Epilogue
brOOKS - THREE YEARS LATER
YOU MADE ME AN ORNAMENT?
B reathe, Brooks. Breathe.
Everything about this night has gone off without a hitch. Two of our best friends are getting married, and tonight has been the perfect night.
Dinner. Dancing. Drinks. I know that this marriage is going to last. I have no doubts that these two will make it.
Watching these two fall in love and plan their wedding has restored my faith in the institution. Not that falling in love with Charlie hasn’t, but I had to separate him from marriage.
Because otherwise, I wouldn’t be freaking out between the pine trees right now.
“What are you doing out here?” Charlie comes outside, tugging his jacket on over his dark purple suit jacket.
I hate that he’s hiding in the oversize winter coat. When he walked out of our room earlier, it took every ounce of restraint I had not to push him back into bed and have my way with him .
But I’ll get that tonight.
“Needed some air.”
“Brooks, it’s freezing out here.” Charlie throws my own coat over my shoulders and pulls me toward him.
Just like Charlie. Always taking care of me. It has a smile tugging up the corner of my mouth.
“What’s that face for?” Not even two minutes outside and pink blooms on Charlie’s cheeks. The tip of his nose is red.
“Can’t I just appreciate my boyfriend?”
A smile lights up Charlie’s face. Every time he looks at me, I see this same face. I don’t know how I never saw it before. Because he looks at me with so much love, I don’t know how I deserve it.
“You can always appreciate me. But can’t we do it inside?” Charlie whines. “My toes are going to freeze off.”
“C’mere.” Linking hands with Charlie, I drag him between the rows of Christmas trees. These trees weren’t cut down this year. Hunter told me all about how he does it, but right now, that doesn’t matter.
I want a moment with Charlie. A moment I’ve been dying to have with him all night.
“Seriously, Brooks. I’m freezing.”
I smile back at him, drawing him into my arms. “Then how about I warm you up?”
His lips are cool as I capture them with mine. Mmm. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this.
The way my stomach flutters when my lips touch his. The soft moans he makes as my tongue sweeps into his mouth. His hands fisting under my coat to keep me close.
The smell of pine is strong as we kiss. And kiss. And kiss. If only it weren’t so damn cold, I’d drop to my knees right here and show him just how much I want him.
How much I’ll always want him.
I pull back, but Charlie stops me. “No. Another minute.”
“Aren’t you cold?” I whisper against his lips between small pecks. He tastes like the champagne cocktail he’s been sipping on all night.
“Not with you.”
Wind sweeps through the farm, rustling the pine trees. Charlie’s brown hair blows into his eyes. His eyes hold so much adoration for me, I know what I’m about to do will only scratch the surface.
The love I have for Charlie runs deep, so etched into me, that I don’t know how it can continue to grow, but it does. It’s a part of me. Knowing what he does for me every day is something I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to repay to him.
But it makes me want to. In a way I never thought I’d be able to do for him. Something I can thank Hunter for helping me through.
“Marry me.”
Charlie steps back. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.”
“Oh, I heard you alright. But marry you?”
I scoff. “Why do you sound so against the idea?”
“Because, and I quote, ‘I will never get married again, even if the world is on fire and it would save humanity.’”
I rub my hands together, trying to warm my fingers. “I did say that, didn’t I?”
“You had some pretty choice words on marriage.”
“Hey, can you blame me? It was night one as a single man.”
That pulls a smile from Charlie’s face. “I remember. Because a short while later you and I got together.”
I drop my forehead to his. “Probably the best decision I ever made.”
Charlie presses a quick kiss to my lips. “Which is why I won’t make you marry me.”
“But what if I did change my mind?”
“You’re changing your mind on marriage?” Charlie sounds skeptical and I can’t blame him .
It’s cold. The snow is starting to seep into the hems of my pants and soak my socks. Doing this out here might not have been my best idea. “I changed my mind on you, didn’t I?”
“You did.”
“And I changed my mind on marriage.”
Charlie’s fingers dig into my back, keeping me close. “But why? I know you agreed to think about it, but I’ve kind of come to terms with being with you like this.”
“And that’s why I want to marry you.” I cup his cheeks. They’ve pinked up even more since we’ve been kissing. I love that I can bring this out in him. “I want everyone to know that I belong to you, Charlie. That you’re mine.”
“Yeah?” His eyes glaze over.
“Shit. I’m doing this all wrong.”
Stepping back, I grab one of Charlie’s hands and sink to one knee.
“You’re going to get wet.” Charlie’s voice is watery.
“I don’t care. I love you, Charlie. More than I ever thought possible. I never knew this was a kind of love that I could have. It shocks me every day that you chose me. That you love me and that I, for some lucky reason, get to love you back.”
“I think I’m the lucky one,” Charlie tells me, tears rolling down his cheeks.
“Marry me, Charlie. Marry me and let’s spend the rest of our lives being lucky together.”
Charlie stares at me before bursting out into laughter. “Oh my God. Could you be any more cheesy?”
I stand, getting cold now from kneeling. “Ouch. This is how my proposal is met? I’m rethinking the entire thing. I even had an ornament painted at home to commemorate the occasion.”
Charlie’s face goes soft. “How can I say no when you made me an ornament? ”
“That’s what gets you to say yes?” I scoff. “I should have brought it with me. Lead with that.”
“Well, then it’s a good thing you made it because I’m saying yes to you.”
“Me and my ornament?”
Charlie waggles his eyebrows. “That sounds dirty.”
I laugh, loving this man. “Of all the ways I imagined this going, this is not how I pictured it.”
Charlie throws his arms over my shoulders. “Did you imagine me falling all over you and jumping into your arms and confessing my love to you?”
“I mean, yeah. A little more emotion wouldn’t hurt.”
I act hurt, but I’m not. Because I didn’t miss the yes in between all of this. It’s why I’m not prepared when Charlie throws himself at me.
Wrapping his legs around me, he knocks us both over into the snow as he peppers my face with kisses.
“Of course I’ll marry you, you idiot!” Charlie shouts between bursts of laughter. “I love you so much, Brooks. I don’t know if it’s because you proposed or it’s the cold, but I’m in shock!”
Pressing one last kiss to Charlie’s lips, I pull back. “It’s time to get you inside then. I don’t want my fiancé to catch frostbite.”
“What a thoughtful fiancé I have.”
Charlie is beaming as we both stand. Reaching into my pocket, I pull out the small velvet pouch and find the ring in there.
It’s a titanium steel band—something that will hold up on the long nights at the tavern.
“It’s perfect.” Charlie catches my hand as I slide the ring onto his finger. It’s a bit snug, but he forces it down.
“I love you, Charlie.”
“I love you, Brooks.”
Linking hands with him, I lead us toward the barn where the music is blasting and the reception is still in full swing. With midnight closing in, there will surely be fireworks to celebrate their wedding and the new year.
Everything about this night is perfect. Charlie on my arm. Celebrating our friends.
I never thought I would get this lucky again. Who knew all it would take was opening my eyes to see what was right in front of me?
My Charlie.
My best friend.
The love of my life.
My fiancé.
I never thought Christmas could get better than this.
Looking over at Charlie as the warmth of the barn hits us, I realize just how wrong I was.
And I’ve never been happier.
THE END