Eve's Christmas Wedding: A Christmas Central Romantic Comedy, #6

By Caroline Mickelson

Wedding planner Eve Bennington has her Christmas all thought out, down to the last Mai Tai she plans to savor once she reaches Hawaii. But her plans quickly go awry when her very pregnant business partner insists that Eve do a favor for Santa's niece. The problem? Santa isn't real. Or so Eve believes until she and her ex-boyfriend Hunter find themselves on a sleigh pulled by eight shaggy reindeer. Their destination? The North Pole. Their mission? To pull together a very last minute Christmas Eve wedding. Eve's problem? Finding out that Santa Claus really does exist challenges everything Eve thinks she knows, including her belief that she and Hunter don't belong together.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bon Accord Press
• Release date: Nov 27, 2015
• ISBN: 9781533763204

Book preview

1

A Christmas wedding? Eve Bennington, one of Manhattan’s most prestigious wedding planners, eyed the woman who sat across her office desk. As in this Christmas? You've got to be kidding me. You know how I feel about the holidays.

How can I forget? You remind me every year. Staci, Eve's best friend since the sixth grade and now her business partner, crossed her arms across her chest. Eve, just trust me when I say that we need to not only plan this wedding, we need to pull out all the stops.

A silent stand-off between the two women ensued. To Eve's knowledge, she and Staci had never actually disagreed about anything more substantial than where to have lunch. In fact, considering that they were as opposite as any two women could be, it was amazing how compatible they were. Whereas Eve preferred to spend her quiet evenings with a book and a mug of cocoa, Staci was a social butterfly who loved parties and champagne. While Eve was a tall, slender, brown-eyed brunette, Staci was petite, with blond curls and bright blue eyes. But their biggest difference was that Staci loved Christmas. Eve detested it.

This is something we need to do, Eve, Staci reiterated.

Eve raised an eyebrow. Why would you even consider this? It’s not like we need the money. She looked pointedly at Staci’s very pregnant waistline. You’ll be on maternity leave and I will be on a beach in Kauai over Christmas. Neither of us are in a position to change our plans.

Staci wrapped her hands around her bundle of joy-to-be. That’s true enough for me. But you can still change your plans. Fly out to Hawaii right after the holidays and extend your trip a few extra days into January. We don't have a single thing planned between New Year and the tenth of January.

Yes, I know, because we planned it that way. Eve pushed away from her desk and swiveled around in her chair. She fixed her gaze on the tree lined street below so that she could compose herself without having to look into her best friend’s hopeful eyes. Had Staci flat out lost her mind? Or was this temporary insanity a result of raging pregnancy hormones. This was December, and they were busy planning weddings for the next autumn. And Staci wanted to talk about a Christmas Eve wedding? Really?

Staci’s voice broke through her reverie. I’ll do all the legwork and paperwork. I just need you on the ground that day to do what you do best.

Eve swiveled back around to face her partner. Coercion and strong arm tactics aren’t going to convince me to take this on. I'm sorry, Staci, but you know why I can’t do this.

I know why you think you can’t, and no one would blame you for feeling this way, but maybe it’s time to let it go. It’s not like you really miss Phillip, is it?

No, of course not. Not even for a second, actually. Phillip rarely crossed Eve's mind these days. Being left at the altar on Christmas Eve at her own wedding three years ago had been the best thing that had ever happened to her. Not that it hadn't been humiliating. It most certainly had. But believing she and Phillip belonged together had been a colossal mistake, and he’d figured it out in time, even if she hadn't.

Of course, it would have been nice if he’d come to that realization before she’d walked down the aisle and stood beside him in front of three hundred guests. But after the first rush of humiliation had passed, relief quickly set in. She and Phillip didn't belong together. He was a good guy in his own right, but he wasn't Hunter. Eve turned her attention back to the conversation at hand. But that doesn’t mean I want to have anything to do with a Christmas wedding. I can’t believe you even asked.

One of us has to handle this, Eve. And it won't be me because I'll be giving birth. Staci had the good grace to look sheepish just before she lowered the boom. I’ve already signed the contract.

Eve sucked in her breath. It took her several seconds before she could do more than stare. And splutter. You did what? Good grief, Staci, have you lost your mind? I can’t believe you’d do something like-

Staci held up her hands to make a time out sign. Hold up, Eve. Let me explain.

But there wasn’t a thing her friend could say that would begin to justify signing a contract without Eve’s agreement. Especially one for a Christmas wedding. Staci’s baby was due on December twenty-third, which would mean the actual wedding itself would fall squarely on Eve’s shoulders. Eve stood and grabbed a handful of bridal magazines from her desk. She shoved them into her tote bag. Let’s chalk this whole craziness up to hormones, because there isn’t any other way to defend your lapse of judgment.

Eve moved around her desk but Staci beat her to the doorway. She flung her arms out and blocked Eve's exit.

Not so fast, Staci cried. This isn’t like you to back down from a challenge. We both know you could organize an entire presidential inauguration in your sleep. You can do this, Eve.

Eve shifted her tote to her shoulder and closed her eyes. Twenty-two years they’d been friends and never, not once, had Staci been so unreasonable. Ever. About anything. I know I can do it. I also know I’m not going to do it. You got us into this, Staci, and now you can get us out of it. I don’t care what you do. Give the bride back her deposit, comp her a free cake, whatever. I don’t care. Just tell her to find someone else to plan it.

Staci dropped her arms to her sides and sagged against the door frame. I can’t, Eve. You don’t understand.

No, you’re right. I don’t understand.

This couple is really special.

Eve rolled her eyes. Every bride is special. That doesn’t mean we have to plan every wedding in the world. The bride, whoever she is, will recover when you tell her no. Hearing that word does not have legal consequences.

I tried to turn the job down, honestly I did. Staci put her hands on her lower back. But then her uncle paid me a visit.

So? What did he do? Threaten us with bodily harm?

Staci hesitated. No, but he’s not the kind of man you can say no to.

Eve studied her friend. Despite Staci’s delicate appearance, she was no slouch in the assertiveness department. Like Eve, she was an astute business woman. This craziness could only be explained by her friend's pregnancy hormones running amok. Staci herself admitted to being weepy and ultra-emotional over every little thing after she’d hit thirty weeks. Eve sighed. Set up a meeting. I’ll make him see reason.

Staci shook her head emphatically. No, you can’t back out of this, Eve. I'm telling you, he won’t take no for an answer.

Eve whipped out her phone. Just give me his number and consider the whole thing cancelled. She waited but Staci remained silent. Eve fought a wave of exasperation that washed over her. The last thing she wanted to do was argue with her best friend. Just give me a name. Who is this uncle?

Santa Claus.