In Love by Christmas

by Cari Lynn Webb

  Mia grinned and looked at her two companions. “I told you she would be here.”

  “And I told you the wreath would fit perfectly.” Helen beamed at the pinecone-and-berry wreath she’d attached to Josie’s apartment door. She flipped a switch hidden among the pinecones and turned on a string of fairy lights woven through the wreath. “It’s a good thing we don’t abide by the silent treatment. And we listen to our gut instincts.”

  “What are you doing here?” Josie smoothed her hand over her hair, her eyelids felt too puffy on her face and she hadn’t looked in the mirror yet.

  “Mia told us about last night.” Jin held up food carriers and Christmas presents. “We brought double-chocolate peppermint cheesecake and lasagna.”

  Mia held up a cloth shopping bag. “Along with whipped cream.”

  “I owe you an apology, Mia.” Josie touched her puffy eyes, wanting to still the oncoming tears. She gazed at her friend. She’d let Mia down. Shame moored her words in her throat. Her voice scraped across her disappointment. “I didn’t think you’d want to—”

  “Eat?” Mia brushed her hand in the air and swept into the apartment. Helen and Jin tagged close behind her. “We’re family. We always want to eat. And, you don’t owe me anything.”

  “That was our chance to get to the next level.” A chance Josie ruined for them both. A tremor skimmed over her knees. Josie closed the door and leaned against the thick wood.

  The trio quickly took over her tiny apartment, making their own mark on her little world. Helen set out the food and dishes on Josie’s small counter. Jin folded the blankets on Josie’s couch and fluffed the pillows, humming “Jingle Bells.”

  “That was one chance.” Mia set several bags and wrapped gifts under the Christmas tree. Then plugged in the lights. “It wasn’t our only opportunity.”

  That dull ache in Josie’s chest spasmed. Was it only a few nights ago that she’d kissed Theo right where Mia stood? Was it only a few days ago she opened herself to love? Time was supposed to heal all wounds. Hadn’t it been long enough? Josie rubbed her chest. She feared she was going to need more time than time could grant her to heal.

  “Besides, there are more important things than business and next levels.” Jin carried an extra blanket to the closet, peered inside and nodded. She disappeared behind the partial wall and returned without the fleece blanket.

  There was nothing more important to Theo. Josie pulled her attention away from the tree and walked to the kitchen. “Had I focused on business I wouldn’t hurt so much now.”

  “The deeper your pain, the greater your love.” Helen encompassed Josie in a tight, generous hug. “I would take the pain for you, if I could.”

  Josie dropped her head on Helen’s shoulder. Her tears escaped. There shouldn’t be any more. She should be cried out. Emptiness—that was all she had left inside her. Nothing more. Josie lifted her head, swiped at her cheeks. “I’m sorry.”

  “No, dear. Never apologize for loving someone.” Helen dried Josie’s cheek. “Now, I brought you a Christmas cactus. It’s been in my family for generations. It blooms in the winter. In the coldest and darkest months, it’ll remind you to bloom too.”

  Josie touched the fuchsia flowers, promised herself she’d bloom again. In time.

  “Of course, you hurt, Josie. Even the pieces of a broken heart can still love.” Jin disappeared inside Josie’s walk-in closet and returned holding a straight black skirt and deep purple jacket. “Now, can this skirt be lengthened to cover my knees?”

  Josie blinked to clear the tears from her eyes and examined the skirt’s hemline. A hemline she’d purposely left longer than usual, uncertain of the length she’d prefer. She nodded at Jin.

  “Excellent. I’ll take it.” Her abrupt smile lit her face like the star on top of the tree. Jin aimed her pleasure at Mia and Helen then shrugged. “What? I needed an outfit for our party. Now I have one.”

  Mia frowned her displeasure at her mother. “We’re here for Josie.”

  “I know that perfectly well.” Jin shook out the skirt and hung the outfit on the outside of the closet door. “It’s why I want to wear these garments. It’ll remind Josie where her strengths lie. Concentrating on our strengths helps shield us from the pain.”

  Josie sank onto the stool. “I don’t feel strong.”

  “That’s why we’re here.” Helen removed the cover on the lasagna pan then unwrapped the garlic bread. “To remind you.”

  “And to be strong for you when you don’t want to be.” Mia gave Josie a quick hug then handed her a slice of garlic bread. “Helen makes it fresh. You’ll never look at garlic bread the same ever again.”

  “We’re also here to enjoy this delicious meal.” Jin lifted one shoulder in another small shrug. “I skipped breakfast this morning. I wanted to be sure I had room for extra cheesecake.”

  “I always have room for an extra helping of dessert.” Helen laughed and picked up the spatula to serve the lasagna. “Now, Josie, shall we discuss Theo or your boutique first?”

  “Theo is only interested in business.” Josie tore a chunk off her garlic bread slice. Bitterness seeped into her tone. “His business and making it bigger and better.”

  The women busied themselves preparing the plates. Helen on lasagna. Jin scooping out salad. Mia added bread to each plate. All the while, Josie sensed their hushed debate: keep talking about Theo or shift topics. Josie had little more to say about Theo. The conversation would be short.

  Mia handed a plate to Josie and urged her over to the couch to sit beside her. “Let’s talk about the boutique first.”

  “There’s not much to say.” Josie stabbed her fork into her pasta. “The TV show would’ve completely renovated the boutique and my career. But I would’ve hurt people on the way.”

  Now the hurt was deep and consuming. But her clients would have their gowns and their dream weddings. That mattered. There was solace in that knowledge. Except for one particular bride.

  Jin nodded. “The price of fame.”

  “I don’t want fame,” Josie said.

  “What do you want?” Helen asked.

  Theo. A forever kind of love. “I want to create gowns like the ones for Shanna and Krystal. Both used and custom. Even more, I want to connect with each client.” Josie chewed on her lasagna, swallowed the delicious bite and added, “I want both our worlds—mine and my clients—to be a little bit better for having met each other.”

  “You have that now.” Mia swirled her garlic bread in her lasagna sauce.

  “But I don’t have money for rent and bills,” Josie said.

  “Then we must figure out how to get you that.” Helen finished her salad, her posture self-assured. She was confident they would solve Josie’s problems together.

  “A business plan.” Jin nodded and pointed her fork at Josie. “You can never underestimate the value of a good, solid business plan. I had one for my real-estate company in New York. Guided me every step of the way until I sold and moved here.”

  Josie would never again underestimate the value of these three good, solid women. Her friends.

  One hour and a piece of peppermint cheesecake later, Josie had a strong business plan written and typed up. Vendor applications had been filled out and submitted online for several upcoming bridal expos. Emails had been sent to Mia’s friends to find someone who could create a Rose Petal website for a reasonable fee. Mia planned to photograph Krystal and Shanna’s dresses to showcase on the website. And the pain inside Josie was there, pulsing into a throb occasionally. But Josie appreciated the distraction. Appreciated the women—her friends—even more.

  “Now what about Adriana Taylor’s wedding dress?” Helen placed the leftover lasagna into a small container and set it in Josie’s refrigerator.

  “I’m not designing her gown.” Josie swirled whipped cream on her dessert plate and dipped he
r finger in it. The lightness reminded her of the silk lace she’d planned to layer onto Adriana’s gown.

  “But you have her grandmother’s dress.” Mia grabbed the whipped-cream can and added more to her plate. Then glanced at Josie. “I saw it hanging in the workroom.”

  Josie rinsed the whipped cream off her plate. “Can you return it for me?”

  “No.” Mia lifted her chin and her gaze challenged Josie to argue.

  Josie glared at her friend and washed her plate. “You’re supposed to be helping me.” That was the reason the trio had arrived unannounced on Josie’s doorstep.

  “I am helping you.” Mia took a bite of her cheesecake and extended her grin. “That is the dress for Adriana. I talked to her last week.”

  “That was before last night.” Before the wedding had been canceled. Before Theo shattered Josie’s heart. Before Josie told him that she loved him.

  “It’s the right dress,” Mia insisted. “You know it, too.”

  “Theo won’t go along with it,” Josie said.

  “It isn’t Theo’s wedding.” Jin sliced off a thin piece of cheesecake. “Even when it is, he won’t have a say about his bride-to-be’s gown.”

  Theo and his wedding. The peppermint singed Josie’s stomach. That ache throbbed into a full body sting, reminding her it was still there. Still fresh. She’d only been shielding herself from it.

  “It’s quite simple really.” Helen poured coffee into a to-go mug she’d brought with her. “Josie, you don’t need to make Theo like it. You need to make Adriana fall in love with it.”

  “You should see the design.” Mia spread her hands out in her front of her face as if she’d pulled it up digitally. “I already love it.”

  Josie narrowed her gaze at her friends—her loyal, faithful and trusting friends. “You have to say that.”

  “We don’t have to say anything.” Helen took Josie’s hand and squeezed. “But you have to believe.”

  Josie cringed. Those were the very same words Theo had thrown at her last night. He’d accused her of being too scared. Too afraid to believe. Too afraid to risk.

  “What do you believe?” Jin asked.

  “That it’s the perfect gown for Adriana.” Josie clutched Helen’s hand and pushed back her shoulders. A shard of conviction pierced through her. She clasped onto it, concentrated on believing. Focused on the women around her who already believed. Conviction wove through her like the strongest stitch. She pushed confidence into her voice. “It is the only gown for Adriana.”

  “Then make her that gown,” Mia urged.

  Helen squeezed her hand. “Fight for yourself this time, Josie.”

  “Fight for your voice and your vision.” Jin covered Helen’s and Josie’s joined hands.

  “I couldn’t have done this without you.” Josie’s cheeks were damp again. The tears were welcome this time. “I don’t know how to thank you.”

  “We love food.” Jin touched Josie’s cheek. “And we appreciate being needed.”

  “I like to think we’re very useful, too.” Mia laughed.

  The trio cleaned up the kitchen and gathered their supplies. Josie walked with them to the door. She gave each one of the women an extended hug. There were no more words required.

  She stepped out of Helen’s embrace and thanked her again.

  Helen took both of Josie’s hands and leveled her gaze on her. “You do know that we’ve been here all along. We’ve just been waiting for you to reach out and accept us.”

  “I won’t hesitate again.” Josie wrapped the dear woman in another quick hug and waved goodbye to the trio.

  She shut the door and glanced around her apartment. Strangely, her apartment was no longer empty. She’d only needed her family to fill it. They’d brought her a wreath, presents and food. Yet they left something even more precious: their love and support.

  Josie picked up the outfit Jin had requested. She had the perfect fabric at the boutique. But first she had a wedding gown to upscale and deliver.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  “FRAN TOLD ME your family has breakfast together every Monday morning.” Josie stood on Theo’s front porch, clutched the garment bag tighter and pressed Pause on her rapid heartbeat. “She gave me your address.”

  Theo ran his hand through his hair, disheveling his look even more. Josie had never seen Theo in jeans. She’d never seen him quite so not put-together. His slight beard matched the shadows under his eyes. Behind her a garage door opened. A car alarm chirped. A dog barked. Construction workers three houses down laughed.

  But it was his stillness that unnerved her. His hooded gaze that absorbed her.

  “I gave my word I would have a wedding dress for Adriana. I keep my word.” Josie rambled, filling the pin-drop silence. “It’s one of a kind because Adriana is already one of a kind.”

  “The wedding was called off, as you know.” Theo never moved. Never reached for the garment bag. Never reached for her.

  “Their love was canceled, too, was it?” How brilliant would it be if loved worked like that? Like a canceled online order. The money returned to your credit card. Or, in this case, a refund on a broken heart. The heartache returned to the supplier free of charge.

  “Excuse me,” Theo said.

  “Adriana and Ryan are very much in love.” The forever kind she’d thought she’d found. But one-sided love only hurt one person forever. She met Theo’s gaze: his unreadable, hers unwavering. “Love doesn’t quit on each other.”

  The barest crease curved at the edge of his mouth. “Is that one of Mimi’s sayings?”

  “No.” Josie tilted her chin up. “That one is all mine.”

  There in the deepest part of his gaze, she saw it: admiration. It wasn’t enough. She hurt too much looking at him for that to ever be enough. She added, “There will be a wedding for Adriana and Ryan. And Adriana will have a dress if she chooses to wear it.”

  “I don’t recall requesting a new dress.” He widened his stance in the doorway.

  “I’m not sure it matters what you requested.”

  His eyebrows lifted. That admiration sparked. “Are you certain of that?”

  “Absolutely.” Josie pulled out her most defiant smile, adding an extra measure of politeness to her voice. “You see, I spoke to Adriana last night. I’m here to see her, not you.”

  Adriana stepped into the entryway, her grin soft, welcoming and knowing. “Josie. Please come inside.”

  Josie eased around Theo and followed Adriana down a hallway into a great room. A modern kitchen gave way to a surprisingly comfortable family room. In another time and place, she’d have wanted to sit down and rest her feet on the leather ottoman. Watch the flames in the corner fireplace and listen to the Christmas carols. She tipped her head. Those were Christmas carols playing over the speaker system, infusing both rooms with the cheerful sounds of the season. Only hot apple cider or hot chocolate was missing. And assorted homemade Christmas cookies.

  Lilian Rose strolled into the great room from another hallway. She assessed Josie. Her smile was fleeting, but lingered in her perceptive gaze. “Josie. What brings you here?”

  “I came to give Adriana her wedding dress.” Josie handed Adriana the garment bag.

  “For her wedding that was called off.” Lilian Rose walked forward, her high heels tapping against the hardwood floors. “Isn’t that a bit insensitive?”

  “How long were you married, Mrs. Taylor?” Josie asked.

  “Thirty-one years.” Lilian Rose touched her ring finger.

  “I imagine in that time, you and your husband disagreed.” Josie watched the older woman. “Fought, even.”

  Lilian Rose laughed. “On more than one occasion.”

  “Yet you never gave up.” Josie clutched her hands together. “Never walked away for good.”

  “We were meant
for each other.” Lilian Rose touched her chest, right over her heart. “We knew that in here.”

  “I think Adriana and Ryan know it, too.” Josie touched Adriana’s arm. “They just need a moment to believe in the strength of their love again.”

  “Wise words.” Lilian Rose pointed at the garment bag. “Can we see the dress?”

  “I’m going to leave that up to Adriana.” Josie buttoned her coat under her chin and her pride.

  Adriana hugged her. “Thank you.”

  “Don’t you want to know if we like the dress?” Theo asked. “Don’t you want to see her in the dress?”

  “I was told once that I had to stand up for my design style. That too much compromise would dilute my worth.” Josie turned around to face Theo. “I don’t need to see Adriana in the dress. I believe in what I created. I believe she will love it.”

  He stuffed his hands in his back pockets and studied her. “And if she doesn’t like it?”

  “At least I will know I didn’t compromise.” The indifference wavered in her voice. Standing so close to him—close enough to take his hand—yet being so very far away, cut through her. She’d found herself. Found who she wanted to be. And lost a piece of her heart in the process. Jin or Helen would call that growing pains. She dared to close the distance. To test those boundaries and the expanding chasm between them. “I will know in my heart that I gave Adriana my best.”

  Just as she’d given Theo her best. And wasn’t that all she could really do?

  Theo’s gaze roamed over her face. His jaw flexed. No doubt from the comebacks piling behind his teeth. He certainly had comments about always being better. Surpassing your best and climbing higher. Pushing harder when your best wasn’t enough.

  Josie waited. He never spoke. Perhaps that was for the best.

  Josie looked at Adriana and Lilian Rose. “The past cannot be redone or erased, but we can take its best parts and build from that.” Josie glanced back at Theo. “Also, one of mine.”