Epilogue

EPILOGUE

ONE CHRISTMAS LATER…

ALIDA

“Isn’t this place amazing?” I say to my sister as we stroll down the main strip in Evergreen Pass. The downtown area is decorated within an inch of its life. It’s not just the lit-up candy canes dangling from light posts. It’s the full-sized trees outside every business. The holiday music drifting from the coffee stand. The ice skating rink next to Santa.

“I love it!”

“There’s a tree lighting tonight.”

“Are we going?” she asks.

“Of course we’re going,” Fox says, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist. He nuzzles his beard into the crook of my neck, erasing any chill I was feeling. My entire body heats at the memory of what we did in that sitting chair this morning. I even let him tie my ankles to its legs. I don’t know how I didn’t wake up the whole house.

“If you haven’t figured it out, you’ll definitely get your fill of Christmas here,” I add.

“My family won’t let you get out of it.”

Ever since the three of us showed back up at the cabin last year, Fox’s family has treated Kayleigh like she’s one of their own. They fuss over her more than they fuss over me, and that’s saying something. They’re already planning a mass trip to her college graduation next May.

“Why don’t you move here?” Kayleigh asks.

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“The house. Mom made me promise?—”

“That wasn’t fair of her,” Kayleigh says, sounding much too mature for my liking. When did my little sister grow up so fast? “You’re happier here. I can already see that.”

I look at Fox, but he just smiles. We’ve had this conversation more than once, often when he’s been helping me fix up Mom’s old house.

“What would I do here? There’s no hospital.”

“But there is an urgent care clinic,” Kayleigh points out.

“They might even have an opening,” Fox adds.

I narrow my eyes at him, but it’s all a show. I’ve gotten used to this man going out of his way to show he cares. It should come as no surprise that he’s already got a job lined up for me if I want it. “You would move here?” I ask him. “With me?”

“I’d do more than that,” he says, taking my hand in his.

“What—”

“Oh, it’s happening!” I hear Grandma Lola call out as she claps her hands. Where did she come from? I have just enough time for a quick scan, noticing the entire Hansen clan circling around us, before Fox draws my attention back to him by dropping on one knee.

I gasp, throwing my mitten-clad hand over my mouth.

“Alida Kingston, I’m pretty certain you’ll be the death of me someday.”

“So romantic,” I deadpan.

“I’ve survived two combat tours, three bullets, and a Humvee rollover in enemy territory. I’ve had more brushes with death than I can count.”

“Um, where are you going with this?”

“Nothing makes you feel alive like almost dying. But I’ve never felt more alive than when I’m with you. So even if you are the death of me, I wouldn’t want it any other way. Because I love every stubborn, pain-in-the-ass, beautiful part of you.”

“Okay, now you’re just being mushy,” I tease, tears threatening to fall.

“I love you, Alida. Will you marry me so we can spend the rest of our lives driving each other absolutely fucking crazy?”

“Yes!” I throw my arms around his neck just as he’s standing, and he lifts me off the ground. We spin in a circle as our lips meet. I’m going to get shit about this Hallmark moment later—whether from Jazzy or Kayleigh is anyone’s guess. But I don’t care.

“You haven’t even seen the ring,” Fox says with a laugh as he sets my feet back on the ground.

“What took you so long?” I ask as he pulls a box out of his pocket and opens it. I’m stunned into silence by the sheer size of that diamond.

“Don’t you dare say it’s too much,” he says, removing the glove from my left hand. “And as for what took so long—I bought the ring last year when we were here. I knew then that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you.” He slips the ring onto my hand and tears slide down my cheeks. “But I knew you needed time to come to the same conclusion I did years ago.”

“Years?”

“I’ve always know, Alida. Always.” He cups my cheek, drawing me in for a kiss that quickly threatens to get us in trouble in front of all the littles. He breaks apart the kiss first, resting his forehead against mine. I can feel all the sets of eyes on us. “You know they won’t let us sneak off to celebrate this momentous occasion the good, old-fashioned naked way, right?”

“I guess I’ll just have to wait to sit on Santa’s lap until tonight,” I say against the side of his beard, just before I kiss him again.

“Have you been a good girl this year, Alida?”

“Nope. I’ve been extra naughty.”

His whiskey brown eyes are filled with liquid heat. “You remember what happens when you’re on my naughty list, right?”

“I brought the blindfold.”

“God I love you, Alida.” He kisses me hard on the lips. “Merry Christmas.”