Episode 75 - Wedding Preparations

Chloe stood in her dining room with a checklist in one hand and wedding supplies spread out across the table. She ran down her list, making sure that everything was in order and accounted for.

"Anything I can do to help?" James asked as he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

She spared him a quick kiss before turning back to her work. "Yes, plenty. You can help me carry these bags out to the car once I check them. The restaurant manager is going to meet us there in an hour to let us in, so we can get everything set up. Do you have the music prepared?"

"It's all ready."

"Good. I can check that off my list."

James knew Chloe could be a perfectionist when it came to her work and that a little reassurance could help her keep her worries in perspective. "You've got this."

"I know. It should be easy since it's such a small wedding, with just Reese and Simon's immediate family attending, but I want it to be special. I just wish we would have had access to the venue earlier to have more time to set up and decorate."

When Reese had accepted her offer to be her wedding planner, Chloe knew that Reese and Simon's wedding had to be uniquely suited to who they were as a couple. Chloe found herself inspired by the couple's engagement story of how Simon had proposed over a moonlight dinner at a rooftop restaurant that looked over the bay. Wanting to capture that romantic setting, Chloe made some phone calls and was thrilled to discover a restaurant that had the setting she wanted was closed for New Year's Day, but willing to rent out the space for the wedding. The only downside was they had been open late the night before for New Year's Eve, leaving her little time to transform the venue into the magical backdrop she envisioned for Reese and Simon's nuptials.

Episode 74 - Meeting the Family

"Hello! Happy New Year's Eve!" Amanda greeted her sister as Alma invited her and Meghan inside. "Is Judith ready?"

"She's up in her room," Alma answered.

"I'll go get her," Meghan offered before bounding up the stairs.

"Are you sure you don't want to join us on our girls' shopping trip?"

"No, thank you," Alma declined. "Ed needs me at home today."

"I'm sure he can manage for a couple of hours," Amanda scoffed as she followed Alma into the living room. But when she saw Edward sitting on a lounge chair, elevating his bandaged leg, Alma's comment suddenly made more sense.

Episode 73 - The Morning After Christmas

Despite her exhaustion, Shayna awoke early on the Arrendale's couch. Not wanting to face Lawrence or his children in the early hours of the morning, she slipped out at the first sounds of stirring from upstairs.

As she walked home in her clothes from the night before, she felt like she was doing the walk of shame. Nothing had happened after Lawrence left her in the living room, but she knew how this must look. She hoped that it was still early enough that no one would see her leaving his house.

When she approached her driveway, she was glad to see that Amanda's car was gone. She wasn't entirely convinced that Ben hadn't taken the car and left Amanda behind, but she hoped that meant that Amanda was gone too.

After quietly letting herself into the house, she peeked into the guest room to find it empty before heading to the main bedroom. Andrew was asleep in their bed, thankfully alone, when she opened the door.

Episode 72 - Stay

Shayna had expected to leave her mother's house furious about being lied to, but instead, their talk had given her a lot to think about. And since her mother had insisted that Julian spend a few days with her, Shayna had the long drive home alone to spend thinking.

All this time she had been comparing her life to a life she thought she had been entitled to, but denied. She could look at Lucy, who grew up in a mansion with servants and think about how that could have been her life if her father had accepted her too. She imagined all the things she could have done if she had had Lucy's upbringing. She would tell herself that if she had grown up with those advantages she would have never taken them for granted. She could look at the choices that Lucy had made and tell herself that she could have done better if she had only been given the chance. But it never could have been her life, because Clifford Stuart never was her father.

She had spent so much time and effort trying to be perfect to show what she was capable of and to try to make up for the mistakes she had made in the past. She hated to admit when she was wrong.

Episode 71 - How to Feel

"Merry Christmas!" Blaine greeted Reese as she opened the front door. "Is Natalie around? I brought her a Christmas present."

"You're just in time," Reese said as she walked with Blaine into the living room. "She was just getting ready to meet with her friends."

"If it's not a good time, I can come by later," Blaine offered.

"No, it's fine. I know she will be glad to see you."