Epilogue
Shelby
T he snow falls in delicate, glittering spirals outside the wide-paned windows of our suite at the Auberge Saint-Antoine, dusting the rooftops of Old Quebec in a soft, shimmering white. The city feels like it’s holding its breath, waiting for the turn of the year, waiting for midnight to strike and sweep us into the next chapter of our lives.
I rest my hand against the cold glass and smile as I watch the flicker of lights reflecting off the icy cobblestones below. Quebec City at Christmas is a dream with its twinkling fairy lights on every street corner, the subtle scent of sugar and spice lingering in the air, andthe sound of carolers drifting up from the square below.
It’s only been half a year, but it feels like I’ve known Spencer for most of my life. Back in the summer, when I agreed to do an article on him, I never even imagined meeting my soul mate and falling in love over a long weekend. The whole whirlwind affair has been something I thought could only happen in the movies or books. We came back in the fall to oversee the official photoshoot for the magazine, and then he surprised me with a trip to the same place for New Year’s.
The man’s not a playboy. He’s a romantic.
Behind me, I hear the soft click of the door as it closes and the quiet rustle of Spencer shedding his coat. His footsteps pad across the warm floor, and moments later, his arms wrap around my waist from behind, pulling me gently back against his strong, muscular chest.
“You cold?”he murmurs against my neck, his breath hot and a little ticklish.
I shake my head. “Not anymore.”
He hums, his lips brushing the spot just below my ear, and I melt into the familiar comfort of his arms.
“It’s almost midnight,”he says, glancing at the antique clock mounted on the wall. “We should head to the terrace soon or we’ll miss the fireworks.”
I tilt my head back and look up to meet his gaze. “We could always watch from here. The view’s not bad.”
There’s something behind his smile tonight. A flicker of nerves, maybe? Anticipation. It’s almost invisible, so elusive I might have missed it if I didn’t know him as well as I do.
“You’ve been acting strangely quiet all evening,”I say, gently turning in his arms. “Is everything okay?”
He leans in and kisses me, soft and sweet, nibbling a little on my bottom lip and flipping my arousal button on. “Everything’s perfect.”He lets out a slow breath but avoids looking me directly in the eyes when he reaches for my hand. “Come. I want to show you something before midnight.”
Spencer leads me through the dimly lit hotel hallway, our footsteps quiet against the plush carpet. Most guests are downstairs or at other events in the city. Only staff are bustling around, ensuring everything is in order for the celebration that will take place at the turn of the hour. He squeezes my hand once, a silent reassurance, and I glance up at him, heart fluttering for reasons I don’t fully understand.
The terrace is quiet when we step outside, save for the distant hum of voices and music drifting up from the street. “Where is everyone?”The sky is ink-dark, the stars shimmering through a veil of falling snow. A string of golden lights outlines the wrought-iron railing, creating a private, romantic setting for the small tableset upnear the edge with two flutes of champagne already waiting and a blanket draped over the back of a nearby chair.
“Spencer?”
“I booked the terrace for just the two of us tonight.”
“But what about the other guests?”
“Let’s call it a perk of having lots of money. Besides, there are other vantage points. I may have also paid to have something set up on the south side of the building. They won’t miss anything.”
He really thought of everything.
I smile, secretly delighted that we get to spend our first New Year’s Eve as a couple in such a stunning setting. I wrap my arms around myself, soaking in the view. “It’s beautiful.”
Spencer doesn’t answer right away. Instead, he slips behind me again, places his hands on my hips, and rests his chin on my shoulder. “Do you remember our first weekend here?”
“I’ll remember it forever.”The excitement of our fling, the passion we shared, the familiar heartache of our last night together. “I remember thinking I didn’t want it to end.”And I snuck away in the early morninghoursbecause I couldn’t face saying goodbye tothe first man I truly loved.
“It didn’t.”I can hear the smile in his voice. “It just took us a little longer to get to the next part.”
It took two extraordinarily long weeks.
I turn in his arms, my eyes searching his. “Spencer…”
He brushes a thumb across my cheek, his gaze becoming serious. “Being with you, Shelby, has changed everything for me. The way I work, the way I live, the way I see my future. I used to think I have everything I want, but the truth is, none of it means a damn thing without someone special to share it with.”
My heart is pounding. I think I know what’s coming, but still, I can’t move. Can’t breathe.
He lets go of my waist and takes a step back. Then, slowly, deliberately, helowers himself to one knee on the terrace covered with a light dusting of snow.
I gasp, covering my mouth with both hands as tears spring to my eyes.
The city goes quiet. Or maybe it’s just me.
Spencer looks up, his eyes shining in the darkness. “I fell in love with you in this city. I didn’t know it at the time, but somewhere deep inside, I knew you were going to change my life. You make me a better man, Shelby. You make me whole. And there’s no other person I want to face every challenge, every adventure, every quiet moment with.”
He reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a small black box. Inside, nestled in velvet, is a ring. It’s classily stunning. A single round diamond in a delicate platinum setting. Elegant. Timeless. Just like him.
“Shelby Bailey,”he says softly, “will you please do me the honor of marrying me?”
The world rushes back in a single heartbeat. Suddenly, I hear music, feel the falling snow, and see fireworks burst over the city in a glorious display of gold and silver.
“I know it might feel like it’s too soon. But our whole romance has been rushed.”He pauses and shakes his head, a slight frown on his brows. “No, not rushed, perfect, as it was meant to be. We’re not meant to wait. Please say yes. I don’t know what I’ll do with myself if you tell me no.”
“Yes,”I whisper, then louder so he can hear me above the explosions around us. But my voice breaks, and my eyes are blurry. “Yes. Of course I will marry you.”
He stands, slipping the ring onto my finger with hands that are just a little unsteady. The moment it’s on there, I throw my arms around his neck, laughing through my tears, and he lifts me off my feet, spinning me in a circle as the sky lights up behind us in celebration.
Then the world slows down again as my feet hit the cobblestone, and he kisses me. The cold, the fireworks, the cheers, the notes of Auld Lang Syne fade away. It’s just Spencer and me, wrapped in love, soft light, and the promise of forever.
And somewhere deep inside, I know we’ve come full circle. The city that brought us together is now the place where we begin our story.
* * *
Attend Spencer and Shelby’s wedding!