Chapter Twenty-Six
Holly’s hands were trembling so much she thought she might drop her bouquet. The only thing preventing her from collapsing was her mother’s sturdy arm. With music filling the room, Holly took controlled breaths as the groomsmen and bridesmaids began their procession down the aisle, two by two.
It’s happening. It’s happening.
Holly’s head swirled. She felt it was a dream and had to blink multiple times to take it all in.
Their priest, Father William, stood at the altar. The first to reach him were Lucy and Sean. They unhooked their arms at the arch and went left and right, respectively. After them came Kim and Eddie. Then, the Matron of Honor and Best Man, Rachel, and Mr. Mason.
Once everyone had taken their positions, Cupid and Avery walked side-by-side. A leather pouch containing Nick and Holly’s rings was attached to Cupid’s collar. Cupid trotted forward as Avery spread light pink flower petals along the ivory runner. Cupid’s eight siblings, all positioned near the aisle, panted as they watched their prominent brother strut past them.
When Cupid and Avery arrived at the arch, the music changed. The guests all faced Holly as Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” began. As everyone stood, Holly felt her heart freefall into her stomach. It took all her strength not to collapse on the spot.
“Are you all right, sweetheart?” Vivian whispered.
“I don’t know if I can move my legs.” Holly spoke so quietly that she wasn’t sure her mother heard her.
Vivian gave her a nod. “I’m right here. You can do this.”
“I wish Dad were here, too.”
Vivian smiled at her. “He’s here, honey. I feel it. And I know he’s very, very proud of the woman you turned out to be.”
Holly nearly lost it, but she sucked back the tears and straightened her shoulders. “It feels like that arch is miles away.”
“Holly, even the mightiest of mountains is conquered one step at a time.”
Holly swallowed hard, attempting to unclench all her muscles. The music continued, but her feet wouldn’t budge.
And then Nick, who stood facing the priest at the altar, turned around. When his eyes met hers, Holly’s lungs filled with the sweetest, warmest air. The light-hearted feeling spread throughout her body until she felt as if she were floating.
She took a step and advanced to the beat of the music. Her heart wanted to be closer to Nick, so she followed her heart.
Though she felt the eyes of their guests on her, her focus remained on Nick, whose soft smile caused a warm glow to swell in her chest.
Holly and Vivian stopped at the arch. The heady scent of freesia and lilacs wafted around her. With a sigh, Vivian leaned close to Holly and placed a gentle palm on her cheek.
“I love you, sweetheart.” Vivian’s voice broke on the last word.
“I love you too, Mom.” Holly waged an inner battle to hold back the surge of sentimental tears.
Vivian wasn’t as successful as Holly in keeping her tears at bay as she kissed Holly’s cheek. Holly let out a shuddering breath as her mother released her and went to take her seat.
Swallowing the lump in her throat, Holly swiveled to face Nick. She stepped under the wedding arch and gazed into his eyes.
This feels so right. I’m not afraid anymore.
Father William instructed the invitees to sit. As he continued welcoming everyone in the name of celebrating Nick and Holly’s love, Holly became strongly aware of her heartbeat. She listened to the priest’s words, feeling their importance, but she couldn’t tear her eyes off Nick. Handsome didn’t begin to cover it. He was dashing. Dare she say debonaire? Perhaps there wasn’t a proper word to describe how he looked. He was everything, all she ever wanted and all she would ever need.
Holly was highly conscious that everyone was watching her and that she and Nick were the center of attention. Though part of her mind was focused on the logistics of the ceremony, the emotional part of her brain was swooning. She was almost lost in disbelief that she and Nick were finally becoming one, knowing that in a matter of minutes, they would be bound to each other forever, that this was the beginning of her brand-new life. Her body tingled all over, and the giddiness made her grin.
“Dear friends,” Father William said, “Nick and Holly have prepared their vows, and it is their wish to recite them now in the presence of their family and loved ones.
Father William folded his hands and gave Nick a nod.
Nick returned the nod and took a deep breath. “Holly. From the first moment I saw you, I was under your spell. And I will willingly remain under this sweet, euphoric, intoxicating spell you’ve cast until time ends and the stars fade to black. Because with you, I feel young again. I feel whole. Complete. This”—he gestured between them—“makes sense. Every day, you take my breath away. I keep thinking this could all be a dream. If it is, I never want to wake up. I count myself lucky to stand beside you. Not just now, but through the years, for better or worse, and in every moment, every breath, my love for you will be there.”
Holly could have swooned. She took a second, letting Nick’s words seep into her heart and soul.
Father William looked her way, and she prepared herself for her turn.
“Nick.” Holly swallowed back happy tears. “Nicky. You’re such a good person. Such a good man. I can’t believe how blessed I am to have you in my world. To have you in my heart. As long as you are with me, I’m home. I was lost, and then I found you. You make me feel like I am exactly where I belong. And I want that feeling for the rest of my life. These last few weeks have shown me that we can’t predict what the future brings and what obstacles will be thrown in our way. But I know that as long as you’re with me and I have your love, you will have mine, and we can make it through anything.”
Father William raised his hands out at his sides. “May we please have the rings?”
Nick clicked his tongue, and Cupid came over to stand between him and Holly. Avery followed, crouching to retrieve the bands from the pouch Cupid wore. With a huge smile, Avery handed the corresponding rings to Nick and Holly. Holly passed her bouquet to Rachel.
“Holly and Nick, as you prepare to follow the path of marriage, I now ask for you to state your intentions. Do you, Nicholas Mason Jr., take Holly St. Ives to be your wife? Do you promise to be faithful to her, in good times and in bad, in sickness and health, to love and honor her all the days of your life?”
Though his eyes glistened with tears, Nick smiled. “I do.” He slipped the ring on her finger and squeezed her hand.
“Do you, Holly,” Father William continued, “take Nicholas Mason Jr. to be your husband? Do you promise to be faithful to him, in good times and in bad, in sickness and health, to love and honor him all the days of your life?”
“I do.” Holly wasn’t sure anyone heard her over the pounding of her heart. She slipped the ring onto his finger and then held on to his hands.
Father William smiled. “In sight of God and these witnesses, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Nick, you may kiss your bride.”
As Holly and Nick leaned in for their kiss, the guests rose to their feet and applauded. Wedding bells rang, echoing around them.
Father Williams raised his voice to be heard over the applause. “Ladies, gentlemen, and four-legged friends, for the first time ever, I introduce to you Mr. and Mrs. Nick and Holly Ma—”
“Holly, no!”
Gasps filled the winter garden as Grayson charged in, dragging Susan along with him despite her attempts to pull him back.
“Oh no.” Holly tensed, her neck aching from the sudden movement. “Grayson.”
Nick squared his shoulders. “How’d he—?”
“I’m sorry.” Frazzled, Susan smoothed her hair into place. “I tried to stop him.”
“Holly,” Grayson interrupted. “We have unfinished business.”
Sean, Eddie, and Rachel looked between themselves and Nick, unsure what to do. Nick shook his head, a silent plea in his eyes, urging them not to take any action. Holly was frozen, unable to move—unable to believe this was happening.
“Son,” Father Williams said calmly. “You’re too late.”
“It’s never too late,” Grayson insisted. “Holly and I belong together.”
“No, Grayson,” Holly said, her voice weak. “I’m with Nick. We’re married now.”
“Do you have any idea what lengths I went to prove my love for you?” Grayson’s hands were balled into fists.
The crowd murmured, clearly confused.
“Do you know how much I had to pay that caterer worker to look through the files for your address? Only for him to get fired and the company to lose their contract? He wouldn’t give me the address after that, so I was out that cash.”
Holly’s jaw dropped in disbelief.
“Can you imagine how hard it was for me to stand in that storm?” Grayson continued. “How difficult it was for me to get that branch through the dress shop window? I did that for you, Holly. That’s how much you mean to me.”
Holly felt the tears forming in her eyes. “You’re a sociopath.”
“But do you appreciate my efforts? Do you not see how hard I’m fighting for you?”
“Young man,” Father William said, his tone harsher now, “I suggest you leave the premises immediately.”
Grayson ignored him. “You know we’re meant to be, Holly,” he went on. “I forgive you for not yet realizing it. What do you say? Bygones?”
Holly ground her teeth. “The only bygones happening here is me saying bye and you being gone.”
“You heard her,” Nick said, stepping closer to Grayson. “It’s time for you to leave.”
“Don’t touch me.” Grayson sneered as he backed up. He noticed that Eddie, Sean, and the priest were all reaching for him. In his attempt to avoid their reach, he twisted, his arms flailing. The back of his foot caught on the altar’s base, and he lost his balance.
Grayson fell backward, barreling into the wedding arch. A crack resounded, followed by gasps from everyone in the room. The arch teetered, and Nick pulled Holly into his arms and out of harm’s way as it collapsed. Grayson was on the floor among the splinters, looking up at them with wide eyes.
Cupid let out a deep growl. As the first bark exploded through the room, it triggered the response of his siblings. Dasher slunk forward first, teeth bared. Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph traveled as a pack, all growling and snarling.
Grayson visibly swallowed, sweat forming on his brow. He scrambled to his feet and turned on his heel, pushing Father William out of his way as he darted toward the glass double doors. Knocking down a standing vase full of flowers, he tore the doors open and charged outside.
Cupid and his siblings stampeded after him. Their barks echoed through the frosty air. Dasher’s howl followed immediately after Cupid’s, which set off the yelps of the other dogs. Nick, Holly, and their guests hurried after the hounds. Their shrieks and hollers were drowned out by the cacophony of all nine Alaskan Malamutes barking and howling as they chased after the wedding crasher.
Nick stuck his thumb and forefinger between his teeth and whistled, but the dogs couldn’t be stopped. They were on an inexorable mission to chase down the threat.
The scarf that hung loosely from Grayson’s neck flew off. Grayson kicked up waves of snow as he scurried from the scene, desperate to outrun his pursuers. Holly saw him twist his head left and right but continue forward.
Right toward the frozen lake.
Oh no. Holly remembered the “Thin Ice” sign, which had been blocking the lake for weeks now.
The dogs had Grayson cut off from the shore. He darted onto the ice seemingly without thinking.
“Grayson, stop!” Nick called.
Grayson didn’t stop.
The entire wedding party and their guests gathered on the shore of the lake, incredulous as to what they were witnessing.
Cupid and his siblings slowed, not venturing any farther, but their howls and barks continued.
Before the sound of the crack reached her ears, one of Grayson’s legs disappeared beneath the ice. Holly was sure Grayson shrieked, but it was lost in the assemblage of noise coming from their friends and family.
Nick moved onto the frozen lake, slipping along the surface but holding his balance. “Grayson, hold on!”
“Nick, don’t!” Holly called after him. Her breathing was rushed, and her head swirled.
Grayson slipped some more, the lower half of his body below the lake’s surface.
“I’ve got some rope,” Jonas called out as he doubled back to the building.
Holly’s pulse hammered. Grayson’s eyes were wild with panic as he clung to the ice’s edge. The dogs had stopped howling, instead resorting to pacing near Grayson. They were careful enough to keep a distance from the danger zone.
Holly felt someone grab her arm and turned to see her mother, who mumbled something in Tagalog.
Holly put her arm around her mom. “It’s going to be okay.”
It felt like forever before Jonas had returned with a long, thick rope. All the while, Nick inched forward, trying to find a spot close enough to Grayson without endangering himself.
Jonas ran out to Nick, handing him some of the rope, and the two of them drew closer to the thin ice. Holly fleetingly wondered what the rope’s regular purpose was when it wasn’t being pulled out for a rescue.
Nick yelled something at Jonas that Holly couldn’t quite understand. Then, one end of the rope was hurled through the air toward Grayson, who struggled to catch it while clinging to the ice shelf for dear life.
Nick and Jonas wrapped their arms through the other end of the rope. They tried to pull but kept slipping along the icy surface, unable to get enough grip. A loud whistle hit the air, and the team of Malamutes promptly scooted forward. Each dog lined up and grabbed the rope with their mouths, and together with Nick’s instructions, they yanked the half-submerged Grayson out of the lake. They didn’t stop pulling until Grayson was clear, dragging him on his belly over the slippery surface.
Once Grayson was safe, Nick helped him up and supported his weight, assisting him back toward the building.
“Give them room,” Father William shouted. “We should all go back inside.”
The guests backed up but lingered, stunned by the incident and shivering from the chilly weather.
Grayson, being escorted by Nick, was soaked through and clearly frazzled. His eyes darted around the crowd of wedding guests. His fingers and ears were bright red, and his lips were turning blue.
“You’re going to need to get out of those wet clothes and warm up,” Nick told him. “You don’t want hypothermia to set in. I think we might have something to change into inside.”
“We’ve got some blankets,” Jonas said. “I’ll ask Susan to get them.”
Grayson’s brow furrowed as he stared at Nick. He looked defeated, standing there soaking wet and red in the face. “Wh-why are you helping me? I sabotaged your wedding. I’ve made the last few weeks a nightmare for you.”
Nick sighed and patted him on the back. “It’s the right thing to do. However awful you’ve been, you don’t deserve to die. We can deal with the consequences later.”
“I’ve already called the police,” Jonas added.
“Then I guess we’ll deal with the consequences sooner than we thought.” Nick shrugged and placed an arm around Holly.
Grayson turned to face Holly. He shivered and sniffled, and the corners of his mouth drew downward. “Holly. I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry.”
Holly held on to Nick. She had a feeling Grayson was only sorry he’d been caught. Still, she didn’t want him to have anything more to do with her special day. The police were on their way, and Grayson would be locked up for several charges.
“It stops now,” she said. “It’s over.”
Grayson stared at her for what seemed like forever. And then he nodded, and Holly averted her gaze.
Eddie and Jonas had a grip on each of Grayson’s arms. They escorted him somewhere to be detained until the cops showed up.
“Are you all right?” Holly asked Nick.
“I’m fine. Are you okay? You didn’t get hurt, did you?”
“Not physically, no.”
“The worst is over.” Nick lifted Holly’s chin with a finger. “I did promise you a life of adventure, didn’t I?”
Holly couldn’t help but laugh. “This isn’t exactly what I had in mind.”
Nick’s smile grew wider. “Well, don’t let the drama get you down. After all, we’ve got a party to throw, Mrs. Mason.”
Holly leaned into him. “I do like the sound of that.”