AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Holly carefully placed a thank You for Attending Our Wedding sticker on the top of the round candle lid and set it to the side with the rest of the favors the Winters family was putting together. They’d finished brunch and Holly, Merry, Noel, and Victoria sat around the table with mimosas, working on the favors while Chris, Clark, and Nick had gone out to the flocking tent to get ready for the farm to open.
“How many more of these do we have?” Noel asked.
Merry set another round candle tin in the done pile. “Twenty-two. Total of sixty-seven.”
“And then they have to go in the little boxes with a tissue,” Victoria said, holding up a silver square before scrunching it into a small white box with a shiny black ribbon around the outside.
Holly set aside another candle. “It shouldn’t take us long at the rate we’re going, and except for the bachelorette party and any last-minute details, this should be the last wedding prep we need to do.”
“I still can’t believe you’re going to miss the Christmas concert this year,” Victoria grumbled.
“Oh, come on, Mom,” Merry said, slipping the top of her favor box closed. “It’s going to be wonderful with all the band and choir kids performing from Mistletoe’s school district. I bet the turnout will be even better too because people are showing up to watch their children perform.”
“I know, but I enjoy watching my children perform.”
Holly grinned at Merry’s eye roll. Merry, Nick, Noel, and Holly had been the headlining musical entertainment for two years, but when scheduling made sense to celebrate Merry’s bachelorette party this weekend, they’d let the committee know they wouldn’t be available.
“Let other people enjoy the spotlight, Mom,” Holly teased.
“I do!” Victoria said, glaring at Holly. “I’m just incredibly proud of my children.”
“We know,” Merry said.
“You are still planning on staying close for the party? Not gallivanting off to Vegas to take in a Thunder Down Under show, are you?” Victoria asked, simultaneously fascinating and horrifying Holly.
“Do I want to know how you learned about that particular show?” Merry asked.
“Your mother has been on a girl’s trip before, you know.”
“I definitely don’t want to hear about it,” Holly said, shaking her head.
“No, you probably don’t,” Victoria countered with a wicked grin.
Noel chuckled. “We’re staying local, Victoria, and there will be no strippers.”
“They won’t tell me what we’re doing, so I can’t give any details,” Merry grumbled, shooting Holly a dirty look.
“Oh, stop giving me a death stare. You’re going to love this, I promise.”
“It’s strange to have an odd number of party favors, isn’t it?” Noel asked, and Holly wasn’t sure if it was a purposeful change of subject but she appreciated it.
“We have a lot of single friends who did not RSVP for a plus one. Between that and people traveling for the holidays, we didn’t end up with a full guest list, but I’m honestly okay with it. We wanted it to be cozy and intimate, but someone went a little crazy with the invites,” Merry said, jerking her thumb in Victoria’s direction.
Her mother closed the lid on her favor box with a sniff. “It was a few more family members and friends we’ve known since before you were born, nothing major. I just didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.”
“Then why not invite the entire town, Mom?” Holly teased.
“That’s extreme and you know it. I added about twenty to the guest list, which made it just under one hundred people. The only way any of you are getting more than that is if it’s a potluck. I’ve seen the way the citizens of Mistletoe eat during the free pancake breakfast at the fire station.”
“When Nick and I do take that step, I’d like to keep it small,” Noel said.
Holly and Merry shared identical surprised expressions. Noel didn’t talk about marriage because she’d told everyone in her life on multiple occasions that she had no plans to walk down the aisle.
Instead of making a big deal about it, Holly snorted. “Yeah right.”
“You’re marrying our brother, the golden child,” Merry added, obviously following Holly’s lead of keeping her cool. “I bet Mom breaks her one hundred guest rule for the two of you.”
“Excuse me,” Victoria snapped, pointing at each of them. “I love all of my children equally and show no favoritism.” Their mom took a sip of her mimosa and set it down. “When you do decide to marry my son, I will listen to all of your preferences.”
