Page 30 of Wedding Bells in Silverwood

Holly turned to face Sean, who’d been on the couch checking his phone. He pushed his glasses up his nose and ran a hand through his dirty blond hair before standing to hug her.

“So good to see you, Sean.” She gestured at Samantha. “My goodness. She’s getting big.”

“And she’s getting demanding, too,” Sean joked.

“Is that right?” Holly crouched a little, facing Samantha. “Are you a little princess, Sammy?”

At the mention of her nickname, Samantha used the edge of the couch to pull herself to a standing position and extended her rag doll to Holly.

Holly took the doll. “What? You’re standing?”

“Yeah,” Sean answered. “We’ve gone mobile.”

“She’s walking too?”

“Well, she’s taken a few steps. Lucy and I hope she’ll walk freely by the time Lucy’s parents drive up for Christmas.”

Holly handed back the doll to Samantha. “If you’re as determined as your mother, I’m willing to bet you can make that happen. Can’t you, Sammy?”

“Hey, no pressuring my kid,” Lucy called out as she arrived from her classroom. “If you want her to be a flower girl, you’ll just have to postpone the wedding a few months.”

Holly laughed. “Don’t tempt me. Samantha would make an adorable flower girl, but Avery’s got the job covered.”

Lucy scooped Samantha into her arms. “Avery’s the perfect flower girl. And we just bought the cutest dress for Sammy to wear on your special day.”

“I can’t wait to see it.”

The front door opened, and Kim charged in, shaking snow off her head. She held a to-go coffee in one hand and tended to her stray hairs with the other.

“You can’t tell me that’s a coincidence,” Kim said.

“What?” Holly asked.

“I saw Mr. Mason, a.k.a. Santa’s doppelgänger, in the parking lot, and suddenly, it starts snowing. I don’t buy it. That man is definitely Santa. Or, at the very least, Santa adjacent.”

“Hi, Kim,” Lucy said to her.

“Oh em gee, is this your little one?” Kim smiled and waved at Samantha.

“Yeah, this is Samantha. And this is my husband, Sean.”

“Nice family, Lucy,” Kim said as she shook Sean’s hand. “Nice to meet you. Your wife and I have already bonded over food.”

Sean chuckled. “Lucy did mention she met her match. Nice to meet you, too.”

“Holly, hon, you ready to go?” Kim took a sip of her coffee. “Your mom’s waiting for us to pick her up.”

“I just have to get my stuff.”

“Do you need me to lock up?” Lucy asked.

“No, Gretchen is here. She’s sorting supplies and has the key.” Holly crouched again and smoothed Samantha’s hair. “Bye, Sammy. See you soon.”

“Say bye-bye, Samantha,” Sean prompted.

Samantha stared at Holly but didn’t say anything.

Settling into the passenger seat of Holly’s car, Kim fastened her seatbelt and took a sip of coffee. “Samantha issocute. I need some cuteness in my life.”

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