Page 48 of Claiming My Grumpy Ex

I blinked, tears welling in my eyes as I stared down at him. For a moment, I couldn’t find the words, overwhelmed by the love and sincerity in his voice.

Jake, ever the impatient one, piped up. “Well? Are you gonna say yes, Mom?”

That broke the spell, and I laughed through my tears. “Yes,” I said, nodding emphatically. “Of course, yes.”

Cory slipped the ring onto my finger, and as he stood, I threw my arms around him, feeling the world melt away.

Jake clapped his hands together, his excitement bubbling over. “Does this mean we’re having a Christmas wedding?”

Cory laughed, glancing down at me. “I don’t know. What do you think?”

I wiped a tear from my cheek, smiling up at him. “I’ve always dreamed of a Christmas wedding.”

Cory tilted his head. “You told me that once! Remember back in high school? When we were talking about fantasies and stuff.”

I chuckled, kissing his cheek. “I do remember. But the truth is, I don’t want to wait too long. I’ve never been the type to wear a wedding dress with a baby bump. Call me old-fashioned.”

Cory grinned, wrapping his arm around my waist. “Then a Christmas wedding it is.”

Later that evening, after the tree was fully decorated and the room was aglow with Christmas lights, we settled in with hot cocoa and cookies. Jake’s energy finally began to wane, and after a little coaxing, he headed to bed, already planning how to tell everyone at school about the baby and the wedding.

As the house grew quiet, Cory and I sat on the couch, his arm draped around me as I leaned into him. The tree sparkled softly in the corner, and the weight of the day’s joy settled over us.

“This feels perfect,” I murmured, my hand resting over his heart.

“It is perfect,” he said softly. “You, Jake, the baby—everything about this life we’re building feels exactly right.”

I closed my eyes, savoring the peace of this time in our lives. “I love you, Cory.”

“I love you too, Elena,” he whispered, pulling me closer as the future stretched out before us, brighter than I’d ever imagined.

Twenty-Three

Cory

“Cory, I can’t believe the fire in this diamond.”

Elena extended her hand, holding the glistening engagement ring up to the Christmas tree lights and moving it slowly to catch every angle and sparkle. The diamond danced on her finger, reflecting fiery red, green, blue, and white hues.

“It looks beautiful on you,” I said softly, my voice breaking the comfortable silence.

She glanced down at the ring with a bright smile. “It still feels like a dream,” she said, tilting her hand slightly to admire the way the diamond caught the light. “I can’t believe this is real.”

“It’s very real,” I said, squeezing her hand gently. “And it suits you—classic and perfect.”

She laughed lightly, leaning her head against my shoulder. “Well, thank you. I suppose the man who picked it out deserves some credit.”

I chuckled. “I guess you would agree, then, that I have pretty good taste in diamonds and girlfriends from the past?”

She giggled and held her left hand out again to admire her ring. “I can’t argue with that logic.”

The living room was quiet, the faint crackle of the fireplace and the soft glow of the Christmas lights dancing on the walls, wrapping the space in a peaceful ambiance. I leaned back into the couch, one arm draped around Elena’s shoulder, watching as she gazed at the tree. We sat there for a while, admiring how its lights made everything in the room glow. Though Jake had gone to bed hours ago, his excitement lingered, leaving the house alive with holiday cheer.

“This is going to be a Christmas to remember,” Elena said, breaking the silence again.

“It is,” I agreed, turning slightly toward her. “Speaking of Christmas… have you given any thought to where we should get married?”

She sat up a little, her face lighting up. “Actually, I have. What do you think about the wedding chapel in Beaver Creek?”

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