57. Noelle
Chapter fifty-seven
Noelle
Christmas had always been my favourite holiday, and this year was the best one yet.
It was just like old times, yet so much better. Snow fell all week, turning our town into a snow globe–worthy getaway. Christmas Eve was full with a candlelight service at church before the Shepherds and Satterfields crammed into Mama D and Pops’s house for food, fellowship, and so many games.
My dad and Ruby headed to Boise later that night to spend Christmas morning with Quinn’s family. She wasn’t ready to see me yet, and I could respect that. So I spent Christmas morning with Cal and Khia in matching pajamas. It was everything I wanted and so much more.
Even though we’d only reconnected two and a half months ago, Cal and I were seriously discussing marriage and a future. We’d made sense once, and we still did.
And there was nothing more I wanted for Christmas than to make it official. We were on the same page. I didn’t know when he was planning on popping the question—Cal took surprises seriously—but I did have an inkling it would be soon.
“Daddy, look, it’s Olaf!” Khia squealed and pointed to the inflatable snowman standing beside a trellised pergola, wrapped in Christmas lights.
Cal started. “What? Oh, yeah, look at that.”
True to his word, Cal had arranged to bring me to the botanical gardens during the Christmas season—on New Year’s Eve specifically. And dare I say it, they were prettier with the Christmas lights and candy canes edging the walkways than they were back in October. Pure magic.
We oohed and ahhed at appropriate intervals, but Cal was distracted as we meandered down the pathways, Khia scampering ahead of us.
I nudged him. “What’s up with you?”
He chuckled, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “Nothing. Why?”
“Liar.” I poked his stomach—which he flexed, smirking at me the whole time. Show-off.
“I was mesmerized by your beauty.”
Greyson scoffed softly from behind us, followed by a grunt. Probably from Paisley nudging him.
Cal shot a look over his shoulder. “Dude, you’re just jealous that I got game.”
“I’ve got plenty of game,” Greyson retorted. Then they stared at each other in silent conversation. Twin speak at its finest.
Paisley giggled, blowing into her mittens. That snapped Greyson out of his bro-moment.
“Are you cold?” he asked.
“Nope.” She tugged him ahead of us on the path, whispering, “Give them their moment. Khia, we’re going to see the frozen fountain.”
“Ooh! I’m coming!”
Khia bounced over to them, then the three of them walked hand in hand, with Khia in the middle, down the path in front of us.
Cal tugged me closer. “Now that we don’t have an audience . . .” He pressed a quick kiss to my lips.
“When has that ever stopped you?”
“True.” He winked. “What can I say? You’re enchanting.”
“All right, Romeo, spill it.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Linking our fingers, Cal led me down a different path. “Hey, why are Christmas trees terrible at sewing?”
I arched an eyebrow. “I have no idea.”
“They’re always dropping their needles.”
I snorted. “That was terrible.” He usually cracked jokes when he was nervous. But why now? “You’re acting strange.”
“Strange? Me? Have you met me? I’m the picture of decorum. Nothing strange here.”
Oh, yeah. Not acting strange at all. Ha. “Decorum? Been hanging out with Myles, Cap?”
“You mock me. C’mon.” He excitedly ushered me down a familiar path. The same one where we’d stopped at the bench on our first date two months ago. “And I’ve been meaning to ask a very important question: What are your thoughts on mustaches? Think I could pull it off?”
I burst out laughing. “First, ew. Second, why?”
“You’re right. No mustache. I’d be a laughing stock. I’d look like Denver.” He shuddered. “Only much better-looking than the slug.”
Pausing, I tugged him to face me. “I like a clean-shaven man. But why are we discussing facial hair?”
Cal’s hand tightened on mine. “Oh, no reason. Just need to know your kissing preferences.”
I snort-laughed. What a way to word that. “Cal, what’s—”
We turned the corner, and I gasped. “Going . . . on,” I finished with a whisper. The bench was draped in lights and rose petals, and vintage flameless candles lined the walkway.
Tears swam in my eyes, and I whirled towards the man at my side.
Cal smiled down at me. “You wanna know something else? You’re my favourite person in the world, Elle. And hard days, good days, bad days, well, I want all my days to be with you.” Then in a move so smooth, he dropped to one knee.
This was it. It was really happening.
“Noelle Shepherd, you are the best thing that ever happened to me.” He cradled my hand in his, eyes shining.
“You gave me a second chance I didn’t deserve.
You laugh at my jokes—which proves they aren’t as dumb as Grey insists—and you have the biggest heart, like, Texas-sized amazing.
” His voice cracked, and he cleared his throat. “You are a precious gift, and I—”
“Did she say yes?” Khia poked her head around the corner.
Cal sighed, tightening his grip on my hand. “I’m still trying to ask her, Lovebug.”
“Can you ask her faster?”
“Sorry, Cal!” Paisley whisper-shouted, and snagged Khia back out of view.
“This is not how I saw this going,” he muttered.
I touched his cheek. “You’re doing great, Cap.”
That was all it took. Cal straightened his shoulders. “I’ve got one more important question. And no, it has nothing to do with facial hair. I love you. And I want to do this crazy, messy, beautiful thing called life with you.”
“Is that a question?”
“Patience, woman.” He fumbled with his coat pocket and pulled out a ring box. “Will you marry me, Holiday?”
Tears streamed down my cheeks, and I couldn’t even worry about my mascara. “Callan James, I will absolutely marry you.”
He slipped the ring on my finger. A beautiful sapphire. My favourite stone.
Popping up, he scooped me into a hug. My feet left the ground and laughter bubbled out of me as I clung to his neck, breathing in the familiar smell of him. All the tension in my body left under his strong touch. He was the best stress reliever, and I was addicted.
When Cal set me down, he cupped my cheek and leaned in for a kiss. Our lips brushed when—
“Broseph, you’re stepping on my toes!” a voice hissed behind a juniper bush. A voice that sounded very much like Ruby.
What on earth?
“Well, you asked me to hold your stuff,” Brooks hissed back.
I snickered, and Cal groaned. “I wanted to document the moment, and I thought having Ruby do it since she’s leaving for Spokane to work with Steph would be special.
And she insisted she needed Brooks’s help.
” His forehead rested against mine. “But I might be regretting that now,” he whispered, our lips a hairbreadth apart.
“She totally friend-zoned him,” I said.
“Keep it down, peanut gallery,” Cal hollered into the bushes, then refocused on me. “Forget about them.” He tilted my chin up. “I’m going to kiss my woman, annoying teenagers aside.”
“They’re both twenty.”
“Semantics.” And he made good on his promise. His kiss was everything. Perfect. Ours.
“I love you,” he whispered against my lips.
“And I love you.”
“This means I get a puppy!” Khia cried, who had evidently escaped Greyson and Paisley again. “Daddy, you promised!”
“Did I?” Cal pulled away from the kiss, dazed. “I mean, we can discuss it . . .” He trailed off, taking in Khia’s wobbly lower lip.
Greyson chuckled from down the path, his arm draped around Paisley. Both of them grinned widely. “Nice try saying no to that, brother.”
As if knowing she’d won, Khia’s smile grew so big that her eyes filled with tears. She ran straight to me, and I caught her up in a hug. Then Cal wrapped his arms around us both. Our family was together at last. Just how it was supposed to be.
“Marry me soon?” he murmured in my ear. “Like maybe tomorrow?”
I giggled. “Not sure we can pull that off, Cap.”
He sighed dramatically, warm breath tickling my neck, and tugged us closer. “Fine, we’ll negotiate.”
“I like the sound of that.”
“And you’re okay with a whole lot of crazy?”
My arms tightened around his neck. “As long as I’m with you, I like our kind of craziness.”
And he kissed me again.