Page 63 of Loving Luna

The crowd oohed and ahhhed and clapped, and Sadie and Hayleigh bowed before Master Derek called forward the next winners. One by one, I got a better look at the prize-winning ornaments as they were placed on the tree. I was close enough to see that Nanny J’s and Moses’ resin paddle replica was candy-cane striped and said “L+D” on it, and Colton’s ranch scene included a pile of books. Each ornament seemed more elaborate than the last and more confusing.

The non-prizewinners were just as elaborate and just as confusing, each one a tiny personal masterpiece in its own right, and not a single one seemed to have been bought at a store. Beside me, Luna had a tight hold on my hand and was bouncing on her heels excitedly. I still didn’t understand why.

Finally the last ornament was hung and Master Derek took the mic once more. “And now the moment you’ve all been waiting for. I’m going to call my head elf up here, and she’s going to explain to you all what’s going on. I know some of you are very confused and anxious to find out.”

I nodded, expecting Sadie to take the mic, but instead Luna dropped my hand and joined Master Derek by the tree.

“Hi, everyone. Thank you so much for joining tonight’s tree lighting ceremony. Throwing this all together was my idea. And my Daddy is looking at me like I’ve grown a second head right about now. Or maybe he’s grown one of his own.”

The crowd laughed uproariously while I just stood there with my mouth hanging open, and Luna continued, “I know, most of you were expecting Sadie to be the head elf weren’t you?”

Nods and murmurs around the room joined my own.

“The truth is,” Luna said, “I needed a Christmas miracle, and even though the Ranch is known for its magic, there was no way I could have pulled this off without a little help from my friends. Thank you to everyone who isn’t totally lost right now. If you already know what’s going on, that means you helped contribute to the magic in some way, and for that I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Luna’s mischievous grin filled her face as her eyes met mine. “Daddy, could you come up here please?”

I shook my head, frozen in place, but my mom shoved me forward until I was standing right beside Luna, in front of hundreds of people.

I glared. Luna giggled and wiggled her fingers in a wave. “Hi, Daddy. Are you confused yet?”

“I’ve been as confused as hell ever since I got home tonight,” I grumbled.

“Yeah, sorry about that, but it was for a good reason, I promise,” Luna said in a voice that was so soft I knew the statement was meant for my ears only. Then to the crowd she said, “Guys, this man has been in love with me for years. And though I did love him, he was my best friend, and I have always been afraid of commitment. No matter how many times he hinted, or even outright asked, I wouldn’t ever take it further than friends with benefits because I was so sure that adding a commitment was a surefire way to screw the whole thing up. I ran so many times, and I thought at one point, I really had lost him for good. Then with a little help from Master Matchmaker—I mean Master Derek—one day I realized that I was in fact, head over heels in love with him. And he became my Dom, and then, my Daddy. And then, everything fell apart. My Daddy lost his father. Just a few weeks ago. Suddenly and completely unexpectedly.”

My eyes welled with tears. I still had no idea what was going on, but I was gonna kill her when I got her home. Or rather, I was gonna spank her silly.

“And well, his mom, a resident of Porter’s Corner, and regular weekly visitor to the Ranch, lost her husband.”

Luna’s eyes welled with tears. I didn’t dare look at my mom. I knew she had to be sobbing by now. Where was Luna going with this? It felt like she was just standing up there airing my dirty laundry, which was ridiculous, because I was certain that everyone here already knew all of it. Nothing stayed secret at the Ranch for long.

“Anyway,” Luna went on as my mom sagged against me, “that’s not the point. The point is I love this man, and his mom, and I know that they each want one thing this year. Hettie wants her son to try to be happy and for him and I to celebrate the season his father so dearly loved by creating our own memories and traditions, something that isn’t easy to do when you’re wracked with grief.” Luna wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her puffy coat. “And Drake, all he wants is for his mom to stay with us, and not move back home in an effort to drown out her grief. All I want is to see them both smile, and for them to know just how much I love them and want to be a part of their family.”

Luna was crying openly now, Mom was sobbing. My eyes were wet, even though I was still confused, and all around me, people were wiping their eyes.

“Thanks to all of you, and the magic you all helped me create, tonight we’re going to try to make both of those wishes come true. And while it won’t bring back what they’ve lost or in any way begin to make up for it, the hope is that it will make them smile, and realize just how very much they are loved.” Luna sniffled and blinked up at me, and I heard the crowd gasp collectively. “Daddy, I love you. And this house…” She waved her arms around the beautiful, nearly empty space. “It’s ours, Imean, yours. And not only does it have a guest room, it also has a separate-entranced, fully furnished mother-in-law apartment in the basement, with two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a master bath.”

I glanced over to see my mother slap her hands over her mouth and bawl harder.

“What? I don’t understand.” It could take months, sometimes years to get a house built on the Ridge and Luna had managed to get us one, the perfect one, in a very short time?

“The tree is ours. The whole thing was planned for you. You can move in tomorrow, and we can have our first Christmas together. And Hettie, you don’t have to move in, but you can if you want to.”

I took a step closer, and as I looked at the ornaments on the tree, everything finally clicked into place. “This was all for us?” I repeated in awe. “The whole thing? The tree lighting, the ornament contest? All of it?”

Luna nodded but was too choked up to speak anymore. Master Derek stepped up beside her and spoke not into the mic, but directly to me. “Rawhide takes care of its own. Luna is one of our own, you are and so is your mother. The truth is the whole night came together seamlessly, and instantly because everyone wanted to help contribute in some way.” He smiled. “Would you like a tour of your new home, Master Drake?”

I stared at him blankly, then back at Luna. She’d done all of this, not alone, but she was the driving force behind it all. Those weren’t the actions of someone who was scared. Of someone who was gonna run. And she’d said “ours”. She’d corrected herself, but she’d still said it. The old Luna would never have done that.

I’d been trying to figure out the perfect moment to propose, and agonizing over whether or not Luna would even say yes. She’d just handed me both answers on a freaking silver platter.

Without another thought, with my heart in my throat, I sank to my knees and pulled the ring box out of my pocket. I didn’t have a speech planned, and my brain felt like absolute mush, but I was just hoping for a little bit of extra Christmas Ranch magic to go around.

There was a second collective gasp when I held up the box and took Luna’s hand in mine. Then the room went absolutely pin-drop silent.

“Luna Rose Wilde, I love you. I’ve loved you from the first time you smiled at me in the Dungeon and a little bit more every day since. The day you agreed to become my girlfriend and submissive was the happiest day of my life. And some of the hardest days followed immediately after. And even though I know you were scared and heartbroken too, you were there for me, by my side, every step of the way. It took me three years to convince you to date me. I honestly expected to spend another three trying to convince you to be my wife. And I would happily spend them if that’s what it takes. So just know, if you say no, this isn’t over. I love you. I’ll never stop loving you. I want this home to be ours, not just mine. I want you to move in with me and marry me and spend every Christmas creating Ranch magic with me, so others can be as gobsmackedly happy as you’ve made me tonight. Will you, baby? Will you marry me? Please say yes.” My heart was in my throat and I was suddenly questioning the wisdom of my split-second decision.

Just when I was about to stand up and sneak away with my tail between my legs, Luna launched herself at me, with such force it nearly knocked the wind out of me, wrapping her legs around my waist. Her lips met mine, and she kissed me deeply as the room erupted in cheers.

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