Trace shook Max’s hand and was about to speak when Kenzie’s voice rang out across the square. “SNOWBALL SURPRISE!”
The first snowball hit Boone square in the back of the head. Tildi shrieked with laughter. Then Joy nailed Chance in the chest. Kenzie pelted Sev, who actually smiled, though he’d probably deny it.
Kip’s family stared, wide-eyed.
Her mom whispered, “Is this normal here?”
Kip laughed through tears. “Every day.”
The Daddies let the girls get exactly three throws before the tide turned. Boone scooped Tildi up, tossed her over his shoulder. “Bottom red as Santa’s suit, baby.”
Chance had Joy by the waist. “Corner time when we get home.” Looking around with a grin, he added, “If you need us once we’re home, you don’t. We’re going to be a little tied up, isn’t that right, Gypsy?”
Joy just slapped his back and laughed.
Sev simply caught Kenzie’s next snowball, packed it harder, and tucked it down the back of her coat. She squealed and ran. He chased. Kip kind of thought Kenz better get used to that. Sev struck her as a man who liked the chase. And lord help Kenzie when he caught her.
Trace looked at Kip, eyes dark. “You throw one, little fox, and you’re spending tomorrow sitting on a pillow.”
She bit her lip, packed a snowball anyway, and beamed it at his chest. It exploded across his coat.
He was on her in two strides, lifting her off her feet, mouth at her ear. “That’s twenty, babygirl. And I’m adding interest.”
Another voice rang out from the rooftop. Kip looked up to see Junie calling out to Tanner from the top of an extension ladder. “Tanner! Hot chocolate and cookies!”
Tanner had hands on her in second, lecturing like a Daddy as he help her onto the roof. “What were you thinking, Junebug. You have no business climbing a ladder that high without someone behind you. If you fell, you’d break your neck!”
Junie stomped her foot and shook what Kip could only assume was a tin of cookies while waving a thermos in front of Tanner’s face. “Well. I didn’t fall. I made it up here just fine.But now I think I’ll take my cookies and hot chocolate back down the ladder and share them with Jeremy Fitzwalter instead. He never yells at me.”
Tanner eased Junie away from the edge of the roof, and Kip didn’t think she even noticed. “No, you damn well will not. I didn’t mean to yell but you scared ten years off my life with that stunt.”
Looking down and seeing he had an audience, Tanner took Junie’s elbow as led her to further away from the edge. They sat side by side on the roof peak, legs dangling. Kip loved watching them. Junie talked with her hands. Tanner listened like she was the only person in the world.
Kip was so caught up in what was happening on the roof, she didn’t notice Pastor Shep Ross had appeared at the entrance, Bible in hand, smiling wide.
Trace took Kip’s hand. “Come on.”
Kenzie was the first to notice Trace and Kip moving to the snow globe they had chosen for the wedding. She put two fingers in the corners of her mouth and let out a cowboy whistle so loud it could have been heard in Chicago. “It’s time everyone.” She yelled.
“Oh, cool!” Ellie cried. “She’s getting married again, and this time we get front and center seats.”
Kip’s mom placed a hand on Trace’s cheek. “I think my girl has found a keeper. Thank you for working all this out.”
Kip could barely hold in her laughter when Trace turned beet red. “I know it means a lot to Kip you’re here.”
And she was. Her mom was right. Kip had the best Daddy in the world, but she already knew that.
Trace led Kip, her family trailing, to the largest snow globe in the center. Inside, chairs were arranged in a circle. Fairy lights glowed. Snow fell soft and constant. It took a few minutes, but soon everyone was in their place. Tanner had come down and stood beside Tanner. All he Littles lined up beside Kip.
Pastor Shep stood at the front with Kip and Trace facing him.He opened his Bible. “Trace asked me a few days ago if I’d marry you two. Properly this time. In front of God and family and all of Wilder.” He then proceeded through a short welcome, simple vows and then came to the exchange of rings.
Trace dropped to one knee right there in the snow. Pulled out another ring box. Opened it. A blue diamond wedding band nested in the velvet interior of the box. The match to the ring he’d given her the night before.
“Kip Daniels. I married you once in front of our Christmas tree because I couldn’t wait another day. Marry me again tonight, in front of everyone who loves you. Let me put this ring on your finger where it belongs. Let me love you every single day for the rest of our lives.”
She was crying too hard to speak. Eventually, she composed herself enough to nod and whisper one word. “Yes.”
He slid the ring on. It fit perfectly. He stood, cupped her face, kissed her soft and slow while snow fell around them. Her family cheered, both of them, and the whole town sang “Joy to the World” off-key. “But I don’t have a ring for you.”
