A ring sat nestled in the satin lining, a simple platinum band with a single diamond that made me tear up.
I looked up at his eyes as he stared at me and knew in a split second what was happening.
It wasn't at all the way I thought he'd do this, but he was right.
This moment, Christmas Eve morning, in his home after waking in his bed, was more perfect than any other thing he could even dream of planning.
"Ember Harrison, Amber Hensley, whatever you want me to call you now." He chuckled, and I sighed as the first tear slipped from my eye. "The past six months have been a collision of two worlds. I can't think of any other way to describe that. But in a good way.
"I did this once before, when I was younger, and I managed to narrowly escape something very bad. And while this whole town seemed to be waving red warning flags every time they saw us together, I knew from the beginning with you that the only thing I'd ever feel when we are together is goodness. I love you, and I don’t have to wait another second to know that I want you in my life, in my home, and in my bed every day for the rest of my life."
His voice was steady but his hands trembled slightly. "Will you marry me?"
My vision blurred with tears that just kept coming no matter how much I blinked.
I almost spilled the cocoa as I tried to set it down, and there was no point trying to look at the ring right now.
"Yes." The word came out choked. "Yes, absolutely, yes."
He slipped the ring onto my finger, and I pulled him closer to me so I could kiss him. "Mmm, salty," he said, deepening the kiss, and I chuckled into his parted lips. "I love you," he said."I've loved you since the moment you challenged my terrible handwriting and made me laugh about something I had been self-conscious about for decades."
"I love you too." I looked at the ring on my finger, still not quite believing this was real. "Even when you dragged me on stage and made me Hearthkeeper without asking first."
"I'll spend the rest of my life making that up to you."
"I'm going to hold you to that promise." I wiped my eyes and he handed me a tissue, but I knew the tears were far from over. Today would be full of emotions and I just had to ride them all out.
Then Nate stood and pulled me to my feet. "Now get dressed. We have a full day ahead of us."
I couldn't even protest.
I knew my parents and his would be over soon, bringing gifts and food to share.
We showered together and kissed a lot and he fed me breakfast, after which we finished wrapping the few gifts we'd purchased, and by the time the doorbell rang, my stomach was growling again for lunch.
The smell of Nate's turkey cooking in the oven made my mouth water.
"Can you get that?" he called. "It should be your parents."
"Of course," I said, dragging myself off the kitchen chair.
I opened the door to find my mother and father standing on the front steps, arms loaded with wrapped packages and a tin of cookies.
My mother took one look at me and burst into tears.
"Look at you," she said, setting down her packages to pull me into a hug. "You're glowing."
"I'm just pregnant and emotional."
But I hugged her back tightly, breathing in her familiar perfume.
It'd been way too long since I saw her, and the cold greeting was giving me a chill, but it was well worth it.
My father wrapped both of us in his arms in a hug so tight I was glad my boobs weren't so sore anymore. "We've missed you so much, sweetheart."
"I've missed you too." I pulled back and gestured them inside. "Come in before you freeze."
They followed me into the living room where our Christmas tree stood in the corner, decorated with white lights and simple ornaments.
