The Christmas Cookie Crush (Arcadian Falls Christmas #4)

Epilogue

Nora

One year later …

“Ready?” Austin calls from my living room.

“One sec!” I call back, putting on the new earrings he gave me this morning. He stayed the night at my apartment last night, and we had a quiet morning together before we went to my parents’ house for the usual Christmas morning antics. Sophie’s gotten old enough now that she doesn’t insist on getting up at six o’clock anymore, so we decided to do presents and brunch at ten, though I’ve been getting texts for the last hour from my siblings telling me to hurry up and get my butt over there.

I was too busy enjoying my first Christmas as a real adult with my real adult boyfriend. The five months of long-distance wasn’t ideal, but Dylan was right that knowing it had an end date helped a lot. Maybe that’s why it didn’t seem as difficult as he made it out to be. Or maybe it was just Austin and me. Having that little bit of time and space in the early stages of our relationship gave us time to work on ourselves as individuals, and it made it all the sweeter when we got to be together more often once I moved back here after graduating in May.

It’s hard to believe we’ve been together a whole year, making it through yet another ChristmasFest together. I resumed my role as Lead Elf, though I didn’t take nearly as many shifts at the North Pole this year since Sarah needed my help as the assistant manager. It was a fantastic year, though, and working with Sarah now is so much better than when I was a teenager. It’s perfect, really. We get along well, she listens to my ideas, and I’ve learned so much working with her.

Smiling at my reflection, I shake my head, making the cascading leaves of my earrings jingle in my ears. They’re gorgeous. And I’m so happy, I could burst.

“Okay,” I say, entering the living room to find Austin lounging on the couch wearing the Christmas sweater my mom gave him to wear to the open house earlier this month. “Ready.”

He grins up at me, beckoning me closer. I stand in front of him, and he runs his hands up and down the backs of my thighs. “You look beautiful,” he whispers.

Bending, I kiss him. “Thanks. You look handsome in your new sweater.”

Chuckling, he leans back to look down at it. It’s green and red and white and covered in snowflakes and reindeer. “You think so?”

I step back, giving him room to stand. “You’re part of the family now. Christmas sweaters are mandatory.”

Grinning, he pulls me in for another kiss. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”