Chapter 22

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Margo looked around her new surroundings, feeling a burst of happiness.

She was finally all moved into Spencer’s—now their —house, and she had loved every second of getting situated. It was just in time too. Christmas was tomorrow, and she was so excited to get ready to go over to the inn together with Spencer, and come home with him in the evening.

It would be their first Christmas getting to do that, instead of her kissing him goodnight at the end of the evening and then staying to wind down in front of the fire before going upstairs to her bedroom at the inn, and the novelty of it had her giddy with excitement.

She knew Spencer was looking forward to their first Christmas together as a married couple too. He was working late, finishing up a final few things at the clinic so that they could enjoy the holidays without distraction—barring any unforeseen accidents that might pull him away, a doctor’s work was never truly done—and she was curled up on the couch in front of the fireplace.

The living room had a bit of her touch now, as did everything else. The kitchen was now full of wedding gifts: a new China set from her parents, shiny new wine glasses, a Dutch oven, a fancy espresso machine. Their bedroom had her desk tucked into a corner now, the bedding changed out for a pretty floral bedspread that she and Spencer had picked out together, made up with dark green sheets as a nod to the season.

She’d brought her throw pillows and favorite quilt to put on the sectional couch in Spencer’s living room, and favorite photos that she’d taken over the years were framed on the walls. It was truly beginning to feel like their space, in every sense of the word, and she was so glad that Spencer hadn’t minded all the changes to his family home. If anything, he’d encouraged her, excited to see what she would do to liven up the space.

Now, she opened her laptop, taking one of the soft peppermint candies out of the dish sitting on the coffee table. There had been a bag of them leftover from the reception, and she had poured some out into a little holly-painted China bowl from the set Rhonda had given her, along with a steaming mug of hot cocoa. She knew she still had some Christmas gifts to wrap, but she couldn’t stop thinking about her upcoming honeymoon, and she wanted to explore what else they might be able to do on their trip.

The treehouse hotel that she had booked for their honeymoon was by far her favorite part of the entire vacation. She’d always wanted to stay in one like it, and Spencer had gamely agreed, even though she thought he might actually be more comfortable in a more luxurious, traditional hotel. But he had told her that he’d married someone adventurous, and he was looking forward to finding out if it would rub off.

The treehouse itself did have a few creature comforts—from a huge clawfoot copper tub near a big window overlooking the view, to a small kitchen with all of the things they would need to cook if they didn’t want to go out to eat. It was glamorous and rustic all at once, and Margo felt a shiver of excitement every time she thought about embarking on a new experience with the person she loved most in the world.

She flicked through pictures of other trips, photos from articles and magazine spreads, her excitement growing with each passing minute. They were leaving after the New Year, and while she’d grown accustomed to spending her winters firmly in the cold, she was excited for the tropical destination. She’d spent plenty of Christmases in places that were warm and balmy, and while the snow had grown on her, she had to admit she liked wearing shorts in January.

Looking around the living room again as she reached for her mug of hot cocoa, she felt a warm sense of belonging, mingled with the excitement for an adventure in a way that felt more satisfying than she could ever have imagined. It had only been a few short days since their wedding, but she already felt at home in the little house they now shared, as comfortable as if it had always been hers.

Spencer was right, she reflected, glancing back at her laptop screen. Home was wherever the people that they loved were.

She heard the door open, and the sound of Spencer kicking snow off and shrugging out of his coat. A moment later, she saw him walk into the living room out of the corner of her eye, and he dropped down onto the couch next to her, letting out a tired sigh.

“What are you up to?” he asked, and Margo smiled, setting her laptop aside.

“Just daydreaming about our honeymoon. I should be finishing up with the gifts that need to be wrapped,” she admitted wryly. “But I’m so excited. I can’t stop looking at our itinerary.”

“Tell me about it again. I’m going to make myself some cocoa.” Spencer stood up, going to get his own mug of hot chocolate, and came back, some of Rhonda’s homemade marshmallows piled on top. He grabbed one of the peppermint candies, popping it into his mouth as he relaxed back against the couch next to Margo. “Tell me all about our honeymoon plans.”

Margo smiled, happy with how quickly he wanted to indulge her excitement—and how excited he was, as well. “You already know about the treehouse,” she said, and Spencer nodded.

“Yes, a week living among the birds and monkeys. A wild experience.” He smirked, and Margo swatted him on the arm.

“I hope we get to see some. We’re going on an excursion to see the penguins.”

“That, I am really excited for.” He smiled. “I know you’ll take tons of photos, but we should especially get pictures of that. The kids will love seeing them. And all of the wildlife, really.”

“There are lots of wildlife tours,” Margo said. “Giant tortoises, Komodo dragons, and we have a snorkeling trip too.”

“Snorkeling in January. That does sound divine,” Spencer agreed.

“Right? Warm weather and bathing suits. I can’t wait.” She took another sip of her hot cocoa. “And we have an excursion to see the volcanoes. The lava tunnels?—”

“Tunnels?” Spencer raised an eyebrow, and Margo laughed.

“It’s perfectly safe, I promise.”

“I imagine you’re looking forward to all of the hiking. And the photo opportunities.” He smiled. “I’m going to come home in better shape than I’ve been in my entire life.”

“I’m most excited to take pictures of us,” Margo said softly. “Our first vacation photos, us embarking on our married life together. The adventure that I’m looking forward to most of all.”

“We haven’t really talked about what that looks like much,” Spencer said thoughtfully, taking another sip of his cocoa. “The wedding and honeymoon planning has been such a whirlwind. We haven’t really discussed our day-to-day when we get back.”

“Well…” Margo considered. “I mean, some things won’t really change all that much. You’ll still be working at the clinic, and I’ll still be working at The Gazette and teaching my photography class on Saturday mornings. Our routine won’t be much different.”

“Speaking of the clinic,” Spencer added, “I met with Aiden today. After we get back from our honeymoon, he’s going to start on an expansion to the building. With the influx of new patients, we could really use the space. I think it will be a good thing for everyone.”

“That sounds wonderful,” Margo smiled. “What about the rest of it? Do you want me to start having dinner ready for you every night?” she teased, and Spencer laughed.

“Absolutely not. In fact, I’ve been thinking about hiring a second doctor to add to the practice.”

“So you can come home and cook me dinner?” Margo laughed as well, and Spencer grinned.

“Honestly, it’s because of Caroline. I think I’ve tended to handle everything as a one-man operation for a long time, with just the receptionist and two nurses because they’re necessary. But with this new patient load, I think it might be time to have a second set of hands on the wheel. I was resistant to the thought at first, just as I think your sister was. As laid-back as I can be, the clinic is a part of my family, and I liked having it all under my control. But…”

He trailed off for a moment, looking at Margo fondly over the rim of his mug.

“I’ve seen how much having Shelby there has freed up her time,” he continued. “She’s mentioned getting to spend more time with Rhett and the kids because of it. And now that we’re married, I want to soak up every second with you. If we get a dog, or have kids, I want to enjoy all those moments too. You made this place your home again to be with me, and I want to go on adventures with you. For that, I need more time. And a second member of the practice will give me exactly that.”

Margo leaned forward and kissed him, happiness flooding her. “I love this,” she said softly. “Your adventurous spirit taking off, as I’m getting used to the idea of having a solid home. We’re meeting in the middle, a team, just as we should be. And now I have the thing I never had in my wandering days: a solid home base to come back to, a place I’ll always want to call home.” She smiled, leaning into him as she reached for a peppermint candy and popped it into his mouth. “We’re the perfect team, Spencer. And I love it so much.”

“Life should always have balance,” Spencer agreed. “And I think going away with you for a little while will make returning home even sweeter. We can have both. Adventure and home, together.”

“And I’ll always feel at home, wherever we are, because I’m with you,” Margo added, spinning her ring around her finger with her thumb. “But here, most of all.”

Spencer set his mug aside, sliding an arm around her as he kissed the top of her head, and Margo laid her head on his shoulder. Just then, the house felt more like home than ever, with the tree twinkling merrily with their combined ornaments—his assortment of family ornaments and hers that she had collected from various countries over the years—and the fire crackling merrily across the room from them. She let out a long breath, feeling herself relax, unwind, safe and comfortable in a way that she only felt here, with him.

“Evergreen Hollow is our home base,” he said, his arm wrapped tightly around her. “And it always will be. But I want you to know that I’ll also always be up for an adventure with you.”

Margo’s heart warmed at that, and she looked up, a smile spreading across her face as she leaned up to kiss her new husband once more.

“Every day here with you feels like an adventure,” she said softly. “No matter where we are.”