Epilogue #2
“The more time we spent together, the more I realized that I never fell out of love with you. It’s always been you, Natasha.” He touched my cheek with his gloved hand, and my heart skipped a beat.
“What are you saying?” I could barely breathe.
“I love you.”
My chest constricted as I bit my lip so that I didn’t return the sentiment too quickly. I wanted to hear what he had to say first.
“I didn’t think I’d fall for you again so quickly. Then when I realized how I felt, I didn’t want to scare you off by mentioning it. I wanted to give you time to realize how you felt.”
I closed my eyes because I was in love with him too.
“You were busy with the parade, so I kept telling myself I’d talk to you afterward. But then, Mitchell needed me, and we vowed to always be there for each other.”
“I understand that.”
“But I never want you to feel like you come in second. From now on, if you’ll have me back, we’ll discuss anything like this and make the decision together.”
“I like the sound of that,” I murmured.
“Before we go any further, I need to know how you feel.”
His expression was vulnerable.
I threw my arms around his neck, pressing myself against the layers of jackets and sweatshirts. “I love you. I never stopped.”
He dropped his lips to mine, kissing me in the open, with shouts of kids in the distance and the occasional crack of a branch.
He pulled away, a smile on his lips. “I have one more thing to show you.”
I held his hand as we walked down the trail, feeling warm from the hot chocolate and content that he felt the same as I did.
It felt like I could finally relax and know that I was loved, and that everything was going to work out. Everything was brighter.
The trail lights gave way to characters and objects again, starting with a stack of books.
“This is where we met. The History Day project.”
I squeezed his hand as the tears pricked the back of my eyelids.
Then there were music notes and a couple dancing, who looked like Cinderella and Prince Charming.
“Our prom.”
The music notes gave way to a graduation cap and gown.
“Our graduation.”
I sucked in a breath because I knew what came next.
There was an eagle I recognized as the symbol of the army, next to books and a building.
“The army for me and college for you.”
There was empty space, and then we slowed for a rendering of Mistletoe Inn and the surrounding town.
“How did you do all of this?”
“I commissioned someone to design pieces for Christmas Town’s light trail, and these will be part of it.”
I covered my mouth with my hand, and he nudged me farther along the trail. “That’s not all.”
I laughed. “What else could there possibly be? I want to spend the rest of the evening admiring the lights for the town and the inn.”
“I think you’re going to want to see this.” He nodded toward the last piece which were words: Will You Marry Me?
At the end there was a diamond ring, and when I looked at Ford, he dropped to his knees, pulling out a ring box and opening it to reveal the real diamond. “Will you marry me, Natasha?”
I never thought we’d make it to this day. I always thought something would happen that would derail our best efforts. But I realized that we needed to work at a relationship. We couldn't walk away or assume what someone’s intentions were. We had to communicate. And he was asking me to marry him.
He raised a brow. “Well?”
I nodded shakily, holding out my hand for him to slide the cool metal onto my ring finger. I held it up, the facets of the diamond reflecting the lights from the trail. “I can’t believe you did all of this for me.”
He put his arms around me, pulling me into his body. “I wanted to show you how I felt. I’m still not sure that this”—he gestured around us at the trail and the various lights—“was enough. But I want to spend the rest of my life showing you.”
I nodded, tears finally spilling over. “I want that too.”
“It’s you and me together through this life.”
I wound my arms around his neck. “There’s no other way I’d want to go through it.”
He lowered his lips to mine, and I felt flakes striking my cheeks. We pulled away, laughing. “It’s snowing.”
“I don’t know for sure, but I think that snow might mean a new beginning.”
“I can get on board with that.”
We held hands and walked leisurely through the holiday trail. Ford told me his plans for the Christmas Town trail. There was nothing we couldn’t accomplish together.
I hope you loved Natasha and Ford’s story!