Epilogue
Devon
One Year Later …
I pressed my forehead against the frosty windowpane, watching snowflakes dance on the breeze before settling onto the blanket of white covering Serenity Falls. The guesthouse would be buzzing to life in a few hours.
A year ago, I’d been ready to offload this place faster than I could ski down a black diamond run. Now? It felt like home—the home my parents had always envisioned. One month of marriage to Bella, one year since I’d proposed. The transformation was almost unbelievable.
“You’d get a kick out of this, wouldn’t you, Mom?” I whispered, picturing her knowing smirk. “Your grumpy son, actually enjoying Christmas.”
A joyful bark drew my attention to the living room. My eyes landed on the Christmas tree Bella and I had cut down two weeks ago.
“Oh! This one!” Bella suddenly exclaimed, dropping my hand and bounding toward a massive evergreen that had to be at least twelve feet tall.
I raised an eyebrow, unable to hide my amusement. “You do realize we have to get this thing back to the guesthouse, right? And that our ceilings are only ten feet high?”
Bella turned to me with her practiced pouty face. She thought I couldn’t resist. “Can’t we make it work?” She circled the tree, her mittened hands brushing against the branches. “It’s perfect, Devon. Just imagine how magical it’ll look in the living room.”
I chuckled, shaking my head. “Bells, love, unless you’ve invented a shrink ray I don’t know about, this tree isn’t going to fit.”
She sighed dramatically, her breath forming a small cloud in the cold air. “Fine. I’ll keep looking. But just so you know, I’m holding you personally responsible for crushing my Christmas dreams.”
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t suppress a grin. “I’ll add it to my list of crimes against holiday cheer.”
Bella let out a soft giggle and pointed her finger at me. “Oh, please. Your list of holiday crimes is already so long. I’m pretty sure Santa already lost count.”
I grumbled, although I secretly thought she was probably right. And then I saw it—the perfect tree. “What about this one?” I asked, gesturing to a beautifully shaped pine about eight feet tall.
Bella’s eyes lit up as she circled the tree, her braid swinging behind her. “Hmm... not bad, Montgomery. You might have an eye for this after all.”
It was the first time since my parents’ accident that I was actually excited about Christmas and starting a tree-cutting tradition with my new bride.
The memory faded as I felt a pair of arms wrap around my waist. Bella’s warmth pressed against my back, her chin resting on my shoulder.
“Ready to bake those cookies?” she murmured, her breath tickling my ear. I turned to face her, my heart swelling at the sight. Her cheeks were flushed from the warmth of the kitchen, a smudge of flour on her nose. I couldn’t resist leaning in to kiss it off.
“Mm, delicious,” I teased, licking my lips.
Bella wrinkled her nose, but there was a sparkle in her eyes. “Flour isn’t exactly a gourmet ingredient, you know.”
I pulled her closer, breathing in her scent. “Anything’s gourmet when it’s on you.”
A blush crept up her neck as she buried her face in my chest. “Smooth talker. But flattery won’t get you out of cookie duty, mister.”
I groaned dramatically but allowed her to tug me towards the kitchen.
The rich scent of cinnamon and vanilla filled the air as we worked. Bella’s brow furrowed in concentration as she measured flour with precise movements. I couldn’t resist sneaking a piece of cookie dough when I thought she wasn’t looking.
A wooden spoon swatted my hand. Bella’s eyes danced with amusement. “You’re worse than a kid.”
I grinned, unrepentant. “What can I say? Your cookies are irresistible.”
She arched one eyebrow, a challenge in her voice. “Well, if you eat all the dough, there won’t be any left for the guests.”
Chastened, I grabbed a cookie tray and started scooping dough. As I slid it into the oven, I found myself mesmerized by Bella. Her hips swayed as she hummed a Christmas song, and I was struck anew by how lucky I was.
Her voice broke through my thoughts. “Oh! Did I tell you about the couple who stayed here last weekend? On the verge of divorce when they arrived.”
I leaned against the counter, crossing my arms. “Let me guess, the guesthouse magic struck again?”
Bella’s grin widened. “You bet. By Sunday, they were holding hands and planning to renew their vows. I swear this place has some kind of love potion in the air.”
The timer’s sharp ding cut through our conversation. As Bella pulled out the last batch of cookies, the doorbell chimed.
Her eyes sparkled with excitement. “They’re here! Ready for the Ugly Sweater Extravaganza?”
I tugged at my own monstrosity—a green sweater adorned with tinsel, blinking lights, and a three-dimensional reindeer nose. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
I was assaulted by a riot of colors, patterns, and questionable fashion choices when I opened the door. Maple bounded forward, her tail wagging furiously as she greeted each guest with enthusiastic sniffs and licks.
Liam strutted in, sporting a sweater that looked like a Christmas tree had exploded on it. “Top this, Montgomery!” he challenged, striking a pose. Maple circled him, fascinated by the tinsel trailing from his sweater.
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “You know, at this rate, you’ll be naked by the end of the night. That thing is shedding more than Maple does.”
Liam grinned, unbothered. “It’s called fashion, Devon. Look it up.”
Olivia rolled her eyes, adjusting her sweater—a tasteful disaster of snowflakes and penguins. “Boys,” she muttered, but I caught the smile she was trying to hide.
Sophie bounced in next, her sweater lighting up and playing “Jingle Bells” at an alarming volume. “This party is going to be epic!” she squealed, hugging Bella tightly.
Bella’s parents followed, looking slightly uncomfortable in their matching “Mr. and Mrs. Claus” ensembles.
The mayor had a sweater that made him look like a giant snowman.
But Mrs. Hawthorne stole the show. Her sweater was a Christmas village in motion, complete with tiny houses, moving train wheels, and twinkling lights.
As the party swung into full gear, I found myself by the fireplace, nursing a mug of hot chocolate. Liam sidled up, grinning. “So, ski master. How’s life on the bunny slopes treating you?”
I rolled my eyes, fighting a smile. “It’s not all bunny slopes. Some of these kids could probably outski you.”
Liam clutched his chest in mock offense. “You wound me, Montgomery. But seriously, how’s the school going?”
I paused, considering. “It’s... different. Good different. I never thought I’d enjoy teaching as much as I do. Seeing these kids progress, watching their confidence grow... it’s something else.”
Liam’s expression softened. “Look at you, all grown up and making a difference. Your parents would be proud, man.”
I was about to respond when Maple suddenly darted past, a cocktail sausage clamped triumphantly in her jaws. The mayor’s indignant “Hey!” followed close behind.
“Maple!” Bella called out, trying to sound stern but failing to hide her amusement. “I swear, she’s worse than you with the cookie dough,” she said, shooting me a playful glare.
I held up my hands in mock surrender. “Hey, don’t blame me. She clearly gets it from your side of the family.”
Bella rolled her eyes, but her smile was fond. “Speaking of family, I still can’t believe Maple managed to carry the rings down the aisle without eating them. Best ring bearer ever.”
“Ring bearer? More like ring 'terror,'” I teased, remembering how Maple had briefly veered off course to chase a butterfly mid-ceremony.
Maple trotted over to the mayor, plopping down at his feet and licking her chops with satisfaction. The mayor looked down at her, his expression a mix of exasperation and amusement.
“Well, I suppose that’s one way to get everyone’s attention,” he chuckled, reaching down to give Maple a quick pat. Then, straightening up, he cleared his throat. “Speaking of attention, ladies and gentlemen, I believe it’s time for the moment you’ve all been waiting for—the Ugly Sweater Contest results!”
A hush fell over the room as everyone gathered around, adjusting their tacky outfits and eyeing the competition.
“In third place,” the Mayor announced with a flourish, “we have Liam O’Connor, for his ‘Tinsel Tornado’ creation!”
Liam bowed dramatically, his sweater shedding glitter with every movement.
“Second place goes to... Mrs. Hawthorne, for her ‘Christmas Village on the Move’!”
Mrs. Hawthorne beamed, the tiny train on her sweater chugging along in celebration.
“And the grand prize winner is... Sophie Martinez, for her ‘Musical Light Show Extravaganza’!”
The room erupted in cheers and groans as Sophie’s sweater exploded in flashing lights and tinny carols.
“I was robbed,” Liam muttered good-naturedly, clapping Sophie on the back.
As the night wound down, we said our goodbyes. Mrs. Hawthorne was last to leave, her eyes misty as she hugged us both. “You’ve brought this old place back to life. It’s good to see it full of love again.”
Bella closed the door behind her and leaned into me, her head resting on my shoulder. “That was fun.”
I pressed a kiss to her temple, excitement building. “It was. But the best part of the night is yet to come.”
She looked up at me, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. “Oh? And what might that be, Mr. Montgomery?”
I grinned, already reaching for our coats. “You’ll see. Ready for an adventure?”
Bella’s eyes lit up excitedly as I helped her into her coat. “An adventure? At this hour?”
I winked, leading her towards the door. “Trust me.”
The crisp night air nipped at our cheeks as we stepped outside. Freshly fallen snow crunched beneath our boots as I led Bella around the side of the guesthouse. There, bathed in moonlight, stood a sleigh hitched to two white horses.
Bella gasped, her eyes widening. “Devon! Oh my gosh, where did this come from?”
I couldn’t help but grin at Bella’s reaction. “Remember that auction I went to last month? The one I said was for ski equipment?”
Bella’s eyes narrowed playfully. “You mean the one where you came home with a mysterious crate you refused to let me see?”
I chuckled, guiding Bella closer to the sleigh. “It reminded me of the sleigh on the roof, and I thought it would be a fun addition to the guesthouse. I talked Jim Wiley into letting me borrow a couple of his horses to pull it.”
“It’s beautiful, Dev. I can’t believe you kept this a secret!”
I helped her into the sleigh, tucking a thick blanket around her before climbing in beside her. Just as I was about to signal the horses, a golden blur leaped into the sleigh.
“Maple!” Bella laughed as the dog settled at our feet, looking up at us with an expression that clearly said, ‘You weren’t thinking of leaving without me, were you?’
With a click of my tongue, the horses moved forward, bells jingling merrily.
Bella snuggled closer, her eyes wide with wonder as we made our way through the moonlit landscape. “This is magical.”
I couldn’t take my eyes off her, the way the starlight danced across her face, the soft curve of her smile. Snowflakes clung to her eyelashes, and her cheeks were flushed from the cold. At that moment, she had never looked more beautiful.
I pulled her closer, overwhelmed by the moment. “This—us, the guesthouse, our life together—it’s everything I ever wanted.”
Bella’s eyes glistened in the starlight. “Everything?”
My throat was tight with emotion, and I nodded. “Everything and more.”
The sleigh crested a hill, revealing Serenity Falls spread out before us, a twinkling wonderland of lights and promise. I brought the horses to a stop, turning to face Bella fully.
My hands cupped her face, thumbs gently brushing her cheeks. “A year ago, I thought I knew what I wanted. But you, Bella... you showed me what I needed. You brought color back into my world and love back into this house. You made me believe in magic again.”
Tears spilled down Bella’s cheeks as she pressed her forehead to mine. “Oh, Devon.”
Our lips met in a kiss that tasted of promises and forever, of gingerbread and home. As we broke apart, breathless, the moonlight cast a soft glow over the snow-covered landscape, making it sparkle like a sea of diamonds.
Bella’s laugh was pure joy as she threw her arms around me. “Merry Christmas, Devon.”
I held her tight, marveling at how perfectly she fit in my arms. “Merry Christmas, Mrs. Montgomery.”
As we drove the sleigh back towards the guesthouse—our home—I knew with absolute certainty that this was just the beginning of our greatest adventure yet. With Maple curled at our feet, our little family was complete.
THE END