Page 109 of The Mistletoe Mix-up

“Your dad gave it to me,” Sam said. “It was your grandma’s.”

Wren glanced at her dad with tears in her eyes, realizing that whole speech was to prepare her for this moment, because the two of them had colluded on the entire situation. While she should’ve been pissed off beyond belief, she was actually so filled with joy, she thought she would burst.

“You’re really asking me to marry you on Christmas, in front of my whole family, with my grandmother’s ring?”

“Yes, I am.”

Tears pricked her eyes, and she glanced at her dad, who simply quirked an eyebrow at her as if to say, What’s it going to be, kid?

“That is just the most perfect proposal I could ever imagine,” Wren whispered.

The whole family sucked in their breath as she walked into the living room and held her hand out.

“You gotta ask me, though, ’cause I’m not gonna assume anything in this moment.”

Sam smiled. “Will you marry me?”

“Yes, I think I will.”

“You only think?” he asked incredulously, his eyebrows hiked halfway up his forehead.

“Well, I guess you better hurry up and get something planned before I change my mind,” she said.

Sam climbed to his feet, slipped the ring over her finger, and he kissed her. “I’ll get right on that.”

Chapter Thirty-four

On New Year’s Eve morning, Wren slept in, excited that for the first time in sixteen years of law enforcement, she had both Christmas and New Year’s off. She got out of bed and went to use the bathroom, spotting a note on the mirror as she walked by. She pulled the letter off the glass and sat down to do her business, reading.

Good morning, Birdy.

I had to take care of something this morning, but your family is going to pick you up and bring you out to the Winters’ farm for a New Year’s Eve party. I love you.

Sam

What New Year’s Eve party? She’d told Sam that she wanted to stay in and have a quiet New Year’s. Instead, they would not only be with her family but also his surrogate family, and they would probably be on the road when all the drunk people were leaving the bars. This was the whole reason why she hated New Year’s. She’d spent way too many nights filing police reports on crashes and drunk drivers, and she just wanted to chillax.

Plus, she wasn’t drinking, just in case one of their earlier sexcapades had taken root.

When her brothers and dad showed up a few hours later, she was fit to be tied and told them, “You might as well leave, because I’m not going to any party. I want to stay home, veg out, and eat junk food.”

“You can do all that after the party,” said Elizabeth, who came around the back of Garrett’s truck looking shiny as a new penny in a black dress that flowed over her burgeoning belly. She hooked her arm through Wren’s and cajoled, “Come on, Wren, it’ll be fun.”

Wren groaned and went back inside to get ready while her family crowded into her living room. When she came down in a simple red dress and heels, her family applauded, and she waved her hand like she was Miss America.

“Let’s get this over with,” she said.

She rode in Elizabeth’s van with her and Lukas while the boys rode in Garrett’s truck. When they pulled up to the Winters’ Family Christmas Tree Farm, she noticed the twinkling lights decorating the outside of the tree tent.

“Is that where they’re having the party?” Wren asked. “It’s eighteen degrees outside.”

“They’ll have heaters inside,” Elizabeth said impatiently, motioning for her to get a move on. “Come on, come on.”

Elizabeth got out of the car and retrieved Lukas, handing him off to his father. When her sister-in-law came around the car and took Wren’s hand, pulling her toward the house, Wren stopped her.

“What is going on?” Wren asked, her gaze sweeping over the Winters’ home. “Where are you taking me?”

“To get ready.”