Page 34 of When It Snows

“And these are my brothers, Thomas and Ian.”

He shakes their hands.

“And these are my sisters, Hazel and Sadie.”

Hazel taps her cheek. “You can kiss me here.”

Thomas grabs her and pulls her behind him. “Enough.”

She giggles. “I’m having the best time.”

“Mr. and Mrs. Harris, Hazel, Sadie, Thomas, Ian,” Weston begins. “Do you mind if I steal Scarlett away for a few minutes? We need to talk.”

We need to talk? Did he come here on Christmas Eve to give me ‘the talk’? What the hell?

Hazel pushes me toward him. “Go talk to him. You can use the girls’ room.”

“We’ll save you some pie,” Mom says.

I wait for Dad to nod his agreement before grasping Weston’s hand and leading him to the bedroom. Once we’re inside, I shut the door behind us and confront him.

“What are you doing here?”

He cups my face. “I couldn’t enjoy the Masquerade Dance without you.”

“It’s Christmas Eve. You should be with your family.”

“I’m with the person I want to be with.” He kisses my nose. “I love you, precious.”

Hazel squeals from the hallway. “Yes!”

“Stop eavesdropping!” I shout through the door.

“I got her,” Thomas yells.

“Still the best Christmas ever,” Hazel’s voice tapers off as my brother drags her away.

Weston grins. “And I thought my family was crazy.”

“We’re usually boring but it’s been a weird day.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

I do. I want to tell him everything that happened but there are more pressing issues to discuss.

“You love me?”

My heart races as I wait for an answer. Surely, I misheard him. Weston Milton couldn’t possibly love me.

“I do. You’re perfect for me, Scarlett. I stopped searching for a woman because I thought the woman for me didn’t exist. But then you answered your door during a snowstorm and gave me a hard time and caught me in your snare.”

I roll my eyes. “I did not give you a hard time. I tried to help you dig your car out, remember?”

“And promptly fell on your ass.”

“We’re not discussing my klutzy tendencies.”

“No.” He palms my neck. “We’re discussing how I can’t live without you.”

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