Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
When Carissa entered Bea’s, Lanie was waiting for her. To Carissa’s surprise and immense relief, the man sitting beside Lanie was Nate, not Max. Still, she covertly searched the rest of the restaurant to make sure he wasn’t lurking somewhere.
“Good morning, Lanie. Nate.” Carissa smiled. “I’m sorry I couldn’t meet sooner, but my schedule has become rather busy as of late.”
“It’s fine,” Lanie said, her voice higher pitched than normal.
Immediately, Carissa was on high alert. Something, or perhaps someone, was making Lanie nervous. Carissa took another cursory glance around the diner but saw no sign of Max.
“We wanted to discuss revisiting the arch,” Nate said, bringing Carissa’s attention back to the conversation.
“Oh?” Carissa’s stomach flipped. The only thing worse than having Max attend the meeting was talking about that blasted arch. If she never had to think about wedding arches again, it would be too soon.
“I had dinner with my dad last night, and we had a long talk,” Lanie said, and Carissa was relieved to hear her voice return to normal. “While he still hasn’t shown me the arch, he said he’s working with your measurements to make sure it fits in the church.” Lanie took a deep breath. “But he’s also been working on a desk that we can use for the ceremony in case the arch won’t work.”
“How accommodating of him,” Carissa said, unable to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.
Lanie stiffened. “I know you aren’t on good terms.”
The talent of understatement must be a family trait. Carissa waved a dismissive hand. “That’s not important right now. What matters is what you want for your wedding.”
Lanie and Nate exchanged a glance.
“Well, that’s the thing,” Lanie said. “We want to keep the final arch a surprise.” She gave a nervous laugh. “I mean, I saw it in its unfinished monstrosity when everything came out the other day, but Dad’s keeping both the smaller version and the desk under wraps until the big day.”
A silence fell over the table as Carissa digested their words and what they likely meant. Her lips parted, the no on the tip of her tongue.
“And so,” Nate hurried on before Carissa could say anything, “we were hoping you would view them both and decide which one would work best.”
“I don’t think?—”
“As our wedding planner, your opinion matters.” Lanie gave her a meaningful look. “And you would know best what works with our vision.”
Carissa stifled a groan. What Lanie hadn’t said was they were paying Carissa to bring their vision to life, which meant she needed to view the arch to determine whether it would work.
Still, she wasn’t about to give in without a fight. “I would suggest you forgo adding any unnecessary distractions to the ceremony space. The church is beautiful as it is.”
Lanie frowned. “But my father wants to be a part of the day?—”
“Which will happen without including his hobby.” Carissa hated herself for being so cold, but she didn’t want to spend any more time alone with Max McAllister than was absolutely necessary.
Nate’s eyes vacillated between Lanie and Carissa, and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. It was clear he wanted to be there even less than Carissa did. But she presumed Lanie had insisted he attend to present a united front.
Is avoiding Max worth upsetting a client? The thought came unbidden to Carissa’s mind, but she pushed it away. She saw no reason they couldn’t continue with the wedding without such an unnecessary hiccup.
Then Lanie bit her lip and lowered her gaze. “He won’t say it, but he misses you.”
A knife to the heart would have been more subtle. Carissa took a calming breath in through her nose and released it through her mouth. “I appreciate your concern, but my relationship with your father is not up for discussion.”
“That’s fine,” Nate said suddenly, catching both Carissa and Lanie off guard. “But as your clients, we are telling you we want one of Max’s wood pieces in the wedding ceremony.” He slid an arm around Lanie’s shoulders. “It’s important to her that one of her father’s handcrafted pieces be a part of our day, which means it matters to me, and it should matter to you.”
Darn it. How could she argue with that? While she’d never fully bought into the saying about the customer always being right, in the current instance, he was. Were they any other clients, she wouldn’t have even blinked at such a request. She had to admit that the only reason she was resisting was because of Max.
Stifling a sigh, she nodded. “You’re right. I’m sorry. This is unprofessional of me.” Though the words burned her throat, she continued, “I will contact Max and set up a time to see the pieces. Then I’ll get back to you with my recommendation.”
Lanie’s eyes lit up. “Thank you. We really appreciate it.”
“Now, let’s talk about the seating chart,” Carissa said, desperate to change the subject. “While we’re still waiting to hear from a few people, we have a pretty good guesstimate of the head count.”
Though she tried to put off calling Max for as long as possible, by Thursday, Lanie had begun sending her daily text messages asking for a status update. While Carissa could try to blame it on Max, his daughter wouldn’t buy that since she’d probably seen Max since the meeting.
Carissa planned to call him that afternoon, once she’d finished her weekly grocery shopping and tied up a few loose ends with the retreat. Fate must have had other plans because when she turned the corner to the bread aisle, she almost ran smack into Max.
His eyes met hers, and several emotions flashed through them. Some, she expected—anger, resentment, and even fear. But as all of the other reactions faded away, a look of longing stayed.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she put a hand to her chest. “S-sorry. I didn’t see you there.” Spinning the large cart around in the aisle was no easy feat, but she tried to make as hasty a retreat as she could.
“Carissa.” Her name on his lips felt like a caress, and she squeezed her eyes shut as if she could make him disappear.
He shifted forward and put his hand lightly on her arm. “We need to talk.”
She shook her head, stepping away from him. “Not here.”
“I can come by your place?—”
“No,” she said quickly, opening her eyes. The last thing she wanted was that man in her personal space. Besides, she’d promised Lanie and Nate she would assess the arch and desk. “Let me drop off these groceries at home, and then I’ll come to you.”
There was a beat of silence, and she held her breath. Part of her hoped he would say it wasn’t convenient, which was stupid since he’d just offered to meet at her house.
“All right,” he finally agreed. “I’ll see you soon.”
The words were said kindly, but it felt like a threat nonetheless. Once she was sure he wasn’t going to add anything else, she tore back down the aisle. Not wanting to risk running into him several more times, she abandoned her cart and rushed out of the store.
Instead of heading home, she drove twenty minutes across town to another store. She felt silly for going to all that trouble to avoid him, but she needed time. Seeing him there had shaken her more than she wanted to admit.
The relief she felt at entering the new store was palpable. But as she shopped, she was reminded why she never went there. Their selection left a lot to be desired, and everything was overpriced.
Oh well. At least I can get my groceries without a side of drama. She lingered over each item on her list. The longer she stayed in the store, the less time she would have to spend in Max’s presence.
Yet even as she dreaded the moment she would have to abandon the pretense of shopping and head over there, she also yearned for it. In their brief meeting, she’d realized that the longing she saw in his eyes was reflected in her own. The simple fact of the matter was she missed him.
When she finally ran out of stalling tactics, she checked out and went home. It took her no time at all to put everything away. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her keys and purse before forcing herself to walk to her car.
The drive over seemed to simultaneously last forever and end in the blink of an eye. To her surprise, the garage door was open, revealing Max’s woodworking shop in all its dusty glory. As she climbed out of the car, she steeled herself for another argument.
At the sound of her car door slamming, Max stepped out of the garage and waved. “Come on in. I’ve got the arch uncovered and ready for your inspection.”
She followed him into the garage, and as he’d promised, the arch was unveiled in all its glory. Even without closer inspection, it was clearly narrower than the first time she’d seen it. After digging in her bag, she removed her measuring tape and her phone. Then she refreshed her memory on the measurements of the church and measured the arch.
“I took about a foot off each half at the top,” Max said. His voice shook, and Carissa breathed easier, knowing he was having a rough time with her visit too.
Once she finished taking measurements, she leaned back and pursed her lips. As he’d promised his daughter, Max had managed to alter the arch to fit into the church. But it was still a huge inconvenience.
“And the desk?” she asked, keeping her tone professional and detached.
“It’s here.” He gestured to a small rectangular table.
She hesitated, not wanting to be in such close proximity to him. As if reading her mind, he took a few steps back.
Goodness, this is awkward. But she kept her emotions in check as she examined the table. To her, it made the most sense for the wedding. Lanie and Nate were having a unity candle ceremony, and the piece was just the right size to hold the two individual candles that would join a flame on a large candle in the center.
And yet… Turning back to the arch, she could understand why Max had insisted on creating it. The piece was striking, with intricate leaves and flowers carved into the wood. Though it didn’t go with Lanie’s aesthetic, it had enough indentations and curves to make it easy to decorate with garlands and other Christmas décor.
“We could drape it with cloth to make it less one-dimensional,” Max suggested. He lifted the cover and twisted it to demonstrate what he meant.
“Flowers and garland would work better.” Carissa pressed her lips together. She hadn’t meant to say that out loud. Until she’d determined which option was best, she didn’t want to give him false hope.
He tilted his head as he surveyed the arch. “I could see that.”
Glancing back at the table, she leaned closer. “Unfortunately, we’d be covering much of the design on this with a cloth to protect it from the wax.”
“Oh.” He frowned. “I hadn’t thought of that.”
A small smile pulled at her lips. “That’s why I’m here.” He gave her a tentative smile in return, which made her heart flutter. “At the same time, I’m still not sold on the arch. It does appear to fit the measurements I gave you, and I believe it will physically fit into the church, especially since it’s in two pieces.” She tilted her head. “But it’s going to be difficult to transport, and we’d have to move it in and out of the church the day of the wedding.”
When Max didn’t immediately respond, she risked a glance at him, expecting to find his face flushed with anger. Instead, he stared at the arch as if assessing it from a different perspective.
“What if I take full responsibility for moving it?” he asked. “It’ll fit in my truck, and I can get Steven to help me carry it the day of the ceremony.”
Carissa tapped her chin. “I hate to ask this, but could you haul it over to the church now? It would help me to visualize how it would look the day of the wedding.”
Max’s face lit up. “I can get it in my truck and bring it over.”
“Uh, maybe find someone to help you lift it,” Carissa advised with a rueful smile.
He pulled himself up to his full height. “I’m stronger than I look.”
“Be that as it may, I don’t want to have to tell Lanie you won’t be able to walk her down the aisle on her wedding day because you threw your back out.” She began typing on her phone. “I’ll ask Nate if he can spare a few guys once I get the go-ahead from the pastor to stage this in the church.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Max shuffled his feet. “Do you have a minute? I can make us a cup of coffee.”
Her immediate instinct was to say no, but something about his demeanor made him appear more vulnerable and open than she had ever seen him. Against her better judgment, she nodded.
Max moved toward the entrance to the house and pushed the button to close the garage. Then he led her out of his workshop and into the kitchen. He indicated a seat at the table while he made the coffee. A few minutes later, a piping-hot cup was placed in front of her.
“Thank you,” she said, keeping her eyes on the steam swirling out of her mug.
Sinking into the chair opposite her with a sigh, Max set his mug on the table and wrapped his hands around it. Neither of them said anything.
“I’m sorry for the way I acted after Lanie found out about the arch,” Max said, breaking the silence. “I didn’t handle the situation well, and I said a lot of hurtful things to both you and Lanie.”
“I appreciate your apology,” Carissa said.
He seemed to wait for her to say more, and when she didn’t, he continued, “But it doesn’t change anything?”
She met his gaze. “I didn’t say that.”
A spark of hope flashed in his eyes. “I’d like to start over?—”
“I’m not ready for that.”
He frowned. “Why not?”
Why not, indeed. A war waged inside of her, and she had no idea which would win—her head or her heart. On the one hand, she missed Max. When she lost Chuck, she expected to spend the rest of her life alone. But the more time she’d spent with Max, the more she wondered if it was possible to have two great loves in her life.
On the other hand, Max was stubborn and set in his ways. While she was glad he and Lanie had made up, they were family, and kin tended to overlook shortcomings because of the whole blood is thicker than water belief. Carissa wasn’t sure she could get past the things he’d said and the way he’d treated her.
She chewed her lip as she debated her next words. Max was laying his cards on the table. It made sense for her to do the same.
“I’m not sure you fully comprehend what could have happened as a direct result of your actions.” She leaned forward. “Lanie may just be one client of many, but she’s a pillar in this community. The wedding side of my business is based mostly on word of mouth at this point. I enjoy the privilege of not having to reinvest my profits into advertising dollars, which has freed that money up for the expansion into corporate events.” She shook her head. “One bad review from a client can devastate small businesses like mine, and by putting me in the middle of your relationship with your daughter, you risked that livelihood.”
He put his head in his hands. “I realize that now, and I’m sorry.” But when he raised his head again, she recognized the stubborn lines forming around his mouth. “At the same time, it might have made more sense for you to tell me that you couldn’t keep the secret from Lanie rather than going forward with seeing the arch.”
That was a fair argument. She had no excuse for why she hadn’t refused to keep the secret when he’d asked. Perhaps things would have worked out differently if she’d insisted on telling Lanie from the start.
“I understand your work is important to you,” Max continued. “Sometimes, I wonder if you had the right idea in the beginning.”
Although she could guess what he meant by that, she wanted clarification. “I don’t understand.”
He sighed. “About holding off on any sort of relationship until after Lanie’s wedding. If we weren’t dating, I wouldn’t have roped you into seeing the arch surprise, and maybe we could have started with a fresh, conflict-free slate. But what’s done is done, and now I must ask if there’s room in your life for anything beyond your expanding business.”
She blinked. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means I want to be with you.” He gestured between them. “You and I have a good thing going here, or at least, we did until everything blew up. I understand how important your business is to you. I need to know if that’s always going to be your priority.”
“Like I said, it’s my livelihood.”
His forehead wrinkled as if he was struggling to find the right words. “Can you see yourself building a future with me?”
That caught her off guard, especially given his reaction when she’d asked about marriage. “We’ve only been on a few dates.”
He laughed. “I’m not proposing.” His expression turned serious. “But I’m also not getting any younger, and, well, I want to give us a real shot.”
If he’d said something like that over the summer, she would have laughed. The Max she’d known then was not like the Max she’d come to know since. He’d opened up to her, shown her his vulnerabilities. And there he was, asking her not only to forgive him for his mistake for his daughter’s sake but also to give their budding romance another chance.
She sipped her coffee to buy some time. As much as she’d missed him, she wasn’t sure she could trust him. He might be questioning her priorities, but she’d already seen how he put family before anyone or anything else.
“I need time,” she murmured, pushing back from the table to leave.
The disappointment in his eyes almost made her reconsider, then he nodded.
“Take all the time you need.”
As Carissa had expected, the rest of the month leading up to the wedding was filled with hectic last-minute plans. Unlike Rose and Steven’s wedding, which had been planned for two years, Lanie had given Carissa less than six months. That she had been able to pull it together at all still felt like a miracle. The McAllisters had even come through with their cookie plans. Lanie and Rose had dropped off the homemade favors the night before.
But they’d finally made it. It was the day before the wedding, and Carissa was getting dressed for the rehearsal. The pastor had agreed to let them set up the arch and desk that afternoon, and Carissa was excited to see Lanie’s reaction.
After Max had taken the arch to the church, Carissa had finally been able to envision what it would look like on the day of the ceremony. The moment he’d set it up at the front of the sanctuary, all her objections died on her lips. The piece was truly beautiful.
While Carissa had suggested they wait until the day of the wedding to allow Lanie to get the full effect with all her guests, Max had insisted that his daughter see it beforehand in case she wanted to make any changes. His care and concern for Lanie’s happiness had helped dissolve Carissa’s remaining doubts about him. She couldn’t wait until the wedding was over because she hoped to give their romance a second chance.
Once she was dressed, she headed to the church. She wanted to get there early to make sure everything was set up for her bride-to-be.
As she climbed out of her car, she grabbed a small bouquet of fake flowers she always used for brides during their rehearsals. A lone familiar truck sat in the parking lot near the church entrance. She climbed the stairs, anticipation building as she entered the doorway.
Max sat alone in a pew, staring at the arch. She quietly crept down the aisle and slid in beside him. If he was surprised by her sudden appearance, he didn’t show it.
“What are you doing here so early?” she asked.
“What do you mean early?” he scoffed. “I never left after the guys helped me bring in the arch.”
“Why?”
He shrugged. “Lanie wanted the house to herself for her and her bridesmaids. I didn’t want to be in the way.” His gaze slid to her. “Besides, I figured you’d come before everyone else and we’d have a moment alone.”
“Something on your mind?”
“Just you,” he said simply, turning to face her. “And a question you asked me once.”
“Oh? What’s that?”
“Whether I’d get married again.”
She stiffened. His reaction to her asking that question hadn’t endeared him to her. While she understood him better now, his immediate rejection of the idea had stung at the time.
He covered her hand with his. “I was wondering if I could change my answer.”
She swallowed, unsure of what to say. “Um… Sure?”
“After my divorce, I swore off relationships entirely. I didn’t want to even date, let alone consider marriage again.” His eyes searched her face. “Maybe it was watching my children find their own joy in matrimony. Or maybe it was spending this time with you, but I would like to get married again.” He smiled. “Someday.”
The emotions coursing through her were overwhelming. She tried to lighten the mood. “You’ll have to let me plan your wedding.”
“Hmm, I was thinking more of a destination type of deal.”
“Really?” She raised an eyebrow. “To where?”
“Well, I’m not one for traveling, as I hate flying. But maybe somewhere drivable.” A sudden gleam came to his eye. “Deep Creek, perhaps?”
Her heart in her throat, she opened and closed her mouth but couldn’t find the words. She was saved from responding by laughter outside the church door. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm her pounding heart.
“Oh my goodness!” Lanie squealed from the back of the church. “It’s gorgeous.” She rushed to their pew.
Max gave Carissa’s hand a squeeze before he released it and stood to greet his daughter. Together, they stepped out of the pew, and Lanie threw her arms around her dad’s neck.
“Thank you, Daddy. I love it.”
“I thought you would,” Carissa said with a smile. Her mind still whirled from what Max had said, but she had a better handle on her emotions. “I ordered a few garlands and poinsettias from that silk flower site you sent me. We could wrap them around the arch to make it more Christmasy.”
Lanie nodded with enthusiasm. “That sounds perfect!”
Several people filed into the church with Nate, Steven, and Rose leading the way. The wedding party and some out-of-town guests Carissa had yet to meet moved toward the arch.
“Wow, Mr. McAllister,” Nate said. “That’s quite a talent you’ve got there.” His dark eyes examined the arch with appreciation.
“Isn’t it about time you called me Max? You’re about to be family, after all.”
“Would ‘Dad’ be too forward?” Lanie teased as she stepped away from her father and grabbed her fiancé’s hand.
“Let’s not push it.”
Then the pastor came through the side door. “Welcome, everyone.” He gestured to Lanie and Nate. “Are you ready to begin?”
Lanie exchanged a glance with Nate then nodded. “Let’s do it!”
For the next hour, the pastor and Carissa worked together to line up the processional and walk through the ceremony. They went through it all a couple of times to ensure everyone knew when to enter and where to stand.
“All right. Everyone appears to have a better idea of what to expect tomorrow,” the pastor said. “I’ll open the church around eight in the morning for decorating, but please tell me if you need anything between now and then.”
Before everyone dispersed, Carissa clapped. “Bea is holding several tables for us at her diner. Please make your way there as soon as possible.”
She waited until most of the party had left before grabbing her things to leave as well. While Bea’s was not her first choice for a rehearsal dinner, Lanie and Nate had insisted. It held sentimental value from their many dates there as teens.
When she came out of the church, Max was sitting on the stairs, hunched over seemingly to protect himself from the bitter December cold. He looked up at the sound of her footsteps.
“You didn’t have to wait for me.”
He shrugged. “I wanted one more moment alone with you before everything gets crazy.”
They descended the church stairs together and went out to the parking lot. She opened her car door and put away her wedding binder before facing him. “I have an answer to your question.”
His eyebrows pulled together. “My question?”
“About whether I could see a future with you.”
“Oh.” He swallowed. “And?”
Her heart pounded as she took a deep breath. “I want to make room in my life for a future with you.”
The way his whole face lit up caused her stomach to flip. Without a word, he leaned forward and cupped her cheek. Then he brushed his lips gently against hers. Warmth spread from her face, down her neck, and to the tips of her toes.
Too soon, he pulled away, but he didn’t release her face. “I was wondering…”
She raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”
“How would you feel about me tagging along on your corporate retreat in October?”
Her mouth fell open in surprise. October was months away. Why was he thinking so far ahead?
“Um… It shouldn’t be a problem, but I expect I’m going to be very busy. We may not be able to spend much of that time together.”
“That’s okay. I’d just like to be there with you, and for you. To help where I can.”
Her heart melted. “That would be lovely.”
He kissed her again before stepping back with apparent reluctance. “We’d better go.”
As he turned to leave, she called out to him. “Save me a dance tomorrow.”
“I’ll save you all of them.”
As much as Carissa loved working with her brides and planning their big days, she tended to hate the wedding itself. The planning was fun because everyone was usually relaxed and excited. But the day itself never failed to cause her a big ball of stress. Something always went wrong, and she had so much to keep track of, she sometimes felt like she momentarily had gone insane.
Lanie’s wedding was no exception. Carissa had gotten to the church early with a few volunteers to start decorating the church. Another team, mostly Nate’s friends, worked in the reception hall. Thankfully, the caterer was overseeing that, though Carissa would swing by before everything got started.
Meanwhile, the bride and groom were in their respective homes, getting ready. Max had texted multiple times, complaining about the level of estrogen in his house. He’d begged to assist Carissa, but she kept telling him he needed to be there for his daughter. Based on his grumpy replies, that wasn’t what he wanted to hear.
The morning passed quickly as Carissa ran around making sure everything was perfect for her clients. For a few moments, she forgot it was Christmas Eve. Usually, it was one of her favorite holidays, but she’d barely had time that month to go shopping let alone enjoy the holiday season.
Luckily, the church was already decorated for Christmas with a large tree covered in gold and white ornaments. A swag with pine cones and red ribbons adorned the pulpit, while green garland with red bows wrapped around the altar railing. But Carissa had added more greenery to the arch itself as well as red roses, white lilies, and holly berries.
Before she knew it, it was half past two. The wedding was due to start at three. Nate and his groomsmen milled about the church as guests arrived. There was no word on the bride yet, but Carissa had told Max to keep Lanie at the house until the last minute to avoid any opportunity for the groom to sneak a peek before the wedding.
As the clock ticked closer to three, Carissa suggested the groom and groomsmen get into place. Her phone buzzed in her pocket with a text from Max confirming he, Lanie, and the rest of the wedding party had arrived. The time had come.
The guests were ushered into their seats, and the pastor entered the church through the side entrance, just as he had the night before. At his nod, Carissa headed to the back of the church to begin the processional.
As she stepped out into the bright afternoon sun, she lifted her hand over her eyes. Lanie stood at the bottom of the staircase with one of her bridesmaids fussing about her train. Her blond hair was pulled up on the sides and curled in the back. A simple lace veil cascaded gently over her curls.
Carissa put a hand to her chest. Seeing a bride for the first time on her wedding day always brought a tear to Carissa’s eye. But something about that particular bride stuck with her. Perhaps it was her involvement with the family, having planned Steven and Rose’s wedding as well. Or it could have been her feelings for Max and what she hoped the wedding signified for their future. Whatever the reason, it took her a moment longer than usual to compose herself, but once she had, she descended the stairs.
“Lanie, you look beautiful.” Carissa allowed her gaze to sweep over the rest of the bridesmaids. As the maid of honor, Rose wore a stunning green gown with cap sleeves and a V-neckline. The other bridesmaids wore similar gowns, but their sleeves were long and sheer. Each dress had a red sash to coordinate with the Christmas décor.
When Carissa finally turned to Max, her breath caught in her throat. He wore a black tuxedo with a red tie. A boutonniere of a red silk rose surrounded by green leaves and holly berries hung loose and lopsided on his lapel.
Without asking, Carissa went to him and straightened the flower before pinning it more securely. She didn’t miss the way his eyes traveled over her. Glancing at her outfit, she was pleased with the way her simple red dress suit hugged her curves.
“That dress is going to put the bride to shame,” Max whispered, grabbing her hand and pressing his lips to her knuckles.
“Don’t say that,” she scolded playfully. “Your daughter is beautiful.”
“She is,” he agreed, giving Carissa another once-over. “But you’re gorgeous.”
“You’re distracting me.” She addressed the rest of the wedding party. “All right, ladies. It’s time to start the processional.” After searching for the flower girl, she found one of Lanie’s students standing wide-eyed near the bridesmaids. “Beth? Come here, please. And where is Robert?”
“Here.” Robert stepped forward.
“You two are up first.” Carissa handed the ring bearer pillow to Robert and a bouquet to Beth. “Are you ready?”
They nodded, and Carissa led them up the stairs to the church door. She peeked inside and signaled the pianist, who began to play the music Lanie had chosen, the traditional Irish ballad “Red Is the Rose.” She gave each child a gentle push, and they began their procession to the front of the church.
Next, Carissa sent Trudy then Tocarra down the aisle. Finally, it was Rose’s turn. Carissa gave her a quick hug.
“It’s hard to believe only a few months ago, we were at your wedding.”
“And maybe in the not-so-distant future, we’ll be at yours,” Rose quipped with a meaningful glance back at Max.
Carissa’s face warmed, and she averted her gaze before gesturing for Rose to make her way to the front of the church.
Once everyone was assembled, Carissa again signaled to the pianist, and the music changed from “Red Is the Rose” to “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri. Tears pricked behind her eyes as her latest bride began her walk down the aisle to her future. Max glanced back and winked at her before focusing on the task before him.
As the wedding continued and Lanie and Nate promised themselves to each other, Rose’s words echoed in Carissa’s mind. And maybe in the not-so-distant future, we’ll be at yours. The idea of getting married again both thrilled and terrified her. It was too soon to even consider that with Max. They’d only just begun. But if the past year of spending time with the McAllisters had taught her anything, it was not to take anything for granted and to make the most of the time she had.