Page 97 of Christmas in Paradise

I can barely breathe I’m so relieved. I take her hand and lead her to the line. “Remember, when Britta gets all the way to the front, then it’s your turn to go.”

When Britta hears her name, she waves at Charly. “You can do it Charly! Just follow me!”

I squeeze in front of Britta and behind Izzy just as Carson gives our cue to go.

Tessa, who’s first in line, starts down the aisle at the same time Seb squeezes into his spot with the groomsmen who are already lined up at the front of the chapel. He buttons his tux, then drops his hands to his side, and looks up.

I’m steps behind Stella, but he looks past her to me. Our eyes meet, and his light up. He likes what he sees. But I’m doing everything I can to keep him from seeing how much I like whatIsee.

Not just him in a tux looking incredibly sexy, but this whole event. The melding of two families, two lives—fouractually—in a ritual that I helped make beautiful. And I wonder if this is what could lie ahead for us.

I’m still mad at Seb for ebelskivering Charly, but I can’t help hoping for a future with him.

But all my anger melts away when he moves his hands, right above his waist and curls his thumbs and forefingers together to form a heart.

Then I turn into a puddle and melt right there in the middle of the wedding with the entire world to see because it’s being filmed for TV.

Not literally. At least not the melting part. But the camera woman zooms from Seb’s direction to mine, and unless it gets edited out, Georgia’s viewers are going to see one bridesmaid with the goofiest, most lovesick grin on her face ever.

But a few minutes later, when the camera pans across the line of bridesmaids, they’re going to see me with a look of sheer panic on my face.

Because that’s when I look at the back of the chapel and see Charly refusing to move, despite Dad’s gentle nudging.

“No!” she shouts.

The whole church goes still, even the organist whose hands are raised and ready to play the wedding march.

“Sebby! You walk too!” she yells even louder, scowling at Seb.

His eyes dart to mine, wide-eyed and panicky. I wag my head toward Charly and raise my eyebrows to signal for him to follow her orders before we have a real problem on our hands.

I don’t have any faith he’ll understand all of that—or even any of it—especially when he shrugs his shoulders.

But then he looks at Charly, smiles, and jogs down the aisle toward her.

The church stays silent as everyone’s eyes follow Seb to the back of the church, though a few giggles slip out from some of the guests.

That guest is me. I’m the problem, it’s me.

When Seb reaches Charly, her grin officially steals the show. And that’s before she reaches into her flower basket, hands him petals and orders, “Trow dese.”

Charly takes his hand, and they start down the aisle, but a few feet in, she stops. Her face scrunches into a question. I freeze, afraid for what’s next.

She lets go of Seb’s hand long enough to reach into her basket, throw petals on her feet, and hand Seb some more to throw. Then she takes his hand again, walks a few more feet, and does the same.

If anyone else’s kid were taking as long as Charly is to go down the aisle, I might think it’s cute. But not when it’s my kid at the wedding I’ve been paid to help plan. I worked so hard with Charly to prepare her for this day.Thiswas not part of the plan.

The third time she does it, I feel the entire pew-filled church tense. Heat climbs up my neck. At this rate, it will be Christmas before Evie and Georgia get to march down the aisle. Which is what we’re all here for, as cute as Charly is.

But Seb comes to the rescue again. He slips the basket handle over the hand he’s been holding so it hangs at Charly’s elbow. Then he takes her hand, grabs petals, and tosses them. Charly grins wide, satisfied with his solution, and does the same.

They do this all the way down the aisle, and I know I’m not the only one who’s sighing with the cuteness of it. Ohs and ahs fill the church, and everyone falls a little in love with Seb.

Except for me.

I’ve already fallen a lot in love with him.

Chapter 31

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