The Mills & Boon Christmas Wishes Collection. Maisey Yates

“I’d love to, if it still stands. And not only because of Micah. I don’t want you to think I’m the type of person who clutches on to any man…”

      I thought of her racing around the streets on her motorbike – she wasn’t the type to let a man dominate her. “I know that.”

      “It’s more that I finally feel like I fit. I can stop running for a while and make friendships that will last, you know?”

      I smiled, understanding she’d found a place to put down roots, to make a life with people she trusted, who wanted so much to be there for her. “I totally get it, Isla. And I’m so glad you chose us.”

      “OK, I’d better get back to it.” She couldn’t hide her happiness, it radiated from her.

      But it was all hands on deck inside, a flurry of activity, and I moved to help them, heart bursting for Micah and Isla.

      I took the lengths of golden tulle from the trestle table; it was soft as silk in my hands. Kai carefully extended the ladder to the ceiling so he could bolt the fabric from the middle point, and we could drape it along sections of wall. Under the lights, it would shine luminously and break up the monotony of the wood, giving the room a touch of old Hollywood glamour.

      I handed a section to Kai and he climbed up the ladder. “Here?” he asked, gathering the material.

      “A little to the left… more… yes.”

      With quick steps, he was back down the ladder, attaching the bottom half to the wall above the pictures we’d hung.

      After double-checking the preparations I sent everyone off to rest and get ready for the party, and headed to my suite.

      Upstairs, I ran a bath, figuring I could steal ten extra minutes to soak the anxiety away as best I could, before a long night on my feet. Though my limbs were heavy, I was full of energy. All the hard work had been done – and in this case, renovating the lodge thrown into the mix – and now we could enjoy the fruits of our labors, by making sure Imelda and Edgar had one of the best nights of their lives.

      I undressed and stepped into the rose-scented bath, trying my hardest to relax, but my body wouldn’t cooperate, thinking of this and that I’d forgotten to do. Groaning, I climbed out, toweled myself dry and debated what to wear.

      Eventually I decided on a navy-blue jersey dress that hugged my frame and gathered on one side. I stepped into a pair of wedges of the same hue, and applied makeup and a slick of gloss. I was eager to get downstairs, and didn’t bother with any more primping and preening. It was almost as though I could hear Amory’s voice. She’d be admonishing me for not making up my eyes, and fussing with my hair. I really missed her. We’d always hosted parties as a team, but I’d make her proud, doing this on my own in my dream location. My beautiful old lodge.

       Chapter Fifteen

      I gasped. Imelda was transformed, wearing a scarlet dress with a faux-fur wrap, and her shiny red heels. Her ash-gray hair had been set and fell in soft curls around her shoulders. Behind her, pushing the chair, Edgar was suited up, and this time I noted the hem of his pants covered his ankles.

      I rushed to greet them. “You both look very dashing,” I said. “Imelda, you’re sparkling like a movie star.”

      “A very old one.”

      I bent to kiss her, and stood to shake Edgar’s hand. He was cold, I noticed, his hand clammy. “I’ll get the fires stoked up a little more. It’s freezing out tonight.”

      “Thanks, dear. Now let us see the ballroom. I’ve heard it’s as pretty as a picture.”

      Edgar remained silent, but gave me a smile. Maybe he was nervous. The entire town had heard about the party, and each day the numbers increased. I worried the costs would jump too high, but they assured me it was fine. They wanted to have the time of their lives no matter what.

      The double doors of the ballroom were swung open, revealing the room in all its glory. Round tables were dressed with white tablecloths and adorned with candelabra and glittery white candles. Champagne flutes stood proud. The tulle ruffled slightly as we walked in, the gauzy material casting a shadowy hue over the room. Vases of bright, colorful blooms perfumed the air. The fire was crackling softly in the background, a nice soundtrack to the party.

      “Oh, my lord. It’s the most beautiful room ever. How on earth did you do this in such a short space of time, my dear? I was expecting… I don’t know, just the bare minimum, but this… it’s so elegant.”

      “I had a great team of people who helped every step of the way. Let me show you the photo wall.” I took the handles of the wheelchair so Edgar could see them up close too.

      Edgar shook his head, and took a handkerchief from his top pocket. “Remember that day, Mellie?” He pointed to a shot of the family sitting at the top of the Grand Canyon. “You thought we’d be able to climb down there, and got all uppity when that ranger told you off.”

      She laughed. “What was I thinking? Such a troublemaker back then.”

      When they came to their wedding photo, they clasped hands and remained silent, their eyes wandering slowly over it, taking in every detail.

      “You both looked so happy,” I said.

      “We were, gosh, we really were. It’s hard to believe it’s almost over,” Imelda said, her voice barely audible.

      “We haven’t even started yet,” I said. “We’ve got the whole night.” It struck me later she wasn’t referring to the party.

      ***

      The party was in full swing, music played from unseen speakers, and the tap of high heels could be heard all the way to the lobby. I’d got my wish: Cedarwood had been given the kiss of life once more, and I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face.

      I rushed back to the ballroom, champagne bottles clutched against my chest. Kai took the bottles from me, and stowed all but one behind the bar. He went around topping up glasses ready for the speeches. I motioned for Isla and Micah, who each grabbed another bottle and followed suit.

      With a wink at Edgar, a sign for him to get ready, I fiddled with the microphone, adjusting the height for him. I gave him a nod, and handed the microphone over, then tapped a champagne glass with a spoon in an effort to get everyone’s attention.

      Edgar stood tall and proud, and nodded to the guests. He cleared his throat, and said, “Bear with an old man tonight, folks… Allow me this moment. You know, not all of us are lucky in love. Some people find love but lose it, some only have an imitation of the real thing. Others search for it their whole lives, never quite catching it, but always believing it’s there if only you try hard enough. Me and Mellie were part of that exclusive club of lucky ones. We knew it from the moment we laid eyes on each other, what we’d found, and we cherished that these last fifty years, trying not to take it for granted. There were times where our love dimmed, those periods in a marriage where things get hard, and the only reason the light didn’t fade to black was because we worked on it. We worked hard on it, knowing that it was a rocky patch and that we could beat anything that tried to pull us apart. Our kids grew up, and moved out, and are a great source of pride to us – they’re good people with big hearts, and that’s all you can ask in a person. And then there’s you. Those who’ve been with us since our marriage, and those we’ve only just met…” He nodded to me, smiling. “You’ve enriched our lives, and added to our story, and we want to thank you for that. Imelda and I wish you all lives filled with love and joy and happiness, and hope you find what you’re looking for. If you’ll indulge an old man once more, allow me to say this: life really is what you make it, so don’t settle for second best. Grab hold of it and shake it up, follow your dreams – because one day you’ll wake up, and if you’re lucky enough you’ll be seventy-six and standing where I am and wondering where on earth did all that time go? From the bottom of our hearts,