Epilogue

One Year Later…

“Well there’s not a speck of snow on the ground, but I definitely think I could get used to Christmas in LA,” I said at the sound of the sleek glass door sliding closed behind me. The view certainly couldn’t be beat. Alex’s West Hills home had a 180-degree view of the hills and while there were a few neighboring houses in the exclusive housing community, they were dots in the distance and lent the feeling of complete privacy. I had been tempted to Google and see what he’d paid for the house, but in the end decided it would probably give me heart palpitations and hadn’t bothered.

Alex chuckled as he joined me on the patio. He wrapped his arms around me and burrowed into my hair to press a series of hot kisses to the side of my neck. Shivers ran down my spine with each one and my eyes slid closed. “I was hoping you’d say that,” he whispered into my ear.

“I’m not sure how I’m supposed to go back home after this.” I placed my hands on his and leaned against him. “Alyssa will probably mutiny when it’s time to go back home.”

Alex dropped a kiss to my bared shoulder. “You don’t have to go, you know.”

I smiled. “You’re going to have to wait a little longer.”

A chuckle vibrated over my skin.

“Fair enough. You’re more than worth it. Both of you.”

I turned into him and rested my head against his chest, still drinking in the breath-taking view. The sun was about to start its decent. A twinkly light flickered over the pool where Alyssa was splashing around, whooping and cheering with two girls her age, the twin daughters of one of Alex’s friends. Alyssa had met them at the company Christmas party a few nights before and Alex had made the arrangements for them to come over for the afternoon to keep Alyssa company.

“You sure you’re ready for this full time?” I asked, looking up at him. His dark hair was glistening, still wet from the afternoon spent poolside. After a few laps, we’d left the girls to their own devices and lounged in the sun nearby.

Alex’s expression suddenly went serious. “More than ready, baby. Every day I’m sitting in my office, wishing I was coming home to you and Alyssa at the end of the day. It’s killing me having you on the other side of the country.” He crooked a finger under my chin and tipped it up when my eyes started to wander. “Are you having second thoughts? I need to know. No secrets, remember?”

“I’m not.” I pressed up onto my toes and kissed him. “I promise. You’re not getting away, if I have anything to say about it.”

Alex grinned. “The house is pretty hard to pass up,” he teased with a glance over his shoulder at the sprawling mansion. It was only my second visit to his palace-sized home. He claimed it was too big, that he’d wanted something simpler but when it came down to buying something with privacy and a view, things tended to run in the six-thousand square feet and up range. His was up…way, way up.

Luckily, the house wasn’t the whole story. Alex was the same man in LA as he’d been when we met the year before. He worked his ass off for everything he had and gave away more than most would have in his position. His employees adored him and he was a key component on the board of several local charity organizations. He had a handful of cars and one motorcycle—something vintage and fancy—but tended to drive his Range Rover most days.

“I do have a question for you,” I said, drawing his attention. “You still have that Santa suit?”

Alex dropped his head back and roared with laughter.

I grinned up at him, loving the play of the sheer joy on his handsome face. Moments like that were enough to take my breath away for a moment. There’d been more than one occasion over the past twelve months where I’d had to pinch myself to make sure it wasn’t all one fantastical dream.

“I don’t, but now that you mention it, I sure wish I did.” He dropped his voice. “If I remember correctly, you looked pretty damn hot wearing nothing but the hat and coat…”

My cheeks flushed and my mom-senses took over as I cast a quick sidelong glance toward the pool. The girls were oblivious, too busy being mermaids to notice the decidedly un-G rated conversation taking place on the sidelines.

Alex kissed me. “Why don’t you round up the princess posse and meet me inside. The pizzas should be here soon.”

I nodded and released my hold on him. As soon as he ducked inside the house I wrapped my arms around myself and marveled at the black-and-white difference a year could make. Instead of living in a cramped two-bedroom apartment, scrimping over every penny, and worrying that Alyssa was going to be disappointed by the presents under the tree, we were staying in a massive house that had three Christmas trees, Alex had insisted on purchasing all the presents, and if things worked out, by the time school let out for the summer, Alyssa and I would be able to move to LA permanently.

Still smiling to myself I turned to the pool and got the attention of the girls and called them in for dinner.

Later that night, when I tucked Alyssa into bed, she asked when she’d be able to see her new friends again. Her question released the last pressure valve inside my chest and I nearly cried happy tears.

It was all going to work out.

***

“Ho! Ho! Ho!”

My eyebrows shot up at the hearty greeting. Had Alex found a suit after all? I cringed. Lyss was going to see right through it. I left the kitchen and went in search of the voice.

“Mama! Santa’s here!” Alyssa cried out.

“Merry Christmas, Alyssa!”

“Santa!” she squealed, racing into his arms.

I laughed when I saw the source of all the commotion. Alex’s parents were coming downstairs and his dad was decked out in head-to-toe Santa gear. It took me a moment to realize it was the suit Alex had worn at the mall the year before. My cheeks flushed when his dad pulled me in for a hug and I remembered the night I’d donned the red coat for Alex.

Alex groaned. “I told him not to…”

“Santa” passed off a velvet bag of presents to Alyssa and wished her a Merry Christmas before sneaking off to the guest bathroom to change back into Lou. Jamie, Ella, and Marvin came down minutes later, Jamie’s hair mussed and a sleepy look on her face as Marvin tugged her hand. She sat Ella on the floor and the toddler wandered off after her brother. Alyssa was especially enamored with baby Ella (it was only a matter of time before her requests for a sibling would kick in) and took her chubby little hands and helped her walk to the pile of presents Santa had dropped off.

The air filled with chatter and a mixture of savory and sweet smells as Jamie and Alex’s mom, Darla, started making breakfast for everyone. Alex came over and looped an arm around my waist. “Merry Christmas, baby.”

“Merry Christmas, Alex.”

As soon as breakfast was served the kids started ripping into their gifts as we all sat around them, sipping at huge coffee mugs. Alyssa was treated the same as Jamie’s kids and my eyes teared up watching her with Marvin and Ella. They all fit together as though we’d been celebrating together since she was born. No one would have ever guessed the patchwork family before the tree had only been assembled a year earlier.

“Thank you all so much,” I said to Alex’s parents and sister when the last of the packages was opened. His parents had been extremely generous toward me as well; a beautiful sea glass necklace and earrings they said were from a trip to Hawaii over the summer were the highlight of the lovely gifts they’d given to me. Alex’s gifts were slightly more practical—but that was of my own making, I’d been leaving certain items open on my computer when he was around so he knew exactly what I wanted. With Alex the problem was keeping him from buying me something right there on the spot. If I even mentioned something from a commercial or magazine it was likely to show up on my doorstep the following morning.

Sitting snuggled up to him on the couch, watching the joy and delight on Alyssa’s face was all the gift I’d ever need.

And then some.

I started to get up and help Alex’s mother clear up the wrapping paper mountains when Alex tugged at me. “Wait,” he said. “There’s one more.”

He pushed off the couch and went to tree. I cocked my head, confused by his statement. The space beneath the tree was bare. Every last gift divvied out and unwrapped over the course of the morning. To my surprise, he reached in between a few boughs and retrieved a small box. Grinning, he turned and presented it to me. “Got your name on it, babe.”

I arched a brow. I dropped a glance at the box and my heart skipped a few beats. A flurry of realization rushed through me like a hurricane. My fingers trembled as I took the box from him and before I could get out a question, he was grinning wider.

Alyssa sat up on her knees. “Open it, Mama!”

With a careful tear, the paper came undone and a small, velvet box sat in my palm. “Alex, I—”

He swept down, kneeling before me in his flannel pajama bottoms and t-shirt. He reached around and beckoned for Alyssa. She rushed over to join him and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Lyss and I were talking about what to get you for Christmas and this is what we came up with.”

I lifted the lid and gasped at the gorgeous ring nestled inside the teal blue box. The center stone was a square-shaped diamond solitaire with an open curved diamond band.

My eyes flew from the beautiful ring to Alex, Alyssa, and back again at least three times before I could even attempt to say a word.

Alex took my hand. “A year ago, if someone had told me in a year’s time I’d be doing this, I’d have told them they were crazy. But meeting you changed all of that. You are the answer to everything I didn’t even know I was looking for. Everything about you makes me a better man and I would be honored to spend the rest of my life by your side.”

Alyssa started to wiggle to get a better look at the ring. “Say yes, Mama!”

I smiled, my eyes blurry, at both of the eager faces in front of me.

“Will you marry me, Maci?” Alex asked, his voice wavering ever so slightly.

Tears splashed over my lashes as I nodded emphatically. “Yes!”

Applause rippled through the room, even baby Ella getting into the act.

Alex stood and swept me into his arms. He kissed me deeply and then bent to scoop up Alyssa. He held up a hand and she gave him a high-five. “Looks like our plan worked,” he told her with a wide grin. “Thanks for the help picking out the ring.”

“It’s perfect,” I said, as Alex slipped it onto my finger.

It was more than perfect. It was everything I never knew I wanted. For me and Alyssa.

And there was no doubt in my mind, Alyssa and I would always believe in the magic of Christmas and Santa Claus.

* * * *

~ T H E ~ E N D ~

Wow! I hope you loved this Holiday story as much as I loved writing it! Turn the page for more yummy goodness!