“Uhh, okay?”
He kisses me, ignoring that our mothers are standing right there, and then turns me. “Go. I have a lot of work to do.”
10
I call the maintenance worker, Nick, who pried us out of that elevator. “Dean? Is everything still set for tomorrow?” he asks.
“Actually, no. I have an issue and need to see if you can get here today.”
“Today? You’re going to get married today?”
“Yes, I have to go out of town unexpectedly.”
He makes a few noises as though he’s moving around. “I guess I can. When do you need me?”
“Three hours?”
“Snow is coming down pretty bad, but I’ll get there. Don’t you worry. I won’t leave you stranded.”
I laugh because he’s who saved us last time, and it seems that, once again, a bit of snow and some luck is going to save this holiday season.
“I’ll let you know where we’re having it since all my plans are being changed.”
“All right. I’ll see you later today.”
We hang up, and I go in where both our mothers are. “Okay, Charlie will be here, what else do we need to get done?”
“I called the florist,” Holly’s mother informs us. “She can deliver wherever we need her to in the next hour. She was already done with everything.”
“Okay.” I turn to my mother. “Well, then I need a venue.”
I call the restaurant I reserved for tomorrow that overlooks the lake. It’s magical when the navy pier is lit up and everything is covered in snow, so it would’ve been . . . perfect. However, they explain that they can’t accommodate a spur-of-the moment wedding, even if it’s only six people. Me, Holly, my mother and hers makes four.
Shit. I need to text Holly’s best friend, Chelle, and my best man, Brian.
Me: I know this is last minute, but can you come now?
Chelle: Now? For what?
Me: I have to leave for Tokyo, so we’re going to do this now.
Chelle: Oh! Okay! I’ll head over.
She only lives a few blocks away, so that won’t be an issue.
Next to tell Brian, who was going to head to the bar with the girl he was banging last year. They have some weird pact, and . . . well, he’s a damn mess.
Me: Please tell me you’re sober and not hooking up with your ex or whatever the hell you call this girl.
Brian: What’s wrong?
Me: I’m getting married today, and I need you to get here.
Brian: I thought it was tomorrow.
Me: Change of plans.
Brian: I’ll be there in an hour.
There’s something I’m forgetting.
“The cake.”
My mother smiles. “Don’t you worry about that. Give Meredith and I two hours and we’ll have a cake done.”
Holly’s mother smiles. “Kayti and I will handle it. You get yourself ready.”
“Where do we do this?” I ask. “I can’t get the restaurant today, which means no food. Shit.”
“Dean, we have a feast here.”
“She’s going to hate this.”
Her mother shakes her head. “You’re planning a wedding for a Christmas gift. She will not hate a single thing.”
I really freaking hope not. When I came up with this, it all sounded good. It was a no fuss, easy wedding without any of the stress. She has been so busy and it wasn’t about a wedding for me, it’s about the marriage. I want to start our lives together—easy and low maintenance.
I wanted stress free, but now it’s a fucking mess.
I try to think of other venue options and then it hits me.
The place I took her on our first real date: the museum.
And I happen to have a connection. I text Chelle.
Me: Can have the wedding at the museum?
Chelle: We’re closed now, but I can call my boss and ask.
Me: Okay, let me know.
After a few minutes she texts me back.
Chelle: We’re good. They just said I have to make sure it’s cleaned up. I’ll text you details to have things delivered without anyone seeing and all that.
Me: You’re a lifesaver.
I let everyone know where to meet, which actually works out perfectly. Now, I can have something special for Holly.
With a plan in place, I head into the bedroom and find her lying on the bed with her ereader.
“Reading anything good?”
She smiles. “Well, the hero just told the heroine how special she is and how he wouldn’t want to live another day without her. It was so sweet.”
“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.
