Page 89 of Yuletide Acres

Chapter 18

Dylan

Poppy is in my arms as soon as I slide the ring onto her finger, and my mouth seeks hers, our bodies speaking the words we can’t say aloud. The only downside to a public proposal? I want this gorgeous woman naked. Now. But that would cause a bit of a stir in quaint little Yuletide Acres.

She pulls back, her face a mixture of tears, laughter and happiness. “Are you sure?”

I smile down at her, peppering her face with kisses. Then I gaze out at the crowd, full of excited whoops and catcalls. “She wants to know if I’m sure. I just asked you to marry me in front of the entire town. I’m pretty damn serious.”

“You didn’t want to get married, Dylan. Or have more children.” I see the hint of apprehension still living there, underneath the bliss. Time to put it to bed. For good.

“You’re right. I didn’t. Until you walked into Yuletide Acres. What you didn’t hear that morning when I was chatting with Susan was that I want nothing more than to make you Mrs. West. I want you as my wife. A mother to Marissa. A mother to all our children because look at you. There’s no way I’m not procreating with you.” I gesture down the length of her body, solidifying it with a wink.

This time, there’s no hesitancy behind her smile as she grabs me into another kiss. “I love you, D.”

“You’ll be my Sunshine Girl forever?”

“Dylan, I’ve always been your Sunshine Girl. That will never change. And forever? That’s not nearly long enough.”

Time for the final surprise. Here’s hoping she’s as keen on the idea as I am. Ever since Poppy started talking about the Yule holiday, I did my own research, and discovered that many couples choose this time of year to get married—handfasting, as it’s called.

I loop my fingers around her slight hands, feeling the warmth of her love flowing through me. “You know that Yule is the traditional time for handfasting?”

“I do.”

“That’s the answer I’m looking for.” At her confused expression, I continue. “Let’s just say that I know a guy and I want us to perform a handfasting ceremony. Tonight. I want to make you mine.”

The excitement of the last fifteen minutes has only made my future wife more vivid, her hazel eyes shining a brilliant golden green. “Tonight?”

“Come on Sunshine Girl, what do you say? Jump in with both feet?”

She turns to the side of the stage, motioning for my daughter to join us. Kneeling in front of her, she grasps her hands. “Marissa, I have to ask you something, and I need you to answer me honestly. Can you do that?”

Marissa nods, her eyes wide and solemn.

“Are you okay with me marrying your father?”

“You’ll live with us, right?”

“I will. And I’ll cook breakfast every day. Along with lunch and dinner.”

Marissa bites her lower lip. “Will you read me stories?”

“Every night,” Poppy answers, and I’ve no doubt that she will.

Marissa hesitates for a moment before breaking into joyful laughter. “I really want that. I really want a mom.”

I can tell you this. There’s not a dry eye in the arena as Poppy engulfs her soon-to-be daughter into an embrace. No, she won’t be her stepdaughter. I can see it in Poppy’s face. From the moment those two lives collided; they were intertwined.

I look skyward, smiling as the first star becomes visible. “Thank you, Merry. We love you.”

* * *

The hustle of the festival may be dying down, but my mother and Susan have their hands full, trying to ready the interior arena for the handfasting ceremony. I didn’t have them set anything up beforehand, worried about jinxing the whole damn thing.

But when I saw Poppy burst into the arena this morning, I knew she was mine. Forever.

As for my Sunshine Girl, a couple of the local women whisked her away to prepare for the ceremony. And Marissa is helping me, trying her best to fix my tie, and failing miserably in the process.

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