Page 33

After a quick shower, Nick beats me downstairs. When I get to the kitchen, there are two travel mugs and a brown bag.

“You made me hot cocoa?”

He nods. “And I got one of your favorite muffins in the bag there. I figured you wouldn’t have time to sit down.”

Warmth spreads through me. I never realized how much it would mean to me that someone wanted to make sure I’m okay. He does more than that. He makes sure I’m fed, happy, and loved. I walk over and wrap my arms around his waist. “You know you’re making it really hard for me to leave.”

He turns in my arms. “Good.”

I laugh, and Nick looks almost nervous when he steps back from me. “One more thing.”

He reaches into his pocket and then holds out a small box.

My heart starts to race. “Nick.”

“Merry Christmas.”

I stare at the box and then look over at the gifts under the tree. “I thought we were opening presents tomorrow.”

“This is different.”

My hand is shaking when I take the box from him, and he watches me as I slowly open it. The second I see the ring, I stop breathing. “Oh my God.”

Nick drops to one knee, and my hand goes to my mouth. “Oh my God,” I say again.

He looks up at me. “I know this is fast.”

I laugh through the tears already filling my eyes. “You think?”

He smiles at me. “But I also know I don’t want to waste time. I love you, Joy Holly, and I want you to be my wife. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You changed my life the day you walked into my office with your Christmas T-shirt and made my world brighter. I don’t want to spend one more day where you are not mine.”

I have tears rolling down my cheeks, but he continues, “I thought I didn’t need Christmas. I thought I didn’t need any of this.” He gestures around the house to the tree, the garland, the mistletoe, and then back at me. “But I need you. None of this will mean anything without you.” He blows out a breath. “Will you marry me?”

I don’t even have to think about it. “Yes.”

His eyes widen in surprise. “Yes?”

I nod quickly. “Yes. I love you. Yes.”

I practically throw myself into his arms, he falls backwards, and we both land in a heap. We’re both laughing until he pulls back and slides the ring onto my finger.

I stare down at it. “Oh my gosh.”

“You like it?” he asks.

I look at him. “I love it.”

I put my hands on each side of his face and kiss him again.

When we pull apart, I glance up at the mistletoe hanging over our heads. I laugh and point at it. “You know you have mistletoe hanging everywhere now.”

He shrugs. “I like mistletoe. I like anything that gives me an excuse to kiss you.”

He kisses me again, and when we pull apart, I tell him, “You don’t ever need an excuse to kiss me.”

I groan as an alarm sounds on my phone. “Ugh, I really have to go.”

He stands up and then helps me to my feet. “I know.”