Epilogue
EPILOGUE
SIX MONTHS LATER
LIAM
I ’m engrossed in a string of code on my computer, enjoying the quiet in my home office. It’s a welcome break from my mother’s stories about the men on her senior citizen cruise to the Caribbean. Mom has been healthy as a horse and taking full advantage, checking things off her list. After one too many eggnogs, her stories have become increasingly vivid, complete with too many details about bathing suit mishaps.
The office door squeaks open gently. I can't help but smile, knowing exactly who it is without needing to look.
"Mr. Wright, you're not working on Christmas Eve, are you?" her voice teases.
I swivel in my chair to face her, eager to take in her every move.
Chloe steps in with a playful grin. She's dressed in a black sweater, sleeves rolled up to her elbows, paired with a shiny emerald-green skirt adorned with a bow—she looks every bit the perfect present waiting to be unwrapped.
"Of course not," I respond with a grin.
“Oh, no?” she plays along, rounding my desk.
“I didn’t come back here to work. My plan was to lure you away from the crowd,” I say, giving her a sly look as she approaches. She’s wearing the diamond necklace I bought her months ago, and it’s a silent affirmation that everything has finally fallen back into place.
“Oh, you were trying to get me alone?” she asks with feigned innocence, though she can’t hide her smile. “Whatever for?”
She lets out a surprised shriek as I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her onto my lap. I silence her with a passionate kiss, feeling the warmth of her hand on my cheek as I run my fingers into her long chestnut hair.
She tastes sweet, like candy cane. I can’t get enough of her, but I reluctantly pull away to slow us down as the heat between us begins to rise.
“They won’t miss us at the party,” I suggest, wondering if she’ll agree to sneak off with me to the far end of the house.
Chloe seems tempted, but then her expression becomes more serious. “I came to tell you that I think I forgot some things at my place. Maybe I should run back.”
I let out a sigh and lift her up onto my desk. I stand up and lean over her, gripping the edges of the desk.
I flash her a mischievous grin. “You won’t need pajamas.” I give her a quick kiss on the lips and she smiles.
“Well, I do need underwear if we’re going to be walking around France,” she retorts.
“I disagree. I don’t think you’ll need it.” I shake my head.
She giggles and I kiss her again. Her body relaxes against mine, and every fiber of my being wants to undo the pretty bow at her waist and lay her back on the desk. But there are people only a short distance down the hall.
I give her one last deep kiss before pulling away, both of us breathing heavily now.
“At least I get you all to myself for ten days,” I whisper, tracing my thumb along her cheekbone.
Chloe’s been so busy prepping her life coaching clients to manage without her during our trip, I’m not surprised she forgot to pack underwear. Her business has rebounded from the hack, thriving now more than ever—partly due to our publicity, but mostly because of her genuine talent and dedication.
“I can’t believe we’re going to Europe,” Chloe beams. “It’s at least on par with Bachelor -level romance,” she teases.
I laugh. “Don’t worry, I have some traffic jams and lost luggage planned to balance it out,” I assure her.
“We probably don’t need our bags with all our clothes inside anyway,” she quips, shrugging playfully.
“Probably not.”
I lean in and kiss her again because I simply can’t resist. She responds with a delectable little sound, and I want more of her. She matches my hunger as I pull her closer against me. Her arms find their way around my neck as I savor the feel of her small waist under my hands. I take my time, kissing her deeply, slowly, cognizant of the fact the door is slightly ajar.
“Liam—” my mother’s voice interrupts. “Oh!” I hear her startled exclamation as I reluctantly break the kiss and glance up. “Don’t mind me, carry on!” she says, covering her eyes as she quickly retreats down the hallway.
Oh, fuck. At least all our clothes are still on.
I exhale and look at Chloe, noticing the rosy flush on her cheeks.
“We’d better go,” she murmurs, a hint of reluctance in her voice. “Help me bring in Michael’s present?”
Carrying an eight-foot surfboard with a big red bow on it, I carefully navigate by the towering Christmas tree, festooned with ornaments my mother has collected since my childhood.
“A new soft top board? No way!” Michael’s excitement erupts as he vaults over the couch to grab it. “Thank you, guys!”
“Hey, what if that’s my present, Mike?” his father jokes. He flew in from London a few days ago, and Chloe has been overjoyed to see him for the holidays.
“We’ll get you one next year, Dad,” Chloe responds with a quick laugh, her voice cheerful.
Michael claps me on the back as I pass him the board.
“Chloe, here!” Mother calls out, offering her a wide box. “For you both,” she adds, winking at me.
I stand behind the couch opposite Chloe. She catches my eye, as though reluctant to open our joint gift without me by her side. Her hesitation is sweet, but I nod for her to go ahead. She’s sitting next to her father and their quality time is too limited as it is.
Chloe carefully removes the wrapping and slides open the box. “Oh, wow,” she murmurs, pulling out a folded navy blue blanket. There’s a gold pattern on it, but it’s unclear what it is. My mother didn’t give me any hint about her gift, although she certainly asked me enough questions about Chloe’s likes and dislikes.
Chloe stands, and I circle around to her side of the couch as she hands me one corner of the blanket. Unfolding it together, the design becomes clear—a large heart with two star signs inside—Taurus and Scorpio. At the bottom, the blanket says Liam & Chloe with a phrase underneath— Under the Stars I’ll Love You Forever.
I watch Chloe’s reaction as she reads the phrase, and I see it hit a nerve. “Oh, wow,” she repeats, emotion invading her voice this time.
I know it reminds her of her own mother and her love of astrology. My mother did really good.
Chloe hands me her end of the blanket and then sinks back onto the couch, pulling my mother into a tight hug. “Thank you,” she murmurs into my mother’s shoulder.
“It’s beautiful, Mom,” I add, enjoying the sight of my mother’s proud grin.
“You know, your signs are highly compatible,” Mom explains as Chloe resettles beside her.
“I know,” Chloe replies, her gaze meeting mine as I gently hand the blanket back to her.
I can’t help but smile because I also know. Our wordless exchange is enough to make me a believer in all things fantastic and beyond our understanding.
Chloe’s father reaches over to pat her back gently. “Your mom would have adored this,” he says softly.
“There’s one more gift for Chloe,” I announce, catching her curious glance. Her expression mixes anticipation with a hint of suspicion.
With a teasing smile, I leave her hanging and step out to fetch the surprise.
As Nat King Cole’s "The Christmas Song" fills the room, I return with a box as big as a refrigerator, festively wrapped in green and red.
“What’s this?” Chloe eyes me with uncertainty, approaching the towering box.
I shrug playfully. “It’s got your name on it.”
She’s not buying my ignorance for a minute, but she humors me. I lean against the back of the couch, watching as she tears off the wrapping paper and opens the box. Confusion crosses her face as she peers inside and can’t immediately find anything.
“It’s empty, Liam!” my mother exclaims.
“You forget the present?” Michael teases, his laughter filling the room.
Then, Chloe spots the piece of paper at the bottom of the box. She retrieves it, her glance shifting back to me, filled with curiosity and a hint of suspicion as she unfolds the note.
“Before you, I was an empty box,” she begins to read aloud. Her eyes flick to mine, a seriousness in them now as she tries to comprehend my meaning.
“Too focused on data, numbers, and stocks,” she breathes a laugh, as she continues:
But you filled me up with patient smiles,
A heap of kind words and help through trials.
You poured in laughter and patched up holes when it rained,
You added padding for the spots that were rough and pained.
Chloe’s voice breaks and she looks up at me, her eyes wet as a tear rolls down her cheek. She takes a breath:
You didn’t stop until I was overflowing and full,
I can’t thank you enough for making me whole.
This year, your last gift isn’t in this box.
Try looking again in your hanging red socks.
“Liam…” she breathes, her gaze lifting to mine as tears stream down her cheeks.
“Did you write that, Liam?” my mother asks, her voice echoing across the room.
“I did,” I answer her, but I don’t take my eyes off Chloe, feeling the weight of the moment.
“That was so beautiful, my God,” Mom exclaims. “You used to write me poems in middle school,” she adds, her voice thick with emotion and I hear her blowing her nose.
“What’s in your stocking, Chloe?” Michael prods her.
“Oh, go look, hun!” my mother yells out, blotting her eyes with a tissue.
“Let her take her time,” Chloe’s father interjects, his voice a calming force among our lively family.
Chloe lets out a soft laugh at our family's well-meaning intrusions but remains deeply moved, her eyes shimmering with tears. I offer her a reassuring smile—the kind she’s often given me—and nod towards the fireplace mantel behind her.
She turns and fishes inside her stocking. As I walk over to her, she finds her gift at the very end of the sock, pulling out the small black box.
"Chloe, I have a question for you," I say as she faces me again. I take her trembling hands in mine.
As I kneel, another tear rolls down Chloe’s cheek.
“Chloe, the day we first met, you told me you know what people need before they know it themselves,” I begin, my voice steady despite the emotions swirling inside me.
Chloe chuckles softly, her eyes sparkling with adoration as she gazes at me.
“I had no idea what I needed then, but now, it couldn’t be clearer,” I continue, watching her eyes shimmer with fresh tears.
“I can't imagine my life without you.” I squeeze her hand gently, hoping to calm her nerves. “Will you marry me, Chloe?”
My heart races as I see tears spill over her cheeks.
“Yes, yes, say yes!” my mother shouts enthusiastically from the background.
Chloe laughs through her tears. “Yes, of course, yes!” she manages to say.
I rise swiftly and our lips meet in a joyous kiss, my heart bursting with happiness. I can feel the dampness of her tears against my face.
Pulling back slightly, I gaze into the eyes of my beautiful fiancée. My hands cradle her face gently. “I love you,” I whisper, knowing only Chloe can hear me over the raucous celebration around us.
“I love you too,” she replies, her eyes glistening, a smile playing on her lips.
Lifting her up, I spin her around, eliciting laughter and cheers from everyone.
“I knew it all along!” my mother exclaims, clapping her hands. “I introduced them, you know!” she boasts, reminding everyone of her role in our story.
“Is this real?” Chloe asks as I set her down, looking at me as if she needs a pinch to believe it.
I respond with another kiss, grinning. “We're based on a true story, remember? It has to be real.”
Her laughter rings out, warm and genuine, as she wraps her arms around my neck.
As I kiss her again, all the noise—everything but Chloe—blissfully fades to black.
THE END.