Epilogue
CHRISTMAS DAY
“It’s freezing out here. You two will catch your death if you don’t come in soon,” Edie said when she poked her head outside the door to find Tilly and Liam nestled together outside.
“We’ll be in shortly,” Liam called.
Edie shook her head even though she was smiling as she shut the door.
Tilly twisted her neck to look up at Liam. “I imagine Jamie is making a fuss about eating dessert.”
“Wiley too. I’ve never seen a man put food away like my brother-in-law,” Liam replied. “It won’t hurt them to wait a few more minutes. It’s Christmas Day, and patience is a virtue.”
Tilly laughed and tugged his arms tighter around her. The truth was, they were enjoying every second of this time alone. The town was quiet, as most folks had gone inside for their own Christmas dinners, and out here it felt like it was just them, the silent expanse of the road and the railroad tracks, and the soaring mountains, all draped in a fresh coat of white snow.
“It’s perfect.” Tilly almost breathed out the words, afraid that speaking too loudly might interrupt the moment.
“It is,” Liam replied. He rested his chin on her head. “Are you happy?”
She turned again to look up at him. “What sort of question is that? Of course I am. I have you.” She stood on her toes to give him a quick kiss.
“I just wanted to make sure, because I have something I’d like to give you.” He dropped his arms, and Tilly turned around, curious. They’d already exchanged gifts inside with their family. She’d given him a new pocketwatch, which she’d purchased with what was left of the money she’d brought from home, and he’d bestowed a pretty necklace upon her.
Liam held out his hand as a few errant snowflakes drifted down around them. When he opened it, a slim band of gold caught the sunlight and sparkled. Tilly drew in a surprised breath as she picked up the ring. “Liam! It’s beautiful. Where did you—how can you—” She didn’t know what to ask, so she settled on saying, “Thank you.”
“It was my mother’s,” he said, a hint of sadness making the last word go ragged. He cleared his throat and smiled at her as he reached into his other pocket. “I have my father’s.” He held up another gold band before pulling off his glove to slip it onto his finger.
Tilly took a moment to admire hers before doing the same. Then she let out a happy shout and threw her arms around his neck. “Thank you!” she said again, unable to contain her happiness. “It’s perfect.”
He caught her around the waist and dipped his head to meet hers. “It makes me so happy that you like it.” And with that, he pressed his lips to hers.
Tilly sighed and let herself relax against him. This was the most perfect Christmas she’d ever had. While she’d had a few pangs of sadness when she thought about her own parents and sister, the joy of celebrating with her new husband, her brother, and their family here brought her so much joy that it was hard to stay sad for long.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake!” Deirdre’s voice came from the doorway. “We’re all inside dying to eat some of this cake, and you’re out here being unseemly in front of the entire town.”
Tilly broke away from Liam with a laugh. Deirdre was shaking her head, unable to keep a smile from her own face as she rested a hand on her growing stomach.
“Will you two come inside now, please?” she asked, holding the door open.
“If we must,” Liam said, his eyes still on Tilly.
She stood on her toes and pressed her lips to his cheek. “We’ll have plenty of time together, just the two of us, I promise.”
Then she took his hand and led him inside to where their family waited to continue their Christmas celebration.
“I’ll hold you to that,” he replied as he helped her take off her coat.
“I hope you do.” She kissed him again before turning to join everyone in the parlor.
Jamie was laughing at something Jeremiah had said as Edie delivered cake on pretty china plates. A cozy fire blazed in the fireplace as a small Christmas tree lent festive cheer to the room.
As Tilly sat down beside Deirdre, she thought that all she wanted in this life was more Christmases like this. With Liam and surrounded with family.
And as she looked down at the band of gold on her finger, something precious that had been passed down to her, she knew it would happen. Perhaps in a year or two, they’d come together to celebrate with babies—starting with Deirdre and Jeremiah’s—who could grow up together as cousins.
She looked up and caught Liam’s eye. He winked at her as if he had been thinking the exact same thing.
It was a future that Tilly couldn’t wait to see.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR reading! I hope you enjoyed Tilly and Liam’s story.