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Jock and Delilah had each been given one of the dishes to prepare and weren’t messing around, those two were dead serious when competing against each other. Her mom had assigned Angelica and Ollie to bake struffoli to leave out for Santa. Something that they still did even though they were all grown. And Santa in return always left them a special ornament for their trees.
The Corbyns who were Jock’s in-laws had come over and Nico was showing them how to make pasta for the linguini and clams.
As they cut the pasta, Angelica took the long strips of cookie dough they’d made earlier and rolled them into little balls. Ollie was quiet. He kept looking at her as if he wanted to say something but wasn’t sure how.
“What?” she said when she moved on to her third row of dough.
“Where is Max?”
“He had a meeting in LA. He’s trying to make it back,” she said realizing how snippy she sounded with her brother.
“Don’t bite my head off. I wanted to thank him. His mom connected me with an art dealer who is going to hold an exhibit for me in New York late summer.”
“Oh, Ollie, that’s great. Why didn’t you say?”
“Because it’s Christmas and everyone is busy with that. Also I think Cressida and Nico have a big announcement so I’m waiting.”
She looked over to see Nico again wearing his red Santa hat and smiling and laughing, more relaxed than she’d ever seen him before. But Ollie was right, he was definitely keeping a secret he was dying to share. “How did I miss this?”
“You’ve been kind of busy with Max,” Ollie pointed out. “How’s that going?”
She sighed. Ollie and she—being the closest in age—had always shared a tight bond. But she wasn’t ready to say the l-word out loud to anyone else besides Max. “Really good.”
“I’m glad. I’ll go and get the FryDaddy set up while you finish these.”
Her brother walked away and she finished up the last of the dough balls. She heard the doorbell ring and suspected it was Cressida’s family who were driving down from the Dallas area to spend the holidays with them. But a few minutes later she felt a tingle at the back of her neck and turned to see Max waiting in the doorway.
She wanted to run to him but the kitchen was crowded with her family so she blew him a kiss instead. He stopped to give her mom a bottle of wine and a huge bouquet of flowers before he was at her side.
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. It felt like it had been ages since they’d seen each other instead of just a day. She hugged him tight and looked up into his eyes. “Happy Christmas Eve.”
“To you too. It took a miracle to get me back here. But I did it,” he said.
“I’m glad. Christmas Eve is sort of bigger than Christmas Day to us,” she said.
“Yeah, I got that feeling when I was added to the family WhatsApp group and saw the itinerary,” he said dryly. “How can I help?”
“Ollie’s getting the fryers ready. I guess you can help me carry these trays of dough balls over,” she said.
She realized that having Max by her side let her relax. A part of her had been afraid to trust in their love and in them until he was here. Her aunt came over to help Ollie and shooed them on their way, telling her to take a few minutes alone with her man.
But before she could say anything to Max, Nico turned off the music and whistled loudly to get everyone’s attention.
“Cressida and I have an announcement,” Nico said.
“We’re having a baby!” Cressida said.
Angelica was so happy for her brother and Cressida who had found each other only last Christmas. She looked over at Max and he gave that smile that he saved just for her and her heart raced.
After everyone had hugged Nico and Cressida and given them their congratulations, Angelica took Max by the hand and led him out into the garden to the same spot where she’d realized that she loved him and wanted him in her life forever.
“I know we said we’d give this time, but I know that I can’t live without you. Whatever we have to do, I’m going to do it.”
“It’s the same for me. I’m going to cut back on some of the smaller projects I’ve been managing. I don’t like being away from you.”
She felt such relief and love and joy and when he reached into his pocket and started to go down on one knee, she caught her breath.
“Max?”
“Will you marry me, Angelica?”
“Yes,” she said, taking his hands in hers and pulling him to his feet.
He slipped the ring on her finger, then pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply. She heard the sound of someone clearing their throat and Max lifted his head and turned them to face her entire family.
“This is the best Christmas ever. Congratulations,” her father said.
Max kept her tucked by his side as everyone offered their best wishes. Angelica knew that she’d gotten more than a Christmas miracle, she’d gotten a second chance—not only in business but in life.
The End
