It seemed fitting that Alex and Marissa would wait a year and have a Christmas wedding in Bluebonnet Springs. Marissa stood in the fellowship hall of the church as her mom made the last adjustments to her hair and veil.
“You look beautiful,” her mom told her as she kissed Marissa on the cheek. “You were right, this dress is perfect.”
Marissa looked in the mirror, pleased with what she saw. She kept her hair shoulder-length now but it had been pinned up with tendrils curling loosely around her face. The veil hung just to her neck. The dress was slim-fitting white velvet and with few adornments.
“Mom, thank you. For loving me. And for being here today.”
“I think I’m more here than I’ve been in a very long time,” Mary told her daughter. “I’m sorry that it took so long.”
Marissa hugged her mom. “No regrets. Let’s just live the best life we can from this day forward.”
“Yes, from this day forward.” Her mom dabbed at her eyes. “From this day forward you will be Marissa Palermo. No longer my little girl, but a wife. And someday a mother.”
“Stop. You’ll make me cry.”
“That’ll make three of us,” Maria said as she sashayed close in her dark red velvet bridesmaid’s dress. “Your dad is at the door. It’s almost time. Lucy is ready, too.”
Her bridesmaid and her matron of honor. It was a simple wedding and Marissa couldn’t have been happier. She kissed her mother’s cheek one last time before she left to go find her seat in the church. And then Marissa walked out the door and took hold of her father’s arm.
They walked around the building to the front of the church. Christmas lights twinkled in the shrubs on either side of the door. From inside she could hear Bea singing a song about forever. Marissa’s dad patted her arm and then he led her up the steps and through the doors. She watched as her bridesmaids and groomsmen made their way down the aisle. And then her flower girl, Dane and Lucy’s daughter, Lily, followed. She tossed flower petals in the air with gleeful giggles that Marissa had informed everyone was perfect. The child couldn’t see, but she knew the number of steps to the front of the church and then Lucy would be there to guide her.
Bea’s song ended. She laughed and said that she was so happy that Alex had been so neighborly to her friend Marissa, because now they were going to be a husband and wife. And wasn’t that just the cat’s meow. Soft laughter rippled through the congregation.
The wedding march began and Marissa’s dad walked her down the aisle to the man of her dreams. A man she might have missed out on if her last groom hadn’t left her for the caterer.
She knew that sometimes things happened for the very best reasons. The man standing at the front of this church was God’s plan for her life.
Alex was her forever groom. And she was his Christmas bride.
* * * * *
If you loved this story,
pick up the first book in the miniseries,
SECOND CHANCE RANCHER,
from bestselling author Brenda Minton
And be sure to check out these other great books:
HER RANCHER BODYGUARD
THE RANCHER’S FIRST LOVE
THE RANCHER’S SECOND CHANCE
THE RANCHER TAKES A BRIDE
A RANCHER FOR CHRISTMAS
Available now from Love Inspired!
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Keep reading for an excerpt from THE CHRISTMAS BABY by Lisa Carter.
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