AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Have you eaten?” Iris asked.
Olive shook her head, so Eli fixed her a plate, and Iris basked in the glorious sensation of having brought all these people together. Everyone seemed to be having an awesome time, so she opened more wine and continued playing hostess. She chatted with Leanne Vanderpol-Montgomery, who was running for mayor, and got some tips from Trev Montgomery on how to promote her site more effectively.
Glowing from that convo, she headed for the next group—Ethel, Sally, Hazel, and Vanessa. They seemed to be planning a glamorous vacation, which didn’t need Iris’s input, so she kept moving, offering food and beverages until the smile cut into her cheeks and she wanted to kick off her shoes.
After a couple of hours, she darted off to steal a few quiet moments in the kitchen. And of course, Eli found her. Because he was drawn to her like a lodestone.
“Can’t function without me, huh?”
“Not really,” he admitted.
“I love you,” she said.
“I love you too.”
She leaned in for a tender kiss.
“Ugh, if you two were any more adorable, they’d put you on a greeting card.” Eli’s grandmother stood in the kitchen doorway, smiling in delight. Her expression didn’t match her teasing words.“Everyone’s looking for you, by the way. Rowan wants to do the gift exchange before Rain and Fen open the fae wine.”
“Oh no,” Iris breathed. Without another word, she raced into the other room. “I’m here! Let’s open presents.”
To avoid anyone feeling financially pressed, they’d agreed to a Secret Santa–type swap, where they handed out a single name to different guests. Iris watched in delight as Fen got a plushie and Rain a set of bath salts; the two fae stared at each other’s presents and then silently traded them. All around the room, the people she loved were laughing and spilling joy into the universe, so warm and tangible that she could practically see it. Iris didn’t even register her own lack of a gift until all eyes were on her.
Sally frowned. “Did you leave yourself off the list?”
Then Eli sliced through the crowd, bearing an exquisitely wrapped box. “This is from all of us. We left it until the end because we wanted to focus on your reaction.”
It was too big to be jewelry, and she didn’t think he’d propose this way anyhow. Iris made a show of hefting the package. “It’s heavy.” Bouncing a little, she untied the ribbon and tore the paper while Mira recorded the unboxing for posterity.
Carefully, she extricated the gift from the tissue package, and when she realized what she was holding, tears filled her eyes. Iris held up the wooden plaque for everyone to see. Then she found Rowan and Henry Dale in the crowd. “You two made this, right?”
“Beautiful,” said Eli’s grandmother.
It truly was a work of art. They’d crafted a beautiful piece using Henry Dale’s woodworking skills and Rowan’s artistic gift. Fanciful creatures gamboled about the edges, hiding in the floralborder. Somehow, it was both charming and carefully wrought, done in shades of purple and green. And in the center, in bold letters:VIOLET GABLES.
“Thank you so much! I love it. I’m hanging this up right now,” Iris declared.
And she meant every word, so the party went on hiatus while she used her newly discovered magic to bond the plaque with the house. Delicately, carefully, and soon, it looked as though it had always been there. Everyone rushed back inside, eager to warm up and continue the festivities.
“This is it,” Eli whispered.
“What is?”
“All we were missing. Now every last piece is in place.”
She agreed with a happy sigh, nestling into his side. Here in St. Claire, she’d found everything she needed. Not success, but happiness.
Forever.
