“Liam...” Chloe whispered, her voice trembling.
He gazed up at her, his expression earnest. “I love you, Chloe, and I love Oscar. I want to build a life with you both. Will you marry me?”
Tears welled in her eyes, a mix of joy and disbelief washing over her. She looked down at Oscar. He seemed so confused that she hugged him. “Liam wants to marry me, Oscar. That means he’ll live with us and be part of our lives forever.”
“Like a daddy?”
She nodded. “What do you think? Would you like Liam to live with us?”
He thought about what she’d asked. “Will Trixie come, too?”
Liam stood and turned to Oscar. “She’ll definitely stay with us.”
With a happy smile, Oscar nodded. “Yes, please. I love Trixie.”
With tears in her eyes, Chloe tightened her grip on Liam’s hand. “I never thought I’d feel this way about anyone, let alone get married. But you made me feel safe and loved, and I can’t imagine not spending the rest of my life with you.”
Tears filled Liam’s eyes. “Is that a yes?”
“It’s an enormous yes.” Chloe wrapped her arms around his shoulders and smiled. “I love you and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.” Oscar let out a whoop of excitement. She wasn’t sure whether that was because she was marrying Liam, or because Trixie was coming to live with them.
Liam kissed her, then slipped the ring onto her finger. It fitted perfectly, as if it had been made for her.
“Can we see Trixie now?” Oscar asked.
Liam held his small hand in his. “I think that’s a great idea.”
As they walked into Richard’s workshop, he looked at Liam and then Chloe. “Did everything go well?”
Chloe held up her hand, the ring glinting under the lights. “Better than I could have ever imagined.”
“Congratulations!” Richard exclaimed. “I can’t think of three people more perfect for each other.”
Oscar raced over to Trixie. “Do you want to live with me, girl?” he asked, hugging her tightly. Trixie responded by licking his cheek, her tail wagging happily.
Chloe watched them, her heart overflowing with love. This was her family—something she’d only dreamed of finding again. When she turned to Liam, he was watching Oscar and Trixie with a tender expression on his face. “Thank you,” she whispered.
He looked at her, surprised. “For what?”
“For coming into our lives. For loving us.”
He took her hand, squeezing it gently. “I should be the one thanking you. You’ve given me more than I ever thought possible.”
Richard cleared his throat. “I think this calls for a celebration. I’m meeting Paris at The Starlight Café for lunch. Would you like to join us?”
Oscar jumped to his feet. “Can we, Mom? There’s a place where Trixie can play with her doggy friends and they have yummy hot chocolate.”
Chloe smiled at Liam. “The café will be full of people having their lunch before doing more Christmas shopping. Are you ready for everyone to know we’re engaged?”
He nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. “I want everyone to know how much I love you.”
Tears of happiness filled Chloe’s eyes. “Then let’s go celebrate.”
They gathered their coats, and with Trixie happily trotting beside Oscar, they stepped out into the softly falling snow. While they waited for Richard to lock the building, Chloe gazed up at the sky. “It’s like a winter wonderland.”
Liam slipped his arm around her waist. “A perfect day in every way.”
Chloe sighed. This Christmas was the beginning of their new life together, and she couldn’t wait to share it with the world.
