Festive Faking (Rust Canyon #1)

Epilogue

Mac

Two Years Later

The tree lighting was my favorite day of the year in Rust Canyon. This year’s, in particular, was set to be burned into my memory for all time. One way or the other.

With Jett’s blessing, there was one very important question I needed to ask Aspen.

Christmas was where it had all begun; it seemed only fitting that it would, hopefully, mark the start of the rest of our lives together.

The past two years had been a blur.

Aspen returned to LA, and we did the long-distance thing while she finished her master’s. Whenever she had a free weekend, I flew her home. The only time I set foot in that city during those few months was to attend her graduation. I wouldn’t allow my fear of slipping back into a person I had no interest in being anymore to stand in the way of celebrating such an incredible milestone with her.

While I commuted an hour each way to take the courses that would bring me closer to my dream of becoming a firefighter, Aspen built her business. Any free time I had outside of school and studying, I was right there alongside her, sharing my enthusiasm for her vision with prospective clients and using any connection I had to get her meetings with the right people.

The first official Main Street in a new suburban development in Chicago was set to have its ribbon cutting this upcoming spring, and several more were in the works for Detroit, Boston, and Atlanta.

I couldn’t be prouder of Aspen. She’d worked hard and breathed life into her dream. I wanted nothing more than to watch her soar until my dying day.

From the moment I saw her, I knew she was special, but I’d had no idea she would be the key to unlocking my future.

Now, I just needed her to say yes.

Thankfully, I had an ace up my sleeve. Well, technically, my coat pocket, but who was counting?

Tucker clapped me on the shoulder where we stood in line to order drinks. “You nervous?”

I shot him a look that said, What do you think?

He chuckled. “Never mind. Stupid question. She’s gonna say yes.”

“Yeah. Just a big moment, you know?”

His lips twisted to the side. “Wish I did.”

“Sorry, man. Wasn’t thinking.” I grimaced, having forgotten about his painful past for half a second.

Tucker’s marriage had been a complete disaster. It’d had nothing to do with love and had ruined his chance of a future with the only girl he wanted. He was hung up on Bex to the point where I knew he’d never move on, never consider falling in love again. His heart belonged to her, even though she pretended he didn’t exist.

“No hard feelings.” He waved me off. “You’ve got a lot weighin’ on your mind tonight.”

We reached the front of the line, and I ordered a couple of mulled wines, the same as the first time Aspen had brought me to this event. Back then, I’d been an outsider. Now, I was a fully-fledged member of the community. I was proud to say I personally knew each one of the six hundred souls that resided here. And I’d never been happier.

“Good luck!” Tuck called to my back as I made my way through the crowd in search of the woman I loved.

I raised one drink-filled hand to signal I’d heard him and accepted his well-wishes.

It wasn’t a surprise to find Aspen with Harper, the two of them watching Colt try to assist Barrett and Aubree in icing cookies at one of the kids’ stations.

My girl took a grateful sip of wine and hummed. “Delicious. Thanks, babe.”

Harper sighed. “Jealous.” She placed a hand over the bump that peeked through her open coat. “This is the last one, I swear.”

Aspen giggled. “Pretty sure you said that after Barrett.”

Her friend narrowed her eyes and fired back, “I’m going to have three kids in a few months. The two of you will never catch up at this rate.”

Mid-sip, Aspen sputtered and began to cough violently as her wine went down the wrong way at her friend’s words. I patted her on the back until she was able to take deep breaths.

Over her head, Harper shot me a knowing smile, and I widened my eyes, silently telling her to cool it. Of course, Aspen’s closest friend in town knew of my plans.

Voice rough, Aspen croaked out, “Not sure we’re there yet, but we’re happy to babysit anytime. Right, Mac?”

“Yep.”

I’d have kids with this woman tomorrow, but I could be patient if she wasn’t ready yet. If tonight went well, we had all the time in the world.

The lights on Main Street dimmed, and the announcement came that it was almost time for the tree lighting to commence.

Harper helped her husband wrangle their kids, as we left and moved further into the crowd, shuffling through bodies until we had an unobstructed view of the upcoming spectacle.

The countdown began, and I looped an arm around Aspen’s middle, pulling her back flush against my chest. Instead of watching the tree, I kept my eyes trained on her beautiful face. Those lashes fluttered closed, a soft smile gracing her lips in anticipation of the magical moment.

“Five . . . four . . . three . . . two . . .”

Her blue eyes snapped open just in time for the crowd’s final chant of, “One.”

Twinkling lights moved up the tree from bottom to top, and she relaxed into my arms with a sigh when the star was finally illuminated.

“Beautiful,” I whispered in her ear. Like the first time, I meant Aspen, not the massive evergreen set before us.

“It really is,” she replied.

When we made it close enough that we could choose a spot to place our ornaments, Aspen held her hand out expectantly. She knew I had her Snowflake figurine tucked safely in my pocket.

“Let’s do it together,” I suggested.

Her forehead wrinkled but smoothed quickly. “Okay.” Her gloved finger pointed to a branch a touch over her head. “I want to put it there.”

“Great choice.” Turning her around, I placed the horse-shaped ornament into her palm, guiding it toward the tree. My hand was strategically placed so that the surprise wouldn’t be spoiled too soon.

When I was ready, I brought my lips to her ear. “Truth.”

Her sharp intake of air was music to my ears. She knew that when I brought that out, something big was coming.

I eased the ribbon over the branch, pulling my hand away to reveal a sparkling diamond ring threaded through the loop.

Aspen’s body immediately began trembling, and when she peeked back at me, her eyes sparkled with unshed tears.

“Mac.” My name was said softly, like a prayer.

“I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” I declared. “And I was kinda hoping you might want that too.”

“Really?” She raised a shaky hand to cover her mouth as the first tear spilled over onto her cheek.

“You’re my best friend and the woman I love. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for you, and I can’t wait to see the version of myself I get to become with you as my wife.”

Her head bobbed on a nod. “Yes.”

She’d barely gotten the word out before my lips crashed down on hers. A few people nearby caught on to what was happening, and cheers rang out around us.

Joy bubbled up from my chest when it sank in that I would get to spend forever with this amazingly beautiful, smart, driven woman.

When we broke apart, she peeked at me from beneath wet lashes, chewing on her lower lip. “So, um, do I get to wear that?” Her head tilted toward the ornament/ring combo. “Or is it just for show?”

Jolting into action, I reached up to untie the knot securing the ribbon and slid the diamond off it. I flashed Aspen a wicked smirk. “Want me to get down on my knees, honey?”

Her cheeks flamed scarlet at the double meaning. “Tempting,” she teased, holding out her glove-free left hand.

The ring glided effortlessly over her knuckles, locking into place—a perfect fit, just like us.

Tonight, when we got home and laid out beneath a blanket of stars, I would thank whichever lucky one up there had led me to find a girl spiraling in the library one day. If I hadn’t been in exactly the right place at the right time and listened to my gut when it told me to do whatever it took to fix her problem, I wouldn’t be here now, in this magical moment, with the love of my life agreeing to be my wife.

How could anyone not believe in fate?