Epilogue
Nova
One Year Later...
I will still argue what the best Christmas song is.
“All I Want for Christmas,” Hudson repeats, shaking his head at me.
“Wrong. It will always be White Christmas. Fight me,” I shoot back.
Hudson laughs and turns to head out with his deliveries, singing the Mariah Carey tune he has been arguing about as he goes. Laughing, I watch him go before I get back to the bouquet I am working on. My shop plays the holiday station, and I find myself singing along with the classic White Christmas. I just wish Hudson stayed long enough for me to embarrass myself.
Smiling down at the bright white and gleaming red flowers and ornaments I am weaving into a tree shape, I hum happily. It’s been a long time since the shop was full of holiday music, but now it doesn’t seem right without it. The holiday season has become my favorite time of year once again.
The lights catch the shimmering bracelet on my wrist, and I smile even wider. I told Niko I would never take it off, and I meant it. He has given me a few other gifts, some earrings, and a beautiful necklace that Sutton designed for our one-year anniversary, but the bracelet is my favorite.
“Morning, beautiful,” his warm voice calls above the music.
My heart begins to gallop in my chest, just the way it did the first day he walked into my flower shop. Turning, I see him sauntering in with his hands full of bags. Christmas shopping is his favorite thing to do. He starts shopping the day after Christmas, I swear.
“Morning, handsome,” I call back, grinning ear-to-ear as I give up on my creations, my attention shifting to him.
Niko grins at me, setting the bags aside. Rounding the counter, he advances on me fast, pinning me in. His head bends and I push up on my toes, our mouths meeting. Sighing into his lips, I let him lift me, setting me atop the counter as he pushes between my thighs.
“Hmm, you taste like cocoa,” I tease, licking playfully at his sweet lips.
“You taste like home,” he replies, kissing me again.
“I love you,” I breath against his lips, wrapping my arms around his neck to drag him close.
“I love you more. Look at my flower girl go. They’re beautiful, honey,” he laments, shifting sideways to admire the bouquets.
“Thank you kindly, Peter Pan.”
“Always, Wendy Darling. Ready to go watch the tree lighting? Orion is meeting us there.”
Now I am smiling even bigger. Seeing my brother at the tree lighting will be a big moment. We haven’t been together in a few years. If it was not for Niko, we might never have gotten over our troubles. Last winter, he brought us together at another of his parties. Being with him again, seeing him with my best friend Oaklin, it brought peace to me that I was missing.
“I am ready, honey. It is going to be a perfect night for it.”
Outside the skies have begun to darken as light, fluffy snow falls. It is cold but not bitterly so. Wrapped up in my bright orange peacoat jacket with my neon pink hat and gloves, I am prepared for the cold. Niko is the cutest thing on the planet and got himself a bright pink coat with orange gloves and a ski cap. There is no shame in how cute my boyfriend can be.
“Sutton will be late,” I remind him as we near the park, hand-in-hand, both of us still beaming happily. “I think she sent the kids with Oaklin.”
“I hope so, I do not want them to miss anything. Not for Saint.”
Shaking my head as he grouses about the man Sutton has been seeing, I pull him closer. Sutton was with Niko’s best friend since they were kids. After he passed, I don’t think either of them expected her to ever move on. I am glad she is spending time with someone, and I happen to like Saint.
“Behave. You can’t stay mad at Sutton forever.”
“No, I can’t. I won’t. Just a little while longer,” he snarks.
Tugging him along with a sigh, I lead the way through the small crowd filling the park. I say hello to friends and other shop owners who work alongside Bloomin’ Babe. Since I started seeing Niko, I have become open to more things than just celebrating holidays—I have opened up to people, to letting people in. He really is the best thing that has ever happened to me.
I never need a gift on Christmas—not now that I have Niko.
At the park, we find my brother and I greet him and a very pregnant Oaklin. They got married in an adorable barn wedding as soon as they found out they have a baby on the way. I was there with them, standing in as his best man. It was a beautiful day, and I am so glad I stopped being so stubborn, so I was able to share it with them.
“There they are,” Orion calls, dragging me in for a hug. He whispers against my ear. “Ready for this, shortcake?”
Nodding, I try to shake off the nerves his question stirs up. Yes, I am ready for this. I have been ready for a very long time. I might not have realized it last winter, but my whole life was just getting started. Now that I have Orion and Oaklin back, I’ve grown close to Sutton and her adorable kids, and I have Niko, my life is so complete. So full.
“I am. I am so ready,” I whisper back, nodding again.
Sharing a look with Oaklin, I thank her without words for her willingness to be here. To be part of this. After how I treated them just for falling in love with each other, they could have refused to forgive me. I smile down at Ava and Evan, who stand with her, sipping hot cocoa loaded with marshmallows.
“It’s going to be a beautiful night,” Oaklin whispers, taking my hand in hers, giving it a squeeze. A show of support.
“I hope so,” I breathe back, glancing up at the huge tree, then back down at the large lit-up presents that decorate the bottom. Two of them should not be there. My brother set them up after getting approval from the committee.
“It will be,” Orion agrees, giving me a half-armed hug. “No way it will be anything but beautiful. You deserve it, Nova. We all deserve happiness.”
Beaming up at my little brother, I nod. We do. All of us deserve it, no matter where or when we find it. Or who we find it with. Everyone deserves something good, especially Niko who gives so much of himself to everyone else. He deserves happiness and I hope to give it to him.
“Tonight is perfect for the tree lighting,” Niko agrees, dragging me against his chest, his arms closing around me in a tender embrace.
“It is. I agree. It’s a perfect night,” my voice trembles ever so slightly.
Sharing a look with my brother, I nod. It is now or never. We’re all crowded near the tree with half of True Ridge, waiting for the mayor to give a speech and kick off the holiday season with a push of a button. Before he does, my brother signals someone on the stage by the tree and two big presents light up amongst all the others.
They’re golden and crimson, standing out against the soft white of the rest of the presents. They’re meant to stand out, of course. On the front of the presents, words spell out something that makes my breath catch. It is perfect. It is everything I hoped for, and I am filled with such love, such hope.
“Marry me, Peter Pan. Grow up with me. ”
Behind me, Niko goes still. The kind of still that blocks out the rest of the world. That shuts down everything around you. His arms go slack on my waist before he rounds to face me. His eyes sparkle in the darkness as they lock on me, his smile lighting up his handsome face.
“Nova, honey....do you...you want to be my wife?”
“Yes, I do. I want you to be my husband. It is the best gift you could ever give me. Growing up with me, growing old with me, and celebrating every single holiday you want to. We can make some up, if you want.”
“Hell, yes, I want to marry you. Beat me to a proposal, little flower. Yes, I want to be your husband, I want our own lost boys, and I want to make up as many holidays as we can together. I love you, Nova. Love you so much.”
Sweeping me off my feet, he dips me as the crowd watching us explodes with applause and hoots of congratulations. Those presents continue to glow and he continues to kiss me even as the tree lighting begins. No one seems to mind. We’re left alone in the park, beneath the brightly lit tree that everyone is entranced with, but we’re fine being forgotten for the celebration.
“It was a perfect night to begin the holidays,” Niko breathes against my lips as he holds me close, gazing past me for a moment at the tree. He grins at the presents, shaking his head. “You clever thing, you. I never would have expected you to do something so big at the tree lighting. Couldn’t get you to even go with us last year. No getting out of it now, little flower. We’re never missing a tree lighting again, just know that.”
Grinning, I nod as I rub my nose against his. “No, we won’t. Not after this one. Next year they will expect us to outdo this one, huh?”
“How will we do that? Announce we’re starting a family?” Niko chuckles as he gazes down at me when my smile widens.
“I mean.... maybe but....it would be a very late announcement.”
Niko blinks at me before his eyes shimmer with happiness. “Holy hell. Honey...are we having a baby?”
“Yes, we’re having a baby. Well, in five months, we will be.”
“A baby. We’re having a baby. For my birthday?”
Laughing again, I nod because we’re due close to his birthday. “Yes. I guess Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday, baby.”
“The merriest Christmas of my life. The best birthday ever. I will be your husband. We’ll have a baby. I will never need another gift, honey. You’ve given me everything. You’ve given me the world, my whole life.”
“I just need you. Let’s go celebrate that life, yeah?”
“Yeah, honey, let’s go do Christmas.”