Epilogue
Anna Sanford’s phone buzzed just as she finished updating the ranch events calendar for the week after New Year’s.
She expected a question from Mary Whitley, a vendor confirmation, or one more note about folding chairs that had somehow gone missing after the charity supper. Instead, Natalie’s name lit the screen.
Anna opened the message.
A photo of the mistletoe above the gift-wrap station filled the screen.
The second message came a breath later. We didn’t need that to finally kiss.
Anna sat back in her chair and pressed one hand to her heart. Natalie deserved this. Mark did too. After all the pretending, fear, and worry, God had made something beautiful out of the mess.
Anna blinked hard, laughing softly at herself even as her eyes filled. I’m so happy for you. You two fit together in a way that makes my heart hurt a little.
Natalie sent back a string of hearts followed by, Your turn for happy next.
Anna stared at those words, set the phone face down on the desk, and looked around the quiet ranch office.
The Christmas lights outside the window still glowed along the fence line, though the holiday rush had begun to soften into the hush that came after.
Soon there would be new events to plan, new families to welcome, new schedules to manage.
She was good at making room for other people’s joy.
She was less certain what to do with her own longing.
Anna folded her hands on top of the calendar and bowed her head. “Lord,” she whispered, “I’m still waiting.”
The words hurt but not as sharply as they once had. Maybe waiting did not mean being forgotten. Maybe it meant God was still preparing something she could not see yet.
Her phone buzzed again with another message from Natalie. I mean it, Anna. Don’t stop hoping.
Anna smiled through the ache in her chest. “I’ll try,” she whispered.