll happen, sweetheart. You’ll see.” She glanced down at my necklace and grinned before meeting my gaze. “Have a good night, Adeline.”
“You too. See you at the wedding.” I stepped outside, and when I turned around to wave, she was gone.
Five
William
My flight landed at midnight and Trent wasn’t the only one who decided to pick me up from the airport. My parents, along with my cousin, Caleb, joined in on the ride.
With tears in her eyes, my mother jumped out of the truck and flung her arms around my neck. “I’ve missed you so much.”
I held her tight. “I’ve missed you too. But I’m here now.”
She stepped back and placed her hands on my cheeks. “Yes, you are.”
My father stepped out of the truck and I hugged him. He patted my back. “It’s good to see you, son. Your brother told me the reason why you’re late. Is it true? Did you really gain Stan Whitfield as a client?” He stared at me, proud and full of admiration. His approval was all I’d strived for as a kid. Now that I had it, I didn’t want to let him down.
I couldn’t stop the wide grin that spread across my face. “I did. His land is worth millions. I could retire.” I tossed my suitcase in the back of Trent’s truck.
Trent snorted from the driver’s seat. “Must be nice. Guess I can see why you almost missed my wedding. Hop in, so we can get out of here.”
I met his stare. “I’m really sorry I wasn’t here for the rehearsal. Please tell me you understand.”
Trent sighed, but then smiled. “I’m not mad at you, brother. Blair Realty is important to you and Father. I’m just glad you’re here now.”
“So am I.” I hopped in the backseat of the truck between my mother and father.