I awoke with a gasp and clutched my chest. Outside was bright, but there was no sun, just clouds and tiny snowflakes fluttering in the wind. I remembered everything about the dream. Looking at my tree, I almost expected to see the angel ornament William had bought me, but of course, it wasn’t there. What made everything even crazier was that I was about to meet William’s descendant for the first time, in just a few short hours. He probably wasn’t anything like the William I fell in love with, but a girl could hope.

Even now that I was awake, it all still felt so real. My heart hurt just thinking about it. I honestly felt like I’d lost the person I loved.

The alarm on my phone beeped and I shut it off. Just like clockwork, a text came in from Jessica.

Jessica: OMG. I’m freaking out over here. Today’s the day!

Me: Yes, it is! I’ll be over there soon!

I took a shower, luxuriating in the hot water, and the ease of which I could access it. Drying my hair afterward, I threw on a white button-down shirt and jeans, so it’d be easy to take off the shirt once I got my hair done. I grabbed the box I’d pre-packed with all of Jessica’s favorite snacks and wine inside, for the pre-wedding jitters I knew she’d have. Jessica loved being the center of attention, but I knew she’d be nervous in front of the hundreds of guests expected to attend.

Arriving at Jessica’s parents’ house, her dad was outside, fetching the newspaper. He waved at me when I pulled into the driveway.

“Good morning, Jerry,” I said as I got out of my car.

He slid the newspaper under his arm. “Good morning, Addie. I hope you’re ready for the chaos. Jess has been stressing all morning. You’re the only one who knows how to calm her down.”

I giggled. “That’s what best friends are for.” Jessica walked out the front door, her hair a complete mess. She kissed her dad on the cheek and opened the passenger door to get in. “Um, Jess . . . did you even brush your hair this morning?”

Her eyes widened, and she touched her hair. “Oh my God,” she gasped, completely appalled. “I’ll be right back.” She rushed inside, as her mother appeared at the door, trying to hide her smile.

“A glass of wine might help her,” she shouted.

I nodded. “Already packed. I’ll make sure she drinks it.”

“Good. Her father and I will be at the country club early. I’ll have her dress.”

“Sounds good.” Jessica hurried back outside, so I waved goodbye to her parents. “We’ll see you in a couple of hours.” We got in the car and headed on our way to the salon. Jessica took long, deep breaths, as if she was in labor. “You okay?” I asked her.

She nodded quickly. “Of course.”

“Do I need to break out the wine when we get to the salon?”

Laughing, she smacked my arm. “No, I’ll be fine. You know how I get.”

“Oh, I know,” I said, remembering back to when we were in high school. “You acted the same way when you were running for student council president and had to give a speech to the whole school.”

She groaned. “Don’t remind me. This, however, is different. I’m getting married. What if I get up there and I stutter the vows?”

I rubbed her shoulder. “You’ll do great, just like you are at everything. Once you’re with Trent, nothing will exist, except you and him. Nothing else matters, Jess. At the end of the day, you will end up as husband and wife.”

Her eyes glistened. “You’re right. Even if I do mess up, it’s not going to matter.”

“Exactly.”

I wanted to tell her about my dream, but I didn’t want to make today about me. It was her wedding day, so I kept mum on falling head over heels for an imaginary boyfriend.

Pulling up to the salon, Alexis and Bridgette waited for us by the door. They waved excitedly when we got out. “Are you ready, sis?” Alexis asked excitedly.

Jessica hugged her. “Once I get my hair and makeup done, I will be. I look like crap right now.”

Bridgette snickered and nodded behind her back as Jessica and Alexis walked inside. I rolled my eyes and smiled. “Don’t be mean,” I said, keeping my voice low.

She giggled. “You know I’m only kidding.”

The salon was the place Jessica and I always got our hair done, so we already knew the owner and the ladies who worked there. April smiled at us and hugged Jessica. “Congratulations on your special day. Let’s get you fixed up, girl. After I do your hair, Milly will do your makeup, and then Lia or Lindy will do your nails. They can do your sisters, while you and Adeline are with me.”

Alexis and Bridgette disappeared into the other room with the nail technicians, while we sat down in the salon chairs. Milly walked over and ran a hand through my hair. “I can go ahead and do your hair while April has Jess. Then, I can do both your makeup.”

“Sounds good to me. I think Jessica wants the bridesmaids to have up-dos.”

Jessica held up a hand. “I do. I’ll be wearing mine down.”

Milly nodded. “Up-do it is then.”

As the time passed, Jessica seemed to calm down, especially when she saw how beautiful her hair had turned out. Her long, red hair was curled, with a few strands pinned in the back with crystal snowflakes.

“When you get married, Adeline, I want you to wear the snowflakes too. It can be something borrowed.”

William came to mind and my smile faded. It was silly to miss a man from my dreams, but I’d seriously fallen in love with him. Eyes burning, I looked away from her stare. “I’d be happy to, if that day ever comes.”

Milly squeezed my shoulders. “Seriously? Look at you, you’re gorgeous. There has to be men lining up around the block to date you.”

“There are,” Jessica explained. “She just doesn’t like any of them. I’m going to set her up with my soon to be brother-in-law, William Blair.”

My heart jumped at hearing the name, but I plastered on a smile. “Maybe. I have to meet him first.”

Brows furrowed, Jessica stared at me like she could see right through me. She’d always been able to tell when something was wrong. Luckily, it was her time to get her makeup done. Milly kept her talking, which in turn, kept Jessica from asking me what was wrong. I thought I was in the clear, until it came time for Lia and Lindy to do our nails. They put us side by side.

“You okay, Addie?” she asked, gaze narrowing.

“Of course.” Turning my head, I smiled at Lia and put my hands down in front of her. I’d already picked out the light gray color I wanted on my nails.

“Don’t lie to me. I can tell when something’s on your mind. Spill it.”

With a heavy sigh, I met her stare. “Have you ever had realistic dreams?”

“Realistic, like how?” she asked.

I shrugged. “I don’t know . . . like dreams where you’re actually there. A straight storyline, with no jumping around. Where you have control over your actions, and you can see, hear, smell, and taste things, as if they were real.”

She shook her head. “Not like that. In most of my dreams, I’m usually imagining I can fly, or that I’m naked at work, trying to work on patients. It’s embarrassing.” She stared at my profile. “Why do you ask?”

Shrugging again, I looked down at my nails while Lia painted them. “I don’t know. Last night, I had a dream that felt amazingly real. The craziest part is that it took me back to year 1865, and I was there for days.”

“Wow,” she gasped. “That had to be interesting. Then again, being a history nut like you, I bet it was awesome.”

Memories of William came flooding back. “It was. Margaret was in it.” I cleared my throat. “And so was Will.”

She burst out laughing. “He must’ve been on your mind. It’s a sign. You think he’s handsome, don’t you?”

“He was more than that in my dream,” I said low, feeling my cheeks burn.

Her eyes widened. “What all did you dream about?”

“Lots of things. We rode horses, went to parties, and spent Christmas together. Margaret was some kind of Christmas angel or something. Everyone else was from 1865, but she was from our time.” I laughed it off, but the feeling of emptiness was still inside me. “It was a good dream.”

“Sounds like it,” she agreed. “Will doesn’t ever come around for Christmas. Now he has no choice, since he’s moving back this week. Do you remember how hard it was for Trent to let me decorate his house?”

William was the same way in my dream. “Did he ever say why he was like that?”

She sighed. “Basically, he just said he grew out of it. I think it was him following in his older brother’s footsteps. When Will didn’t care about it anymore, it rubbed off on Trent.”

“Interesting.”

“Yeah, I don’t know the full details. Trent loves Christmas now. I think between you and me hounding him, he sees how important it is to me.”

Lia and Lindy finished up our nails and we were ready to go. The closer it came to the wedding, Jessica loosened up, while I grew more uptight. I was beginning to think I was the one who needed the wine. But no matter which way I diced it, in another couple of hours, I would come face to face with William Blair, and I didn’t know if I was ready.