Chet grinned. “I will most definitely have you, Mr. McSwoony.”
I snorted, tickling him until he melted into my arms with a happy sigh. We held each other close in front of the fire and made plans for the holiday. According to Chet, there was a list of important things to check off. A meal to prepare, cookies to bake, movies to watch…it sounded like a wonderful plan. But I probably would have agreed to anything he wanted.
Finding love was the greatest gift I’d stumbled upon in many years. A gift beyond measure. I looked forward to making holiday lists with this man for the rest of our lives.
Epilogue
“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”— Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
Chet
“Good morning, sunshine.”
I hummed a bleary greeting, resting my head on Sam’s chest for a moment before skirting the island and sliding onto a barstool. “What time is it?”
“Almost nine o’clock.”
That woke me up. I widened my eyes in shock. “What? That can’t be. I never sleep this late.”
“You do when you’re busy being the robot boss hero in the middle of the night.” He pushed a cup of coffee toward me. “Here. You need this. What do you want for breakfast? Eggs, bacon, French toast?”
I cradled my chin and smiled over my steaming coffee. “Oatmeal, please.”
Sam made the universal “gross” face. “One bowl of porridge coming right up.”
“We have fresh blueberries too. I think I bought them yesterday, but it might have been two days ago. The days are running together.”
“It must be a pre-holiday thing,” he grumbled without heat.
I froze midsip, chuckling at Sam’s faux-pained expression. “Pre-holiday? It’s only September. We have other pressing matters to attend to.”
“Oh, yeah? Like what?” he teased as he rinsed blueberries at the sink.
I swallowed my coffee and grinned like a lovesick fool at my fiancé.
Yes…fiancé.
“Gosh, I don’t know. It must have slipped my mind.”
Ha! Not likely.
Sam and Lincoln had proposed to me shortly before I moved in. To say I was surprised was a grand understatement.
It was on a random Saturday last May at the park where we did most of our crazier science experiments. You know, ice volcanos, giant sundials…that sort of thing. That day we’d just launched a homemade bottle rocket that soared to the top of the giant elm tree and got stuck. They were both a bit distraught and made a big deal about retrieving it. Lincoln climbed halfway up and shook the branches until the rocket was free.
When I picked it up, Lincoln called instructions from his perch for me to peel back the wrapper for the secret message. I didn’t know what that meant, but I obeyed and read, “Will you marry me?” just as Sam dropped to one knee.
Honestly, it was very romantic. And perfect.
But just in case I wanted a more traditional proposal, he asked me to marry him again a week later when we were alone on a small weekend getaway in Mammoth at the cabin where part of our story began.
I said yes twice.
The funny thing was that while we’d talked about marriage, I assumed we’d wait a few years and let Lincoln get used to the idea of me being a permanent family member. But according to Sam, neither he nor Lincoln needed time. We were a family already in every way that counted. And he was more than ready to make it official. My parents and sister were thrilled, and even Jase insisted on helping somehow.
Plans were in full swing for a December wedding. The month where time stood still.
We were still a few months away, but that was just as well. Life was extremely hectic at the moment. Lincoln had started fourth grade and joined the science club, and Sam was in the midst of wrapping up one freelance gaming project and beginning another, which forced him to cut back his hours officiating. He didn’t mind at all.
The man who filled his time traveling on weekends in a misguided attempt to give his son more time with the better parent, now knew that effort and consistency were more important than nonstop fun and excitement.
He credited me with helping him understand that being there was what mattered. I was flattered but a tad confused. I didn’t consider myself an expert at staying in the moment…unless I was in the lab. But as much as I loved my job, I didn’t want to work all the time now. I craved balance. I didn’t need to know the time on Mars when the best parts of my life were right here on Earth.
Sam set my oatmeal down and playfully stuffed a napkin on the collar of the oversized Michigan T-shirt I’d commandeered from his side of the closet before flopping onto the stool beside me. “So, did you get everything back online last night?”