I cracked the last one open, and light winked from the hollow center. Nestled within the smallest doll was a ring—a delicate gold band with a glittering diamond.
“It was here the whole time,” Valerie whispered, her fingernail tracing the stone.
I tipped the ring into her hand, and she closed her fingers around it.
“Whoa.” Her lips parted with a soft gasp as the ring flared to life, light spilling between her fingers.
Instinct burned through me. I reached for it, for her—to stop whatever this was—but she caughtmy wrist.
“It’s okay,” she whispered. Her voice trembled, but she didn’t let go.
“Valerie?” I steadied her elbow as she swayed into me. The light pulsed brighter, spreading across her skin. Every part of me wanted to tear it away, to take it from her hands.
“That’s so strange. I can see his memories.” Her voice sounded far away. “You were right. Daniel was planning to propose on Christmas Eve. It was supposed to be a surprise. He placed the nesting doll on the mantel in the banquet hall, then he went out to the lake to make sure Natalie made it back inside after she finished skating. But she wasn’t there, and then—” Her eyes squeezed shut as if she could block the visions. “The ice broke. He fell through. No one saw.”
She shuddered, and I tightened my grip, trying to steady her and bring her back to me. Valerie’s eyes fluttered open, and I kept my arm around her shoulders.
“Someone must’ve found the nesting doll and turned it in.” Edith sighed, her voice almost sad. “The blizzard that year was brutal. It took days to dig out. No one must have realized he was here.”
Valerie nodded weakly, still pale as she looked toward the Christmas tree.
“Grant, look.”
I followed her gaze. Daniel stood beside the tree, only this time… he wasn’t alone. A woman hovered next to him, her features faint but recognizable from the photo I’d seen: Natalie. Her gown shimmered like frost, the twinkling lights from the tree wrapping around them both.
They didn’t look like ghosts anymore.
Daniel looked down at the ring still glowing in Valerie’s hand.
She stepped forward, extending her palm. “It’s yours. It’s just a little late.”
He nodded once, pressing his fist over his chest. The phantom snow swirling around his coat finally settled into a fine dust at his feet.
The glow deepened, swallowing the ring until it winked out, vanishing like a star in the morning sky.
Daniel and Natalie faded with it, gazing simply at each other. The ring now glittered softly on her finger. Then they were gone, leaving nothing except a few sprigs of mistletoe behind.
“They’re finally together,” Valerie said, exhaling a shaky breath.
“Because of you.”
She leaned into me, fingers threading through mine.
“Us,” she corrected, tilting her head up to look at me.
I arched an eyebrow. “You meanTeam Delspell?”
She laughed softly, the sound catching in her throat. “No.Team Delaney.”
I smiled. “HR would be proud.”
“It’s still your fault we lost tug of war,” she said, her nose wrinkling.
“You were pulling wrong,” I defended.
“Agree to disagree?”
“Never.”
