Epilogue
KATIE
They were so careful not to pressure Ruth to fold into their family.
In the end, it took a few months until Ruth was spending nearly every night at their house.
And it became 'their' house.
Her dad had turned out to be a master of romantic gestures which surprised everyone, especially himself.
It was a day in July when they packed everyone up to go to the cabin.
They got a late start because her dad had been finalizing all of the details and it was a production no less daunting than putting on performance for the dance company.
Their cabin by the lake was set back into the woods where it couldn't easily be seen from the lake and the driveway up from the road to the front porch was a sweeping curve giving them privacy when they were relaxing there.
Katie had never expected a large industrial truck to approach the house so quietly.
It was amazing, really.
As the sun set over the lake, Katie felt her phone buzz in her pocket, and she went to wake Ruth up.
To clear her schedule for the vacation at the lake Ruth had been working overtime in the kitchen.
She'd fallen asleep almost the moment that they'd walked into the cabin and that had given her dad time for the finishing touches to his plan.
Knocking on the door to the master bedroom, Katie heard an answer from the other side of the door.
"Katie?"
"Yep! It's me. My dad wants to know if you want to see the sunset."
"One second!"
Ruth was at the door in moments, wearing a relaxed T-shirt that almost fell off of one shoulder and a pair of shorts that had cartoon images of cupcakes on it.
"Where's your dad?"
Katie tilted her head. "He's on the back porch." She held out her hand. "Ready?"
Ruth took her hand, smiling ear to ear. "Ready."
NICK
Nick was fairly sure he would be able to make it through the next few minutes without having something akin to a panic attack.
There weren't all that many moving parts, but the parts it did have were... important.
He turned when he heard the sliding glass door open and his heart stopped beating for a moment.
Even in her T-shirt and shorts, Ruth looked amazing.
It might have something to do with the sleep mussed hair half up and half down.
It might also be the way her eyes were half-closed.
She looked... amazing.
"So..." Katie looked at them both, a secretive smile on her face. "This is your first trip to the cabin with us."
Ruth nodded. "Your dad had them remodeling so we couldn't come up on your Spring Break."
Katie snapped her fingers. "That's right!"
She brought Ruth over to the swing that they'd installed during the renovation.
Nick looked toward the lake where they'd already had a swing for years, but that had also been replaced.
Before, the swings fit two, but now, they comfortably fit three... maybe four.
Katie had Ruth sit down beside her and Nick sat on the other side. Bookends for the woman they both loved.
The light over the lake was a magic mix of everything from shades of purple to darker blues.
He wrapped his arm around Ruth and leaned in to give her a kiss on her cheek.
"We wanted to bring you up here for a few reasons."
RUTH
She felt completely at ease.
Her two favorite people sitting beside her.
Katie held her hand and Nick had his arm around her back.
She listened as Nick continued to explain.
"You've seen the stars through our cameras, but this time you get to see it for yourself."
She relaxed and enjoyed the gentle rocking of the swing.
"We also have a couple of questions to ask you."
Ruth melted at Katie's expectant smile.
She always did when it came to the teen.
"If I can help, you know I will."
That was how they got to this point. Helping Katie wholeheartedly.
Something she would always treasure and never regret.
"Great! My dad's gonna go first."
Nodding, Ruth turned to look at Nick and almost laughed out loud.
He had a big red and white Santa hat on his head.
"What's that for?"
He grinned at her. "You changed my name in your phone to SANTA before Katie's Nutcracker performances."
She nodded.
"And you haven't changed it since."
She nodded again, smiling at how silly and sexy he managed to look at the same time.
Nick took his hat off for a moment and pulled a little pouch from the inside before he set it back down on his head.
Opening the drawstring, he turned it upside down on his palm.
He picked up the ring and held it out to her.
"This," he looked down at the ring and then back up into her eyes, "is a chocolate diamond. I thought, it was perfect for you, Ruth." He drew in and let out a breath before he spoke again. "Will you marry me?"
She blinked back her tears and nodded before she could find her voice. "Y-yes... Yes."
Nick put the ring on her finger and leaned in for a kiss. A kiss that nearly set fire to her whole being.
Katie whispered at her side. "Is it safe to look?"
Ruth's shoulders shook with laughter and she turned toward Katie. "Yes. It's safe."
Katie had her hand over her eyes and then she lowered it carefully, grinning the whole time. "Good. Now that you're marrying my dad, I have a question, too."
Ruth nodded. "Go ahead."
Katie held up another bag with drawstring ties. She put it in Ruth's hand.
Carefully, Ruth opened the mouth of the bag and a necklace slid into her palm.
Two hearts linked together made the centerpiece of the necklace. "Do you think... I mean, would you mind if I call you Mom from now on?"
Ruth wrapped her arms around Katie and held her tightly. "It would be the greatest honor of my life to be your mom and marry your dad. I love you, Katie. I love you and your dad so much."
As she held onto the girl she already considered the daughter of her heart, Ruth felt something touch her cheek and arm.
Sitting back, Ruth looked down and saw that there were little white flakes on her arm and falling around them.
"What...?"
Nick laughed and Katie giggled.
"Why do I feel like I'm the only one who doesn't know what's going on?"
Katie held out her hands, palms up, and giggled. "You don't recognize snow?"
"Snow?" Ruth shook her head. "I don't think I've ever seen it outside of a TV show or movie."
She turned to look at Nick.
"Snow?"
He grinned at her and she fell in love all over again.
"Well, if I'm going to play Santa," he gave her a jaunty lift of his chin, "there's got to be snow."
Katie and Nick wrapped her up in their arms and together, they rocked in the swing and watched the snow fall around them.
Ruth sighed softly.
She'd not only found a family she loved, but she had a future she was really looking forward to.
A future with her daughter and her burly Santa.