“I once asked you what you loved about Christmas and what made it so great. You had your list of reasons and they all made sense, but I want you to know that I finally figured out what makes Christmas great to me. Having someone to share it with. And having someone in my life I love so much that her joy brings me greater joy.”
He holds the microphone out to my brother, who takes it and keeps it close to Andrew’s mouth as he gets down on one knee in front of me.
All the air leaves my lungs in a whoosh and my hands fly up to cover my mouth.
“MacKenzie Alisha Montgomery… I had to ask your brother your middle name, by the way.” He winks, and I chuckle. “Will you do me the greatest honor of my life and agree to become my wife? I cannot imagine my life without you in it, and I refuse to celebrate any more Christmases without you by my side.”
He pulls a ring box out of his coat pocket and opens it, revealing a gorgeous large cushion-cut diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds on a thin band.
Tears stream down my face while I attempt to collect myself. I’m so filled with love for this man that I fear I can’t contain it and I’ll burst like a balloon.
“Did she say yes?” someone shouts in the crowd, and it snaps me out of my daze.
I nod, sticking my hand out toward Andrew, who’s still on his knee. He gently pulls off my leather glove and slides the ring onto my finger before squeezing my hand.
The crowd cheers and shouts their congratulations.
Without hesitation, I drop to my knees and wrap my arms around his neck. “I missed you. I can’t believe you did this in front of everyone.”
When I pull back, he cups my cheeks. “I had to prove to you that I’d do anything for you. Even face my greatest fear.”
We come together in a meeting of lips and limbs, clinging to each other as though we’ll never let go.
And I won’t, because I found my Christmas miracle—I transformed a Scrooge.
Epilogue
Andrew
Exactly One Year Later…
Istare anxiously at the end of the hallway, waiting for my bride to appear.
We opted for a Christmas Eve wedding, because of course we did. I’m marrying Kenzie Montgomery after all.
It didn’t matter to me what day we were married, as long as I got to make this woman my wife.
After our engagement last Christmas Eve, we toyed with the idea of a large wedding and went back and forth on whether Kenzie should plan it or let someone else do it so she could enjoy her day. In the end, we decided to have a small wedding at my condo, now our condo.
I mean, really small. There’s only Finn, Zahra, Tessa, and the minister here.
Yeah, we’re both going to catch shit from our parents when they figure out that we got married without them, but we want an intimate ceremony that’s about us. Not about the pomp and circumstance. And when the discussion began between our parents about whether or not the wedding should take place in America or London, we knew there would be no pleasing everyone, so we might as well please ourselves.
“You ready for this?” Finn clamps me on the shoulder, his wedding band catching the light.
“Are you kidding me? I’ve been counting down the days.”
Finn and Zahra were married in the summer, and Kenzie did a phenomenal job on their wedding. Her parents even complimented her, which I know meant a lot to her.
“Quite the year for you. First an engagement, then you made partner, and now you’re getting married. What will be next?” he asks.
He glances at Zahra, who’s emerging from the hallway, hand on her slightly swollen belly. They weren’t kidding when they said they wanted to start a family right away. I’m happy for those two, but Kenzie and I have discussed it and we’re going to wait a couple of years before we start a family.
I was made partner earlier this year, and though it’s meant I’m working more than ever, Kenzie doesn’t seem to mind. Her business has really taken off, and she’s working a lot too. It just means we value the time we have together more.
Though I’d be lying if I said I’m not looking forward to our two-week honeymoon in Fiji starting on the twenty-sixth. Two weeks of sun, relaxation, and sex with my wife sounds divine.
“Our girl is all set.” Zahra grins and gives Finn a chaste kiss.