Epilogue
NEXT CHRISTMAS
JADE
“Ladies.” Mabel taps the side of her cocktail with her long candy cane-striped nails. The chatter around the table dwindles as we give her our undivided attention.
Well, as undivided attention as we can give after we’ve indulged in a couple rounds of the best Christmas cocktails the Elk Shack has to offer. Never mind that “Run, Run Rudolph is blaring over the speakers.”
I swear, for being such a curmudgeon every other day of the year, the bar’s owner turns into a regular Saint Nick during the holidays.
Rolling her eyes at Paisley, who has a serious case of the giggles, Mabel raises her glass. “I would be remiss in my maid of honor duties if I didn’t make a toast to the woman we’re all gathered to celebrate this evening.”
“Cheers to that.” Piper takes a healthy gulp and sets her glass down to reach for my hand. “Let’s take another look at that ring.”
I oblige by holding out my hand. Remington slipped the ring onto my finger in bed the other day. My heart warms at the memory of his ears turning pink and his words rambling together as he told me how much he loved me and asked me to be his wife.
The poor man was nervous. So nervous, he couldn’t wait to give it to me Christmas morning surrounded by our family the way he’d planned.
As if I could have said anything besides “abso-freaking-lutely.” I knew I wanted to marry him since we got together a year ago. Heck, I probably even knew before.
I grin down at my hand. The ring has only been on my finger for a few days now. I’m still getting used to the cool gold band rubbing against my skin when I type on my computer or how it catches the light when I reach for a cup of coffee.
Rolling my hand back and forth now, another thrill shoots through me as the sapphire and diamonds dance with the Christmas lights strung out overhead.
Maxine asks if we’ve set a date or picked a venue.
Before I can say we haven’t made any concrete plans, Astrid interjects, “I think the real question is who is next?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, who”—she looks pointedly at each of our friends around the table—“will be the next to fall in love.”
Piper scoffs. “I’m already in love with the Ryans.”
“Gosling and Reynolds?” Paisley asks.
“You know it.”
“You ladies.” Astrid shakes her head. “I mean who will be next to fall in love with a real man.”
“The Ryans are real.”
“You know what I mean.”
Our table falls silent. At least, as quiet as it can be on a Friday night when the Firth Mountain Smokejumpers are playing darts against the Swift Mountain firefighters. Everyone seems to seriously consider the question. For my part, I don’t have a clue. If anyone would have posed the same question during our meet-up when I came home last Christmas, I never would have guessed it would be me. So, by that logic, it could really be anyone.
Which is exactly what Maxine says, before cocking an eyebrow and adding, “But I have a feeling it’ll be Mabel.”
“Yeah, right.” Mabel glares into her cosmopolitan. “You know I’m more interested in setting up a nest egg than tying myself to a man. I’m about as close to marriage as Jade’s hymen was to her vagina after Remington entered the scene.”
“You mean before Remington’s dick entered Jane’s scene.” Astrid wiggles her eyebrows.
“Is the hymen actually close to the vagina?” Piper asks, thoughtfully stirring her snowflake martini with a cocktail pick. “Or is it part of the cervix?”
“Is it bad I don’t really know the difference between the vagina and cervix?” Astrid asks.
“Oh, jeez,” I mumble under my breath, my cheeks flushing bright pink. “I think maybe we should take a break from the cocktails and have a couple glasses of water.”
My friends are clearly getting a little silly.
“Cocktails.” Paisley giggles, her eyes glossy ever since she downed that third Negroni. “I bet you could tell us some pretty good cock tales.”
Too late. We’ve flown way past silly.
The girls start talking over themselves speculating about the finer points of my sex life. Astrid guesses Remington boasts more length than girth while Piper insists it’s the other way around. Paisley wonders aloud if we’ve ever done it in the Firth Mountain Smokejumper chopper. And Mabel tries to change the subject to a rumor that a certain nearby property featured in a famous movie franchise might be coming up for sale.
All the while, Maxine shakes her head at the questions of female anatomy, blaming the lack of sexual education and anatomy in schools.
It’s all very Sex and the City : Alaskan Christmas edition.
“Oh, jeez,” I say again, wishing I could disappear into the bar’s scuffed wood floors.
Our only chance of getting out of here without one of us doing something to get banned or—more importantly—my cheeks actually catching on fire from all of the blushing, is to bring this evening to an end.
Almost as if he could sense my distress, Remington comes to my rescue. I smell his spicy pine and amber musk a second before his thick arms slide over my shoulders to wrap around my waist.
“Hey, baby.” He nuzzles the side of my neck, sending a delicious shiver down my spine. The knit wool from the sweater I gave him tickles my arms.
“Ahem,” Mabel clears her throat with a stern.
“Oh, sorry.” Remington looks up without loosening his hold on me. “Hello, ladies.”
“I meant—ahem, you’re early.” She feigns a frown, though her sparkling eyes hint at her amusement. “You’re interrupting Girls’ Night.”
“My apologies, ladies.” He gives me a gentle squeeze. “I can leave you to it and find a dart game to join.”
“That’s okay.” I reach for my purse and fake a yawn. “I’m actually really tired.”
“Is tired a code name for horny?” Piper asks in a loud whisper.
Through a chorus of catcalls and protests, Maxine raises her voice. “Come on, ladies. Let’s let the newly engaged couple have some time to themselves.”
She winks at me, and I mouth a silent “Thank you.”
Remington helps me stand and slides an arm around my waist. The sweet gesture proves necessary as I stumble over my own feet as we make our way through the crowded bar. It’s especially busy with Christmas only days away.
When I nearly run into one of the Christmas trees haphazardly placed in our path, he tightens his hold and darts a worried gaze my way. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” I mask a yawn. “But let’s just say it’s good you arrived to rescue me before the girls could order another round of drinks or shots.”
He nods in understanding and silently helps me to his truck. He clasps the seatbelt over my waist and brushes a lock of hair away from my face.
My insides quiver. “Aren’t you going to kiss me?”
“Is that what you want for Christmas?”
My belly clenches. “Maybe.”
“I suppose it depends.” His low, gruff voice stokes the embers inside me. “Have you been a good girl or a naughty girl?”
“What if I say I’ve been a good girl?”
His lips curl up and he leans forward to press them against my forehead, cheeks, and the corners of my lips.
“That was nice.” My heavy eyelids flutter. “Now, which one does the naughty girl get?”
“That one has to wait until we’re behind closed doors.”
“I don’t want to wait.” I pout.
“Baby, we’re in public.” His smoldering gaze is full of promise.
“Then give me a preview.”
He chuckles. “If you’re this bossy now, I can only imagine what you’ll be like after the wedding.”
I start to object, but his mouth silences mine. There’s nothing sweet or gentle as we take our fill of each other. My heart pounds and a moan escapes me as he cups one of my breasts.
“Save something for the honeymoon.”
We pull apart, and we both look over Remington’s shoulder to find a couple of the smokejumpers watching with amusement,
“Go to hell,” Remington calls back, though there’s no heat in his response. Still catching his breath, he faces me again. “Come on. I should get you in bed.”
“I like the sound of that.”
“We’re just going to sleep tonight.”
“But—”
“Trust me, baby. Sleep first.” He smirks. “You’re gonna need rest for what I have planned for you in the morning. Consider it another early Christmas present.”
Though I’d like to protest, he’s right. My man may have had a bad boy reputation, but he’s a gentleman.
Besides, there is something about delayed gratification.
I moisten my lips. “Is that a promise or a threat?”
“You’ll just have to be a good girl and find out.”
Want to find out what’s in store for Jade and Remington during a future Christmas? Check out this bonus epilogue .