"What?" I asked, starting to laugh too without knowing why.
"I'm dressed as Santa, lying in the snow with my boy on top of me, and I'm so very happy." He shook his head. "Wren would have loved this. Would have loved you."
The mention of his late husband made my chest warm. "You think so?"
"I know so. He always wanted me to find someone who needed me as much as I needed them. Who'd let me take care of them." Simon brushed a strand of hair from my face. "That's you, bud. You're exactly what I needed. What we both needed."
"I needed you too," I said softly. "I didn't know how much until I found you."
"Well, now you're stuck with me." He finally sat up, bringing me with him so I ended up in his lap. "I'm not letting you go, Tanner. Not ever."
"Good." I snuggled into his chest, not caring that the Santa suit was ridiculous or that we were sitting in the snow. "Because I'm not going anywhere."
We stayed like that for a while, wrapped up in each other and the moment. Eventually, though, the cold started to seep through our clothes.
"Come on," Simon said, standing and pulling me up with him. "Let's get inside before we both freeze. I want to give you your actual Christmas present."
"There's more?" I gaped at him. "Daddy, you've already given me so much?—"
"There's always more, bud. Get used to it." He pressed a kiss to my forehead. "Besides, this one's different. This one's permanent."
Permanent. The word sent a thrill through me.
We walked back down the path hand in hand, stopping to look at each element of the winter wonderland. Everything looked different now—more beautiful, more meaningful—knowing it had been Simon who'd created it all for me.
"When did you set this all up?" I asked.
"This morning, while you were with the other littles. I've been planning it for days, but I wanted it to be fresh." He squeezed my hand. "Atticus didn't really send me on an errand. That was just to keep you from finding me before you got here."
"Sneaky," I said, but I was smiling.
"I learned from the best." He winked. "Sean's been helping me plan all of this. He's the one who suggested the scavenger hunt with the Polaroids."
"I should have known he was involved." I shook my head fondly. "Everyone was in on this, weren't they?"
"Pretty much. Harlan helped with the soup. Bobby Allen kept you distracted when I needed to set things up. Atticus gave me time off to go shopping." Simon pulled me closer as we walked."Everyone on this ranch loves you, Tanner. They all wanted to help make this special."
My throat got tight again. "I love them too. This place—it's home now."
"It is," Simon agreed. "And it's about to become even more officially yours."
We reached the main house, and Simon led me inside and up to our room. The space looked the same as always—cozy and lived-in, with both our belongings mixed together.
But on the bed was a box. Not wrapped, just a simple wooden box with a latch.
"Open it," Simon said, his voice soft but eager.
I sat on the edge of the bed and pulled the box into my lap. My hands trembled as I opened the latch.
Inside was a collar.
Not just any collar—it was beautiful. Soft leather in a deep brown, with silver hardware that caught the light. And attached to it was a tag in the shape of an elephant, engraved with the words:
Daddy's Boy Forever
I couldn't speak. Couldn't breathe. Could only stare at the collar and what it represented.
"This is me asking," Simon said, kneeling in front of me. "Officially. Will you be mine, Tanner? Not just for now, not just while you're at the ranch, but forever? Will you let me be your Daddy, your partner, your person for as long as we both shall live?"
