She stepped past the placard with daily specials on it and followed Ree inside. Her mouth watered at the rich blend of aromas filling the small space. The long glass case revealed breads and sweets.
“What’s with the Scrooge-y face? We’ve got food and flowers for your wedding. And from the calls Courtney’s made, it seems like most of the guests are still on track to make it.”
“Well, that is good news, then. Thank you for helping Megan chase down these loose ends. And I do not have a Scrooge-y face. What is that even?” Vivien wrinkled her nose.
She surveyed the scene. A Christmas tree stood in the corner with shiny balls, colored lights, and popcorn garland. “White Christmas” played over the sound system, and decorative snowflakes hung in the fogged bakery windows.
Christmas cheer oozed from every corner of the place.
Yeah, maybe she was a little bit Scrooge-y.
Ree turned on her, looked her up and down. “So, did you pick up your dress? Where’s Boone?”
She recounted her morning, finishing with Boone’s dash out the door for something not nearly as important as her dress.
“Oh.”
Vivien paused at one of the four tables in the dining area. “Right? I mean, it seems like the priorities are a wee bit out of order. I’m going to need my big foam finger ‘#1’ from cheerleading.”
“No. You don’t.” Ree walked up to the counter, made a purchase, and returned with an oversized cinnamon roll and two plates.
“Marriage takes compromise. You and Boone—you’ll figure it out.”
Ree teased apart the cinnamon roll, spreading the cream cheese frosting that had stuck to the fork back onto the split roll.
“I’m afraid.” Vivien stared at the sweet treat Ree had put onto her plate. She let the quiet settle between them. Ree had known Vivien her whole life. Knew every sordid detail. Even the ones Vivien wanted to forget.
“Because of your dad?” Ree’s eyes met hers, a knowing passing between them.
Vivien nodded. “It’s…scary. I mean, up until now, it’s been this great romance. Sure, we’ve had our moments of disagreement. Normal things. Letting those moments of growth root us stronger than before. But something started worrying me.” She chewed a bite. “Maybe it was reading through my vows these past few months. Really letting them soak in. Asking myself if I really believe in ‘till death do us part.’”
Ree set down her fork. “Do you?”
“I want to, but that’s when I realize how afraid I am. Like, positively petrified. How I worry he’ll disappear. Or maybe just choose his job over me.”
“He isn’t going to do that.”
“Isn’t he? I mean—I had this silly fantasy that when we got married, somehow, he’d work this regular shift and then come home to me. Me and maybe our…kids.”
“He will. Most days.”
“And that’s the thing—what about the other days? What about when I’m pregnant and he gets a callout?”
“I’m sure you’ll work that out with him when that day comes. He loves you—adores you. I can’t imagine you having another man more utterly and completely devoted to you. It’s in his DNA.”
Except her mom once thought that of her dad too. And then he’d walked out on the marriage. On his family—traded them for a new one.
This was Boone, though, so maybe… Yes. Of course, yes.
Vivien plunged her fork into the gooey roll. “How do I get over being afraid?”
Ree finished chewing her bite. “You’re going to have to decide if you’re willing to give your whole heart. Because that’s what it takes. You’ll each have to give your all to the marriage and be humbled by the enormity of that.”
Just thinking about it practically gave her hives. Because she finally might have what she’d always wanted, but the fear of losing it—the fear of it being a mirage like her parents’ marriage—made it almost unbearable to embrace.
“What if I can’t do that?”
“What if you can?”
She imagined Christmas morning. The tree surrounded by gifts. Her. Boone. Their children.
Their children.
Who deserved two parents who were all in.
Was she equipped to play the role of a lifetime?
“If and when God blesses you with children, He’ll equip you to parent them too. Don’t let fear tear you away from the wonderful plans God has for you.”
Ree’s words settled over her, awakening a truth she knew to her very marrow.
She loved him. All in, whole-heartedly loved him.
She checked her watch. “I need to call Boone. It’s time to pick up my dress.”
Yes. Everything was going to be just fine.
WEDNESDAY, 12:05 P.M.
Boone was pretty sure he was failing miserably at the groom-to-be role. The look on Vivien’s face when he left had said as much. Between their sledding mishap and having to run to the house to look for radio batteries, something was not great in Vivieland.
Okay, battery chargers.
Which sounded as important as cleaning out the attic right about now.
When had life gotten so complicated?
He made his way through his house, down the hallway to the office where his laptop sat on the broad pine desk and the windows gave a glimpse of Lake Superior’s gray expanse. Only a few boxes remained on the floor. He started checking through them, one by one, his mind only half on the task.
No chargers in the first box. Or the second.
He blew out a breath, the dissonance like clashing chords in his soul.
For the past year and a half of dating, things hadn’t felt this restricted. Of course they did things together. A lot of things. But Vivien still had her life. He had his.
And all that was about to change.
A new weight he hadn’t carried around as a bachelor. Nope. Life as a bachelor was simple.
He stood and looked out at the frothy lake, and the empty house closed in around him. He picked up the framed picture of them sitting on the shoreline last summer. It was a candid selfie after a day spent on the water.
He’d snapped it just as she’d looked at him, smiling, her eyes alight with a look of…adoration?
The thought swelled in his chest. She’d chosen him.
So, yeah. Simpler did not necessarily mean better.
Because he loved how Vivien’s joy filled the spaces of his life. There was nothing he wanted more than to return home to her after a rescue. He wanted many days on the lakeshore, just like the photo.
And shoot. He’d be lying if he didn’t admit he’d imagined a blue-eyed little girl with brown waves, wrapping her daddy around her finger. Or maybe a son.
Fishing. Campouts. Christmas caroling and birthday parties.
The third box held the chargers and extra batteries.
Great. Except, not great. He looked at his watch. He couldn’t leave Vivien waiting.
He hoisted the box from the floor. A knock interrupted the silence, and he carried the box to the living room and set it on the side table.
He opened the door to face Jack Stewart, one of the team’s flight nurses. “Hey. I was driving by. Figured you could use some help getting the chargers over to HQ. Looks like you already found them?” He gestured toward the box on the table.