Epilogue

EPILOGUE

COLE - ONE YEAR LATER

I wake up from a dead sleep and reach for Kate. Nothing but cold sheets. After a night like that, I’m surprised she can walk. Hell, I’m barely able to sit up, struggling as I raise myself.

I groan, rubbing my eyes, face, and beard, and glance around our bedroom. It’s already light out. And when I pull back the curtain, snow’s falling but that’s unsurprising. It hasn’t stopped snowing this entire week. And thank Saint Nick for that—my wife was stuck with me for the whole week. Well, soon-to-be wife. We’ll be married in less than a month. And if this snow keeps up, she’ll get her dream of a proper winter wedding, and I’ll be marrying mine.

I pinch myself every day because I still can’t believe Kate’s real. That she agreed to be mine. One day it will finally hit me that I’m not having the longest dream. Maybe.

I pull the covers off and swing my legs off the bed. I consider putting on clothes but I’d be taking them off in a few minutes anyway. I know what’s waiting for me under the Christmas tree. Unwrapped it more times than I can count. But I swear each time I do, I’m just as excited. It’s the only thing I want. The only thing I need. And as I reach for the door handle… I hear music.

“… saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus…”

I can’t help but smile as I imagine Kate next to the Christmas tree. My morning wood becomes steel as I walk toward the dresser and pick up my Santa’s hat. I’ve come around to the idea of transforming into Santa Claus. It helps that my girl loves me in a white beard. I swear the moment I put on the suit this year, she was ripping it from my body. Couldn’t get her off me. Not that I tried.

I put the cap on my head and then walk toward the door, pausing because I have another thought. I remove the cap, letting it hang off something else and then open the door.

“Oh my god,” she screams, covering her mouth as she laughs.

I step into the room, hands on my hips as I make the hat bounce.

“ Cole,” she squeals. “It’s moving .”

“Moves every time I see you. Can’t help it.”

“You should probably get that checked out.”

I move toward my girl, clad in candy-cane leggings, Christmas green tunic, and a hat with elf ears poking out the top.

“I think I might,” I rasp, a few feet away. “But I don’t trust anyone but you to do a thorough inspection.”

She swallows. Crosses her legs, tugging at the hem of her skirt. “I can help with that.”

I pause, staring at the ring as it sparkles on her finger. Can’t believe how lucky I am, finding her one year ago. And in less than a month, she’ll be my wife. If I had my way, we’d be celebrating our first wedding anniversary instead.

But weddings take time, and my girl’s been dreaming of this one for a while. Wasn’t about to take that away from her because I couldn’t be patient. I figured I waited my entire life for Kate, what’s another year?

“What are you thinking about?”

“You.”

Kate smiles and I close the gap between us, kneeling in front of her as I slide my palms against her tights.

“I’m always thinking about you.”

She swallows. “I know. I’m always thinking about you too. How amazing you are. Everything you do and have done for me.”

“You’re my world. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”

I grab her hands, kissing every finger again and again.

“And for the second year in a row, I’m going to unwrap the only thing I want for Christmas.”

I slide my hands under her skirt, attempting to peel down her tights before she stops me.

“I think I have something you’d like better.”

My throat closes up when I see the tears welling in her eyes. “What could…”

I can’t even speak as she pulls out a rectangular box from beneath her chair and hands it to me. I stare at it and then at Kate. Those tears are spilling from her cheeks. I brush them off, and I try to speak but every word is lodged in my throat.

“Open it.” Her voice is hardly above a whisper.

I look at the bow, taking one end and tugging at it until it falls away. A few moments later I’m staring at the first picture of my kid—a sonogram resting on top of the smallest pair of knit pajamas, booties, and a cap I’ve ever seen. I don’t know what to say. I’m speechless for so long that Kate has to prod me.

“D-do you like it?” her voice is strained and raspy, and I don’t have to look at her to know that she’s full-on crying.

My heart clenches as I set the bundle down, cradle Kate’s face in my hands, and kiss her. Madly. Fiercely. Like it’s our first kiss. Like it’s the last time I’ll ever kiss her. Every thought and feeling and emotion I’d felt looking at that precious bundle explodes in this kiss. And when I finally pull away, both of us panting as our foreheads press together, she says, “I’ll take that as a yes.”

I smile, nudging her nose. “You’d be right. On both counts,” I add.

“What was the other count?”

“That there’s something else I want just as much as you for Christmas.”

I place my hand on her belly, feeling my two favorite things in this world.

“This is the greatest gift you could have possibly given me, Kate. I love you. I love you ,” I say, patting her stomach. “And I love the life we’ve built together.”

She kisses my lips softly.

“And it’s only the beginning.”

I kiss my wife. My girl. My fucking world. I kiss her until my lips are numb and then start all over again because I want to remember this moment forever.

My life changed on Christmas a year ago. It changed again today. I don’t know what the next year will bring or the one after, but I know no matter what happens, I’ll have my two favorite people in this world by my side. And maybe a few more, if I’m lucky…

Thanks for reading! If you’d like to read Nick and Eva’s story (more Christmas!), check out The Scrooge of the Mountain .

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