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“Okay, now we need to get up.” Max went to the closet, where he grabbed a pair of jeans and a red reindeer sweatshirt. “Why don’t you get changed while I get our little elf ready?”
“Sounds good to me.” Billie yawned and gently dislodged Henry from her arms. He reached for his father.
“Dada!”
“You know it, kiddo.” Max scooped Henry into his arms and headed into the kitchen. Billie took the opportunity to change out of her pajamas and take a long, hot shower. One thing motherhood had taught her was how important it was to appreciate the little things in life, like time for a peaceful shower.
Becoming a mother had certainly been an adjustment. What made it a thousand times better was that Max was by her side every step of the way. They had attended every obstetrician appointment together, decorated the nursery together, redecorated Max’s apartment together to make it more family-friendly, and shopped for baby clothes and supplies together. When Billie went into labor on a hot summer day, Max rushed her to the hospital and held her hand the whole time. And when their son, red and wrinkled and squalling, came into the world, they held him for hours, just staring at his little face — together.
Since then, both Max and Billie had taken a step back from work. Max delegated more of his tasks to trusted employees, as did Billie. Before, neither of them had been able to imagine anything being more important than work, but now it was clear that their little family was the most important thing in the world.
After her shower, Billie joined her fiancé and son for a breakfast of gingerbread pancakes with fresh fruit and maple syrup. Max was a wonderful chef, and stepping back from work meantthat he had more time to pursue his other passions. Delicious breakfasts and dinners were one benefit from his interest in cooking.
After breakfast, the trio headed down to Sweetest Surprise. Max got Henry settled in his car seat while Billie coordinated with volunteers and brought out the pile of gifts they were delivering. Last year, Henry had stayed home with his aunt Jamie and cousin Miles, but this year he loved riding in the car, so Max and Billie had decided to include him.
They spent the morning traveling around the city, delivering gifts to families across Denver. Henry sang along to Christmas carols and danced in his car seat. He got a little fussy towards the end, but they were almost finished with the deliveries and were able to take him right home.
By the time they arrived back at the Sweetest Surprise center a few hours later, Henry having taken a nap while Max and Billie did some final wedding preparations, Jamie, Gloria, Max’s mom, and Billie’s sisters-in-law had already worked their magic. The largest room had been turned into a Christmas wonderland. Snowflakes, cut by the center’s children from white paper and decorated with a rainbow of glitter, hung from the ceiling. Christmas lights were strung along every wall, and the Christmas tree that Max had decorated beautifully earlier that month sparkled in the corner.
In the front of the room, a row of chairs had been set up. At the end of the aisle, Billie and Max’s fathers had worked together to create a stunning arch of pine boughs and glimmering lights. Billie’s heart warmed as she saw her father and soon to be father-in-law putting the final touches to the arch.
Over the last two years, Jim Grayson had experienced a change of heart. Billie wasn’t sure if it was the news of his first grandchild being on the way, the long conversations he’d had with Max to repair their relationship, or the effort he’d put into be the best grandfather he could be, but something had changed in the man. He had left the running of Bluebell Diner in Max’s capable hands and was now focused on his family for the first time in his life.
“Okay, I’ll see you in a minute.” Billie kissed Max, took Henry from his arms, and turned to head to her office to get changed. Jamie threaded her arm through Billie’s and went with her, her son Miles snuggled in her other arm.
“Are you sure you want to have the wedding here?” Jamie asked in a low voice.
“Absolutely.” Billie smiled at her sister. “Max and I are both excited about it. Sweetest Surprise is what brought us together in the first place. It’s where we fell in love. And best of all, it has plenty of room for everyone we care about.” She paused. “Anyway, isn’t it a little late to ask that? What would you have done if I said no?”
“I don’t know.” Jamie shrugged. “Sisterly magic, I suppose.”
Billie chuckled. “You know, I believe it.”
Jamie and Billie got their squirming sons changed into their tiny tuxes. As soon as they were dressed, both boys began chasing each other around the small office, shrieking gleefully and wrinkling their suits. Jamie and Billie exchanged a glance and laughed. Becoming mothers at the same time had been wonderful, as they’d been able to share tips, tricks, and babysitting help at every stage.
Jamie helped Billie into her wedding dress, a gorgeous white, lacy gown with a festive green ribbon around the waist. Then she helped Billie with her hair and makeup.
When they’d first gotten engaged, Billie and Max had talked about having a big wedding, perhaps in a tropical destination where they could wed on the beach. But as time had gone by, they’d realized that they didn’t need anything splashy to proclaim their love. They just wanted to be together, with all the people they cared about, in a place that meant something to them.
Their honeymoon, however, would be two weeks spent in the Caribbean, so they would have a little beachy fun, too.
Once they were both ready, Billie headed back downstairs. Her father was waiting for her at the end of the aisle, and he took her arm with a wide smile.
“I’m so happy for you, Billie.”
“Aren’t you going to get all teary, like you did when Jamie got married?” Billie teased.
“Not today, sweetheart. I already know how much you and Max love each other. I already know how good you are as parents and how well you take care of each other. I don’t have anything to feel teary about.”
Then the music began to play. One by one, pairs of bridesmaids and groomsmen headed down the aisle. Next, Henry ran down the aisle along with Billie’s three nephews, all of them ring bearers together. The role of flower girl was filled by a little girl from Sweetest Surprise.
Then it was Billie and her father’s turn. They stepped into the room, and a hush fell. Billie knew all eyes were on her, but she didn’t have time to feel self-conscious. At the end of the aisle, Max waited, dressed in a dapper suit, with a bright smile on his handsome face. He was holding Henry in his arms.
Billie’s heart almost melted at the sight of her two favorite guys. She’d never wanted anything more than she wanted to marry Max. It was difficult to walk slowly down the aisle, balanced on her heels, instead of kicking her shoes off and dashing to the man she loved.
Finally, she reached him. Max took her hands in his and planted a quick kiss on her lips that made everyone ooh.
“I love you,” he whispered into her ear.
“I love you, too.”
The rest of the ceremony went by in a beautiful blur. Max and Billie said their vows, which they’d written themselves. They exchanged another kiss, their first as husband and wife. They danced all evening with everyone they loved. They ate delicious food, courtesy of Bluebell Diner, since that was another thing that had brought them together.
Throughout everything, one thought played in Billie’s mind over and over:I couldn’t be happier than I am now.
With her brand-new husband by her side and her wonderful son in her arms, Billie truly felt that all her Christmas wishes had come true.
The End