“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
