Epilogue

epilogue

Eli

New Year's Day

I pat the pocket to make sure the ring box is in place. Joy is still standing at the floor to ceiling window overlooking Time Square.

"I can't believe I'm in New York City!" she says, turning to face me. Her smile is so bright she outshines the lights behind her.

I pull her to me and kiss her, unable to keep from touching her. This is how it has been with us since we met and got together last month. How has it only been a month? She feels so natural to me, so perfect, so much the other half of myself, that I don't question anything.

I'm not nervous about proposing or if she'll say yes. I know she will. We've discussed everything. Marriage, babies, her letting me buy her her own candy shop so she doesn't have to work for Mrs. Burns forever. Because I swear that woman will never die. Though Joy hasn't said yes to that last one. Because she's made a commitment and she's not the type of person to change her mind on something like that.

"I love you," I say.

She beams up at me. "I love you." Then she glances behind me, her eyes widen. "We're going to be late. Come on."

I chuckle. She's more excited than I am. "We're a block away from the bookstore. We'll make it on time."

"But it's my first book signing." She stops and rolls her eyes. "I know, it's not MY book signing, but still I'm excited to be there for you."

"So I can point people to the bathroom. Yes, it's very exciting."

"Okay, Mr. Number One Bestseller. I'm sure no one is going to show up for your autograph."

"It is New Year's. This could be a very bad idea," I say.

"Or a brilliant one."

The frosty air hits us as we step outside and onto the sidewalk and I hold Joy tightly to me. She's getting better at navigating streets with ice and snow, but I can't let my sweet Texan slip and fall.

"So I have a confession to make," she says.

"What's that?"

"I invited Colton Briggs."

"Like personally invited him?"

"Yes, I sent him an email. He's very funny."

I frown. "Briggs and I are not going to have whatever weird bromance you're cooking up in your head."

"You never know. He lives here so it made sense. Y'all got a lot of publicity from the gingerbread house competition, not to mention all the charity money you raised. So if you don't want to be nice to him, that's fine, but he'll be there and I wanted you to know."

I stop walking. "Wait, where's Hannah? Were we supposed to wait for her?" I can't believe I'd forgotten my sister. She'd come into the city with us since Abby had gone to spend a couple of weeks with her father's parents.

Joy pulls my hand. "No, she's meeting us there. She went to a spa or something. I don't know."

"You could have done that. You know you can spend my money. It's both of ours now."

She smiles up at me and in that moment all my plans fly out the window. I don't want to wait. I stop our forward movement and drop to my knee in front of her.

"Joy, I meant to do this later, but I can't wait any longer." I pull the trademark blue box out of my pocket and open it. "Will you be my wife?"

Tears stream down her cheeks and she nods. She pulls off her mitten with her teeth and waves her hand in front of me. The people around us have stopped and circled us and are cheering when I slide the solitaire on her finger. I stand, and then lift her up until our faces meet.

"I love you so damn much. You're everything to me."

"I love you too. And I love you more. And I can't wait to be your wife."

I kiss her hard knowing this is only the beginning of our happy ending.