Snowflake Bay by Donna Kauffman Page B

than hoped, it was still a slow and ongoing process.
    â€œNo. The opposite.” She smiled, but it still didn’t reach her eyes.
    â€œThat’s great news,” both Fiona and Alex said at the same time.
    â€œIt is,” Hannah agreed.
    Fi frowned. “So why do you look like someone just told you that you were getting coal in your stocking this Christmas?”
    â€œWell, we were planning on having the wedding at their family church in Calais.”
    â€œYes, I know. I spoke with the minister yesterday about setting up a time to come in and take measurements and do some sketches, so I can start working on the plan there. I like him.”
    â€œI do, too. But, well, we said his father’s health was the main reason we were having the ceremony there, but we all know that, while that was a concern, the real reason was it also helped to keep the two sides of the warring Blue clan apart.”
    â€œBut?” Fiona said, feeling that same ball of nerves Hannah must be feeling starting to knot up inside her gut as she realized where this was going. “You’re getting married in the Cove now, aren’t you.” She didn’t even make it a question.
    Hannah just nodded, unable, it seemed, to say it out loud. Then she rushed to fill the stunned silence. “It will make everything a ton easier for you, though, right? No traveling back and forth to Calais to do the planning. And it really is dear of Calder’s family to want the bride to have her wedding in her own home town. I mean, I’ve relocated and done so much to bind myself to his family, and it’s going really well. Far better than I’d have ever thought, if I’m being honest—keep this just between the three of us,” she cautioned. “And I think this is their way of saying thank you to me, and that they see all I’ve been doing and appreciate it, and want to show me they’re willing to do the same.”
    â€œSo the St. Croix River Blues are coming to Blueberry Cove for a wedding,” Fiona stated, just to make sure she had this right. “A wedding that will have a bunch of Cove Blues in attendance by virtue of the fact that our families have known each other for centuries. Blues who would have happily stayed home if you’d gotten married in Calais.”
    â€œKind of,” Hannah said, in a very small voice.
    â€œNot just Calder Blue,” Fi went on, trying to wrap her head around how things had gotten oh so horribly worse than she could have ever imagined. “A man who is loved and accepted by all here for saving us from—well, you know what from. But you mean . . . all of them.”
    Hannah’s apologetic expression was accompanied by the briefest of nods.
    Fiona instantly beamed a bright and patently false smile. “Well, okay then! That settles the theme. Instead of Christmas, we can do something down-to-earth and homey with a sort of Hatfields and McCoys theme to it. Maybe little rifles and fish-gutting knives tucked into the table arrangements just to make sure we’re not short on weapons when the real reception fun breaks out.”
    Hannah smiled weakly and squeaked out a small, “Yay!” while giving a little Woohoo! finger wave.
    Fiona slumped, all feigned enthusiasm fleeing.
    â€œFi, they’re willing to do this. All of them. For me. Mostly inspired, I think, by Calder’s sisters-in-law kind of ganging up on his brothers and dad, because it’s in the Christmas spirit. They want to bury the hatchet.”
    â€œExactly my fear,” Fiona said dryly.
    Hannah just gave her a quelling look. “It needs to happen, and this is perhaps the one holiday that might inspire them to reach a little deeper inside themselves and do what’s right for the current generation. Calder’s whole family is willing to walk into a place where there will be a whole lot more of the other side, in their town, on their turf, and extend the