“I could fall in love with you very easily,” he murmurs into my hair.
I lean back and meet his eyes. “And me with you.”
And there it is—an admission. We both know it’s too soon to say the words, they mean too much to rush them, but there’s something real here. Something worth fighting for.
Suddenly, my mood plummets. “What about school? I can’t drop out—my parents would be devastated.”
Mason shrugs like it’s a non-issue. “Study online.”
They probably won’t like that, but I’m an adult now. There comes a point in our lives when we must make our own choices. But that reminds me…
“I get my own hotel room when we’re traveling,” I say, pointing my finger at Mason so he knows I mean business.
He laughs. “Naturally.”
I take a moment to let it all sink in. I’m going to travel the world with Mason. We’ll likely go to Paris—Italy! There are so many bakeries I want to visit and baking techniques I want to learn.
“You know,” Mason says, pulling me out of my head. “I probably should have had you bake me something before I handed you the job.” He raises an eyebrow. “How do I know if you can even bake?”
Laughing, knowing I’ve made the right choice despite how crazy and impulsive it seems, I stand on my tiptoes and brush a kiss to his lips. “Well, Mr. Knight, take me to a kitchen. I’ll make you a batch of cupcakes.”
EPILOGUE
TWO YEARS LATER
“I can’t believewe’re here,” Riley says. Just like she’s said three or four times already.
I look out over the crowd at Radio City, remembering my first time here. I’ve seen so much since then, gone so many places.
Fell desperately in love.
Mason’s hosting the Christmas special tonight, and I’m thrilled to see him perform. I’m feeling delightfully nostalgic.
I will never grow tired of watching him sing, especially when it seems he just keeps getting better and better.
“Everything’s so beautiful!” Riley laughs, beyond gleeful. Apparently, we need to take her out more. “Linus, isn’t it gorgeous?”
Linus smiles indulgently and brushes a kiss over her knuckles. “Almost as gorgeous as you.”
Riley rolls her eyes and gives him a playful shove, but her cheeks turn pink at the compliment.
“Will you have time to see the tree with us after the show?” Riley asks.
“As long as we’re on the jet before midnight, we should be fine.”
Just like two years ago, Mason and I will be rushing back to Denver before the evening is over, but this time, the world expects us to be together. After publishing my first cookbook this summer, Tammy invited me back to HBN’s Christmas Cookie Bake-off. This year, I’m a judge.
Lauren and Harrison make their way down our aisle, followed by Brandon and Sadie.
Sadie smiles at me and sets a hand on her growing stomach. “This is so exciting, Harper. Thank you again for inviting us.”
She and Brandon got back together not long after I left with Mason on his first tour, and they were married last year. I was in New Zealand during the wedding, but Riley sent me hundreds of pictures and a video, so I almost feel like I was there.
The lights grow dim, and the audience quiets.
It’s a fantastic show, and the decor this year is exceptionally beautiful. Riley sits next to me, hands clasped to her chest, beside herself with joy.
Yes, I need to drag her along with us more often.
