He grinned. "It's my pleasure. I borrowed the dressing table from my girlfriend, and Brian and I just moved my desk into the storage room at the back. It's no big deal."
I had tears in my eyes as I went over and hugged him. "Thank you. You've been awesome, letting us use your bar, doing all of this, even the catering… thank you. It means a lot."
He chuckled. "You're welcome. Now, I better go, Brian and your parents are due here in about thirty-minutes and then everyone else will start arriving. I've got my hostess ready to do the seating and I'll make sure Pastor Barnes has everything he needs."
I hugged him again. "Thank you."
"Yeah, thanks." Ellie smiled over her shoulder as she hung up our dresses on the door to the adjoining bathroom.
Owen left, closing the door. I took off my coat and sat down on the bench in front of the dressing table. I set my make-up bag and jewelry on the table and opened the bag. For the next thirty minutes, Ellie and I took turns putting on our make-up. We had just finished when there was a knock on the door.
"Come in!" I called.
The door opened and Mom bustled in. "Janie, I could have been Brian! You should have asked who it was first! It's your wedding day, he can't see you until your father walks you down the aisle!"
I smiled. "Mom, I'm glad you're here." I hopped up and hugged her.
Mom helped me into the wedding dress, and then stood with me as Ellie took our picture. Brian had hired a photographer, but we would be doing the main photos after the wedding.
Mom then left to make sure everything was in place and that the hostess was seating all of the guests. I didn't have too many of my own guests, just my dad's sister and her husband and they were only here because they were already in New York on holiday, and then my agent, Martin and his wife, so we hadn't had the hostess seat them by bride side or groom side because it would have looked so off balanced. Brian had invited his office staff, several close friends, colleagues, and the nurses who'd taken care of me when I'd been in the hospital.
"Ready?" Ellie asked.
I looked at her in the long, elegant, deep Vee cut velvet gown and smiled. "Yes."
There was a knock on the door and Dad stuck his head in. "Pumpkin, you look beautiful."
"Thanks, Daddy."
"I can't believe I'm about to give my little girl away." He came forward and engulfed me in a hug.
"You're going to make me cry," I murmured, wiping just under my eyes to stop the tears in them from falling and ruining my make-up.
"That's my cue," Ellie said as our wedding music began. With a final squeeze of my hand, she picked up her bouquet and headed out the door.
I picked up my own bouquet of red roses and baby's breath, and then took my dad's arm. When we reached the point where Brian could see me, I watched his grin widen. Slowly we made our way forward and then Dad handed me over to Brian and the Pastor began the wedding.
I couldn't take my eyes off of him, my heart was pounding erratically in my chest and I knew there was a wide silly grin on my face. I was so lost in him that I nearly missed my cue to say my vows.
Blushing, I took Brian's hands and said, "Brian, when we met, you were my white knight in a lab coat. I think I fell in love with you the moment you walked through that hospital door. You were so gentle, and kind, and caring. I fell deeper in love with you the night we went out for the first time. You'd planned the perfect date. Now, after all of the trials we've been through, I am getting a Christmas miracle in you. You are the only gift I ever need for Christmas. I love you. I will honor and cherish our time together forever, until death do us part."
Brian drew my fingers up to his lips and kissed them. "Jane, I fell in love with you before we even met. You had been giving an interview about your novel and I knew that you were one very special lady. When I pictured meeting you, I had never imagined it would be as a patient. Those months before I could ask you out were agonizing. Like you, I fell deeper in love with you on that first night we went out. Know that I will never let you down. I will never let anyone hurt you. I will protect you always and love, honor and cherish you forever, until death do us part."
The tears I'd been holding back spilled down my cheeks as I gave him a watery smile and mouthed, "I love you."