Page 64 of Stranded for Christmas with my Boss

The app can wait. Work can wait. The most important thing in my life is the people I care about.

This company means everything to me. I’ve poured my heart and soul into it, but now, standing here with Alyssa in my arms, I realize that it’s not the app that makes me feel alive. It’s her. She’s the one who makes every day brighter, who challenges me, supports me, and loves me in a way I never thought possible.

I pull her closer, my fingers brushing against her cheek as I kiss her again, deeper this time, pouring all my love and gratitude into that kiss. I don’t care about the app launch. I don’t care about the countdown or the fireworks.

I only care about her.

I capture her lips in another breathtaking kiss, getting swept up in the excitement around us as we leave behind the past in exchange for a bigger, brighter future.

I can’t wait to spend every single day of it with the woman who changed everything for me. Who made my life fill up with more joy than I ever thought possible.

The notifications on my phone buzz with updates—alerts from the app, messages from my team, but I don’t rush to check them.Not yet. Instead, I hold Alyssa close, soaking in the joy of this moment. I’ve spent so long building a future I thought I wanted, but now, I see that what I truly need is right here in front of me.

The year ahead is uncertain, full of challenges and surprises, but with her by my side, I know I can face anything. Together, we’ll make this year our best one yet.

And to think it all started with a faulty elevator and an irresistible, forbidden kiss…

Chapter twenty-nine

Epilogue: Alyssa

Eleven months later

“I can’t believe we’re back!”

Jensen’s laughter echoes throughout the luxury log cabin that is tucked in the Catskill Mountains. Warm, golden light illuminates the inside as we venture around, exploring the stone fireplace, multiple bedrooms, and cozy kitchen. Not that we’ll be doing much cooking during our little weekend getaway, but it’s always nice when a vacation spot feels homey.

“A little better than the last cabin, huh?” Jensen replies as he meets me by the sliding patio door, peering out at the fire pit as light snow continues to tumble down from the early night sky.

I smile and slip under his arm, leaning against his side and his warm, dark blue sweater. “It was cute.”

I’ll never forget the last time we were in the Catskills. We were stuck in a cabin in the middle of a snowstorm, worried that we were going to miss Christmas with our families and wired from finally telling each other that we wanted to be with each other.

That trip feels like a lifetime ago, but also like it was just yesterday. So much has changed in the past eleven months. I’vegrown in ways I never imagined, finding my footing in a new job and navigating a relationship with my boss. It wasn’t always easy, but it was always worth it.

I think back to that moment in the cabin, our confessions lingering in the air like the promise of a new beginning. I didn’t know then what would happen next; if we could find a way to make it work without sacrificing everything we had worked so hard for. But now, standing here eleven months later, I know that taking that risk was the best decision of my life. Every challenge, every doubt, every fear was just a steppingstone toward this moment, toward us.

“We really needed this,” Jensen sighs, sounding a little tired as he rests his head against mine. “Work has been crazy this year.”

I nod, feeling the weight of the year settle in my chest. “Yeah, but it’s been amazing too. We’ve accomplished so much, both at work and…with us.”

Jensen lifts his head and gazes at me, a soft smile spreading across his lips. “I wouldn’t change a thing. Not a single thing.”

I smile back, my heart swelling with affection. “Me neither. Not even that crazy snowstorm that got us stuck in a cabin the first time.”

His laugh rumbles through me, sending a wave of warmth through my body. “Especially not that. It gave me a reason to tell you how I feel.”

I lean into him, grateful for everything that brought us here, to this moment. “You know, I always thought that love would come in some neat little package, something easy and straightforward. But what we have…it’s real. It’s messy and complicated and more beautiful than I ever imagined.”

Jensen nods, his thumb brushing my cheek. “That’s what makes it special. It’s ours.”

“Because we’re the biggest dating and relationship app on the market!” I remind him as I turn to face him, my hands cuppinghis face. “Our update increased our traffic by almost double! We have more users now than ever, and we have a social media trend going on! We barely have to do any advertising ourselves at this point because people are doing it for us.”

Jensen smiles and kisses my forehead. “Because you’ve been kicking ass as my brand specialist. Josh couldn’t be happier with the performance markers you’re hitting.”

I’ve been working really hard to prove myself. Jensen and I didn’t have any issues when we went public with our relationship, but I never wanted anyone to think that I was promoted because I was with him. I needed to show people that I had earned the position, and I think the results speak for themselves.

“I work for an amazing company that encourages me to do my best,” I point out. He’s not the only perk that comes with the job. I’ve got amazing benefits and work friends that I don't mind spending hours with during the workday. Plus, the view of the city from my office is picture worthy.

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