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“Remember when mom asked me to run out for some wine this morning?”
I nod. Then he pulls me into his arms. After he kisses my neck, he lifts his hand in front of me. I gasp when I see a ring box in it.
“Griffin, what’s this?” I whisper.
“Just open it.”
With a trembling hand, I do. And I gasp again at the sight of a white gold Irish Claddagh ring with a pearl in the center.
“I’m in love with you,” he breathes. “And I know we haven’t been together long, but I wanted you to have some kind of promise from me that I want to see this through for as long as you’ll allow it.”
“Oh, Griffin,” I choke out. “I can’t believe it.”
He chuckles at this and takes the ring from the box. I offer him my left hand and watch with a small smile as he slides it onto my ring finger with the heart pointing out. As soon as I look up, his lips find mine. I hum against him and wait for him to break contact before I tell him how I feel, too.
“Do you want to know something?” I ask him.
“Of course,” he smiles.
“I love you, too.”
Epilogue
One Year Later
“And at the top of Madam Santa’s Naughty List…Griffin and Pearl!” Elana shouts.
Pearl whoops in delight as Griffin picks her up and spins her around. Then he carries her onto the small stage to accept their award, a bag full of new Pure Bliss products. They both thank Elana with a hug. Pearl happily accepts Santa’s sack and starts to head back toward their table. But Griffin stops her and approaches the microphone.
“Before we enjoy the rest of the night, there’s something else I’d like to take care of,” he grins. “Pearl, why don’t you take a look inside Santa’s sack for an extra special surprise.”
She frowns but does what he wishes. After digging around for a moment, she gasps. Then she carefully pulls a red ring box out of the sack. Elana steps forward to take the sack while Griffin kneels. The entire room goes silent before he speaks.
“Pearl, last year you were the best Christmas present I could have asked for,” he says in a voice full of emotion. “And I want you to be my Christmas present again this year and every year we have ahead of us. Will you marry me?”
“Yes,” she chokes out. “Absolutely, yes!”
With that, he takes the ring box from her and quickly slips the diamond ring from it. While he does, Pearl moves the Claddagh ring he gave her last year to her right hand and offers him her left once again. After he settles the ring on her finger, he rises and pulls her into his arms for a kiss. The applause from the other employees in the room is deafening. But when Pearl pulls back, she smiles and gifts him with her own surprise.
“I’ve got a present for you, too.”
“Really?” he smiles. “What is it?”
“Well, next year you’ll have to buy presents for more than just me.”
“What do you…wait…are you…are you pregnant?”
“I am,” she breathes.
He crushes his lips against hers again before pulling back and shouting out to the room.
“I’m going to be a daddy!”
The celebratory atmosphere in the room triples at that point. Congratulations come from all around, but they don’t soak it up for long. They make a quick exit and head to their new apartment with Santa’s sack, eager to consummate this next step in their future together long into the night.
About Layla
Layla is a full-time educator whose love of reading turned into a delightful side gig back in 2014.
