by Karen Rock
So much for holiday cheer.
“You know what, we’ll find someone. Do you think there’s anyone already here at the resort who’d be interested in attending a Christmas Eve wedding during their holidays?”
Alex bit her lip. She’d originally been planning to attend one that evening anyway, and now that Liam was gone.... She sighed, standing and moving closer to the women. “Hi. I didn’t mean to listen in but I heard about your dilemma, and I can help.”
Noelle’s face lit up. “Really? You’d give up time on your Christmas Eve for us?”
“I was here for a wedding that got canceled anyway.” She shrugged. And she’d never had a special Christmas Eve of her own, so she really didn’t know what she was missing, she thought sadly.
Grace studied her. “Mason and Julie’s wedding?”
“Yep.”
She smiled. “Then this works out perfectly.”
Yeah, perfectly.
CHAPTER SEVEN
LIAM KNOCKED ON Alex’s hotel room door and then paced the hall in front of it. As suspected, the resort had already rented out his room—the snowstorm had forced a family on their way to New York to stop for the night. But it didn’t matter. He hoped to be spending the evening with Alex, holding her, kissing her and reassuring her that a future with her was what he wanted. What he’d always wanted.
He knocked again and when she didn’t answer he leaned against the door to listen. No noise came from inside. Heading toward the lobby, he dialed Julie’s cell number.
“Hello?” she said on the third ring.
“Hey Julie, it’s Liam. Um, do you know where Alex is?”
“She called hours ago looking for you. How on earth do you two keep losing one another? I put you in side-by-side rooms for a reason.”
He smiled, despite the anxiousness he felt. His cousin had been looking out for him after all. “I left the resort this morning—things got complicated. But I’m back and I need to find her.”
“She’s with Noelle, the girl we gave our wedding to. I think she plans to attend their wedding tonight,” she said distractedly. “Anyway, Liam, you two will have to figure this out. I’ve got my own issues.”
“Okay. Thanks, Julie. Merry Christmas.”
After disconnecting the call, he made his way down the hall to the bridal preparation room. Noelle had invited him after all, and it just so happened that this wedding was the only place he needed to be that evening.
* * *
“YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL,” Alexis told Noelle later that evening.
That afternoon, she and the bride-to-be had enjoyed a spa day. Anything at all to get her mind off of Liam and how close they’d come to happiness. She shook her head. Right now, she was determined to focus on being the best replacement Maid of Honor/Witness she could be to this bride. This was what she’d come to Lake Placid to do, after all.
Later, alone in her room, she could cry and drink wine and think about how she’d lost the love of her life once again.
“Time to go,” Grace said, smiling at Alexis. “She’s all yours.”
Ted and Josh were already standing in front of the fireplace and as the wedding music started to play, Alex took the bride’s arm. “Ready?” she asked.
“Yes.”
The look of love on the groom’s face as he watched his bride approach was overwhelming and Alex had to fight the tears welling in her eyes and swallow the lump gathering in her throat. This was why she avoided weddings.
They reminded her of everything missing in her life, the things she was sacrificing for her career. She’d also realized the night before that maybe the career path she was on wasn’t the right one for her. She believed in love and happy endings too much to be the divorce attorney she needed to be and get ahead in her career. She had a lot to think about in the new year.
At the front of the room, she released Noelle’s arm and moved to stand next to her.
She scanned the room decorated in a theme of rustic elegance. The tables were decorated with ivory candles, canning jars filled with fairy lights and pinecone place-card holders. Upstairs in the reception area, a hot-chocolate bar was set up next to the lovely wedding cake—a three tier, ivory frosted cake with strands of red berries. Grace had done an amazing job turning the room into the perfect setting for the intimate wedding.
She returned her attention to the couple and it was only then that she saw Liam standing at the back of the room. She blinked. He’d come back? Her pulse soared when he smiled and gave a little wave in greeting. He looked amazing in a charcoal suit and black dress shirt with a red tie.
After that, she didn’t hear any of the words being said and she didn’t see the bride and groom’s first kiss as a married couple—she couldn’t stop staring at the man she’d always loved. And he was staring right back at her, his gaze telling her everything she needed to know.
It didn’t matter that he’d left. All that mattered was that he was there right now.
“I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Banks,” the officiant said finally, and Alexis quickly offered her congratulations to the happy couple.
When she turned, Liam was right there. “You look beautiful,” he said.
“You’re back,” she said softly, terrified of what that meant, but knowing she was ready to take a chance with him again.
“I’m sorry I left.” He took her trembling hands in his. “Alex, I know I made a mess of things before and almost did again, but there hasn’t been a day in eight years that I haven’t thought about you, thought about how I messed things up and thought about what I would say or do if I ever got the chance to make it right.”
She swallowed hard.
“Alex, I love you.”
Her breath caught. He loved her. “I love you, too,” she said, tears of happiness stinging the back of her eyes.
He pulled her close and reached into his coat pocket. “I also wanted to give you your Christmas wish.”
Her eyes widened as he handed her the Santa letter. “Wow, if I’d known that believing in holiday magic would actually work, I’d have made this wish a long time ago.”
He kissed her forehead, holding her close to his chest and she fell into his arms, the spirit of Christmas wrapping them in love. “Ask me again,” he whispered.
Her breath caught in her chest as she stared up at him, knowing what he meant. “Spend Christmas with me?” she asked with a teasing smile.
“Yes.” He touched her cheek. “Spend every Christmas with me?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
Maybe this Christmas they could finally get it right.
* * * * *
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ISBN-13: 9781460389461
Winter Wedding Bells
Copyright © 2015 by Harlequin Books S.A
The publisher acknowledges the copyright holders of the individual works as follows:
The Kiss
Copyright © 2015 by Karen Rock
The Wish
Copyright © 2015 by Kristine Rolofson
The Promise
Copyright © 2015 by Jennifer Snow
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