“What’s that?”
“First, that I love you and am going to marry you. If she doesn’t accept that, our mother-daughter relationship will be irreparably damaged. And second, that this is our wedding. Yours and mine. And that we’re going to plan something very small and intimate. That we might even decide to elope. Or jet off to Vegas. But we’re going to do what we want, when we want. I told her if she’d like to throw a party for us sometime afterward, that would be fine, but that I really thought she should save her money and take a nice singles cruise. Maybe she’d meet a nice man and could someday plan her own extravagant wedding.”
“And she accepted that?”
“It wasn’t an easy sell and she’s definitely disappointed since she’s been dreaming of my wedding for years. But in the end she finally realized that she needed to accept our decisions even though they might not be the ones she’d make. I made it extremely clear that there was to be no more interfering or manipulating. I don’t think she understood how bad she’d gotten, but I made her see the light and she apologized, as well as promised she’d try her best to do better. She really is a good mom. I honestly think she’s just lonely.”
“So let me get this straight—you’d already decided that you didn’t want a big fancy wedding before I gave you my whole sales pitch?”
She grinned at his grumpy tone. “Yup.” She looped her arms around his neck. “Great minds and all that.”
“Great. So how would you feel about getting married here? Today? Now?”
She blinked. “Now?”
“Well, not right this minute, but in about—” he lifted his left arm and consulted his watch over her shoulder “—two hours?”
She was about to laugh, but something in his eyes stilled her. “You’re serious.”
“Extremely. When I realized I couldn’t take the fancy wedding thing any longer, I decided to take matters into my own hands. Those four hours you were with your mom? I spent them making arrangements.”
A wave of cautious joy spread through her. “But we’re snowed in. How could you possibly make arrangements?”
“You forget my very formidable wedding planner sister is here. Between me, her and Helen and Roland Krause, things are rolling right along. Apparently Timberline Lodge is a popular wedding ceremony spot.”
“But who would perform the ceremony?”
“Helen Krause. She’s an ordained minister.”
“But we’d need our marriage license.”
“It’s in my wallet—where I’ve kept it, safe and sound, since we got it two weeks ago.”
Warmth spread through her. “So it looks like all systems are go.”
“Yes. Well, except for one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“The bride-to-be hasn’t yet accepted my proposal. Will you marry me today?” He gently kissed her lips.
The floodgates opened and happiness spilled through her. “Are you trying to get me to say yes?”
“Absolutely. Is it working?”
She smiled into his beautiful eyes. “Absolutely.”
* * *
At four o’clock that afternoon, Jessica looked up at the soaring Christmas tree in the lobby of the lodge. The surrounding area had been transformed into a beautiful, romantic chapel-like setting with swags of pine and holly and dozens of flickering white candles. The hint of vanilla and pine scented the air, and gentle violin music played in the background.
A warm nuzzle to the back of her neck had her sucking in a quick breath. A pleasurable tingle shimmied down her spine and with a smile she turned.
“Watch it there, mister,” she said with a mock frown. “My husband won’t take kindly to you kissing my neck.”
He handed her a glass of champagne then touched the rim of his glass to hers. “Your husband is the luckiest guy on earth.”
“His wife’s pretty lucky herself. Do you realize we’ve been married for almost two hours?”
“Happy anniversary.”
She laughed then heaved a contented sigh. “The ceremony was beautiful, wasn’t it?” Roland Krause had walked her down the short length of white carpet to Eric, who wore a dark suit, white dress shirt and red silk tie and greeted her with a dazzling smile. With Marc serving as best man and Kelley as maid of honor, and with her mother looking on, snapping dozens of pictures from the disposable cameras she’d purchased at the gift shop, Helen Krause performed the simple, lovely ceremony that joined her and Eric for life.
“Beautiful,” he agreed, drawing her close with his free arm. “As is my bride.” His warm gaze skimmed over her simple winter-white dress. She’d brought it along—as Eric had his suit—in case they went out somewhere nice to dinner during their weekend away, never dreaming it would serve as her wedding dress.