Page 68 of Not Another Christmas Movie

“Stop!” Annie found herself yelling out. She instantly flushed, knowing that everyone’s attention was now locked on her. “I can’t marry you, Chris.”

Around her, Annie could hear concerned and confused murmurs. Chris looked stuck in a state of surprise.

“I thought that was what I wanted. I daydreamed of you choosing me and seeing what would happen if we gave ‘us’ a real chance,” Annie said. “Getting to know you this week has been eye-opening. You’re better than I hoped for: kind, devoted to your community, tall, and very hot, and so strong, and, like, incredibly knowledgeable about trees, which isn’t something I had ever cared about but is probably something I should unpack with my therapist …” Annie trailed off before suddenly remembering she was mid-speech in front of a waiting crowd. “Sorry, where was I? Chris, we’re not meant for each other, I see that now,” Annie said, feeling Felix’s eyes focused on her. She braced herself and kept going. “I have stronger feelings for someone else … someone who makes me feel better when we’re together, like I’m their valued partner, the best version of me.” Annie’s voice cracked with emotion, hoping to find Nick in the crowd, but when she couldn’t locate him, she turned back to Chris. “I want you to be happy. You deserve someone who can appreciate having a bona fide hottie lumberjack widower dad of their own, but it’s not me,” Annie said, staring up at Chris.

“Oh, um, Annie, thank you, that was … something,” Chris said, slowly trying to gather his wits. “But, actually, I was hoping to bring Bailey up here. Bailey?” Chris called out.

“What’s that now?” Annie asked. Bailey was now at the bottom of the stairs, her own perfect pink O painted on her lips.

“Yes, Chris?” Bailey asked, her eyes as big as the moon. Chris glided down the staircase, taking the steps at least three at a time.

“Bailey Jones, I love you. You make me feel like every day is Christmas. Will you join Holly and me this holiday?” Chris asked, and Bailey nodded, releasing a single, silent tear to roll gently down her face. “As my wife?” Chris continued, gracefully dropping onto one knee. “I have it on good authority that your dear great-grandpa, the great Wally Jones, would approve, and I have his ring right here,” Chris said and gave Felix a conspiratorial wink.

Bailey gasped in delight and hugged Chris fiercely, and like the couple before them, they stared lovingly at each other. Chris put a sparkly diamond ring on her finger, and then Bailey wrapped her arms around Chris’s neck, and they kissed before the crowd erupted into happy applause.

What the truck is happening? Annie screamed internally. She was relieved, certainly, that her hand was not the one wearing a ring at the moment, but what had she missed? Chris and Bailey were in love? The whole time? Was Chris who Bailey had been talking about backstage? Not Nick? How and when did that happen?

“There’s still time, Annie,” Felix whispered, suddenly next to her. “Tell the boy how you feel. Be honest,” Felix said. Annie could swear she could see actual stars now sparkling in his eyes. Wow, staring too deeply into Santa’s eyes is better than booze, she thought, wishing she could bottle it up. “It’s Christmas,” Felix smiled warmly and backed away, revealing Nick. Her Nick. Annie nodded dumbly at Felix and offered a weak nod of understanding.

A flash of green streaked by Annie’s knees, and she realized it was that darn, rogue dog. He was running straight for a Christmas tree.

“I’m sorry, who owns this dog?” Annie asked, exasperated, trying to follow him. He took a different turn when Annie got to the tree, snatched something off of it, and bolted upstairs. When Annie turned her head, Nick was striding closer to her. “I didn’t know about Chris and Bailey. Are you okay?” Annie sputtered.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Nick asked. “Bailey told me she was in love with Chris and wanted my advice on how to tell him,” Nick said casually as if this progression in the story wasn’t the same complete shock to him that it was to Annie. She stared at him, her mouth open. “Wait. Are you okay? I know you and Chris had a big night—” Nick said.

“No, we didn’t! I don’t want to be with Chris. I wanted to tell you last night, but I thought you were too busy almost kissing Bailey,” Annie said.

“What? No? I carried her tree home, she kissed me on the cheek, and I left. I fell asleep when I realized you were still out with Chris. I hoped you’d forgive me for landing us here … wait, you didn’t suspect that Chris and Bailey were falling in love?” Nick asked, now surprised himself.

“Nick! What are you talking about? Bailey has been obsessed with you this whole time! When I saw you two backstage, you looked like a couple!” Annie yelled, her voice feeling stretched and raw.

“Wow, the hardest to learn was the least complicated,” Nick muttered.

“Did you just Indigo Girls me?” Annie gasped. It might have been the sexiest thing she had ever experienced. Nick gave her a half-smile and a shrug. “What am I going to do with you?” Annie marveled. An ear-splitting bell started going off around them.

“The Christmas Chime!” a woman’s voice cheered. “It’s almost Christmas!” Annie scrunched her face and put a finger in one ear to drown out some of the sound.

“Midnight … hark! The time is drawing near,” Annie heard Felix say.

“Nick!” Annie hollered.

“What?” Nick yelled back.

“There’s so much I want to say—” Annie began, before getting cut off by a second bell. “I’ve never been in love before, not real love, not pure made-for-TV Christmas movie love, that’s for sure—” Annie continued as a third bell blasted. “I’ve been terrified to celebrate Christmas again since my grandfather died, and I’ve been too afraid to believe in love because I didn’t want to end up sad and alone. But I wanted to … I secretly wished for it, I know I did—” Annie said, her voice fighting to be heard as the sound of the fourth bell rang out.

“I wished for it too, Annie. I’ve been wishing for you for forever,” Nick admitted. “And I definitely wished it when I saw you again with your Pringle can wine.”

“I’m not a perfect made-for-TV Christmas movie heroine, though, and I’ll never do Elf on the Shelf,” Annie said.

“I don’t want a made-for-TV Christmas movie, Annie. I never have. It’s only been you from the moment you swapped your ornament for the math pun one,” Nick said, his eyes warm.

“You remember that?” Annie gasped.

“Of course. You made my Christmas with that gesture. You were kind when you didn’t have to be when no one else was watching. Why do you think I made my mom buy all those bus stop Pop-Tarts? I wanted you then exactly as you were, and I want you now, exactly as you are,” Nick said alongside the fifth bell.

“What if it’s us? What if we’re the ones that are supposed to be together? The couple everyone’s been waiting to get together this whole time?” Annie asked.

Nick grinned as the sixth bell chimed. “Big duh,” Nick smiled.