Page 96 of Offside Bride

I frown. “No. If this is your way of divorcing me, it’s pretty dramatic.”

“Just take it off, woman.”

Reluctantly, I slide off the ring and place it in his palm. He pockets it, then gets out of the truck and comes around to my side, opening the door.

“Sawyer, will you please tell me what’s going on?” I demand as he helps me down.

He leads me to the edge of the overlook, then drops to one knee.

My heart stops.

“Margaret,” he begins, holding up my ring, “I have only one regret in our whirlwind romance, and that’s not proposing to you properly. So, here I am, asking you to marry me. For real this time. No contracts, no pretending. Just us.”

“Hmmm.” I tap my finger over my lip, fighting back a grin. “I don’t know. When I dreamed of snagging a bad boy, I didn’t exactly picture marrying into the mob. I hear the in-laws can be real killers.”

Sawyer just laughs. “You’ll fit right in, then.”

THE END

“Marry a man your own age; as your beauty fades, so will his eyesight.”

— PHYLLIS DILLER

29

SAWYER

Epilogue

Three years later

Our house is a festive wonderland, with twinkling lights and the scent of pine from our massive Christmas tree, which twinkles in the corner. Ornaments glint like a festive disco ball, and there’s enough garland to sustain wildlife. I grin at the sight—it’s so over-the-top, just like Maggie.

We bickered over decorations (“No, we can’t have a life-sized Santa, Sawyer. It’s creepy!”), but Maggie won in the end. She always wins, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

She’s gone all out with the snacks tonight—there’s a whole spread of festive treats laid out on the coffee table. I spot assorted cookies, peppermint bark, and what looks like reindeer-shaped cheese balls.

Maggie spent all day making a gingerbread village that looks too good to eat, complete with little candy cane streetlamps and frosting snow. I’m half tempted to sneak a roof tile when no one’s looking. And don’t even get me started on the hot cocoasituation. There are enough steaming cups to drown Santa and all his elves, with marshmallows piled so high they’re practically skyscrapers. Leave it to Mags to turn our house into the North Pole’s coziest hangout.

The living room is packed with our friends, all eagerly awaiting the premiere of Maggie’s Christmas movie on the Yuletide Channel. This is her first book to movie adaptation. I guessTouchdown for Lovewas too scandalous for the networks.

“Everyone ready?” Maggie calls out, practically vibrating with excitement. “The Snowflake Serenadeis about to start!”

A chorus of excited “Yes!” echoes back.

“Joy to the squirrels!” Otto proclaims indignantly.

Emily groans from her perch on the armchair. “I still can’t believe they changed the title from ‘Jingle Bell Rock Bottom.’”

“That’s just a film industry thing,” Maggie says. “They do that all the time.”

Jessica waddles in, her pregnant belly leading the way. I swear, that woman is perpetually preggo. “Did I miss anything? This baby is using my bladder as a trampoline.”

“Just in time,” Patricia chirps, patting the spot next to her. “Robert, be a dear and pass Jessica some of those divine peppermint brownies.”

“Right away, love,” Robert says, happy to have an excuse to get another for himself.

“Where's Mike?” Owen asks, mouth full of cookie.

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