Her heart swelled so full she wondered how it stayed inside her ribs. She turned as far as the saddle and her body would allow, reaching up to loop an arm around his neck. It wasn’t the smoothest maneuver in the world—her hip strap tugged a little, Copper snorted in mild offense at all the shifting—but Wade steadied her easily, one arm banded around her middle.
“You sure you’re up for all the maintenance?” she asked, searching his face. “The ramps and the schedules and me getting mad when you try too hard?”
“I’m counting on it,” he said. “And for the record, I don’t see maintenance. I see…us. Figuring things out. Together.”
He was close enough now that she could see the flecks of gold in his green eyes, the faint line on his chin from some long-ago mishap. With Murphy, no doubt. Snow dusted his lashes. He looked like every good decision she’d ever been too scared to make.
“Yes,” she said. “I’ll be your girlfriend.”
His answering smile made her feel like the sun had come up inside her chest. Then he kissed her, properly this time, his mouth warm and sure and a little tentative at first, like he was giving her every chance to pull away.
She didn’t. She finished the kiss, turned, and snapped the reins just like the cowgirl she really was.
MJ stood just beyond the Starling Room doors, smoothing her dress and breathing in the scent of pine, champagne, and the bonfire crackling outside. Inside, the band eased into a slow, drifting melody, and laughter rose and fell like a tide against Snowberry Lodge’s sturdy bones.
Nicole and Cameron had danced their last dance only moments ago, glowing with that just-married light that made everyone around them a little warmer. Elise’s toast—equal parts tearjerker and laugh out loud comedy—had guaranteed that every guest ruined their mascara and got a new laugh line.
Beaming with pride, Cindy and Jack looked ten years younger, leaning into one another as if remarriage had turned back time.
MJ pressed her hand to her chest, feeling overwhelmed by a fresh dose of optimism, her drug of choice. So much love in one room. So much joy and family and hope.
There’d been a time when all of those things had seemed far away. When Cindy and Jack divorced. When their mother died, and then the darkest of time when she lost George. Just a year ago, when they flirted with a scam that almost wiped them out,then scraped by in December only to have the roof cave in—literally.
It was all so tenuous and terrifying until a certain Graham Matthew Walker appeared in her life and?—
“Well,” a familiar voice murmured behind her, rich and warm as mulled cider. “That was about the prettiest wedding I’ve ever seen.”
She smiled and turned to look into Matt’s eyes, sighing at the sight of him all relaxed, with his tie loosened, his cheeks touched pink from dancing and a little champagne.
Her heart did that flutter thing that was so frequent she was used to it now, just looking at him.
“It was perfect,” she said, slipping into his arms. “And I’m so glad you were here.”
His smile deepened. “I kind of feel like I belong. How’d you manage that?”
She gave a small, breathy laugh. “I didn’t do anything but…love you.”
“Same, Mary Jane,” he whispered, brushing a kiss to her temple. “Same.”
Together, they swayed to the faint music drifting from inside, his arms circling her from behind, their bodies moving as though the night had slowed to honor this one moment.
From where they stood, she could see Gracie and Marshall slow-dancing near the Christmas tree, wrapped in their own world. Beyond them, Benny and Olivia darted in and out of clusters of guests—first whispering to Nicole, then tugging at Jack, then darting back toward the door like undercover elves on a mission.
“What are those two up to?” MJ murmured.
“Probably nothing you want to know about,” Matt said lightly.
“Oh, heavens. Where’s Red?”
“Avoiding Bertie, who is trying to convince the DJ to put on a line dance that she could lead with Red.”
MJ snorted. “She’s leaving tomorrow and my father will be free.”
“I think he’ll miss the attention.” He gave her a squeeze. “Grab the pretty fur wrap and take a walk with me?”
“Now?”
“Yes, now. It’s almost midnight and we should be able to see the Park City fireworks from the gazebo.”
