Free Down To You (The Love On Edge Series) by Addison Kline

Brant smiled widely as they thanked Sloane. 
     
    “Ballroom at the Bell. Wow…” remarked Brant.
     
    “What will we wear?”
     
    “Marv and I have that covered. Don’t you worry,” said Sloane slyly.
     
    Holly couldn’t believe it. Brant was back in her life, they were getting remarried at the poshest ballroom in town, and all their family had merged together to celebrate the holidays. It was like a miracle.
     
    “Oh!” Sloane exclaimed, “I forgot one thing! I went shopping today”
     
    Sloane threw two large shopping bags at her friends; a Banana Republic bag at Brant and a White House bag at Holly.
     
    “Go upstairs and put those on! You’re under-dressed!”
     
    Brant and Holly did as they were told. They ran up the stairs like a couple of school kids, but halted when they reached the dark of the hallway. Holly slumped against the wall as a wide smile grew across her face. Brant lifted his arm and caressed her rosy cheek with his sturdy hand, “It doesn’t quite feel real, does it?”
     
    Holly placed her hand on top of Brant’s as her engagement ring caught the light of the hall sconces. She grabbed his hand gently, and pulled it to her lips, kissing him ever so softly.
     
    “No, honey. It feels like a dream.”
     
     
    *****
     
     
    Holly looked at herself in the floor length mirror in awe. She couldn’t believe Sloane had found it: A dress that looked nearly identical to the black lace dress she had worn on her first date with Brant. She shimmied the fabric over her curves, and happily, it fit like a dream. She slipped her feet into a pair of black peep toe pumps and tousled her hair into sultry, soft waves.
     
    So this is what it was like to feel spoiled.
     
    After one last glance in the mirror, Holly stepped into the hallway and went downstairs where the party was waiting for her.
     
     
    *****
     
     
    Brant was standing at the bottom of the stairs talking to Luke and Greg, when his heart quickened. Holly descended the staircase gracefully, looking remarkably like she did on their first date. Brant loosened his tie and flattened it against his blue button down shirt. She looked incredible. Holly watched Brant as he drank her in as a feeling of supreme satisfaction washed over her. She had never seen him look so good, or so confident before.
     
    Brant’s friends noticed that his attention was broken by Holly’s appearance, and Brant pardoned himself saying, “Excuse me, fellas…”
     
    Brant grabbed Holly’s hand as she came down off of the bottom step and pulled her towards him. The heady scent of his cologne was intoxicating as Holly nestled her face in the curve of his neck. Suddenly, the song on the radio changed and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” played loudly out of the speakers. Holly and Brant couldn’t resist dancing in the middle of their living room next to Marv and Tressa. Sloane and Luke joined them, and everyone was having such a great time.
     
    Doris was in the dining room setting the table as the glorious aroma of a home cooked turkey filled the air. Harry had just come through the kitchen door carrying a freshly carved turkey which was adorned with all the trimmings. Randy and Greg helped carry various side dishes to the table. It was very much a joint effort by all.
     
    Everyone began taking their seats at the massive dining room table. Sloane motioned for Brant to have his seat at the head of the table; the king’s seat. Holly sat right next to him with her hand still in his. The table filled up quickly with Marv sitting at the opposite end, and everyone else crowding the middle. There was just one seat that remained vacant; the chair to the right of Marv. Holly took notice.
     
    “Are we missing someone?” she asked with a curious look upon her face. Some of the guests looked around in confusion while Marv, Brant and Sloane smirked in pure delight.
     
    Marv said loudly, “Hmm… I wonder who could be