Epilogue - Neva
Three years later
Hewitt’s department store is starting to wind down.
It’s been a busy season - the busiest so far - and the day before Christmas Eve seems like it’s going to be a record breaker for the store.
I’ve checked on all the window displays, wanting to make sure each one is perfect for all the people who come to take a photo for Instagram or for their family photo albums. This year is extra special because my displays have been featured in two glossy magazines and a celebrity blog.
Elden is delighted - great publicity for the store - but mostly he’s just proud of me. We got our own house in Snowflake Falls after he asked me to marry him on New Year’s Eve after we first got together.
Then we had a wonderful wedding with all our families and our beautiful daughter Stella was born on Christmas Day the next year. She’s spending the day with her cousin Hunter, Uncle Tan and Aunt Hollee while Elden and I work, but we’ll pick her up this evening.
The store is empty now as Elden walks up to me. His big, powerful frame moving towards me still gives me a heady rush of excitement.
“Hi stranger.” I say, reaching for him.
“Hey there,” he smiles down at me. “You ready to go?”
“Yep.” We walk towards the elevator, his arm around my waist. As we get in and he pulls the door closed, he turns and smiles at me.
“Shame if we got stuck in the elevator again.” He nods his head at the door.
I smile back at him. ”I wouldn’t be too upset.”
We’ve done this every year and like the best Christmas traditions, it’s more fun each and every time.
He presses a button on the wall and the elevator grinds to a halt. He walks towards me and presses me against the wall.
His lips meet mine and I’m in my happy place.