Falling For You (Honey Leaf Lodge #1)

Chapter Thirty-One

Violet

It was the day after Christmas, and I was standing in the kitchen, holding a tray of fresh cranberry muffins, still warm from the oven. The cabin was quiet, save for the soft snaps and pops of the woodstove and the gentle creak of the floorboards under my feet.

Snow fell in delicate flurries outside, blanketing the ground in a shimmering white coat. Everything felt so peaceful and still. Yet, inside, I was restless.

Owen had been gone for days, spending Christmas with his family in Wyoming. We both missed each other like crazy, which was the best sign ever.

Usually, I got tired of a guy after a couple of dates.

But I couldn’t help but miss him. Every moment without him felt a little too quiet, a little too lonely. I’d been trying to keep myself busy—baking, reading, writing a ton of blog posts—but nothing really distracted me from the fact that he wasn’t here.

Just as I was about to set the muffins on the counter, a hard tap sounded on the door.

My heart leaped in my chest, and I froze, mid-motion, listening to my pulse pounding in my ears. It couldn’t be… could it?

I set the tray down carefully, my hands trembling with anticipation, and strolled to the door. The air thickened around me as my breath caught in my throat. I reached for the handle and opened the door to see Owen.

My heart nearly stopped.

He came back early!

Owen stood on the porch, bundled up in his coat and scarf. Snow dusted his hair.

His eyes brightened when they met mine.

“Surprise,” he said, his voice soft, almost teasing.

With a squeal of excitement, I launched myself into his arms, my heart soaring.

“Owen!” I cried, wrapping my arms around his neck and holding on tight. He stumbled back slightly with the force of my enthusiasm, laughing as he caught me in his strong embrace.

“I guess you missed me,” he teased, his breath warm against my ear.

“Of course I missed you!” I said, pulling back just enough to look at his face, my eyes searching his for any sign that this wasn’t real. He wasn’t here, standing on my doorstep, days earlier than I expected. “What are you doing here? I thought you weren’t coming back until next week!”

He smiled that familiar, lopsided grin that weakened my knees. “I couldn’t wait that long. Figured I’d come back early and surprise you.”

I stared at him for a moment, my heart swelling with so much joy that it felt like I might burst. He was back. He was really back. And suddenly, the emptiness I’d been feeling for days melted away.

“Was it the llama costume luring you back?” I said, still grinning as I hugged him tightly once more.

“No, the llama pictures you texted were plenty.”

He walked inside after me and closed the door. “Smells amazing in here.”

The scent of freshly baked muffins filled the air, mingling with the scents of pine and cinnamon from the holiday decorations.

Owen unwrapped his scarf and shrugged out of his coat, hanging it by the door before turning to face me. His eyes roamed around the cabin, taking in the twinkling lights, the stockings still hung by the fireplace, and the tree standing proudly in the corner.

“Wow,” he said, his gaze lingering on the tree. “It’s like a Christmas postcard in here. There’s even more stuff in here.”

I shrugged, trying to play it cool even though I was still excited. “Well, I had to do something with my time.”

He smiled and stepped closer, slipping his arms around my waist. “I like it. It’s perfect.”

I leaned into him, resting my hands on his chest as I looked up at him, the warmth between us almost overwhelming. “So, tell me everything. How was Christmas with your family?”

Owen sighed, his smile softening as he guided me toward the couch. “It was great. My brother proposed to his girlfriend, and she said yes. Everyone was really happy.”

I put a couple of muffins on a platter, and we sat down.

He waggled his brows. “I’m starving.”

I pulled a couple of blankets off the back of the couch, draping one over our legs. Owen settled beside me, his arm wrapped around my shoulders, pulling me close.

I handed him a muffin, and he took a bite.

“I’m so glad for your brother,” I said, nibbling on my muffin. “How did the proposal go?”

Owen chuckled, shaking his head. “Well, he was nervous as heck, but he pulled it off. He made her favorite breakfast on Christmas morning. He flew in all of her family as a surprise.” Owen nodded with a grin. “And he did it right there in front of everyone on Christmas morning, both in their pajamas. Totally his fiancée’s style.”

I chuckled. “I like her already.”

“It was pretty incredible.” He nodded.

“Did you happen to mention anything about us?”

He hesitated momentarily, and his eyes flicked to mine.

A pang of nerves rose in my chest.

“It was kind of funny, actually. They said I looked different.” He smiled, taking me in. “Happier. Lighter. My brothers kept asking me what was happening, but I didn’t want to steal MacGregor’s thunder. I finally told my family about you. About how you’ve changed everything for me.”

My heart skipped a beat, and my cheeks flushed at his words. “Really?”

“Yeah,” he said, his thumb brushing softly against my arm. “They said they hadn’t seen me this happy in a long time. And, honestly, I haven’t felt this happy in a long time.”

I looked down at the muffin in my hands, feeling the warmth of his words wrap around me like a blanket. It was overwhelmingto hear him say these things.

“I’m happy too,” I said softly, resting my head on his shoulder. “Happier than I’ve been in a long time.”

We sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the weight of everything unsaid lingering between us. I could hear the soft crackle of the fire, the gentle ticking of the clock on the wall, and the steady rhythm of Owen’s breathing. It was peacefulandperfect, and I didn’t want it to end.

“I have to confess something.” He turned to me and held my hands.

“Oh, no.” I shook my head. “I don’t know how many of your confessions I can handle.”

“I told them I was in love with you. That this was serious.” His gaze locked on mine. “I want you to know it too. This is something special.”

I nodded, smiling. “I feel it too.”

“They could see it in me, Vi. Usually, I walked around…”

“Like a salty curmudgeon?” I teased.

He winked at me, which made my heart flutter. “Exactly.”

I grinned, snuggling closer to him. “Well, they’re not wrong. You do kind of look like a lovesick puppy.”

“Oh, really?” he teased, turning his head to look down at me. “And what about you, farm girl? You’re not exactly immune to the puppy love, either.”

I laughed, swatting his chest playfully. “Okay, fine. I’ll admit it. You’ve turned me into a lovesick puppy, too.”

Owen grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “See? I knew you’d come around.”

Being with him like this wasso easy that it felt like we’d been doing it forever. And yet, there was still that spark, that chemistry between us that made my heart race whenever he looked at me or touched me.

“Have you ever though about marriage?” he asked.

The question took me by surprise.

“Sure. I mean, I used to dream about the dress and the party when I was a little girl.” I smiled at him. “And when I grew up, I thought even more about the dress and party.”

He chuckled and shook his head. “What about the guy?”

I shrugged and laughed. “I knew I’d eventually get around to catching one.”

“I’m not a virus,” he said, laughing.

I kissed his cheek and took another bite of the muffin. “In all honesty, I wasn’t someone who ever daydreamed about stuff like that. It was like I didn’t want to get my hopes up.”

Owen nodded. “I get it. I totally get it. If you keep everyone away, you don’t have to worry about the what-ifs.”

My breath caught in my throat, and I looked up at him, my heart pounding in my chest.

He really did get it.

Owen smiled, leaning down to press a soft, lingering kiss on my cheek. “I don’t want to be anywhere else but here. With you.”

I closed my eyes, savoring the warmth of his lips against my skin, the way his arms held me close. This. This was what I’d always been searching for, this feeling of being completely and utterly at home.

As I rested my head on his shoulder, I realized I no longer had to search. Because I’d found it.

I’d found him .

“Thanks for fighting for this, for us,” I whispered.

“There’ll never be a world where I don’t fight for you, Vi. You’ve shown me what it truly means to live again.” He shook his head. “I won’t ever give that up.”

With the snow falling softly outside and the warmth of the fire crackling beside us, I knew that no matter what happened next, we were in this together.

Owen and me.

And nothing had ever felt more right.

“Speaking of engagements,” he said softly. “Have you ever given it much thought?”

“Oddly, I’ve always thought it would be fun if it were a little different.”

He chuckled. “Of course. Why would you want to do anything mainstream?”

I tapped his chest. “Exactly. Why not make it a little adventure or make the person work for it a little?”

Owen laughed some more. “I shouldn’t have asked.”

Owen slid his fingers along my cheek and smiled. “I love you, Vi.”

I cocked my head slightly as his eyes lowered to my mouth before slowly meeting my gaze.

“I love you more.”

He nodded, circling his finger along my thigh. “Impossible.”

His gaze fell to my lips, and my heart thumped harder as if he’d never kissed me before.

“I can’t wait to see where life takes us,” he said softly.

I chuckled. “It’s been quite a ride so far.”

“Yes, it has.” His lips found mine, and my entire body melted into his.

When our lips slowly parted, I heard him whisper in my ear, “Just promise me you’ll be mine forever.”

And I knew my life would never be the same.