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I wrap my arms around his middle and smile at him. “I’m happy too.”

He brings his lips close to mine and my heart hammers in my chest. It’s always been this way with Upton and only Upton. His presence and intensity are something that affect me in a way no other man ever could.

“Can I kiss you, sweet Sandy? Been waiting a lifetime to do it again.”

I stand on my toes so our breath dances together and lips brush against one another.

“As long as you promise not to wait another lifetime to do it again.”

With no more permission needed, Upton crashes his lips to mine in a kiss filled with desperation, longing, and love. I feel every emotion and it makes the kiss feel all the more special.

When we’re both breathless from being lip locked for far longer than appropriate, we pull away wearing matching grins. Then, he leans forward and kisses me again. This one is filled with heat.

“I never break a promise,” he says when he pulls away. “I’ll kiss you as often as you’ll let me.”

We kiss once more but then he steps away from me. I start for him, but he shakes his head.

“I want more,” I tell him with a stubborn pout.

He chuckles. “Tomorrow. And the day after. And the day after that.”

“Why not now?”

His jaw muscle tightens and his eyes darken. “Because, out here in our mystical, private snow world, I may get carried away and never stop. The last time that happened, we made Nora.”

“Still not seeing the problem,” I grumble, smirking at him.

“This time I’m doing right by you. When I have you again, it’ll be as my wife.”

With those shocking words, he climbs in his car and has the audacity to wave at me through the windshield like he didn’t just blow my mind.

Mrs. Upton Asbury.

So long overdue.

“Wow. Oh my goodness, Mom. You look so hot.”

I curl up my lip and huff. “I look old.”

“Shut up. That dress is going to make Dad freak out at the reception.”

The dress hugs me in all the right places, and I know she’s right about Upton liking it, but I still don’t quite recognize the woman staring back at me in the mirror. Fine lines I used to panic over have begun to form between my eyebrows, at the corners of my eyes, and there are creases around my mouth. Botox used to be my best friend, but now it feels like a long-distance relative I don’t talk to anymore. Honestly, I don’t miss it.

Until moments like this when I’m reminded of my age.

Upton has no problem with how I look. In fact, he casually tossed out the fact he wants to make me his wife. I’m dying inside.

“Something’s up,” my intuitive daughter says, eyes narrowing. “Did you and Dad have s⁠—”

“Nora!” I shriek, hushing her from blurting out my business to everyone in Featherlight Collective.

Since this business is in a shopping center Upton developed, I’d rather not give the people around here something to gossip about.

“Something happened.” Nora helps me unzip my dress and leans closer. “Tell me.”

Because my daughter is my closest girlfriend, I can’t help but tell her the news. “We kissed. Multiple times.”

Her eyes widen and she beams. “Seriously? That’s so cute. You never looked so adorably embarrassed when discussing Ron. In fact, did you two ever even kiss, because I never saw it.”