Sweet Satisfaction

He nodded. “Many times over .”

Cami reached for her bag. “I better go. I have a lot to coordinate before tomorrow night .”

“I’ll see you after work .”

Just as she suspected Georgia was on the other side of the door, her neck strained in the direction of Evan’s office .

“Good-bye, Georgia. I’ll see you at the ball .”

“Oh, honey. Thank you so much. So, so much .”

“No problem.” Cami raced out of City Hall, realizing she had just gotten in way over her head .

Twenty

Evan

H e didn’t have magical memories of the Snow Ball like Cami did. It wasn’t some sort of fairytale event he looked forward to. But tonight, the Snow Ball was going to be different. He looked inside the inner pocket on his tuxedo. The ring was still there .

Fuck. He shouldn’t be nervous. He had fought in war. Won an election. He was in charge of this town. He faced down crisis and disasters, but nothing made him want to run like the idea of asking Cami to marry him. Again .

He wanted her to have the ring when she woke up on Christmas morning, but he knew he might not make it that long. It had been on the tip of his tongue so many times. It was ready to fly out of his mouth. He wanted her to marry him. He always had .

It was one of those dreams he had never let go of, even though he had convinced himself he had. He just needed her back in his life to realize it .

“Mayor, looking good. Looking sharp in that tux.” One of the sound technicians walked past him as he strolled into the shop .

He stopped in his tracks. He couldn’t believe it. The place had been transformed into a Christmas palace. He stared at the ceiling. There was an enormous chandelier hanging from the center, where the historic one used to swing .

“Surprised?”

He turned when he heard Cami’s voice .

“How? Where did you find it ?”

“Actually, I went to your grandmother’s to get that recipe. And it turns out, if you ask her anything from about fifty years ago, she’s sharp as a tack .”

He laughed. “Grandmother knew where to find the chandelier ?”

She nodded. “And she has so much information about the history of this town. Someone should write a book about her .”

“Or a song.” He winked .

“Or a song.” Cami smiled .

“I can’t believe what you’ve done in here .”

“It wasn’t me. It was the decorating committee, and my little elves .”

“Well, your little elves are talented. This is going to be a Snow Ball, no one will ever forget .”

“I need to run upstairs and put on my dress. Can you watch everything for me while I’m there ?”

“Of course, baby. Anything you need .”

“Twenty minutes. Ok thirty minutes topped .”

He chuckled. “You’re going to dress for a ball in thirty minutes ?”