“Wow,” Remi says. “Merry Christmas, babe.”
I bury my nose in her hair and breathe her in. “Merry Christmas. I have something else to show you.”
She turns back to look at me. “More?”
“Over here.” Magic takes us closer to the tree, and I point to the freshly carved heart with initials inside.
S.K.
R.C.
“Oh, Seth.”
“I was happy here, before you.” Remi turns on the horse until she’s fully facing me. “I knew that I’d be here forever, working this land, caring for the animals here and up in the park, and I never wanted anything more than that. Before you.”
I take her hand and kiss it.
“This ranch, and the people on it, saved me, Remi. It’s my safe place. But something was always missing, and I didn’t even realize it. Someone. You arrived, and it was as though a missing puzzle piece just clicked into place. You are the best part of my life, and I hope that you’ll agree to stay here, with me. Make a family here, and help me carry on the legacy that Clifford King started all those years ago. Will you marry me, Remi?”
A tear slips down her sweet cheek, but she doesn’t wipe it away. She presses her lips closed, and then she smiles and nods. “Of course, I will. I love it here on the ranch so much. I love your family. But more than any of that, I love you. Every bit of you, the dark places, and the funny ones. I’m a better person for knowing you, Seth King.”
I kiss her forehead softly, overcome with emotion and love.
And then, I pull back to offer her the ring my grandmother gave me last week.
“This was my great-grandmother’s ring,” I say, holding it in the golden sunlight on this incredible Christmas morning. “It’s a Montana sapphire, and I had a halo of diamonds added to it.”
“Holy shit, Seth, this is stunning.”
“I hope it fits.”
When I slide it on, it’s a perfect fit.
“Thank you. I’ll treasure it always.”
“You’re welcome.” The kiss is slow and lingering, and finally, I adjust Remi back into the saddle so we can ride back to the house to celebrate Christmas with the family.
When we ride past the cemetery, the owl is still there on my grandpa’s headstone.
Don’t worry, Gramps. I’ll take care of everything. I’ve got this.
The bird of prey hoots and then flies away, gliding in front of us before disappearing into the trees.
“Did you see—?”
“Yeah. I saw him.”
“Is everyone up this early?” Remi asks when we walk from the barn to the big house to join the others for Christmas.
“They’ve been up for a while,” I reply with a smile. “I told them not to wait for us for the whole present-opening thing. The kids might revolt.”
“Good idea,” she says with a laugh and follows me up the back steps of the house. I walk in without knocking.
No one’s in the kitchen.
That’s unusual, but not unheard of, given that it’s Christmas.
“They’re probably in the living room.” Hand in hand, we walk through to the formal living room where Mom likes to put her Christmas tree, but they’re not there, either.
“Seth.”
I glance down, and Remi points out the window, where the whole family, including Ty, Lauren, and Layla, are currently engaged in a massive snowball fight.
In their pajamas.
“This is the year for new traditions,” I say with a wink, and we hurry outside to join them.
“Insurgents,” Dad yells, and everyone turns to us. But Remi and I hold our own. Before long, the entire family has collapsed in the snow in a fit of giggles.
“What in the hell brought this on?” I ask as I lie in the snow and try to catch my breath.
“We had to find something to do until you and Remi arrived,” Mom says as she helps Cara to her feet. “So, I declared a snowball fight.”
“I creamed her,” Troy announces. “It was awesome.”
“And you’re engaged,” Cara says as I stand. She walks to me and cups my face in her hands, her eyes shining with tears. I lean down to kiss her cheek, and she whispers in my ear. “I told you, all those years ago, that you deserve this, my sweet boy.”
I can’t help it. I just hug her to me and lift her off her feet. “Thanks for always being my safe person.”
“Until the day I die,” she confirms.
And then we’re surrounded by family. The girls all want to ooh and ahh over Remi’s ring, even though they’ve seen it before.
“I’m going to start breakfast,” Gram says with a wink to me. “Let’s get out of this cold. Who wants pancakes?”
“Me,” the boys reply, raising their hands and scurrying after Gram.
Remi and I are the last to walk inside. “You’re sure you want to sign on for this craziness?”
“Are you kidding? This is the adventure of a lifetime.”