Endless Love (Santa’s Secret Helpers #5) - Leeanna Morgan Page 0,14
own. Your nonna spent hours sewing little beads onto the edge of the one I wore. It was very special.”
More tears filled Shelley’s eyes. “I want to buy this dress.”
“Are you sure?” Emily asked. “I have a lot of other designs you could try.”
“This one is perfect,” Shelley said softly.
Sam looked at the tears in Shelley’s eyes and frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“Seeing the dress makes me realize just how close Bailey and I are to getting married.”
Bailey grinned at her sister. “You wanted to get married even earlier. Imagine how you’d feel if you were able to get married in January.”
Elena placed her hand on her chest. “Just thinking about that gives me heart palpitations.”
Sam hugged her mom. “And we can’t have that. You look amazing, Shelley. You should definitely buy the dress.”
Shelley smiled at Emily. “Consider the dress and veil sold. Where would you like me to pay?”
“Do you want to know how much it costs first?”
“I don’t need to know. This is my dress.”
“In that case,” Emily said with a grin. “Let’s get you changed and then you can ask me for a discount.”
“I don’t need—”
“Every bride needs a discount. Today is your lucky day because I’m feeling extra generous.”
Bailey pulled Shelley toward the changing room. “Don’t argue with the boss.”
Shelley wasn’t arguing with anyone. She was far too happy for that.
The following morning, Shelley stepped into her dad’s garage. Instead of making the return trip to Sapphire Bay in one day, they’d decided to stay overnight in Bozeman.
As she inhaled the sweet, pungent scent of wood and oil, her memories went straight back to her childhood. She used to watch her dad for hours as he made beautiful pieces of furniture. Even now, years after she first left home, she missed spending time with her dad in his workshop.
Ted looked up from the bench. “I didn’t wake you, did I?”
She smiled and shook her head. “I’ve been awake for ages. Mom and I made pancakes for breakfast. Would you like some?”
Her dad looked at the project in front of him. “I’ll be there in ten minutes. I need to finish oiling these pieces of wood.”
“What are you making?”
Ted looked over his shoulder. “It’s a surprise for Sam and Caleb,” he whispered. Taking a piece of paper out of a drawer, he handed it to Shelley. “A friend of mine made this cradle for his grandson. It’s one of the best I’ve ever seen. I thought it would be a good present for Sam’s baby.”
Shelley’s gaze moved between the workbench and the sheet of paper she was holding. The oak rails gleamed under a fresh coat of oil. Leaning against the wall were the ends of the cradle. Her dad had carved bunny rabbits and butterflies into the gorgeous wood. “It’s lovely.”
Ted picked up an old rag and rubbed more oil into the wood. “I hope your sister agrees.”
“Sam will love it as much as I do. When did you start making it?”
“As soon as I found out Sam was pregnant. I knew we’d spend more time than usual in Sapphire Bay, so I thought I’d better make the cradle sooner rather than later.”
Shelley placed the cradle pattern in the drawer. “Do you remember the time we made a cradle for one of my dolls?”
Ted smiled. “How could I forget? You rewrote the instructions three times so it was easier to understand.”
“Even then, I was super-organized.”
“I’m glad you had a smile on your face when you said that. Being organized is a good thing.”
“Sometimes it is, but I worry that I’m too organized. I get frustrated when things don’t follow a plan.”
Her dad dipped another rag in the oil and handed it to her. “Your attention to detail makes you a great accountant. I’m sure John and the rest of the Santa’s Secret Helpers team appreciate your organizational skills.”
Shelley sat on an old kitchen stool that her dad had rescued for his workshop. “They do, but I’m trying to be more flexible.”
Ted’s eyebrows rose. “How’s that working?”
With a rueful grin, she took the spindles her dad handed to her. “It’s not easy, but I’m learning to let go. When John took over some of the wedding tasks, it pushed my comfort zone to its limits.”
“Are you still looking forward to getting married?”
She wasn’t sure what her dad meant. “Do you mean the ceremony or actually being married?”
“The married part. John is a good man, but you haven’t known him for very long.”
If her dad thought she felt pressured to