A kiss that melted every frantic gear grinding in his head.
When she pulled back, her lips brushed his cheek as she whispered, warm and teasing, “Tom… spring is a long time away. It’s only Christmas, after all.”
Her fingers curled into his hair, pulling him back to her mouth. “We have time.”
Epilogue
Lauren
Snow driftedpast the windows in lazy spirals.
Lauren stood in the center ofherstudio—the one with the vaulted ceiling, the window wall, the warm floors Tom had insisted on. “Cold toes ruin brilliance.”
It looked exactly the way she’d imagined.
No. Better.
Full of color, ribbon, fabric, sketches, half-finished commissions stacked neatly on shelves Tom had built himself.
From the living room came the rumble of two very different families trying to coexist.
“Gerald, stop sampling the cookies!”
“I’m ensuring quality control!”
“That’s your fifth one!”
Tom’s mother’s voice rose in its familiar clipped pitch: “Richard, I swear if you track snow on this rug I will?—”
Followed by Linda’s warm, unbothered: “Oh hush, Judith. It’s Christmas.”
Lauren smiled, wiped her hands, and reached for the piece she needed: the tree topper she’d made—an explosion of ribbon, gold wire, and tiny glowing stars. Whimsical. Dramatic. Just right.
Tom peeked around the doorframe, wearing the red sweater she had knitted him.
“You’re missing the show,” he said.
She lifted the tree topper. “Had to grab the star.”
He stepped into the studio and into her arms, kissing her forehead. His gaze dipped, as it always did, to the necklace at her throat—hisnecklace, still a little lopsided, still perfect.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Let’s do it.”
They walkedinto the living room hand in hand.
The tree wasoverboard. Spectacularly. Full of mismatched ornaments, heirlooms, papier-mâché, and glittering garlands.
Mia stood beside Jake, wearing reindeer antlers and holding a plate of cookies.
Judith tried—tried—to smile.
Richard cleared his throat every few minutes but hadn’t insulted anything yet, which was progress.
On the mantel sat a new piece of Lauren’s:CHRISTMAS AF
Bright. Loud. Joyful.
