Epilogue

EPILOGUE

ZOEY

Five Years Later…

C larissa opens the door; her apron is dusted with baking ingredients, and there’s a smudge of flour across her cheek.

“Come in, come in, I’m just making Christmas cookies.”

Mia runs forward and hugs her legs, sending up a flour dust storm into the air.

“Hello, little one.” Clarissa bends down and kisses the top of Mia’s head. “You want to help me decorate the cookies?”

“Yes, I do.” She skips off to the kitchen, pulling her coat off as she goes.

“Take your shoes off, Mia,” I call after her. But she’s already down the hall with the speed of a three and half year old.

“Don’t worry,” says Clarissa hurrying after her. “Charles!” she calls up the stairs. “They’re here.”

Hugo hands me the car seat. “You take him, and I’ll bring in the bags.”

I look down at Noah, our six-month-old son, peacefully sleeping in the car seat. His mouth moves in his sleep, as if he’s dreaming about sucking on a bottle.

I slip out of my coat and boots and then take him through to the living room.

Mr. Walker--although he insists I call him Charles, he’ll always be Mr. Walker to me--comes down the stairs.

“How are you, Zoey?” he says in a booming voice. Then he sees Noah asleep in the car seat, and his voice changes to a whisper. “And how’s my favorite grandson?”

“You don’t need to whisper; he’ll sleep through anything.”

I put Noah down next to the sofa and Mr. Walker leans over him, a broad grin across his face. I’ve never seen such a proud grandparent.

A large Christmas tree sits in the corner with presents piled up underneath. There’s a fire blazing in the grate, and the glow from the fire and the Christmas lights casts a soft glow around the room.

After Mr. Walker and Clarissa were married, she insisted they sell the mansion and they moved into something smaller and cozier. It’s got a homey feel to it now, and we visit often.

I sit on the sofa with my feet tucked under me watching Mr. Walker grin down at his grandson.

He turns to me. “Can I get you a drink? I’ve opened a bottle of Christmas brandy.”

“That sounds good, thank you.”

He heads to the kitchen to make the drinks, leaving me alone with Noah.

Hugo and I were married six months after we met, and we went on an extended three month honeymoon to Mexico. He took me to all his favorite places, and we spent weeks sitting on the beach doing nothing but drinking cocktails and making love.

It was no surprise that Mia arrived nine months later.

Mr. Walker loved Hugo’s proposal about the reclaimed furniture. He now runs that division of the business, overseeing the sourcing of reclaimed wood and the design of unique furniture pieces.

I went to work for Hugo, helping him get his idea up and running. Once Mia was born, I cut my hours down to part time, and I’ve been taking an extended maternity break to look after Noah. Although Hugo still consults me about different ideas for the business, I’m his unofficial sounding board.

I’ll go back to work part time soon and help him again in the office. But for now, I’m content to look after my babies.

Noah starts to stir, and I lift him out of the car seat just as Hugo comes in, followed by Mr. Walker holding a tray of drinks.

“I hope you guys are hungry, because she’s made enough to feed an army. You’d think you were staying a month, not two days.”

Noah lets out a hungry cry. “You ready for a bottle, little one?” I start to get up, but Mr. Walker holds his hands out to take Noah.

“You relax, Zoey. I’ll get his bottle.”

Noah goes quiet in his granddad’s arms. Mr. Walker loves being hands on with him. He says he wasn’t around much when Hugo was little, so he’s making up for it now.

He takes him into the kitchen to find a bottle, and I sink back into the couch. Hugo puts his arm around me, and I lean my head against his chest.

“Merry Christmas, babe,” he whispers into my hair.

“Merry Christmas.” I turn my head, and his lips meet mine. It’s a quick kiss, but it fills me with warmth. I feel my heartbeat quickening, and a tingle between my legs.

“What are the sleeping arrangements this year?” I ask.

“I told Clarissa that Mia was old enough to have her own room. So it’s just Noah in the travel cot in the room with us.” He nibbles on my ear. “And you know Noah sleeps through anything.”

He gives my neck a quick kiss, a promise of what’s to come later, before Mia comes bursting into the room followed by Clarissa carrying a plate of cookies.

“We made cookies!” Mia shouts to the room.

She runs up to us, and I manage to put my drink down before she scrambles up to sit on my lap.

“I decorated the cookies, Mummy.” She waves a cookie in my face that’s got slashes of green icing and gold sprinkles on it.

“They look delicious, sweetie.”

“You want some, Daddy?”

Hugo opens his mouth to take a bite, and she whips the cookie away.

“Ha ha too slow.” She stuffs the cookie in her mouth instead.

Hugo laughs and she smiles up at him, her mouth full. I can’t help but laugh at them both.

I make room for Mia on the couch between us and pick up my drink again. As I sip the warm liquid, I smile at how lucky we are, to spend Christmas with family, with those I love.

Mr. Walker comes back into the room, holding Noah with one hand and his drink with the other.

“Merry Christmas.” He holds his drink high in a toast. “To family.”

I hold my drink up to meet the toast. I catch Hugo’s eye, and we share a smile. “To family.”

Curious about the grumpy Christmas stall owner and why she makes skeleton Christmas decorations? Find out in What the Fudge, another Maple Springs instalove Christmas Romance.

Read What the Fudge next.