Epilogue #2
“Well, it’s no mystery Brad has been spending more time at the Confetti Bakery than he has at the office lately,” Noah continues. “It wouldn't have anything to do with Chelsea and her kid, would it?”
“There’s nothing going on between me and Chelsea,” Brad says. “We’ve known each other forever, and she’s one hell of a pastry chef. Her kid is cute. That’s it.” He flat lines his hands as if to prove a point.
“Yeah, yeah.” Noah shakes his head and starts talking to Ali about some properties he’s been looking at over in Malibu. He’s been on the house hunt for a while but hasn’t found the right one yet.
Tristan puts the carving knife down and clears his throat after a sip of wine and a tap on his glass.
“I just wanted to officially welcome the lovely Lexi and Irene to our family lunch,” he says.
“Thank you both so much for joining the madhouse. Feel free to ignore my sons when they’re acting like children, which I’m sure will be through most of this lunch. ”
A host of laughs rings out over the table, little Clementine leading the fray.
“Here, here!” Ali chimes. “Oops. I meant the welcoming part!” More laughs ensue.
“Mom!” Clementine facepalms herself as we all raise our glasses in a toast.
“Thank you so much for making us feel so welcome,” my mom gushes. “And Josh is just so wonderful for my beautiful, Lexi. You’ve raised an amazing son,” she adds to Tristan.
Josh grins over at her and then averts a smartass glance at his brothers while squeezing my hand under the table. “Did y’all hear that, boys? Number one son again if you ask me.”
“We didn’t ask you.” Noah picks up a biscuit and pretends to lob it over at him.
Brad just rolls his eyes and whispers to me, “They all know I’m the favorite son.”
I can’t help laughing as I watch them, they really are the all-American family. And it’s heartwarming to be here next to Josh. It feels like there’s always been a place for me here, and it’s truly the best present I could ever get.
“Please excuse my boys and their bickering.” Tristan shakes his head and takes a sip of wine while he picks up the knife again and starts dividing the turkey onto our plates.
It’s a beautiful feast spread out across the large table in his dining room.
I know Ali did most of the table decorations, the gold Christmas lanterns decorated with mistletoe are my absolute favorite.
Josh leans in somewhere between passing me the gravy and waiting for me to finish pouring it on my food. “I love you,” he whispers, his breath is warm on the shell of my ear, and I feel all cozy inside.
“I love you, too,” I whisper back.
“We don’t want to keep Mr. Snuggles waiting too long.” He waggles his eyebrows and I know exactly what he has in store.
“Oh no you don’t, Mister, we just got here!” I poke him in the ribs, and he just laughs.
“The hot tub is waiting, baby.”
And that it is, but we have all night to look forward to, cozying up together in front of the fireplace. It’s one of our favorite pastimes of late.
“Soon,” I tell him. And soon may not come quick enough, but I know the only place I want to be is with him.
Three months later
Things have only gotten better between me and Josh these past few months, getting to know each other even more and us moving in together has been so amazing.
Yes, things have moved quickly between us, but I love how well we gel together, while still keeping our own identities and interests.
We waited until the new year before I moved in, actually, it was early February because packing everything up and doing a massive over-haul takes time.
And moving places is a good time as any to have a big clear out.
Of course, all of my Christmas decorations were safe and sound.
Mr. Snuggles is more than happy at Josh’s place. We discussed Josh moving into my place, but his space is bigger and there’s a separate library nook where Joshie has made a space for me and all of my romance books. How could I say no to that? He’s such a sweetheart.
He never fails to surprise me most days, even if it’s just with a cute post-it love note, or a sweet text.
Often, he brings a bunch of flowers home and gives me the most amazing compliments and foot massages.
We just fit. And everything just gets better and better as time goes on.
His family accepted me from the start, and meeting his mom on Boxing Day was amazing, she’s a really lovely lady and we get along so well.
I’ve seen her a couple of more times since then, and we’re all getting together with my mom next week to have lunch together.
Just as I’m pulling in from work, my phone pings before I’m out of the car. I pick it up from the console, smiling when I see a message from Josh.
Josh
Babe, there’s a post-it trail when you get home. I’ve got a surprise for you
He does this sometimes, little surprises for no reason at all, it’s really so damned cute. He even gets Mr. Snuggles in on the act and writes notes signed from them both.
My heart flips a little beat and I quickly type back;
Me
I’m almost at the front door, see you in a sec!
When I get to the door and edge the key in, giving the handle a little wiggle, a lovely soft aroma immediately alerts my senses– vanilla and coconut? I don’t know exactly, but it smells divine.
As I step in, I notice it’s kind of dark in the house, he’s drawn the blinds…
and as I glance down to kick off my shoes, I realize I’m standing in a little stream of pink rose petals, and the trail leads right down the hallway.
A little giggle escapes me as I close the door and step out of my heels.
It’s when I go to put my keys and cell on the little hallway table that I see the first note, right next to the flickering candle – that’s where the vanilla and coconut scent is coming from – written on a light pink-colored post-it.
Follow the rose petal trail my love
I pick up the note and shake my head with a smile, shrugging out of my jacket and dropping my bag on the floor, doing just as he says.
The feel of the sweet little petals under my feet have me feeling like a giddy child as I walk.
He brings that out in me and I love it when he surprises me like this.
At the end of the hall I see a hot pink post-it stuck to the wall.
Keep going baby. We’re in the bedroom…
“Joshie!” I call out, pulling the note off the wall and keeping it stuck to the top of the other one. “What are you doing?” I keep walking and turn at the kitchen and dining area to the second hallway that leads to the bedrooms. That’s when I see a bright yellow post-it on the wall.
You’re so damned close
I finally stop at our bedroom door, I still don’t hear a sound anywhere, but there’s a light blue post-it stuck to the door.
Mr. Snuggles and I were wondering something…
Hanging onto the note, my heart skips a beat. He’s just such a little romantic.
My hand grips the doorknob and I push it open.
I gasp as I glance around the bedroom and see he’s scattered around dozens of candles in various spots around the room.
My eyes hit the bed and he’s sitting on the end of it with Mr. Snuggles.
He’s fully clothed, but he’s removed his suit jacket, the top buttons of his shirt are undone, and his tie is hanging loose around his neck. Sexy. As. Sin.
“Joshie,” I breathe, clutching the notes as I walk toward him. “What are you two up to?” My eyes look down to Mr. Snuggles who is stretched out on his side, laying on the plush, thick comforter, looking like the king of the castle that he is.
Josh slides off the bed, not taking his eyes off me. His socked feet plant on the carpet and he pulls up one pant leg slightly as he says; “Mr. Snuggles and I were curious.” A sexy little smile plays on his lips.
“What about?” I don’t know why my breath hitches in my chest, maybe it’s because he’s… he’s bending down on one knee. “Joshie!” I squeal.
Yep, my eyes aren’t deceiving me. He literally drops to one knee right before me and a small box appears from behind his back.
The unmistakable kind. The kind I know from the robin egg blue box and the white satin ribbon, that it came from Tiffany’s.
I watch it all happen in slow motion as Josh’s fingers circle around the front of the box and he lifts the lid, and I see the most beautiful light pink, princess-cut diamond on a platinum band.
“Baby, will you do me the honor of marrying me?”
My hands fly up to my face and I shriek. “OH. MY. GOD!!”
His soft laugh echoes through the room and Mr. Snuggles blinks up at me from all the commotion. I notice then that Josh has fixed a pale blue bow tie around our cat’s neck for effect. “If God will help you say yes, then sure.”
I’m on the carpet with him in a split second, almost accidentally knocking the ring box out of his hand when I throw my arms around him.
“Josh, this is so amazing! I had no idea. Of course I’ll marry you!
” We’ve talked about future plans, even though we’ve only been together a few months, and both of us want to get married and have kids.
I just never knew it was going to be this soon. But heck, why not now?
“Phew for that.” He grins as I pull back to plant a kiss on his succulent lips, the tears stream down my face without me even realizing. “Hey, babe, don’t cry.”
“They’re tears of happiness,” I tell him in a whisper. “They really are. I love you, Mister!”
“I love you, Lex. I can’t wait to be your husband.” He bends forward to kiss me again, then pulls back so he can retrieve the ring from its box.
“I can’t wait to be your wife!”
“Your mom helped me with the sizing.”
“What a sneak she is!”
He chuckles and I watch with anticipation as he holds my left hand so softly and slides the pink diamond on. It glides effortlessly over my knuckle and sits perfectly in place. “It’s an Australian pink argyle diamond,” he explains.
“It’s so gorgeous!” I hold it out so I can get a better look at it and then wave my hand around as it sparkles. “Oh, wow, I really am engaged!”
“You most definitely are, Princess. I know how much you love your rose quartz crystals, so I knew pink was the go-to. And a diamond always seals the deal.”
“It sure does,” I laugh through my happy tears. “I love it so much.”
“And Mr. Snuggles of course helped out with selection, style, and approval.” He leans back over to the bed to scoop up our cat in his arms and we have a little group hug with Mr. Snuggles giving us a purr of approval.
“You are both sneaks as well!” I say. “But what a beautiful surprise. Thank you, baby.”
He kisses me again over the top of Mr. Snuggles. “Thank you, Lex, for loving me. I’ll never make you doubt why you do.”
“I won’t either, Joshie. What we have is so special.”
“I think a celebration is in order… that and kneeling down here is making my knee go to sleep!”
We both laugh and slowly make our way up to our feet, still holding Mr. Snuggles, Josh embraces me tight. “A celebration is in order,” he says. “For me and the future Mrs. Alexis Lucas.”
“Now that sounds perfect! I’ll drink to that.”
And another kiss seals the deal.
THE END