His Holiday Bride by Jillian Hart

Author:Jillian Hart
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2010-12-06T05:00:00+00:00

When she was a little girl, Autumn had loved playing wedding. She and her sisters had taken turns wearing a white eyelet dress of their mom’s they’d raided from her closet, and the white net from one of her hats became a veil. She remembered stepping out of Mom’s way-too-big high-heeled shoes as they had taken turns parading down the aisle of chairs they’d lined up in the dining room.

Even dedicated tomboys dream of being a bride one day, and in her girlhood fantasies full of white lace and roses her wedding day was a dream just like this. Surrounded by family and friends and the faces she’d known through her lifetime. The first notes of the Moonlight sonata lifted above the glee and laughter. Pale pink and butter-yellow roses were everywhere. Candles flickered on pink tapers and pastel mints adorned platters on every table. There was a giant fluffy confection of a wedding cake with a perfect bride and groom waltzing on top.

“Remember wearing Mom’s dresses and heels?” Cheyenne sidled close. “I don’t know why I remembered that.”

“It’s the flowers.” Addy bopped up, her eyes never leaving the lone couple in the middle of the dance area. “We used to pick roses from Gran’s garden.”

The memories swept back of the three of them parading through the walled garden next to the house and choosing the prettiest blossoms for their bridal bouquets. All shades of pink roses and the brightest of yellow. In memory, she saw the little girls they used to be running with fists full of fragrant blooms into the kitchen, shouting for their mom to see. Those had been better times, before Mom’s unhappiness had torn their family apart. Illness had taken her away from them sixteen years ago, but her loss still hurt.

“Mom loved weddings.” Cheyenne popped a mint into her mouth and fell silent.

They all did. They had grown up without her. The emptiness she left behind had gradually faded except for occasions like this. Autumn knew both of her sisters were thinking how much their mother would have loved today. Justin seemed transformed in his handsome black tux. Rori, in her grandmother’s wedding gown, had never looked more beautiful as they circled slowly in the sweeping waltz, caught in each other’s arms, lost in each other’s eyes.

Love happened, she had to remember that. Somewhere along the way she had given up on the idea that happily-ever-after could ever happen for her. There had to be some stalwart and good man in the world who could love a cowgirl just the way she was, right?

Although looking around the room, she didn’t see one. What she saw were her failed relationships. Romances gone bad. In high school, Troy Walters had told her she ought to take up cooking and learn that her place wasn’t on the range but in the home. Andy Miller had broken up with her in ninth grade because she had run faster than he did at the Fourth of July picnic’s festivities. That was just the start of it.

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