One Little Chance (Sweet River)

Chapter 22

DECEMBER 19TH, 2023

I took Jenna, Sarah, Pat, my mom, and of course, my man of honor, with me to try on wedding dresses.

“I’ve heard the best things about this place. I even follow them online,” Sarah said as we pushed open the glass door to the shop. She’d been the one to send me the name of this shop, the Blushing Bride, and told me she’d made an appointment.

When deciding to plan my wedding in a week, I’d forgotten about the tiny detail of finding a wedding dress in a week. My wedding crew consisted of our family members: Pat and Mom were on the guest list, Orlando was our DJ and food guy, Sarah and Jenna were handling flowers and décor, and everyone filled in any other need that arose.

One of the last needs: the dress. I felt thankful for Sarah refusing to let me let it fall between the cracks—shaking her head vehemently no when I joked that I could always just wear a big white fluffy coat and earmuffs.

“I’m thinking I want something that leans into the wintry, Christmas feeling of December,” I explained to the stylist.

“Oh, and you said you wanted beaded detailing,” Jenna added, reaching her hand to mine and giving it an encouraging squeeze.

I nodded.

The stylist, Cleo, a younger woman with big brown eyes, pursed her lips and said, “I have a couple of dresses that I think might be perfect.”

She walked away, and I looked to everyone finding their seats around the trio of mirrors. Mom was already tearing up as she had been for the past few days, and I hadn’t even tried on a single dress yet.

“Mom!”

“I’m okay. I’m okay,” she sniffled. “I just still think of you in your dress-up tutus and messy ponytails, and now here we are…buying a wedding dress.”

Now nearly everyone was sniffling.

Only Orlando, who was sipping one of the free flutes of champagne, had dry eyes.

“Do you guys like the flower dress we picked?” I asked Jenna since her daughter was our flower girl. We’d tried on the dress last night, but I wanted to double check she liked it.

“Are you kidding? I had to negotiate with her to not have her wear it today. She adores it. I love the snowflake-like lace on the front and the red bow on the back,” Jenna said, then held out her phone to me. “Look at this picture of her in the dress and your little ring bearer trying on his tiny tux.”

Cleo walked in with a rack of dresses, but it was the one hanging in the front with the sheer, beaded sleeves and neck with snowflake-like beading on the skirt that caught my breath.

I had to try it on right away.

And like with my engagement—I knew instantly and didn’t need much time to decide. I twirled in the dress, turning to everyone. “This is the one.”

“Sophie.” Jenna clutched her chest.

Sarah’s jaw was hanging open.

Mom was in tears, while Pat said, “Oh, Sophie.”

My eyes landed on Orlando. His eyes were soft on me. He blinked a couple of tears away and said, “This is the one.”

A s we drove back home to Sweet River, going over our wedding to-do list with Jordan on speakerphone, he asked, “Is there anything else my bride wants?”

Sarah giggled, and Orlando rolled his eyes next to me in the backseat. “Everything has come together better than I’d hoped.” Then, without even realizing I felt this way I added, “The only thing that would make it any more perfect would be if it snows.”

“I’ll add it to the list.” Jordan’s voice boomed through the speakers.

I wrapped my hands up in my buttery scarf.

“That’d be beautiful, Sophie,” Jenna said dreamily.

“But you know fickle Texas. It hasn’t snowed in December since—” Mom started.

“Since I was fifteen,” I said, watching houses twinkling with Christmas lights zip by the car window.

J ordan and I walked home from school on a cold, windy December day. I was wrapped up in a heavy coat with my nose going numb. It was late afternoon. The light was growing dim under gray skies as we trailed through our neighborhood streets.

I’d been telling Jordan how my family had been so busy lately. We hadn’t even decorated for Christmas yet, and I was wishing for it to feel like Christmas.

“Let’s get into your garage and grab some of the decoration boxes. I’m sure your mom won’t mind. She might even be glad to have the help.”

“You’re probably right,” I said when something cold and wet plopped on my cheek. We both stopped in our tracks and glanced up to see millions of tiny flurries falling from the sky.

“Snow?” I gasped.

“Snow.” Jordan nodded, his hazel eyes bright. We held out our hands and let the snowflakes land on our mittens.

It was quiet in the neighborhood. No one was outside, except the two of us, Jordan and me, the only ones witnessing this snowfall. Like we were the only ones let in on the surprise.

Flurries started falling harder, and I squinted up to the sky as they landed across my face, cold and light. I giggled, opening my eyes to Jordan. His nose was pink. He grabbed my hand and pulled me a couple of steps closer.

“It’s like we’re in a snow globe.”

“I wouldn’t mind getting trapped in a snow globe with you.” I grinned up at him. He brushed his rough fingertips across my lashes, my cheeks, my lips, everywhere the snow landed. My body flooded with warmth on this frigid afternoon.

I snuck my hands under his old coat worn by his dad, now him, and sometimes, me. It was heavy and warm over me as I nestled my cheek against his solid chest. His heartbeat was against my ear. He wrapped that coat around my shoulders like a blanket. We stood like that for a while. I lost track of time.

Snow fell around us quietly like a winter whisper, as Jordan said, “I love you, Sophie. I think I always have.”

I rested my chin on his chest, looking up at him. “I love you too.” I felt that love so deeply I’d bit back saying it for months now, waiting for the right moment. I knew we were just teenagers, but I also knew what we had was rare and magic like a surprise snowfall on a December day in Texas.

He kissed my forehead before I buried my face in his chest again with a contented sigh, thinking if I could relive a moment over and over, this would be the one.