“Well, I think you’re special, and I don’t want to live a day without you.”
“You make the perfect book boyfriend.”
“What the hell is a book boyfriend?” I ask.
“You wouldn’t understand because they don’t exist in real life, no matter how much we all wish they did.”
I roll my eyes. “Listen, I know tomorrow isn’t exactly going as planned, but how about we salvage today?”
“What are you up to?” Holly’s voice is layered with skepticism.
“Nothing, I just want to try to have some of my surprise still happen.”
She eyes me with curiosity. “All right.”
All right. I may actually pull this off.
We get to the Museum of Contemporary Art about two hours later, and I feel as if this all might be okay. I stalled as much as I could, giving our mothers time to get the cake out of the oven and the food almost done. That also gave Brian and Chelle time to get the flowers and everything else here at least.
There is something magical about this place. Even though we’ve been here a hundred times, I always feel like it’s new and exciting. Getting married here is truly going to be perfect.
“I love this place,” she says, mirroring my thoughts.
“Me too.”
“It’s where you told me you loved me the first time.”
I grin. “I remember.”
Holly’s hands are wrapped around my arm as we move through the building. “Did Chelle open up for us?”
I laugh. “She did. It’s what took me a while, I needed to get everything set.”
“It’s a good thing we have friends in high places.”
We walk through the exhibits, looking at some new things when my phone pings with a text from Chelle, telling me that everything is set and where to bring her to get ready.
“How about we go this way?” I suggest.
“But we always go see the contemporary paintings next.”
I give her a wry smile. “Let’s try something new.”
“What are you up to Dean Pritchard?” She asks, tilting her head at me.
“You’ll see.”
We make our way down a few halls until we’re in the new section that has a large sculpture in the center.
“Chelle!” Holly yells and then rushes to her. “What the hell are you wearing a ball gown for?”
Chelle, who is wearing a burgundy dress, looks over at me and smiles. “Your dress is hanging in the other room.”
“My dress for what?” She takes a step back, looking between us.
I go to her and drop to one knee. “When I asked you to marry me, I had this elaborate plan to make it special. See, I planned to ask you while we were at what I planned to be our wedding.”
“What?”
“Marry me today, Holly. Marry me here, in the place that means so much to us. Marry me in front of our friends. Right now.” Tears fill her eyes as my mother, her mother, and Brian step out, all dressed in formal attire. “Marry me on Christmas Eve.”
She sniffles and then drops down to me. “You planned our wedding?”
“I know you didn’t want a big wedding, and Christmas means everything to us.”
“It does. And you mean everything to me, you sweet, wonderful, amazing man.”
“Chelle has a dress, all you have to do is agree.”
She looks around as tears fall. “But who is going to marry us?”
Then Charlie walks through the door. “Did someone need help getting hitched for Christmas? I happen to be ordained.”
Holly’s laughter erupts through her soft sob. “You . . . you . . . God, I can’t even speak. You did all this. For me?”
“I’d do anything for you.”
She launches forward, knocking me back to the ground as she holds me tight. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”
I smile up at her. “So, you’ll marry me today?”
“I’d marry you any day.”
11
Chelle is behind me, checking over my hair and makeup. “You look perfect.”
“Even after the tears?”
“Yes, even after crying. You truly look gorgeous. Ready for the dress?”
God, he even got a dress? This is insane. The amount of time and preparation he went through is crazy. “How did he pull this off?”
“It was supposed to be tomorrow at a place by the lake, but . . . we improvised.”
“He was that sure I would say yes.”
“Of course, he was. Dean loves you more than any man I’ve ever seen, and you love him just as much. Not a single one of us thought you would say no.”
I am so lucky. Everything about this, even though he planned it just a few hours ago to be here is perfect. Well, not that I’ve seen anything other than the people around us. As soon as I said yes, Chelle and the mothers took me into this room to get ready. My blonde hair is curled, falling down my back and my makeup looks like a professional did it, thanks to Chelle’s ridiculous hours spent on YouTube.
“I just can’t believe he planned a wedding.” She smiles and then jerks her head to the long white garment bag. “That’s it?”
“Now, I will say, he did not pick this out. He enlisted help, and your mother and I found what we thought you’d want.”
I look at her with a mix of curiosity and appreciation. “Is this why you had me looking at dresses online?”
“Maybe.”
Chelle said something about a wedding exhibit here and asked for my help finding dresses. The anticipation is too much as I practically run toward the bag, but I pull the zipper down carefully.
“Oh my God!”
“Don’t cry, Holly!” she warns.
I bite my tongue and fan my eyes to try to stop. It’s the dress. The one that I couldn’t tear my eyes away from as we searched the web. It’s a long, lace dress with a small train that flares out softly, but it’s the top of the dress that is stunning. There are thin satin straps that hang off the shoulder, they’re not really for support, but just because it’s pretty and the top of the dress is tight against the body with a sweetheart neckline.
“It’s perfect.”
My mother comes up behind me. “It’s you.”
I nod, still not able to take my eyes away.
Then I remember how much it cost, and I gasp. “No, it’s too expensive.”
“Holly, your father and I saved an exorbitant amount of money for your education, and then you were so damn smart you got a full ride to college. Believe me, he would’ve wanted me to use this money on your wedding.”
“Mom . . .”
“No.” She lifts her hands to stop me. “I won’t cry yet. We are going to take photos, and I won’t be smudgy.”
I smile and pull her in for a hug. “I love you.”
“Same, peanut.” She uses the name my father gave me when I was little.
“I wish he was here,” I say, unable to stop myself.
“I know, but he would’ve loved this. A man who takes this much time for a woman he loves is a special one. What you and Dean share is something that I only dreamed you would find.”
And I did find it. I found love in an elevator of all places with a man I thought I could never forgive. While it wasn’t perfect, everything that has happened since has been. He is truly the other half to my soul.
“Thank you, guys. Thank you for all of this.”
Chelle comes forward. “Let’s get you into this dress.”
With the help of the people I love, I get in it, and . . . I can’t even think about how I feel. It’s too much.
Nerves fill me, and I start to shake out my hands. “I’m ready.”
“You look absolutely stunning,” Chelle says as she winks. “I’ll see you out there.”
Then Dean’s mother approaches. “I couldn’t be any happier that you will be my daughter.”
I fight back the tears, and she dabs at her eyes.
Now it’s my mother “Will you wal
k me out to him?”
Her lips tremble. “Oh, Holly, nothing would make me happier.”
A tear falls down each of our cheeks, and we giggle as both reach to wipe the other’s cheek dry.
“Ready?”
“Yes. I’m ready.”
My mother and I walk out and down the hall to the room that I would know with my eyes closed. It’s our room. The one with photographs of eyes and lips all around it. The individual pieces of the exhibit come together in the middle, making the parts appear to be one face.
Dean and I always felt like this was what we were—two parts that, when put together, became whole.
It’s the room where he told me he loved me.
However, it’s been transformed. There’s a wooden arch at the back of the room that has holly leaves and berries wrapped around it. All around the room are poinsettia plants, and garland. It’s green and red and lush and it’s a lot of holly.
We walk toward him, as he stands there, arms folded in front of him, standing so tall and trying not to cry, but I have no chance of holding it back.
I smile at him and he smiles back.
When we reach him, his eyes are watery and he’s slowly shaking his head. “You’re so beautiful, you take my breath away.”
“You did all this?”
“I had help from some elves.”
I grin. “This is a lot of holly.”
Dean’s fingers gently grip my chin. “There’s never too much Holly.”
Charlie clears his throat, and I can’t help but want to laugh at all of this. He’s the same as he was the first time I met him with his long white beard with reddened cheeks. Here we are, on Christmas Eve being married by a man who looks like Santa.
“Are you ready to marry me?”
“I was ready the day of the elevator.”
He laughs and then turns to Charlie. “Okay.”
“Dean?” I say as a thought comes. “How? I mean, is this . . . legal?”
I can see the discomfort before he takes both my hands in his. “We’re married where it matters, here, around our family and friends. I couldn’t find a way to get a marriage license without your consent.”
“Well, that’s comforting.”
He laughs. “But I wanted our anniversary to be Christmas. I wanted to surprise you and take all the stress away. This will always be the day you became my wife, but next week, we’ll go downtown and sign it to make it legal.”
“Just when I think I can’t love you anymore than I do, you say the right thing.”
“Let me say even more.”
I nod. “Marry me today.”
“Nothing could stop me.”
We both turn to Charlie, and he begins. We exchange rings, and then it’s time for the vows. I haven’t had more than an hour to process this, but instead of feeling uneasy, it’s as though I feel even calmer than ever.
“Dean . . .” Charlie prompts.
“Two years ago, I almost lost you—or maybe it was that I wasn’t sure I could even have you, but then, a snowstorm like we’re having today allowed me the opportunity to fix all that. When I think of my life without you, it’s colorless and bland. It’s filled with dark nights and sunless skies. You are what brings meaning to my world. You’re the most precious thing to me, Holly. I told you that I would make you love Christmas again, but I want to give you every holiday and every day in between. I promise that I will love you, cherish you, and never forsake you. You are my love, my heart, and my soul.”
Tears fall down my cheek and I barely hear Charlie say my name.
“Dean, you are my Christmas. You’re the joy and the hope that comes with it. You’re the miracle I don’t know how I was fortunate enough to receive. I was lost that day in the elevator, feeling like nothing good could ever come again, but there you were. While we may not have been brave enough had it not been for that, I think my heart was always meant to find you and that we’d be here somehow. There is not another person who could love me the way that you do. I promise to understand you, love you, and be there no matter what comes our way. Today, I pledge my fidelity and my soul to you.”
There are sniffles around the room as Dean takes my face in his hands before turning to Charlie. “I’m going to kiss her now,” he explains.
He points up to the mistletoe above us. “It’s bad luck not to.”
His lips touch mine in the most wonderful kiss that has ever been.
“Merry Christmas, wife.”
I grin back at him. “Merry Christmas, husband.”
He lifts me into his arms, carrying me back down the aisle, and I know that Christmas will always be the best holiday that ever was. All because of him.
* * *
What is really THE END … well, who knows next year I may go crazy again. But at least for now, let’s go with it
I really hope you enjoyed this sugary sweet and romantic Christmas story. I had a lot of fun writing it during a time when it sort of felt like everything was just … well, you know. We’re all living it.
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Because this is TRULY my favorite time of year, I wanted to give you yet another gift. Last year, Melanie Harlow and I wrote the cutest holiday story that we laughed and smiled the entire time writing. If you flip to the next page, you’ll be able to download it FREE if you sign up for our newsletter!
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Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoyed this Christmas short story. I have to tell you, I loved writing it. There was something so fun about just enjoying a good love story around the holidays. (Let’s just blame it on my obsession with Hallmark movies).
Last year, Melanie Harlow and I wrote the most cheesy and fun holiday story together. If you didn’t get a chance to read Baby, it’s Cold Outside in the Christmas in the City anthology, we’d like to offer it to you free when you sign up for our newsletter.
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Books by Corinne Michaels
The Salvation Series
Beloved
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Evermore: A 1001 Dark Night Novella
Indefinite
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Acknowledgments
To my husband and children. You sacrifice so much for me to continue to live out my dream. Days and nights of me being absent even when I’m here. I’m working on it. I promise. I love you more than my own life.
My beta reader Melissa Saneholtz: I don’t even know what to say at this point. It’s been almost 20 books and you haven’t killed me yet, for that, you get a cookie.
Chelle Bliss: thank you this insanely amazing cover. Seriously, I don’t even know what to say that can adequately thank you for it. I am so blessed to call you a friend.
My assistant, Christy Peckham: How many times can one person be fired and keep coming back? I think we’re running out of times. No, but for real, I couldn’t imagine my life without you. You’re a pain in my ass but it’s because of you that I haven’t fallen apart.
Melanie Harlow, thank you for being the Glinda to my Elphaba or Ethel to my Lucy. Your friendship means the world to me and I love writing with you. I feel so blessed to have you in my life.
To Passionflix, thank you for taking my words and making it into a film. It was a dream that I truly never thought would happen. Thank you to everyone that was onset, including the actors who did SO good bringing this to life.
Mindi, thank you for being in L.A. with me during it all. I will never forget that trip (including my meltdown), but you were my rock.
Vi Keeland, you are truly one of the most wonderful and special friends I have. Thank you for asking me to be in this anthology two years ago. If it weren’t for you, I never would’ve written this story.
Zoom Authors, each morning I wake up, ready to tackle the words because of you. Seriously, you’ll never know how much you save me each day. I don’t know that I could’ve done any of this story or the other if it weren’t for you.
A Holiday Lift Page 5