Epilogue
TREVOR
“So? What do you think?”
Two hours ago, I left Kayla alone in my house while I went to the gym and then stopped for kitten food. When I pulled away, she was trundling bags and boxes into the living room for a ‘surprise Christmas makeover’. I was dubious, but she promised not to go overboard since too much stuff makes my brain itch.
I look around my living room at the incredible transformation that has taken place in such a short time. A fire crackles merrily in the fireplace which is now adorned with a simple evergreen garland. A tree stands next to the front window, decorated with white lights and gold balls, a red bow gracing the top. My black leather couch now sports two red and black buffalo plaid throw pillows and a white knitted blanket. It’s festive, but not overpowering.
“Is it too much?” Kayla stands beside the tree, chewing her lower lip nervously.
I shake my head. “It’s perfect. You made it look like home.” And her presence makes this house feel more like home than it has since I bought it. We’ve only been dating for two weeks and I won’t say this out loud because I don’t want to rush things, but I hope she’s here to decorate like this for the rest of my life. I fully intend to make this woman my wife when the time is right.
She comes to stand beside me and leans in, wrapping an arm around my waist. I lay my arm across her shoulders as we survey the room together.
“How long do you think it will be before the cats find the tree?”
I laugh. “Not long.”
“I anchored it as best I could. And those ornaments are shatterproof.”
I lean down and drop a kiss on her head. “You thought of everything.”
“I still have one more thing to show you.” She takes my hand and tugs me toward the kitchen. A sprig of something green hanging from the doorframe makes me grin.
“Mistletoe? As if I needed an excuse to kiss you.” I swoop down to graze her mouth gently, but she latches onto the back of my neck with one hand and deepens the kiss, much to my delight. The day I offered to help her in exchange for peopling lessons changed my life forever. She got a set for her play, but I got so much more.
When she pulls back, she presses her forehead to mine. “Merry Christmas, Trevon.”