Christmas on Main Collection

Bonus Epilogue

Bonus Epilogue

TEN YEARS LATER

ALLEGRA

Butterflies flutter in my stomach as I flip the sign from OPEN to CLOSED. As per usual, business has been booming so well, I wasn’t sure we’d get out of here on time.

I really want to get out of here on time tonight.

Once I’ve placed the cash from the register in the safe and turned off the lights, I turn to the two college students who work here part time.

“You can head out?”

“Are you sure?”

“Go on. Enjoy a little holiday fun.”

I shoo them out the back door and watch them walk to their cars before I lock up. In the decade that Aurora and I have been co-owners of Christmas on Main, we’ve taken on more help. Business calls for it, and, well, we both have families and lives.

Those families and lives require just as much of our attention as our business does. Plus, the whole work-life balance deal makes us better, happier people.

And being better, happier people means we have a better relationship with each other. We may still have the odd disagreement, but we’ve come a long way in our communication.

In short, life is nothing like what I had planned. It’s so much better.

Jittering with excitement, I make my way across the back parking lot to the old reliable camper parked amidst the trees. The twinkle lights are already off.

It looks like someone is expecting me.

Taking a breath, I raise my hand and knock on the door. I barely rap once before it swings open.

“Ready for an early gift?” a low voice all but grows.

My handsome husband is waiting for me. Naked, except for a precariously placed bow over my favorite holiday treat. We’ve been married for nine years, and the sight of him still takes my breath away.

Pretending not to be totally affected, I plant my hands on my hips. “What would you do if someone else was standing here?”

“I would have put on some pants.” He gives the bow a flick. “Don’t worry. I checked to make sure it was you first.”

“Good.” Just because we’ve been together for more than a decade, it doesn’t mean I want anyone else to see what’s rightfully mine.

He looks over my shoulder. “Is the coast clear?”

“Crystal.”

“And the kids?”

“With their Aunt Aurora and Uncle Paz tonight for a slumber party.”

That’s one of the perks about my sister and I falling in love and starting families around the same time. We’re both more than willing to take turns babysitting for one another so mommy and daddy can have alone time and the cousins can grow up together making memories.

Speaking of making memories.

“Are you going to stand there all night with the door open?” I ask. “Or will you let me in?”

Van opens the door wider and tugs me inside. His lips are on mine, and he kisses me with enough passion, my toes are curling in my boots. You’d think we were brand new lovers. But all of these years together, we still can’t keep our hands off of each other.

Hence an undisturbed night in the camper.

Though we’ve built a home of our own out on the Christmas tree farm, complete with a home office for Van, we still like to grab a couple of overnight watch duty shifts on the lot during the season. It’s a reminder of our earlier days.

Plus, now that we’ve finally worked out the water pressure, it really is nice to stay in here sometimes.

Wrapping an arm around me, Van closes the door behind us. My nose tingles with a familiar scent.

I gasp and my stomach rejoices. “You didn’t. Did you?”

“If you’re asking, did I whip up a batch of my grandma’s Kringle recipe—the very same one she used to make for your Aunt Doris when you were a little girl—then yes. Yes, I did.”

“Are we going to eat it in bed after I have my way with you?”

He brushes his lips over mine. “There’s a piece already waiting for you in the bedroom.”

My eyelids flutter and I sink deeper into his arms. “What did I ever do to deserve such a good present like you?”

He answers with a kiss that can only lead to one thing. It promises to be a very good night.

Who needs a cup of Christmas cheer when my sexy husband is near?

Check out the other story in the Christmas on Main duet: The Grinch Next Door —Aurora and Paz’s story!

Read Samantha and Zack’s love story in The Valedictorian and the Big Man on Campus .

Thanks for reading!