Page 68 of Wedding Bells in Silverwood

Nick gave her a sideways grin. “I already told you. It’s a surprise.”

“Nick, I have a confession to make.” Holly settled a hand on his arm. “I hate surprises.”

“Well, then, I guess it’s my mission to change your mind.”

“Wait.” Holly narrowed her eyes. “Has this all been a ruse? A year-long, elaborate scheme to gain my trust so that you could kidnap me?”

“Oh no,” Nick deadpanned. “You’ve cracked my devious plan to trap you in Silverwood forever.”

“Well, the joke’s on you because I happen to love it here.”

Holly watched the snow fall, counting in her head to keep from begging Nick to tell her what he was up to. Just as she was about to nag him again, a sign on the road ahead caught her eye.

“The Christmas tree maze?” Holly inched forward. “Is that where we’re going?”

There was a twinkle in Nick’s eyes.

A bubbling excitement rose in Holly’s stomach. She remembered seeing an ad about a wintery maze made of decorated Christmas trees, but with all the wedding planning, she hadn’t given it much thought. However, after the confrontation with Grayson the night before, Holly figured she could use a fun, worry-free evening.

They pulled into the parking lot of the maze event as the sun kissed the peaks of the mountains in the distance. Nick let Cupid out of the back of the SUV before going to Holly’s side. He held her hand as they walked to the ticket booth. Children ran past them, laughing and shouting in glee, eager to partake in the game.

The stars above mirrored the twinkling lights of the Christmas trees in the large plot of land before them. The maze owners had to be counting themselves lucky that the recent storm hadn’t reached their area. The air was crisp, but the wind gentle, allowing the flurries to fall softly to the ground.

Holly’s boots crunched in the snow as they approached the booth.

“Two, please,” Nick said to the woman behind the counter.

“The maze is free.” The older woman, whose name tag read Heather, had a thick southern accent. “We do take donations, of course, which we forward to a few charities.”

“That sounds perfect.” Nick handed her some cash. “There you go.”

“Thank you so much.” Heather exchanged Nick’s money for two small green tickets. “Have you ever done the maze before?”

“I’ve done a corn maze,” Nick replied. “Holly?”

“No. This will be my first time.”

“Well, okay.” Heather leaned on her elbows. “It works just like a corn maze or a haybale maze. You’ll be starting at the entrance right behind me, and you’ll make your way through, searching for the exit. We’ve got attendants with lit-up reindeer antlers and reflective vests inside, so if you get lost, don’t worry. We encourage you to enjoy yourself, but please refrain from removing or damaging any tree ornaments. Remember, Santa is watching.” Heather playfully tapped a finger on the side of her nose.

Nick nodded. “Understood.”

Heather smiled at them. “Can I just say something? You make a very handsome couple.”

“Thank you, Heather. That’s awfully nice of you to say.” Nick put an arm around Holly. “We’re, uh, getting married in a couple days. On New Year’s Eve day, to be exact.”

“Aw, married. How wonderful. Congratulations.”

“Thank you,” Holly and Nick said together.

Heather straightened. “You must be excited.”

“Yeah.” Holly interlaced her fingers. “A little nervous. Not aboutbeingmarried, but about the actual day.”

“Aw, honey, let me tell you.” Heather chuckled and shook her head. “My wedding took place during a hurricane. My Don and I lived down south, and despite planning out our wedding to the most minor detail, we just couldn’t account for a storm hitting us. It was the worst uninvited guest anyone could ask for.”

“Oh no.” Holly’s heart broke for the woman.

“Talk about inconvenient,” Nick said.

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