Page 110 of The Mistletoe Mix-up

“I already got ready for the party,” she protested, frowning in confusion.

Her dad cleared his throat and handed her a white envelope. “It’s all in the letter,” he said.

Wren took and opened the letter and started reading.

My Darling Birdy,

You’re probably wondering what I’m up to. Well, the truth is, you told me to hurry up before you changed your mind, so this is me hurrying up. The Winters’ agreed to let us have our wedding on their farm. I have all the papers, and they’re ready to be signed. There’s a nondenominational pastor waiting in the tent. All that’s missing is you and me. Our family and friends have gathered to eat and celebrate with us. What do you say? Do you want to get married today?

I love you,

Sam

Wren wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and looked at her dad. “Is this real?”

“I got my dress uniform hanging up in the back, ready to go,” her dad said, beaming. “The question is whether you want this to be real.”

“Because if you don’t wanna do this, I’ll drive the getaway car,” Pete broke in.

Wren laughed tearfully, going to each of her brothers and Elizabeth to hug and thank them before she stopped at her dad and gave him a hard hug.

“Did you help make this happen?” she asked.

“I had a little hand in it,” he conceded, wiping away her tears with his thumb. “I wanted to make up for some of the wrong I did.”

“You have, thank you.”

“Come on. Your bridal party awaits.”

Wren let Elizabeth lead her into the house where Millie and the Winters women were waiting for her.

Millie had a garment bag, and when she unzipped it, Wren gasped.

“It’s just like the gown we saw at that bridal boutique when we went shopping for your bridesmaid dress for Elizabeth’s wedding,” Millie reminded her. “I thought since you loved it so much then, you might still love it now.”

“You went all the way to Twin Falls to find this dress?”

“No, I looked online and found the dress and had it express shipped.” Millie shrugged when the room full of women all stared at her. “It was cheaper than gas money.”

Wren laughed, and suddenly she was surrounded. She was plucked, straightened, curled, and cinched up. She had enough makeup caked on her face to paint a canvas, but when they turned her around and Wren stared at her reflection, she didn’t speak for several beats.

She looked beautiful. She looked happy. She looked ready.

Her dress was off the shoulder with long, gauzy bell sleeves and a beaded bodice that hugged her curves. The dress fluffed out into a ball gown style, and the snow boots they’d given her to wear to the tent were white with little seed pearls on them.

“And we know you’re not gonna dance in heels, so I bought you a pair of white Hey Dudes,” Elizabeth said, holding up the simple slip-on shoes with a grin.

“Thank you,” Wren choked, tears welling in her eyes. “All of you.”

“You are very welcome,” Holly said, waving her hands in front of Wren’s face. “No crying, or you’re going to mess up your makeup!”

“Here is your ‘something new,’ a gift from Sam.” Millie pulled out a velvet bag and opened it to reveal a white gold necklace with two hearts encrusted in diamonds. Holly took it from Millie and put it around Wren’s neck, while Millie tossed her the ‘something old and borrowed.’ It was a pearl comb Millie’s grandmother had given her before she passed. Wren knew how precious this was to her friend, and her eyes pricked with tears.

“Thank you.”

“I’ll put that in your hair,” Elizabeth said, sliding it into Wren’s updo of curls.

“And ‘something blue,’” Victoria said, handing her a blue silk garter. “It’s a tradition in our family, and since you’re marrying my unofficially adopted son, that’s what you are to me.”