Chapter 10

TEN

Ginger

Five Years Later…

Five years. It’s hard to believe that it’s been five years since that Christmas when everything changed. Since I found out that my secret admirer—the man I’d been falling for in those letters—was Kip. Five years since that fateful kiss under the mistletoe that sealed my heart to his.

Now, here we are, five years later, and Christmas has become even more magical than it used to be.

I stand in the doorway of our cozy little house, watching the snow fall softly outside. The world is quiet, blanketed in white, and the Christmas lights twinkle in the trees lining our street. It’s perfect—just like the life we’ve built together.

Kip is in the living room, decorating the tree with the same focus and intensity he puts into everything. He’s carefully hanging ornaments, stepping back every now and then to make sure everything is in its right place. I can’t help but smile as I watch him, remembering how far we’ve come from that first Christmas.

“Kip,” I call softly, stepping into the room. “You’re going to run out of branches if you keep hanging ornaments that close together.”

He looks over his shoulder at me, a grin spreading across his face. “I’m just making sure it’s perfect.”

“It’s already perfect,” I say, crossing the room to stand beside him. I wrap my arms around his waist, resting my chin on his shoulder as we both look at the tree.

Five years ago, I never would have imagined we’d be here. But now, with the tree glowing warmly in front of us, the house filled with the smell of fresh pine and the faint sound of Christmas music playing in the background, I can’t imagine my life any other way.

“It’s beautiful,” I murmur, my arms tightening around him.

He leans down, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. “Not as beautiful as you.”

I laugh softly, rolling my eyes. “You’ve been saying that for years, you know.”

“Because it’s true,” he says, turning in my arms so that we’re face to face.

I look up at him, my heart swelling with love. There’s still a part of me that’s amazed by how far we’ve come, how lucky I am to have found someone like Kip. He’s everything I’ve ever wanted, and more than I ever thought I deserved. Five years, and I’m still falling in love with him every single day.

Goldfish comes into the room, and I bend down to scratch him behind the ears before he heads over to his dog bed in the corner.

Kip and I got married six months after we got together, in a small ceremony here in Wolf Valley. Then we spent two weeks in Hawaii, enjoying the sun and water and each other. Two weeks after we got back home, we found out that I was pregnant.

To say that it was a whirlwind would be an understatement, but Kip was so strong and supportive throughout it all. It made me fall in love with him even more.

Since then, we’ve had our son, moved into a bigger house, and grown the business. I started working with Kip and Huxley at their company, and I’ve been handling the admin work ever since.

“You know,” Kip says, his voice soft, “I was thinking about that first Christmas, when I finally got the nerve to kiss you under the mistletoe.”

I smile, remembering it as if it were yesterday. “You mean when I ran across the room and practically jumped into your arms?”

He chuckles, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Yeah, that part. I still think about how scared I was that night, wondering if you’d actually want me after you found out I was the one writing those letters.”

My smile widens, and I press a kiss to his jaw. “I wanted you more than anything.”

“And now?” he asks, his voice playful but with a hint of seriousness beneath it.

“Now,” I say, leaning up on my tiptoes to kiss him softly, “I still want you. Always.”

His arms wrap around me, pulling me closer, and for a moment, we’re lost in each other, the rest of the world fading away like it always does when we’re together.

But then a sound breaks the silence—a tiny voice from the other side of the room.

“Mama! Dada!”

Kip and I both turn at the sound, and my heart swells as I see our little boy, Sawyer, standing by the fireplace, his wide green eyes sparkling with excitement. He’s holding one of the Christmas ornaments in his small hands, his dark hair a messy mop on his head.

“Look!” Sawyer says, holding up the ornament proudly.

I walk over, kneeling down in front of him as he shows me the ornament—a small wooden heart with the word Love carved into it. It’s one of the first ornaments Kip and I ever bought together, back when we were just starting out, before our lives got filled with all the little moments and memories that now decorate our tree.

“Do you want to put it on the tree?” I ask, smiling at him.

Sawyer nods enthusiastically, his face lighting up with excitement. I stand up and help him reach one of the branches near the bottom of the tree, and he carefully hangs the ornament in place, his little face serious with concentration.

“Tada!” he says proudly.

“It’s perfect!” I compliment him.

Kip walks over, ruffling Sawyer’s hair with a grin. “You’re right, buddy. It’s perfect.”

I step back, watching the two of them, and my heart feels like it might burst. This is our life now—our little family, our home filled with warmth and love, and it’s more than I ever could have dreamed of.

The doorbell rings, and Sawyer’s eyes widen with excitement. “Is it Santa?” he asks, bouncing on his toes.

I laugh, shaking my head. “No, sweetheart, it’s probably Aunt Cora and Uncle Huxley.”

Sawyer’s face lights up even more at the mention of his favorite aunt and uncle, and he races toward the door, his little feet barely touching the ground as he runs.

I glance at Kip, who’s grinning as he watches Sawyer disappear down the hallway. “You know, five years ago, I wouldn’t have imagined us here,” I say softly.

Kip turns to me, his expression softening. “Yeah. It’s crazy to think about how much has changed.”

I nod, my gaze drifting back to the tree, the soft glow of the lights casting a warm, golden hue over the room. “I didn’t think I’d ever find this—find you —and now I can’t imagine life without it.”

Kip steps closer, wrapping his arms around me from behind. “I couldn’t imagine it either.”

I smile, leaning back against him as we stand there, soaking in the quiet of the moment.

The door opens, and I hear the familiar sound of laughter as Cora and Huxley step inside, Sawyer’s excited voice echoing through the house as he tells them all about the tree and the ornaments he helped hang.

“Merry Christmas!” Cora calls out as she walks into the living room, her arms full of gifts, her face glowing with happiness.

“Merry Christmas,” I reply, stepping forward to give her a hug. “You’re just in time.”

Huxley grins, clapping Kip on the back. “This place looks amazing. You guys went all out this year.”

Kip chuckles. “Well, you know Ginger. She doesn’t do anything halfway when it comes to Christmas.”

I smile, shaking my head at him as I help Cora with the gifts. It’s true—I’ve always loved Christmas, and ever since Kip and I started this tradition of decorating together, it’s become even more special. Especially now that we get to share it with Sawyer and our friends.

The evening passes in a blur of laughter and warmth, the house filled with the sound of music and the smell of gingerbread cookies baking in the oven. Sawyer is bouncing around, showing off the decorations to Cora and Huxley, while Kip and I steal quiet glances at each other, little moments of connection that remind me how lucky I am.

As the night winds down, and the house falls into a comfortable silence, I find myself standing by the window, watching the snow fall gently outside. The world is peaceful, and my heart feels full.

Kip walks up behind me, his arms wrapping around my waist as he rests his chin on my shoulder. “You okay?”

I nod, leaning back into him. “Yeah. I’m more than okay.”

We stand there for a while, watching the snow, and I think about how far we’ve come, how much has changed. Five years ago, I was standing under the mistletoe, waiting for Kip to show up, nervous and unsure of what the future would bring.

Now, as I stand here with him, with our son asleep upstairs and our friends gathered in the warmth of our home, I know that I’ve found everything I’ve ever wanted.

“I love you,” Kip whispers, his breath warm against my neck.

I smile, turning in his arms to face him. “I love you too.”

And as we kiss, the snow falling softly outside, the lights twinkling around us, I know one thing for sure—this is the Christmas I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

Because this is our Christmas. Our family. Our love.

And it’s perfect.

Want more of Kip and Ginger? Then be sure to check out this bonus scene of the night that their son, Sawyer, is born!