Chapter Seventeen
The festivities were beginning to wind down by the time everyone finally started back toward the hotel.
The crowds had thinned considerably, though pockets of people still lingered around the wooden stalls with steaming mugs of hot chocolate and mulled wine.
Amelie couldn’t stop smiling. The entire evening had been perfect.
The boys had spent most of the night bouncing between Grant and his friends, completely abandoning any attempt to hide their growing attachment to their father.
Her heart squeezed as she glanced beside her.
Grant’s large hand was wrapped around hers, his fingers intertwined with hers as naturally as if they had never spent thirteen years apart.
Ahead of them, Tyler and Trevor were walking with Mac, Jessie, Nico, and Rafe. The group was several yards ahead, laughing about something that had Nico dramatically throwing his hands into the air.
Amelie shook her head. “Your friends are ridiculous.”
Grant chuckled. “They really are.”
“But they’re also wonderful. They’ve been great with the boys.”
His smile softened, and he nodded. “I think they’re attached to the boys.”
The hotel came into view in the distance. At least, that was where Amelie thought they were heading.
Instead, Grant gently tugged on her hand. “This way.”
She frowned. “This isn’t the way to the hotel.”
“I know.”
“Where are we going?”
He glanced down at her. “It’s a surprise.”
“Grant.”
He grinned. “Trust me.”
A few minutes later, they reached a small overlook just beyond the village. The noise of the Christmas market had faded behind them, leaving only silence and the occasional crunch of snow beneath their boots.
Amelie stopped as she looked toward the Matterhorn towering in the distance.
Grant stepped in front of her. The smile on his face made her heart race immediately.
Before she could ask what he was doing, he reached up and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
Then he leaned down and kissed her.
His mouth found hers with deliberate care, the pressure barely more than a whisper against her lips.
The gentleness of it unraveled something tight in her chest, speaking in a language only she could truly understand.
She breathed him in, tasting the quiet promise held in that single, patient touch.
When he pulled back, his forehead rested lightly against hers.
“I love you so much,” His voice was rough with emotion.
A tear slipped down her cheek.
“The last three days have been the best days of my life.” He laughed softly.
“Which is saying something because I’ve had some pretty incredible days.
Finding out that I was a father changed my life.
His voice broke slightly. “Those boys are the greatest gift I’ve ever been given.
” His eyes met hers. “And somehow they came with you.”
A shaky laugh escaped her.
Grant smiled. “I love them. I love watching them, talking to them, and learning everything about them.”
Then he looked directly into her eyes.
“What I’m trying to say, Amelie, is that I want this every day. I want family dinners and movie nights. I want Christmas mornings and summer vacations. I want to watch our boys grow up.” He squeezed her hands and smiled. “Most of all, I want forever with you.”
Then he stepped back and lowered himself onto one knee.
Amelie’s breath caught.
Grant reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small velvet box.
The world seemed to stop as he opened it.
“Oh, my God...” she whispered.
The ring sparkled beneath the moonlight. And it wasn’t just any ring. It was the ring that had been locked inside her safe back in Norway.
The one she herself had designed years ago, and created after the twins were born.
The design held a hidden meaning that only she truly understood.
It had always been her favorite creation—not because of its value, but because of what it represented: family.
Tears spilled freely down her cheeks as she stared at the ring, her mind struggling to catch up with what she was seeing.
Her hands flew to her mouth. Grant was still talking, still proposing, but all she could do was stare at the ring before finally looking back at him. He was still kneeling, still waiting, still holding her future in his hands, and she still hadn’t answered.
“Mom!”
Amelie jumped, her head whipping around at the familiar voices. Tyler and Trevor were standing a few feet away, along with Jessie, Mac, Nico, and Rafe. Apparently, the entire group had followed them.
“Say yes!” Tyler shouted.
“Yeah, Mom!” Trevor added. “Say yes already!”
Laughter erupted behind them.
Amelie laughed through her tears.
Then she looked back at Grant. Slowly, she reached out and cupped his cheeks.
“I’ve never stopped loving you.”
The emotion in Grant’s eyes nearly broke her.
Her smile trembled. “Yes.”
His eyes widened. “Yes?”
She laughed as another tear slid down her cheek. “Yes, Grant Carter. I will marry you.”
The next thing she knew, Grant was on his feet, his arms wrapping around her as he lifted her completely off the ground and kissed her. Cheers erupted around them, Tyler and Trevor yelling excitedly while someone wolf-whistled—Amelie was fairly certain it was Rafe.
When Grant finally set her down, she immediately grabbed his hand.
Then she pointed at the ring. “How?”
Grant slipped an arm around Amelie’s waist and looked toward the whole group, including Tyler and Trevor.
“Let’s just say that I had help from a lot of elves.”
Amelie’s jaw dropped as she looked at everyone. “You were all in on this?”
Grant grinned. “Apparently, being a billionaire comes in handy sometimes.”
“What does that mean?”
“We took Dad’s private jet back to Norway, and got your ring, and then flew back,” Tyler chimed in.
Amelie’s eyes widened as she looked from Grant to her boys.
“You two flew to Norway?”
Trevor nodded enthusiastically. “We did. I mean, someone had to show them where to get the ring.”
The twins exchanged identical grins.
“Operation Ring Rescue,” Tyler said.
“It was highly classified. So, we couldn’t tell you,” Trevor added.
Grant laughed. “Our sons were surprisingly good co-conspirators.”
Amelie stared at everyone, who all looked entirely too pleased with themselves. Then she burst out laughing.
She then turned toward Grant and wrapped her arms around his neck. She leaned up and kissed him.
As their friends' laughter echoed around them, the boys stood proudly beside their father. Amelie realized that the greatest gift she had received this Christmas wasn’t the ring on her finger or even the second chance she had been given.
Tonight, surrounded by love, laughter, and the people who meant everything to her, she finally understood that sometimes the most beautiful endings are really just the beginning of the life you were always meant to have.