Chapter One
“ONE OF THESE DAYS, YOU NEED TO LEARN HOW TO SAY THEwordno.”
Holly Moore sighed as her twin sister’s words seemed to ring through her little florist shop, resounding with truth.
Hannah was almost always right. Her sister was one of the smartest women she knew and Holly couldn’t disagree with her about this. She had a problem with trying to please everyone and shedidneed to learn how to say no.
Most of the time, anyway.
“I can’t. Not in this case.”
“Your former sister-in-law will survive if she doesn’t have Lydia as her flower girl. She can find someone else. I’m sure there will be plenty of people who don’t think she should do it anyway.”
Holly fought a sharp ache at the words, even as she didn’t necessarily agree with her sister’s harsh words.
Her ex-husband’s family loved Lydia and did their best to embrace and include her. She couldn’t deny that there were plenty of other people in society who would prefer her daughter and others with similar developmental disabilities stayed in the background, where their presence wouldn’t make anyone uncomfortable.
“Kristine is a fantastic aunt to Lydia. They have a close relationship. It might not be as close as the one you have with Lydia, but Kris tries hard to be inclusive. Which is why I can’t refuse.”
Holly tucked a few more stems of greenery into the arrangement she was working on. “Unfortunately, all the plans have been made,” she went on. “Kristine has already talked toLydia about it and showed her the dress she bought for her to wear. There’s no turning back now.”
Hannah frowned. “She should have asked you first before talking to Lydia.”
“You can’t unscatter dandelion fluff. It’s done now. Lydia is all excited, even though she doesn’t have any idea what being a flower girl involves. I mean, the dress is gorgeous. Velvet, red, with a little white faux-fur collar. You and I would have loved to own a dress like that when we were flower-girl age.”
“I suppose you can’t break her heart.” Hannah gave her a sympathetic look. “If our Lydi wants to be a flower girl, she won’t easily budge. That girl is as stubborn as a mule on a mountain trail.”
“You don’t have to tell me.”
Her daughter might only be five but Lydia had amply demonstrated her iron will in that handful of years. She had learned to walk before any of the doctors and specialists expected it, she had basically potty trained herself, she could write her name and she could pick out sight words.
Most of the time, her determination filled Holly with pride. With all of her daughter’s challenges, Lydia would need to be fierce as she confronted the world. But in certain circumstances, it could be tough for a mother with her child’s best interests at heart to convince that child something she wanted might not be the best thing for her.
Being Lydia’s mother was a complete joy most of the time. Still, pitting her own will against that of a determined five-year-old girl who didn’t always understand subtext or subtle nuances of meaning could sometimes be exhausting.
Any five-year-old would probably be the same.
“Don’t listen to me. I’m sure everything will be fine,” Hannah assured her. “Lydia will have a great time and look fabulous in her red velvet dress with the fake-fur collar. And Ihave no doubt the flowers you’re doing for the wedding will be amazing, as always.”
The thought of it all, along with everything else she had to do this month, left Holly exhausted.
Her sister was absolutely right. She needed to learn how to say no. She should never have agreed to provide the floral decorations for her former sister-in-law’s upcoming wedding and reception, especially when she’d already had two weddings booked for the month of December before Kristine and Matt decided on a holiday ceremony.
Beyond her wedding responsibilities, December was one of her busiest months of the year, when people loved to buy wreaths, flowers for hostess gifts or centerpieces for their holiday decorations.
If she managed to get any sleep this month, it would be a true holiday miracle.
“I’ll help you,” Hannah assured her. “You know I’m here to do anything you need. And all of us can pitch in to help you with Lydia. Mom and Dad love having her and I’m sure we could talk the boys into helping, too.”
The boyswere their older brothers, Asher and Micah Goodwin, who also were helpless to resist Lydia when she put her mind to something.
Her daughter was beloved by nearly everyone she met, which left Holly deeply grateful.
Impulsively, she leaned over and hugged her sister, careful not to poke her with the stems of the white heath aster in her hand that she was using to fill in between the pink gerbera daisies and baby roses.
“I know. Thank you. I don’t know what I would have done the past two years without all of you.”
Since her divorce, her family had rallied around her, helping her take over her aunt’s florist shop, move into RoseCottage, raise a special-needs child. She would have been lost without them.
