Noah was looking at him with shining eyes.
“I know it’s cheesy.” There was a tremor in Noah’s voice. “And maybe it’s too soon. But I keep thinking about the day we met. How you held my hand.”
Eli couldn’t breathe.
Noah swallowed hard. “I don’t want this to be a winter thing, or a temporary thing, or even a ‘maybe someday’ thing. I want—” He stopped, his breath fogging as he steadied himself. “I want to hold your hand in March. I want to hold it next Christmas. I want to hold it when we fight, and when we’re tired, and when everything is good.” He stepped closer still. “And yeah,” Noah whispered. “I want to hold it forever—if you’ll let me.”
Eli’s eyes burned.
“You idiot,” he choked out. “Of course I will.” He took Noah’s hand and held it tight.
The cheering blurred into a single warm roar around them, mingled with laughter, clapping, and someone shouting, “About time, Carter!”
Eli tugged him closer by his scarf. “You hung lights for me,” he whispered.
Noah swallowed. “I’d hang the moon if it wasn’t so structurally questionable.”
Eli laughed and lifted his free hand to Noah’s cheek. “Come here,” he murmured.
Noah leaned in, his eyes flicking to Eli’s mouth.
Eli’s heart thudded hard enough to hurt.
Then Noah kissed him, a warm press of lips that felt like the beginning of something inevitable.
Eli exhaled against his mouth, parted his lips, and Noah made a small, helpless sound that sent heat surging through him.
The world around them erupted into louder cheering, amid shouts.
“We called it!”
“Finally!”
Eli didn’t care.
They kissed again, Eli sliding his hand into Noah’s hair, Noah gripping Eli’s coat as though he didn’t ever want to let go.
When they finally broke apart, both breathless, Noah whispered, “So… that’s a yes? As in, yes, you’re mine forever? Yes, you’ll marry me?”
Eli’s heart was about to burst with joy.
He laughed and kissed him once more. “No—that’s ahellyes.”
As the pines glowed above them and the whole town cheered as if they’d been waiting for this moment all season long, Noah laughed, pulling him in.
I’m not scared anymore.
“Noah!”
He turned and smiled. “I thought you’d be here.”
Mark hugged him, then Liam took his turn.
Liam pressed his cheek to Noah’s. “Congratulations. I amsohappy for you.”
When Liam released him, Noah put his arm around Eli’s shoulders. “This is Liam and Mark, two of my dearest friends.And when we finally set a date, it’s going to be tough deciding which of them gets to be my best man.”
Eli grinned. “Then why choose? What’s wrong with having two best men?”
