by Ginny Baird
Mitch’s mother addressed him. “What’s he talking about, son? Do you know this man?”
“I do!” Lucy shouted, nearly breathless. Boy, she was gorgeous in the pretty white dress. Just like a picture straight from heaven.
Mitch to turned her. “Hey! I thought there was no monkey business going on!”
“There wasn’t,” William stated calmly. “But that didn’t prevent me from developing feelings for Lucy. Very deep feelings.”
“You did? I mean, you have?” Lucy asked with a hopeful blush.
“I do,” William said, his voice growing froggy.
“Oh my,” the priest said.
“Hoo boy,” Gus echoed.
Mitch spoke to Lucy, hurt etched in his voice. “Wait a minute. You can’t possibly be saying that you love this guy?”
“Oh Mitch, I’m so terribly sorry. I never meant for it to happen.”
“Was that a yes?” the priest asked.
“Was it, Lucy?” William asked, his eyes on hers.
“But Luce,” Mitch inserted. “We... you said...”
She studied him kindly. “We said so many things. But can’t you see? Neither of us really knew what we were talking about. You said you never wanted kids, and I agreed. Not because that’s how I really felt but—”
Mitch blinked hard. “Are you saying you would have tricked me?”
“Tricked you? Never. But would I have tried to convince you to change your mind? Over time? Then yes, I’m sure. And when I realized I couldn’t because that’s how you really feel, then I would have made the two of us miserable.”
“But you said I was the only baby you need.”
“I know what I said, but I was wrong.” She glanced lovingly at William. “Wrong about so many things. I didn’t really know what having children was like until I had a chance to live that life for myself. It helped me understand how important that is to me.”
“And she’s going to make a wonderful mother, too,” William interjected.
Mitch’s cell buzzed and he reached a hand in his pocket to answer it. “Sorry folks,” he said, checking the number. “Business.” He pressed talk. “Magic Maker Mitch, at your service!”
Mitch’s parents turned to each other and sighed while the priest drew a breath.
William smiled at Lucy and she grinned broadly in return.
“There’s still a party invitation with your name on it,” he said.
Lucy shot the small crowd an apologetic look, then took William’s hand, as they raced down the aisle and into the dressing room to grab her things.
William and Lucy dashed out of the church and into the snow, where he pulled her into his arms. “I couldn’t let you go through with it,” he said as snow fell around them. “Not knowing what I know now, and how strongly I feel. The moment you walked into my world, Lucy, everything changed. And if that’s not magic, then I don’t know what is.” He dove into her eyes, wanting to stay there forever. “Up until this year, I’d long ago given up believing in Santa Claus. I know it sounds crazy, but now I—”
She reached up and lightly stroked his cheek. “I know. I believe, too.”
He settled his arms around her, holding her close. “I love everything about you, Lucy West. The way you eat your blueberry pancakes and burn the bacon... The way you are with Carmella and somehow broke through to Justin... The way you charmed my parents, and also me.”
Tears glistened in her eyes. “And I’ve fallen for you, William. All of you. I never really knew what having a family of my own was like until I found you. And now that I do, I can’t imagine a life without it.”
“Then don’t. Marry me, Lucy. Be my bride.”
“Oh William,” she said with a happy gasp, “if I had a whole yard full of grooms to choose from, I’d pick you.”
“I’m glad,” he said, closing the distance between them with a kiss. Her lips met his, warmly and willingly. He deepened his ardor and she returned it, every bit the taste of heaven he’d imagined.
Somewhere high above them, music chimed.
“Did you hear that?” she asked, pulling back. “It almost sounded like... bells?”
“Did it now?” he asked with a happy laugh. She was incredibly beautiful, so warm and feminine against him, and she was going to be his. His bride forever. Yearnings stirred within him he hadn’t felt in a while. And boy, was he eager to make good on them. He bent low to scoop her into his arms, billowy white gown, winter coat, and all.
“I’m awfully glad you landed on my sofa,” he said with a husky rasp. “You’re welcome back there any time.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly as he carried her toward his SUV. “If that’s an invitation, I accept.”
“Shall we head back and tell my folks and the kids?”
She shot him a mysterious smile that made his heart soar. “Something tells me they already know.”
Not far away, Grammy and Poppy stood with the kids, peering out their bay window.
“That’s funny,” Emma said. “I could have sworn I heard something. How about you, Grant?”
He shook his head and stared outdoors. “Just a slight ringing in my ears.”
“Well, I heard it,” Carmella said. “And I know who it was, too.”
“Don’t be silly, fuzz brain,” Justin said, but this time with affection. Just then, he saw a flash of light up in the sky and something far away, trailing off into the night. “Oh no, no... no.”
“What is it, Justin?” Grammy asked.
“Just been gaming too much, that’s all.”
“Sure,” Carmella said. “But you know that there’s a Santa because you got what you wanted, too.”
“Yeah? What’s that?”
“The same thing that I did,” she said confidently.
“How do you know so much?” Justin asked.
“I asked Grammy and Poppy about man-a-tory.”
Justin pursed his lips to steel his emotions. The truth was, he hadn’t thought he was ready for a new mom, and didn’t even believe he wanted one. When Lucy came along, though, everything had changed. “Do you think she said yes?” he asked his grandparents.
Emma and Grant exchanged glances and grinned. “Do reindeers fly?” they said together.
THE END
A Note from the Author
Thanks for reading The Holiday Bride. I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, please help other people find this book.
1. This book is lendable, so send it to a friend who you think might like it so that she (or he) can discover me, too.
2. Help other people find this book: write a review.
3. Sign up for my newsletter so that that you can learn about the next book as soon as it’s available. Write to [email protected] with “newsletter” in the subject heading.
4. Come like my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/GinnyBairdRomance.
5. Comment on my blog at: The Story Behind the Story.
6. Visit my website: http://www.ginnybairdromance.com for details on other books available at multiple outlets now.
Also by Ginny Baird
The Sometime Bride
Real Romance
Santa Fe Fortune
How to Marry a Matador
The Christmas Catch
