“It’s so simple. I can’t believe we didn’t think of it before,” Lux added.
Nick pushed off the wall where he’d been loitering. Remembering Charlotte’s question in the master bedroom, Valerie glanced at her friend and found her thoughtfully considering the wish granter.
Nick seemed oblivious. Valerie wanted to whack him over the head with a turkey leg. Charlotte was adorable a hundred times over. She would be totally into this whole Christmas Wish thing and bringing joy to children worldwide. They were a perfect match–couldn’t he see it?
“I think that’s a conversation better held back at the North Pole.” Nick motioned for the two of them to go. They did, their heads bent together as they discussed quantum leaps and true love as if they were the same thing. On second thought, they might be.
Nick faced them. “I’m glad it all worked out.” He swiped his forehead. “You have no idea how glad.”
Ethan glared. “I think I do.”
“Okay, you might.” Nick conceded. “I have one more thing for you.” He handed them an ornament. Two wedding rings were welded together into an infinity symbol with the date inscribed.
Valerie reached for it. “Aw. Nick. That’s so beautiful.” She loved it. “We’ll hang it on our tree every year.”
He picked up a fork and tapped the ring, sending a beautiful, clear note through the air.
Valerie chuckled. “It even sings.”
He pointed the fork at her. “Never stop singing, lady. I may be able to grant wishes, but your voice brings joy to the world. Share it?”
Ethan put his arm around her. “He’s right.”
“I know,” she whispered. She’d be singing in that charity concert on Valentine’s Day. It wouldn’t take much to get Uncle to let her do a Christmas album, either. Maybe there was more music in her than that–she’d have to see.
“A toast!” Uncle stood at his seat and lifted a glass. “To my beautiful niece and her new family–may every Christmas be filled with the love of family and the joy of Jesus Christ.” He lifted his glass to a chorus of here-heres.
Valerie glanced around the room at all the people who had gathered to celebrate her and Ethan and Collin becoming a family, and the tune toI believe there are angels among ushummed through her mind–one line deep as her Daddy and one line as melodious as her momma.
She touched the necklace resting in the hollow of her throat. Gratitude filled her soul because she knew she’d never be alone for Christmas again–she never was, but it took a little boy asking her to climb under the Christmas tree for her to see the lights.
EPILOGUE
“Excuse me,” Charlotte said as she ducked out of the dining room. She’d seen Nick leave when everyone was distracted by the toast and she wasn’t about to let this opportunity slip by.
She ran through the Christmas room and barely caught the front door before it closed. Yanking it open, she hadn’t realized Nick’s hand was on the other side of the doorknob, and she pulled him back inside the house.
He landed on his back on the floor, looking up at her.
She silently thanked Stella for providing floor-length dresses. Otherwise, he would have seen right up her skirt! Had the Kringle known something like this was going to happen?
She never knew with them.
“Hey,” she held out a hand to help him off the floor. “I have a Christmas wish.”
“Oh no!” He got to his feet and brushed off his backside. “No more wishes from this group. There is something in the air in Moose Hollow, and I’m not about to tempt it to mess with my wishes again. They go crazy.”
“Nick?” Stella called from the sleigh. She held the reins, and Prancer was, well, prancing his feet, anxious to be in the sky.
“Just a minute!” Charlotte grabbed the front of Nick’s tuxedo and held him in place. “I have made the same wish every year since I was a kid. Every. Year. Nick. And I’m not about to let you walk out of here without asking one more time.”
Nick’s eyes went wide. “That’s what you want?”
She nodded.
He relaxed. “Why didn’t you say so?” He put his hands over the tops of hers.
She rolled her eyes. “What did you think I was after?”
