Page 140 of The Hockey Grump Saves Christmas

“If you want to run away,” Aunt Lou adds, “we’ll get right back in that sleigh and take you wherever you like.”She tips her head. “I mean, I’d think you were nuts. But I’d go with you.”

“I don’t know aboutwherever you like,” Frankie says, rubbing the donkey’s nose. “Mabel could only probably manage locations within a one-mile radius. She’s not a spring chicken anymore.”

“Just taking it all in for a second,” I explain.

Reaching for my dad’s hand, I step onto the red carpet that runs from the curb, across the sidewalk, and all the way along the path to the pond and the bandstand.

Once I’ve adjusted my dress and veil, Dad tucks my hand into the crook of his elbow and stands at my side.

“There you go,” he says with a proud smile.

“And here you are.” Aunt Lou hands me my bouquet of white roses with sprigs of holly, red berries and fir. Getting married at Christmas, I figured we might as well go all in on the theme. Aunt Lou’s bouquet is the same but smaller. The Warm Springs florist, who’s been here for thirty-odd years, has just handed over the business to her granddaughter, and I couldn’t be more honored to be her first wedding.

Dad and I take a couple of steps along the carpet as Aunt Lou moves behind and straightens out the back of my dress and cloak.

I’m grateful to have this moment to take in the smiling faces of the theater program kids lining my route to the bandstand, where I can see the shape of the handsome man in the bottle-green velvet suit we picked out in New York together. Obviously it had to be made to measure, nothing off the rack is ever going to fit Gabe’s gorgeous frame. He towers over Cecil,the smaller shape in front of him. But he isn’t much bigger than Wyatt, his best man, standingby his side.

The rest of the small group of our friends and family all rise from their seats and turn to face in our direction.

“Okay,” Aunt Lou says, moving around in front of us and pulling the veil down over my face. “It’s now or never.”

She gives a thumbs-up toward the bandstand. With the flourish of a conductor cueing up a symphony orchestra, Cecil waves a hand at Grayson, who hits Play on the music, and the march fromThe Nutcrackerflows from the speakers set up on the railing.

Just like that first morning, when I was baking cookies at Gabe’s house, it’s the only even remotely Christmas-related music he hasn’t vetoed.

Dad gives my hand an affectionate tap. “Just look at all of this,” he whispers. “How much care and love you’ve created here. I couldn’t be more proud of you.”

His words bring a lump to my throat. I swallow hard past it because I can’t let myself cry before we’ve even started. Not least because Carly from the produce store, who’s also an artist, spent ages helping me with my makeup and I don’t want all her excellent work to get washed away.

The kids lining the path straighten their backs like an honor guard as we approach and offer wide, warm smiles as we pass them.

When we get to the end, Abigail breaks free from the line and runs behind to help Aunt Lou lift my dress up the bandstand steps. I’d have loved to have Abigail as a flower girl, but it didn’t seem fair to single her out from all the other kids for a special role, but I did sneak in this one extra little duty for her.

And in true Abigail style she took on the responsibility with the application and precision of a heart surgeon. Shehad us out here for a practice run with an old curtain yesterday.

My fluttering heart almost comes to a stop the moment my eyes lock with Gabe’s. He spent last night at Aunt Lou’s—turns out he’s old-fashioned about not sleeping with his fiancée the night before the wedding—so I haven’t seen him since yesterday afternoon. And it looks like he’s spent the whole of that time trimming his beard. It’s neater than I’ve ever seen it. And the smile that radiates through it makes my heart soar.

Sometimes in life you make a decision and you’re absolutely certain it’s the right one. Marrying Gabe is one of those.

Dad pats my hand again. “I’ll be right over here if you need me,” he says softly, and moves to stand next to my mom, who’s already dabbing her eyes.

Aunt Lou takes my bouquet from me and steps to the side.

I’m just wondering what to do with my awkwardly unoccupied hands when Gabe takes them.

He leans in and whispers into my ear on the side that’s away from the guests. “You look absolutely fucking gorgeous.”

A shiver runs through me from the touch of his warm breath and the smell of that delicious orange-clove spice that I now know is from his body wash.

Cecil coughs. “I heard that.”

The guests chuckle, probably thinking it was something way dirtier.

“Okay, let’s get this ceremony started,”Cecil says.

“And now, the moment we’ve all been waiting for.” Cecil looks beyond us to our gathered friends and family. “The vows.” He nods at me. “You first, Natalie.”

I squeeze Gabe’s hands and look deep into his eyes. I’m not sure I can actually speak. This is the part I’ve been most nervous about. It’s all fine being an actor and playing a part. But this is me standing up here, baring my heart to my soulmate and everyone in the world who’s important to me. It’s the most terrifying stage of all.

---