I collapsed onto the sofa with a satisfied sigh, finally allowing myself to feel the exhaustion that had been building all day. But it was good exhaustion, from meaningful work well done.
Kent settled beside me, pulling me close so I could rest my head on his shoulder. “Merry Christmas, Sylvie,” he said softly.
I snuggled deeper into his embrace, breathing in his familiar scent and marveling at how perfectly this day had turned out. “Merry Christmas,” I murmured back.
Kent reached into his pocket and pulled out something small, a tiny box wrapped with a delicate ribbon that caught the firelight.
“It’s not much,” he said, holding it out to me with an expression that was almost shy. “But I thought of you when I saw it. I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be an absolute whirlwind, so I want to give this to you tonight.”
I took the box with hands that were suddenly shaking. The size and shape immediately made me nervous. It was jewelry-box-sized, which could mean anything from earrings to, well, to things I wasn’t sure I was ready to think about.
When I opened it, my breath caught in my throat.
It was a necklace, a delicate chain with the most spectacular diamond pendant I’d ever seen. Not huge or ostentatious, butperfectly cut and brilliant enough to catch every flicker of light from the fire. It was elegant and timeless and so beautiful.
“Kent,” I whispered. “This is too much.”
“It’s not nearly enough,” he said firmly, taking the necklace from the box with gentle hands. “May I?”
I nodded, lifting my hair so he could fasten the clasp at the back of my neck. His fingers brushed against my skin as he worked, sending shivers down my spine that had nothing to do with the temperature.
When he finished, I looked down at the pendant resting just above my heart, then up at Kent, who was watching me with an expression of such tender admiration that it made my breath catch.
“It’s beautiful,” I said, touching the diamond gently. “But I feel terrible. I don’t have anything for you.”
Kent’s smile was soft and full of love as he cupped my face in his hands. “Sylvie, you’ve already given me more gifts than I can count.”
“Like what?”
“Like this,” he said, gesturing around the peaceful lodge. “Like your family accepting me. Like watching your face light up when you’re in your element, taking care of people and making them feel welcome. Like the chance to be part of something real and meaningful instead of just profitable. A home. Well, that’s something we’ll have to talk about later, but a home in all the ways that count.”
He paused, his thumbs brushing across my cheekbones.
“You gave me love when I didn’t even know I was looking for it. That’s worth more than anything money could buy.”
I kissed him. I let him feel all the love I felt for him. For the man who had turned my world upside down in the best possible way.
“Let’s go home,” I said.
He grinned. “I like the sound of that.”
We were both exhausted, and walking across the lot felt like it would take more energy than I had, but that was a good thing.
CHAPTER 70
KENT
We bundled up in our coats and stepped out into the snow, which was still falling steadily. The world had gone quiet the way it does after a heavy snowfall, with that hushed quality that made me feel like we were the only two people awake in the entire universe.
Sylvie slipped her mittened hand into mine as we trudged through the accumulating drifts toward her apartment above the garage. My legs felt like lead. I could see from the way she was moving that she was just as exhausted as I was. But the walk through the snow was peaceful. It felt like the right way to end this perfect night together.
Just us. Just the lights and the snow and peace.
By the time we climbed the stairs to her apartment, we were both breathing hard and covered in snow. I stomped my boots on the mat while Sylvie fumbled with her keys, her fingers clumsy from the cold.
Inside, we stripped off our wet coats and boots in a tired silence. I was beyond exhausted, the kind of bone-deep tired that comes from physical labor combined with emotional intensity. Making beds, hosting guests, having that conversation with myfather, signing paperwork for the biggest investment of my life. All of it had taken its toll.
We moved through her apartment like zombies, shedding layers as we went. By the time we reached her bedroom, I was down to my boxers, and she was in nothing but one of my T-shirts that she’d claimed as her own at some point.
