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Charity frowns at the colorful paper.“What is it?” she asks breathlessly.
“Open it and see.” I fold her fingers around the gift.
She undoes the messily tied ribbon and slides her fingers beneath the seam in the wrapping paper, pulling lightly until the tape gives way and the paper opens.
“Oh,” she gasps, looking at the image of us kissing beneath the mistletoe, now in a silver frame with holly and berries in the corners.“How did you do all this?” she asks in wonder as more tears spill down her cheeks.
“I went back and got the picture from the woman and bought a frame—”
“Not that!” She huffs. “All this.” She waves her hand at my elf suit and the hospital in general.
I smirk. “I had help.”
She raises an eyebrow. “Mom and Dad?”
I nod. “I called them as soon as filming wrapped yesterday. We had a long talk about . . . everything.” My throat closes up at the memory. Tears were shed on both sides, but it was one of the most healing conversations I’ve ever experienced. “I told them how I felt about you and my plan for today. They were only too happy to help.”
Her blue eyes widen. “They knew?” She shakes her head. “Oh, they’regood!And now onmynaughty list for keeping secrets. What did they say when you told them that . . . you loved me?” She pauses over the words as if she still can’t believe them.
I chuckle. “Your mom burst into tears, and your dad said it was about time.” I pause, lifting her hand to my mouth and placing a kiss on her palm. “He also gave me his blessing.”
“What for?”
“To ask you to be my wife.”
Her mouth drops open for the second time.
“I understand if you need time,” I say gruffly, “but I don’t. You’ve shown me what it is to be accepted, to be loved as I am, warts and all.”
I pull the box her mom gave me from the other pocket hidden in my elf costume.I open it to reveal the diamond engagement ring which once belonged to her grandmother. “I love you, Charity Pine. Will you marry me?”
Charity covers her mouth with her hand, looking at her grandmother’s ring and then back at me, her eyes shining with joy.“A proposal on Christmas Day? How could I possibly say no? I love you, too, Ryder Thorne. And yes, I’ll marry you.”
And then she’s in my arms again, her kiss soft, tender, perfect, and beautiful. Just like her.
“Wanna get out of here?” I murmur next to her ear, smiling as she shivers.
“Yes,” she says breathlessly, pulling back to look at me with her heart in her eyes.
We wave goodbye to the staff and kids, and I link her fingers with mine as we leave the hospital to festive wishes, cheers, and a round of applause.
“I’m going to be sparkling all over the holiday, aren’t I?”I ask sheepishly as we step outside into the biting air.
“Oh, yeah, you are.” She sniggers, squeezing my hand. “We’re gonna be finding glitter for weeks.”
Snowflakes drift and land on her hair, and we both look up. Charity laughs delightedly as the flakes drop on her upturned face.
I smile as I wrap her in my arms. This woman has given me back my life. And maybe, just maybe, she’s restored my love of all things Christmas.
Chapter Eleven
Charity
What could be better than Christmas?
Getting naked with my fiancé, that’s what.
We returned to Mom and Dad’s house, and after being hugged to death and congratulated, we all sat down for a delicious Christmas dinner.
