Chapter Twenty-Two
Holly smoothed down her dress and triple-checked her hair in the mirror. She wasn’t even sure what went on at a bachelorette party anymore. All she knew was that Kim had told her she’d take care of everything and that Holly should wear her little black dress and be ready to dance.
“You look nice.” Vivian appeared in the doorway.
“Thanks, Mom. So do you.”
Vivian did a twirl in her yellow outfit. “I haven’t been out dancing in a long time. I wonder if I’ve got any moves left.”
“If it makes you feel any better, I don’t know if I’ve got any moves, either.”
A car horn caused them both to turn.
“Is that her?” Holly furrowed her brow. “Does she want us to get in her Uber or …”
Holly went to the living room window and pushed the curtain aside. Her jaw dropped when she spotted the white stretch limousine idling in front of the cabin. Two seconds later, Kim appeared through the limo’s sunroof, holding a glass of champagne.
Holly laughed. “I should have known.”
When she turned around, Vivian was putting on her winter jacket.
“She hired a limo,” Holly announced as she fetched her coat.
“Typical Kim.” Vivian chuckled. “I guess we’re partying New York style.”
After Holly locked the door behind them, she and her mom made their way to the vehicle through the snow. Kim let out a whoop so loud that Holly was afraid Mrs. Miranelli would be able to hear her from down the street.
“Hey, Holly-bear,” Kim called. “Get in so we can start this par-tay.”
When Holly opened the rear side door, she was welcomed by a chorus of “Surprise!” Lucy and Rachel sat in the lush interior, the former toasting Holly with a glass of bubbly and the latter snacking on pretzels.
“This is great,” Holly said as Kim came in from the sunroof. “Where’s Emily?”
“She said sorry she can’t make it. Her arthritis is acting up, and she doesn’t think she can stay up all night like she used to.” Kim grabbed a handful of nuts from the limo bar. “She sends her love, though.”
Once they were settled, Kim and Lucy started singing along to a current pop song while Rachel and Vivian danced in their seats. Holly swung her foot to the beat, laughing and smiling so much her cheeks hurt.
“Okay, okay.” Kim raised her hands, calling for everyone’s attention. “I have something for everyone here.”
“Oh, this ought to be good,” Vivian joked.
Kim snickered as she pulled a large gift bag from under the seat. The first item she extracted was a silky, ivory sash. Across it, written in gold, were the words “Bride-to-be.”
“For you, milady.” Kim held the sash open above Holly’s head.
Holly slipped it on over her coat, giggling at how ridiculous she must have looked. Lucy wolf-whistled at her.
“I’ve got one for each of us,” Kim announced, reaching into the bag again.
The sashes she produced for herself and Lucy were marked with the word “Bridesmaid.” Vivian’s said, “Mother of the Bride,” and Rachel’s, “Maid of Honor.”
“I know, I know.” Kim flailed her hands around. “It should say ‘ Matron of Honor,’ but I wasn’t as brushed up as Holly on all the correct technical terms, so—”
“No, it’s great.” Rachel smiled as she adjusted her sash so the title could be read. “Thank you.”
“And just so Holly feels extra special …” Kim removed a gold tiara from the bag and made a big show of it. Holly gasped, and the rest of the gang gave exaggerated ooh s and ahh s before bursting into fits of laughter.
The singing and dancing continued, and a few songs later, Holly glanced out the window. She recognized the street they were on.
“Are we going to Le Ruban Rouge?” Holly swiveled to face Kim.
“You didn’t think I’d forget to include food in this event, did you?” Kim took a sip of her champagne. “Lucky for us, Rachel told me about your favorite restaurant in Silverwood.”
“And lucky for me,” Lucy added, “it’s my favorite, too.”
“First dinner,” Kim said as she raised her glass, “then dancing.”
Lucy, Kim, and Holly whooped and hollered. Rachel snapped photos with her phone.
Vivian chuckled. “All right, girls. If we don’t settle down, they won’t let us into any restaurant.”
The singing and giggling became a little tamer as the limo came to a halt. The group climbed out of the vehicle, which took up three parking spaces, and strode toward the restaurant entrance. The excitement of the evening’s festivities coursed through Holly’s veins, kindling a warmth within her despite the chilly weather. And it had only just begun.
They entered the establishment, and Holly followed Rachel to the greeter at the front of the restaurant. The podium she stood behind was decorated in evergreens and red velvet bows. While they were shown to their table, Holly politely nodded and smiled at familiar people she passed. The greeter took them to an L-shaped staircase leading to an upper floor. Twinkling lights hung along the railing and around pillars and the panoramic windows. As jazzy Christmas music played through the speakers, Holly admired the restaurant’s ambiance, with its elegant tables set with white linen tablecloths and red cloth napkins. The candles in the centerpieces were lit, giving the place an intimate feel.
The greeter offered them menus, and as Holly perused the names of the delectable dishes, she felt bubbly inside. Even if they didn’t go dancing, this was enough for her: spending a lovely evening with close friends and family and enjoying a delicious meal.
After they placed their orders, Kim leaned forward. “All right, it wouldn’t be a bachelorette party if we didn’t talk about boys. So first: Nick. We can all agree that he’s hot, right? I mean, well done, Holly. Seriously.”
Holly giggled.
“That’s a weird question for me to answer,” Rachel said. “So I won’t.”
Lucy and Kim laughed.
“Fine, fine.” Kim waved a dismissive hand at her. “Then I’ll just say it. Nick is so hot.”
Lucy put a hand on Rachel’s arm. “Don’t worry. Eddie’s hot, too.”
“And Sean,” Kim added. “I mean, what’s in the water in Silverwood that makes all the men here sexy?”
Vivian chuckled and then shushed the group. “They’re going to kick us out before I can eat my duck.”
The waiter brought the champagne Kim had ordered and poured a serving for everyone.
“Ladies, raise your glasses,” Kim announced. “And let’s toast our Holly, who is arguably even hotter than Nick. May your marriage be blessed and last forever.”
“Hear, hear!” Vivian said before sipping her champagne.
Kim, Lucy, and Holly all took a drink, but Rachel set down her glass.
“I thought you liked champagne,” Holly said. “I’ve seen you drink it before.”
Rachel shifted. “Yeah, no, I like it. I’m just, uh, waiting?”
“Waiting for what?” Lucy asked.
“Um …” Rachel rubbed her neck, looking around at the rest of them and shrugging.
“But it was a toast,” Kim said. “You have to drink to the toast.”
Holly narrowed her eyes. Rachel didn’t drink in the limo, either. Or at her house the other night.
“Oh.” Holly covered her mouth with her hand but quickly dropped it and cleared her throat. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have, uh … No, it’s fine. You don’t have to, you know. Um, hey, should we talk about our hot men some more?”
Rachel’s cheeks turned crimson.
“Oh em gee,” Kim whispered. “Are you PG?”
Lucy and Vivian gaped at Rachel.
Holly playfully smacked Kim on the arm. “Kim, I was trying to defuse the bomb I just lit.”
“It’s okay,” Rachel said with a laugh. “I guess the cat’s already out of the bag. And we all know it’s impossible to stuff that darned cat back in the bag.” She paused for a second. “So, yes. Eddie and I are having another baby.”
The table was filled with gasps, squeeing, and words of congratulations. Holly got goosebumps all over.
“Thank you.” Rachel waved them off. “But no, stop. We wanted to wait until after Nick and Holly’s wedding to say anything.”
“But why?” Holly asked.
“We didn’t want to steal any of the attention.”
“Aw, Rachel, I wouldn’t have thought you were trying to steal attention. I’m so happy for you. Now, I’m going to be the aunt to two little ones. That’s amazing. Really, congratulations.”
“Thank you. But for now, let’s just keep it between us—and anyone within earshot of our table, I guess—until the wedding. We haven’t told anyone yet. Not even Avery.”
“Fine,” Holly agreed.
“I’ll drink to that,” Kim joked, lifting her glass. “Our lips are sealed.”
Two hours later, their spirits were high, and their bellies were full. Kim announced there was a VIP room in a club in the nearest city waiting for them. Holly would have normally called it a night, but exhilaration kept her going.
The night air was chilly and crisp compared to the warm restaurant. Kim sang a song while they made their way to the limousine, and Lucy tried to pull off a dance move that probably would have been executed better with less champagne in her system.
A shadowy figure watching them in the parking lot caught Holly’s interest. She gasped and froze in place, her hand flying to her chest.
“Grayson?”
“Hello, Holly.”
Dressed in all black, Grayson stood with his hands in his coat pockets. His lips were curled into a smug smile, his chin tilted upward. His dark-blond hair was slicked back, and his dark eyes were piercing.
A shiver ran down Holly’s spine. Am I imagining things? Is he really here?
Judging by everyone else’s expression, Grayson was no illusion.
“Wh-what are you doing here?” She didn’t want Kim to be right. He couldn’t possibly be in Silverwood to ruin her wedding, could he?
Kim set her jaw, her hands forming fists.
Holly held a hand up. “No, it’s okay. Let me handle this.” She swiveled and took three steps toward him. “What’s the meaning of this, Grayson?”
Grayson smirked. “Don’t you know, sweetheart? Doesn’t the fact that I’m here show you how much I care for you?”
Holly ground her teeth. “You don’t care about anyone but yourself.”
“How can you say that? Don’t you know I’m risking my job by being here instead? Don’t you see the trouble you cause?”
“That’s on you. Not me.”
Grayson reached for her, and she pulled away.
“Aw, come on, baby.” He flashed his devilish smile. “Don’t be that way.”
“What way would that be? Sensible? Full of self-respect? Smart enough not to fall for your tricks?”
“Difficult.” He scoffed. “I mean, I went through the trouble of tracking you down to this middle of nowhere, Podunk little town, and you don’t have the decency to have a civilized conversation with me.”
“Do you hear yourself? How is stalking me civilized? We’re not together and haven’t been for over a year. There was no reason to track me down.”
“Of course there was.” Grayson jutted out a finger at her, his nostrils flaring. “I had to stop you from making the biggest mistake of your life. Well, the second-biggest mistake.”
Holly shook her head. “How did you even find me?”
Grayson’s gaze went momentarily to Kim. “Maybe some people should pick better passwords, especially when they leave their offices unlocked.”
Kim’s jaw dropped before she muttered a curse.
Holly rolled her eyes and turned away from him. “This is ridiculous. You’re beyond deranged, and I’m not even listening to you anymore.”
“Oh, really, Holly? You don’t think I can hold your attention?” His voice got louder the farther away she walked. “Did the caterer getting fired get your attention? Or the dress shop fire?”
She gasped and pivoted on her heel. “What?”
“How does he know about those things?” Rachel grumbled.
Kim marched forward. “ You did those things?”
There was a glint of wickedness in Grayson’s eyes. He shrugged and stuck his fists in his pockets. “Who knows? Bottom line is you don’t know what I’m capable of.”
“I should call the police,” Holly said, her voice shaking.
“And say what? You can’t prove anything.”
“You just admitted—”
“I’ve admitted nothing. Maybe I’m just very observant.”
Kim pointed a long, manicured nail at him. “You listen to me, you crazy stalker. If you so much as look Holly’s way, I will be all over you like trolls on social media. Leave her alone, and don’t even think about coming anywhere near the wedding. Like it or not, Holly is happy. She’s getting married, come hell or high water, and there’s nothing you can do to stop her.”
Grayson scrubbed a hand over his jaw, backing away. “No one is afraid of you, Kim. Now who’s being delusional?”
Vivian came to Kim’s side, her nostrils flaring. “ Tumahimik ka! Listen to me, you narcissistic devil animal. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll leave my daughter alone. You only think about yourself. Go back to whatever hole you climbed out of. No one wants you here. And just so you know, I never liked you. Isa kang inutil! ”
Grayson’s forehead wrinkled for a split second.
“You’re that guy, aren’t you?” Lucy said, coming forward next to Kim. “The one itching to have his butt kicked?”
His gaze went to Holly as he ground his teeth. “This isn’t finished. Wait and see.”
As he sauntered away, Holly felt like she was about to collapse. Her mother was quickly beside her, holding her steady and spouting off more harsh Tagalog phrases. Holly could feel tears forming, but she fought them off. She didn’t want to give Grayson the pleasure of making her cry.
“He can’t do anything,” Rachel said, rubbing Holly’s back. “I know the sheriff, and I’ll ask him to have his team keep an eye out.”
“I can’t believe he was behind it all.” Holly shook her head. “I have never hated anyone so much.”
“You and me both,” Rachel said.
Kim placed her palm on Holly’s cheek. “Hey, you’ve got us. We won’t allow anything bad to happen to this wedding.”
“She’s right,” Lucy said. “He doesn’t know what he’s up against. Silverwood is a force to be reckoned with, and we take care of our own.”
Holly sniffled, nodding. “Thank you, guys.”
“Of course, honey.” Kim hugged her.
It transformed into a group hug, and Holly felt a small sense of relief envelop her.
“Okay, let’s not let Stalker Boy put a damper on this party.” Kim clapped and raised her brows, her lips curling into a smile. “It’s time to go dancing.”
“Wait.” Vivian wrung her hands together. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? Maybe we need to be careful. Maybe we should take you home, Holly.”
“No, it’s fine.” Holly raked her hair away from her face. “I won’t permit Grayson to ruin anything. Not my bachelorette party, not my wedding, nothing. I won’t give him that power.”
“Sounds like the party’s back on,” Kim shouted.
Holly’s friends whooped and hollered as they continued to the limo. Holly forced a smile, telling herself not to let Grayson spoil her night. She just hoped there was no muscle behind his threats.