Page 1 of Holly's Valentine Vow

Chapter One

Holly

“Mama?”Mina asks as I fix their breakfast.

“Yeah, sweetie?” I reply, flipping the pancakes I’m making her and Ruby for breakfast.

“When are we shopping for our princess dresses?” she questions.

“Princess dresses?” I repeat her question back to her.

“For our wedding!” she exclaims.

I start laughing because ever since Christmas morning when Rebel asked me to marry him, the girls have been hounding me about what they’re going to wear, when will we shop, all the things. Honestly, I’m perfectly content to have the wedding here at the farm, then hold the reception at the clubhouse. I don’t need anything fancy at all as long as at the end of the day, Rebel and I are husband and wife.

“Well, I suppose we could go today,” I muse. “But first, you girls need to eat, then get cleaned up.”

I have some work to do for clients, but I’ve gotten used to doing it during the week when they’re at daycare. However, W-2s need to be sent out for those clients, as well as 1099s, so I’ve been tirelessly working whenever I have a spare minute. With tax season pretty much on top of me, I’ll be burning the candle at both ends of the stick, that’s for sure. Thankfully, I have awesome grandparents, and Rebel, so at least I’m not alone any longer and can take care of everyone. Except the bar, there’s no way I’ll be able to work there, so Rebel has one of the brothers taking my shifts for the time being. I enjoy working there, although I’ve started cutting back a little bit on those hours since Myra is no longer in our lives, and I don’t have to worry about her trying to bleed me dry. Still, if I can find a dress today, then the girls will be content to play in their playroom while I get some stuff taken care of before Rebel gets here tonight.

He’s been gone for a few days on a club run of some sort; I don’t ask because even though they’re a legit club, I honestly don’t need to know. I trust him and know he won’t stray.

“Can Grammy come?” Ruby asks as she takes a sip of her orange juice.

“I don’t see why not,” I reply.

“Why not what?” Grammy asks as she walks through the back door into the kitchen.

“Grammy! Do you want to shop with us to find our princess dresses?” Mina asks with pleading eyes.

“Well, of course I do! Then I thought you girls might want to come and spend the night with me and Pappy. He bought a movie he thought you two would like,” she says, winking at me.

I mouth ‘thank you’ at her as I quickly cut up the pancakes, add some syrup then put the girls’ plates in front of them. “Do you want some?” I ask Grammy as I return to the stove.

“Child, I ate ages ago with Pappy.”

“What’s he doing today?” I question.

“Playing cards with his buddies.” I giggle as she rolls her eyes.

“I’m sure everything that needs doing is all done,” I remind her. “Besides, aren’t the two of you supposed to be slowing down?”

“Psssh, you act like we’re in our dotage or something,” she chides.

“What’s dotage?” Mina asks, stuffing a fork full of the fluffy goodness into her mouth.

“It means your mother thinks Pappy and I are getting old,” Grammy whispers, conspiratorially grinning at me.

“Mama! That’s not nice,” Ruby says, chiming in.

Shaking my head, I fix my own plate and sit down at the table so I can eat. “Y’all aren’t getting old, Grammy, you’re already there,” I coyishly remind her. “Both of you have milestone birthdays this year, remember? Seventy?”

“Child, seventy is the new fifty, haven’t you heard?” she teases.

“In who’s universe?” I question, holding back a giggle.

“Mine, naturally.”

Shaking my head, I look at both girls and say, “Let’s get finished up if we’re going to go shopping.”

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