Narrating November: Calendar Girls, #11

By Kirsten Osbourne

November "Novel" Calendar is ready to start her real life. She's always lived at home, and she's not able to truly research the way she needs to, so she calls a matchmaker whose specialty is introducing people at the altar. She's convinced that a marriage of convenience is the only way for her to be truly happy. Novel has read enough romance novels to know she belongs with a tall, dark, and handsome man who is just waiting for her to complete his life.

Tyler Carrington is doing his best to raise three daughters on his own. When his ten-year-old starts asking questions that could be better answered by a woman, he decides it's time to remarry—someone who won't leave him with three little girls to raise on his own like his first wife did. He has no intention of falling in love with the woman he marries. The whole purpose of marrying is to get someone to be a mother to his girls, not to enjoy the companionship of a woman.

Will the two be able to come together in the end? Or will Novel get the real-life wake-up call she needs?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Unlimited Dreams
• Release date: May 28, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201464868

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Chapter One

Novel looked at all her sisters gathered around her in the back room of the church. The bride’s room. The first nine of the Calendar sisters all married in order, wearing the dresses their mother had made for them. Then October eloped instead of wearing her wedding dress. But now, they are gathered in the back of the church in Cauldron Valley to watch Novel, the eleventh sister and next in line to marry, start her marriage of convenience.

I just wish October had worn the dress you made, Mom, Novel said aloud. She had the habit of narrating life around her in her head. She’d tried to break it, but it just hadn’t worked. Planning to be a romance writer, she did everything she could to get to the point in her life where she could write every day.

Mom smiled. Like I made October a wedding dress. I knew she’d balk and elope. There was no way to get her in a pretty white dress. She’s too...well, too October!

October protested. You didn’t make me a dress? What kind of mother are you? You made them for all of my sisters!

You didn’t want to wear one, so I saved myself some time. I love you, October, Mom said.

Novel couldn’t help but smirk at that answer. Novel was the only one of the twelve sisters who looked pretty, but that was only because the bridesmaid dresses Beth had made were simply hideous. Novel wanted to spin around and show everyone how great she looked, but she refrained, remembering she had to wear the hideous bridesmaid dress at least once more. Possibly twice. Hopefully, Bob’s future wife would hate them, whoever she was.

I’m just thrilled my wedding dress is so beautiful, Mom. Thank you for making one that fits me perfectly. Novel’s dress was like something out of a fairy tale. Of course, Novel thought life should be like a fairy tale. Everyone should dress in beautiful gowns! Her only regret in her wedding ensemble was she didn’t have glass slippers. How could she feel like a real princess without glass slippers?

I knew you’d love it. Mom smiled and then glanced at the time on her phone. Oh, goodness. It’s time for us to get out there!

Novel watched as her sisters filed out of the room, one after the other. She knew they would line up in age order at the back of the church, and then they would walk down the aisle to the music that was played.

She was particularly surprised at how calm she felt. She was about to meet the man of her dreams, and there wasn’t a nervous bone in her body. It was going to be wonderful, and that was that.

Novel was only alone in the back of the church for a minute before her dad popped his head into the bride’s room. You ready? he asked.

Novel nodded. I’ve been waiting my whole life for today. I think I was born ready.

I just hope you’re not making a mistake, allowing a stranger to pick out the man you’ll spend the rest of your life with.

Dad, like everyone else, thought Novel was batty for the way she was finding the man of her dreams. Novel knew better. A marriage of convenience was the best kind of marriage. As soon as the couple was married, they would feel a strong attraction to each other, and then they would be thrown together every day. Soon, they wouldn’t be able to keep their hands off each other, and they would realize just how strong their love for each other was. This was the perfect way to marry.

Dad, I know I’m doing the right thing. There’s nothing else in the world I could possibly do that would make this day righter.

Dr. Lachele stuck her head into the bride’s room then. You look gorgeous, Novel. I can’t wait for you to meet him.

Novel’s only complaint about the way Dr. Lachele did things was that she didn’t give any information about the match. All Novel knew was that he was someone who already lived in her area or was willing to relocate. And he was just for her.

I’m so excited, I just can’t stand it! Novel wanted to jump up and down and clap like an excited little girl, but she knew people would look at her funny. Of course, they always looked at her like she’d lost her mind.

No nerves at all? Dr. Lachele asked, obviously surprised.

Why would I be nervous? I’m meeting the man I’m meant to spend forever with. I cannot wait to see his face. To touch his hand. To feel his lips on mine—

That’s enough, Novel, Dad said, shaking his head. I do not need to know what you are planning to do on your wedding night. You’re my baby, and it’s not appropriate at all. I paid enough for this wedding that—

You didn’t pay a dime for this wedding! Novel protested. She’d watched her father put her sisters through all kinds of guilt trips for absolutely no reason. Everything had been done as cheaply as possible, and he knew it.

Dad just harumphed. Let’s do this.

Dr. Lachele seemed to be trying to hide a giggle. She hugged Novel as she walked past, and then she hurried to the back of the church so she could watch everything that would happen.

As Novel walked down the aisle, her eyes were glued on the man at the front of the church. In her mind, he was tall, dark, and handsome. Tall and handsome? Two out of three wasn’t bad. The man had dark red hair, and she was ready to love him. His looks didn’t matter much anyway. But a tiny part of her had to admit she was glad he was tall. It was a pain to be taller than the man you did things with.

When Dad put Novel’s hand into the stranger’s, she felt sparks fly up her arm, just as she’d expected. His eyes were gray, which melted her heart a little further, not that it had been frozen to begin with. She knew the man beside her was her entire future, and soon, she’d even know his name. It was a moment she would never forget. The exact second she had the opportunity to touch her hero. The man who would live happily ever after with her for the rest of her days.

The vows went way too quickly with the pastor only licking his fingers and raising them to the sky a few times when his gaze landed on April, May, and June. For some reason, the entire town was certain that triplets were bad luck.

For once, standing there holding her hero’s hand, Novel wasn’t narrating the entire event in her head. Instead, she was thinking about how very excited she was to marry the man beside her, even though he wasn’t exactly what she was looking for.

When Pastor Dinkleheimler told him he could kiss his bride, the man leaned over and kissed her briefly, and Novel wondered what his name was. She hadn’t been paying attention to the vows, which wasn’t a great idea. She’d thought of writing her own, but without him doing the same thing, it would have seemed odd to everyone there.

After they turned to face the entire congregation, and they’d walked down the aisle hand-in-hand, Novel asked him, "Do you want to go into the back room and talk for a minute? No one will notice if it takes us