A Very Married Christmas: A Silver Bell Falls Holiday Novella(27)

Except when the minister looked at him with a hint of disapproval.

Clearing his throat again, he went on. “I knew from the moment I met you that you were going to be important to me. I just didn’t realize you were going to be my everything. I love you, Melanie, and I know we’ve been through a lot together already, but our life together has just begun. And I can’t wait to see where the journey takes us.”

He placed the ring on her finger and saw her hand trembling.

“And now Melanie will speak the vows she wrote especially for Josiah,” the minister said.

She took a steadying breath and let it out slowly. “Josiah Stone, you stormed into my life in a way no one ever had before. And as much as I wanted to resent you, you were exactly what I needed. You always seem to know when to push and when to hold back. You know what I need even before I do.” With a small pause, she smiled. “You’re my soulmate and I am so thankful each and every day that you came into my life and that you didn’t give up on me. I love you and I’m so happy to finally be your wife.”

She placed the ring on his finger and, unable to wait another moment, Josiah pulled her in close and kissed her. A round of applause filled the church as the minister declared them man and wife.

Yeah, it was the greatest moment of his life.

****

The reception was truly like a party in a winter wonderland.

Melanie knew they had been to the barn multiple times since booking the wedding, but until she was standing right there in the middle of it, nothing she had seen had done it justice. The music, the sounds of laughter and the smell of pine in the air was the most festive kind of sensory overload.

Josiah spun her in his arms and leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. “How are you doing, Mrs. Stone?”

“Mmm…I am deliriously happy,” she replied. “It’s magical in here. So much more than I ever dreamed.”

He looked around the room and his smile grew. “I know what you mean. Everyone did an amazing job.”

They danced together and talked to guests who surrounded them on the dance floor. When they were alone again a few minutes later, she looked up at him. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For proving to me time and time again how good things—great things!—can happen on Christmas,” she said softly. “I never thought I’d get over all the negative, but you managed to change that and I am so thankful for that. For you. I love you so much.”

“I love you too.”

They danced a little more and then went and mingled with their guests. Everyone they knew was there and the barn was full to capacity. The music continued to play, food was served, and the atmosphere was both joyful and festive. It was everything Josiah had hoped it would be.

As the night was coming to an end and their guests began to leave, he was mildly disappointed that they weren’t dashing off for their honeymoon right away. Tonight they would go home to their house and tomorrow they would have Christmas dinner with their families as if it were a usual Christmas Day. Some would say it was anticlimactic after such a whirlwind, but it was worth waiting a couple of extra days to have had this.

It was after midnight when they were finally home.

He helped her peel off the long fur-lined wrap and she looked like a princess walking across the room to turn the tree lights on. With the room lit only by the tree, she turned and smiled at him.

“It was the perfect day,” she said. “It was everything I thought it could be and so much more.”

Nodding, he went to her and held her close. “Merry Christmas, Mrs. Stone.”

She smiled and snuggled in close to him. “Merry Christmas to you, Mr. Stone.” After a moment, she tilted her head back and looked at him. “You know, I was thinking about what we talked about earlier.”

He chuckled. “You’ll have to narrow that down a bit. We’ve been talking all day.”

“About how you managed to change the way I felt about Christmas. I can honestly say that when I think about it now, I don’t think about all the bad ones, only the ones I’ve had with you.”

“I’m so glad I could do that for you,” he said, placing another kiss on the tip of her nose. “For a while there, in the beginning, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to pull it off. Now I’m glad I did.”

“Well,” she said with an impish grin, “you may regret doing it.”

He frowned. “Why?”

“Let’s just say you’ve set the bar pretty high. The first Christmas you made up for twenty years of missed gifts, last year you proposed and this year we got married. I’m thinking next Christmas is going to be tough. After all, how can you possibly top this?”

An idea came to him out of nowhere but he knew it was perfect.

“I think I know how,” he said as he began to lead her toward their bedroom.

Giggling, she put up a little protest. “Ooo…this could work. I mean, it’s no dream wedding, but I can get on board with this, Sheriff.”

He grinned. “That wasn’t quite what I was thinking, Mel,” he teased. When they were next to the bed, he slowly spun her around so her back was to him and began to unzip her gown. He placed a soft kiss on her shoulder.

“Then what’s on your mind?” she asked breathlessly as his mouth began to rain kisses down her spine.