He nods his head and smiles again. “I’m really staying. I promised you I would and I refuse to go back on that promise. We’re in this for good, wife.”
Unable to form words, I simply laugh and throw my arms around his neck. Hugging him tightly, the entire room erupts in claps, cheers, and a few whistles. I feel Grams’s hand on the small of my back and I turn to look at her through watery eyes.
“They would be so proud of you.” Her eyes glisten with her own tears as she mentions my parents.
“Thank you, Grams.” I bend over and give her a hug. When I stand, I loop my hands around his neck and smile at him.
“I love you, Nick Winters.”
“I love you, too, Noelle Holly. Or do I get to call you Mrs. Winters now?”
Giving him a half smirk, I scrunch my nose up at him. “I think I’ll stick with Holly if that’s okay with you.”
Glancing around the room, I take in the place I’ve called home for the last twenty-five years and can’t help but smile.
“Holly has always suited me best.”
“Whatever my wife wants, she gets,” he says, pulling me close.
A person reaches around us and sets dessert down at our place setting.
“Look up,” Eve smirks, winking at me as she passes.
We tilt our head up and chuckle at the fresh bunch of Holly leaves and red berries tied together and hanging from a string. Leaning in, we kiss under the mistletoe right in front of everyone.
And nothing has ever felt so right.
CHAPTER 25
Noelle
“Noelle,” I hear him hum before the feeling of his lips landing on my shoulder makes my heart flutter.
“Noelle,” he hums again. I grunt in response which earns me a hearty chuckle. “Come on, sugar, it’s time to wake up. It’s Christmas.”
My eyes shoot open, having forgotten that today is the best day of the entire year. When I open them, I find his dark green eyes peering back at me, a soft smile on his face. It widens when he sees me take him in which only causes me to smile too.
“Merry Christmas, sugar,” he says, reaching a hand over and resting it on my cheek.
“Merry Christmas, Nick.” Reaching my own hand over, I poke one of his dimples. He snatches my hand and pulls me into him, enveloping me in a hug that I’d be okay with lasting forever. Last night ended with me going home with him and showing him exactly how happy I am that he’s staying in Evergreen for good.
“Do you think Santa came?” I ask, not kidding in the least.I don’t care how old I get or how teased I am, I believe that if you believe in Santa, he will believe in you and bring you some type of gift year after year.
“He definitely did for you. I didn’t need him to come for me this year. I already have everything I need right here,” he mumbles into my hair and pulls me tighter to him. I let out a happyhmphinto his chest and pull away to look at him.
“Have I mentioned how happy I am that you’re staying?”
“Only at least a dozen times since getting home last night.”
“Well, I am. I’m still shocked you made such a big decision without talking to me but…” I pause and look at him deeply. “I’m really happy you’re staying.”
“Me too, sugar, me too.” He presses up onto his elbow and sits with his head resting in the palm of his hand. “You wanna go see what Santra brought you?”
My eyes go wide with excitement. “Yes.”
I nearly fly out of bed causing him to laugh loudly behind me. When I open the bedroom door and look out at the living room, there’s several neatly packed presents under the tree. Reaching the bottom of the tree, I tuck my hair behind my ear and grab the one with the biggest bow.
“Hold it,” he calls out from the doorway. My hands freeze on top of the box I’m about to tear open like a child would. “Those are to open with the family later at Holly House.”
