Page 83 of Holly, Jolly, and Oh So Naughty

On one particular twirl, James sends me out from his body, and I close my eyes, soaking up the atmosphere and the warmth of James’s hand entangled with my own.

But when I spin back, my heart screeches to a halt.

James is no longer standing. Instead, he kneels in the doorway next to us right under a fat clump of mistletoe, and something huge sparkles in his eyes.

“Marry me, Lily.”

The crowd around us goes deathly silent as more and more people notice James down on one knee. Emma squeals in delight and is immediately scooped up by my father.

“Marry me,” James repeats as I stare at him, rooted to the floor in absolute shock. “I know it’s fast. In fact, it might feel insanely fast, but I have loved you for seven years, and I have missed so much. Too much. All that wasted time is time I am desperate to make up for, and I swear to you, I will. I will spend every single day loving you, Lily. And loving Emma. And I will make sure you know it, every single day.”

I can’t breathe. My heart beats so wildly, it’s like roaring in my ears, and I clutch at my chest.

“So marry me,” James says with tears sparkling in his eyes. “Do me the incredible honor of becoming my wife.”

Is this real?I almost want to pinch myself, but I’m too scared to move in case this is some odd dream.

The room is silent, and James stares up at me with such open, honest hope in his eyes.

“Yes!” I gasp as tears flood my eyes and my heart pounds like a drum. “A thousand times, yes!”

Trembling, I hold out my hand as cheers of delight rise from the crowd behind me. James slides the sparkling ring onto my finger, then he surges up and gathers me in his arms, spinning me around as he peppers kisses all over my face.

There’s no doubt here. He is the man I want to spend the rest of my life with, and while I’d never given much thought to marriage, I’m never more sure of anything than saying yes in that moment.

We kiss repeatedly as he spins me around, and then, just outside the windows, the dark night sky explodes with colors as multiple fireworks race into the sky and explode.

“A little early!” I hear my dad laughing in the crowd.

I don’t care. The explosions of color dance across James’s face as he kisses me deeply, cradling my face like I’m the most precious thing he’s ever held. We’re joined a few seconds later by Emma who comes flying through the crowd and tackles our legs.

“Yay!” she yells. “Mommy and Daddy together!”

James scoops her up into his arms and balances her against his hip, then he slides his other hand around my waist and repeatedly kisses my cheek.

I’m about to speak, but out of the crowd melts his mother, and a pulse of apprehension tightens across my shoulders. I brace for whatever she has to say.

“You make a beautiful couple,” she says with a small smile. Then she takes my hand, pressing a small, cold object into my palm. As she releases me, I spot a small gold brooch with their family name woven across the plaque.

“Welcome to the family, Lily.”

It’s a small gesture at the start of a very long road to forgiveness, so I smile at her the best I can.

“Thank you. I appreciate this a lot.”

She nods and disappears back into the crowd as James moves us closer to the window. Together, we watch the too-early fireworks display light up the night sky.

“I love you, Lily,” James says, kissing my cheek again and again.

“I love you too.”

“And I loveyou!” James buries his face in Emma’s neck, making her squeal and giggle.

“I promise we will never be apart again,” he says, and I turn to look him in the eyes.

“You promise?”

“I promise,” he swears. “This is the first of a lifetime of Christmases and New Years together. Until we’re old and gray.”

I cup his face and bring him into a deep, slow kiss as my heart overflows with love.

Until we are old and gray.