"I'm taking back our life, Kate. Tell me you're going to take it with me. Tell me you'll marry me."
She looked at me with stunned eyes, and I had a moment to wonder again whether I was pushing too fast, too soon, but then her arms came around me and I was flat on my back as she scattered kisses all over my face, in between each one saying, “Yes!”
I held her for a minute, then I managed to get the ring out of the box to slip it on her finger. "I had a tough time deciding whether I should give you a brand-new ring or the old ring. Finally, I decided that I would give you both. I took it to a jeweler and merged them. I know I hurt you five years ago, but also, we were happy before that, and I wanted to capture that. The new ring represents everything we have going forward."
She looked at the ring on her finger and then to me. Her eyes filled with tears. "I love you."
I wrapped my arms around her as her words wrapped around my heart.
"I love you too, baby." We kissed, and I rolled her under me, intending to consummate this engagement beneath this beautiful tree we decorated together. It felt like a symbol for our life going forward. Bright and happy.
She pressed her hand to my chest. "I don't want a long engagement. I want to get married fast."
I grinned, totally on board with that idea. "How fast?"
"As fast as we can."
Perfect. I didn’t want to wait either. "How about New Year's Eve? It could be symbolic. We've gotten past the past and are now starting anew."
Her eyes watered again. "You're so romantic, Sam."
"It's because of you, babe."
She pressed her hand to my cheek. "At Thanksgiving, before I let my fears get the best of me, I remember thinking that I was thankful that you were back in my life and how thankful I thought you would be about the baby.”
I shook my head. "I'm thankful for more than that, Kate. I’m thankful for us."
EPILOGUE
Kate
My knees were shaking, but it wasn't from nerves or doubt. It was from excitement. In a few minutes, I was going to finally, after five painful years, marry the man of my dreams. Sam's decision five years ago had stolen that dream, and later, when it was back within my reach, I'd nearly let it slip away because of fear and resentment.
I was so glad that I got out of my own way and reached out for happiness. My life the last couple of weeks had been better than I could've ever imagined. And while Ethan and Lucy thought getting married only a couple of weeks after reconciling was crazy, I knew without a doubt that it was the right decision. We had everything we’d had five years ago, plus maturity and the knowledge of how much life sucked without each other.
Had Sam wanted a longer engagement and a larger wedding, I probably would have gone along, but from the moment he asked me to marry him underneath the beautiful tree he and I had decorated, I wanted to be Mrs. Clarke. I didn't need a fancy wedding. All I needed was to be with Sam and build the life we had once planned.
Luckily, he wanted a quick wedding too. In the course of the week, Sam and I threw together wedding plans. Only family and a few close friends were invited. That did include Sandra and Chelsea, but she declined to attend. Sam felt it was because of all the problems she had caused for us, and she didn't want to be a reminder of that.
We rented a ballroom with mostly glass walls from a hotel in Las Vegas and arranged for a minister to officiate. Initially, Ethan was going to walk me down the aisle, but ultimately, I decided that I wasn't being given away to Sam. I was eagerly, openly giving myself to him. It was a good decision because when I finally stepped into the doorway of the ballroom and looked up the aisle to where Sam stood in his dark suit, his green eyes locked on mine, and I made a mad rush for him. I would've left Ethan in the dust.
Sam laughed and stepped into the aisle, his arms open as I rushed into them, grabbing on to him and holding him.
I was vaguely aware of our guests laughing or making aww sounds.
"What do you say about getting married?" Sam said to me.
"I'd say it's about damn time."
We all laughed, and then Sam took my hand, and we turned to the officiant. It seemed forever to get through the I do's and the ring exchanges, but then finally, the minister introduced us as husband and wife.
Sam tugged me close and fused his lips to mine. To everyone in the room, the kiss probably looked hot and heavy, but in reality, it was a kiss of love and joy and relief that we had finally, finally made it. On the last day of the year, Sam and I were joined together forever. When we woke up tomorrow, it wouldn't just be the first day of the year. It would be the first day of our happily ever after.
The reception couldn't have been more perfect. By keeping the wedding small, the only guests in attendance were people we cared the most about and who cared about us. Sam and I made sure to thank each of them for coming. All of them, from Dane and Bridget, and Archer and Lane, Noel and Harper, Bran and Anne, and of course, Ethan and Lucy. Sam’s Uncle Zach and his wife, Eleni, were in attendance, along with his parents and brother and sister, although Max seemed distracted. I wondered if he was worried like Ethan and Lucy were that Sam and I were moving too fast.
Once we'd made sure to say hello to everyone, Sam pulled me onto the dance floor.
"I'm dying to hold you and kiss you, and it seems like dancing is the best way I can do that without raising an eyebrow."