Page 49 of Claiming My Grumpy Ex

I smiled, the thought settling easily in my mind. “That’s perfect. It’s beautiful, and it’s close to your parents and mine and many of the people we grew up around. But,” I added, raising an eyebrow, “you might want to check if it’s even available this late in the season.”

Elena reached for her phone, pulling up the chapel’s website. As she scrolled, her brow furrowed. “Oh no… the only available time in December is Christmas Eve.”

I leaned over to look at the screen with her. “Christmas Eve, huh?”

She hesitated, her finger poised over the booking form. “Do you think that’s too hectic? I mean, people have plans, family dinners, church services… what if no one comes except our parents?”

I shrugged, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Honestly, I don’t care if it’s just you, me, and Jake. If you want a Christmas wedding, we’ll make it happen. But it’s up to you.”

Her lips pressed together in thought for a moment before she nodded, determination flickering in her eyes. “You’re right. It’s what I want.”

She began filling out the form, pausing when it came time to pay. I reached into my pocket, pulled out my credit card, and handed it to her. “Here. Consider it the first of many things I’ll happily spend my life giving you.”

Elena laughed as she took the card, her fingers brushing against mine. “Careful, or I’ll start planning a castle wedding with gold-plated invitations.”

I chuckled. “As long as I’m the one standing next to you, I don’t care where it is.”

As Elena finished typing the payment information for the chapel, she tilted her head thoughtfully. “You know, I still need to figure out the decorations and the reception. It’s a good thing I’ve got the girls atReflectionsto help—there’s no way I can pull this off alone.”

“Sounds like you’ve got your own wedding squad ready to go,” I teased.

She smirked. “And what about you? Are you going to ask Jake if he wants to be your best man?”

I chuckled, shaking my head. “No, not yet. I just proposed to you today. Let me catch my breath before we start planning every detail.”

Elena grinned—a flicker of excitement still bright in her eyes as she typed in the final details. The moment she hit submit, she set her phone aside and leaned back into my arms with a contented sigh. “It’s official. We’re getting married on Christmas Eve.” Then she looked up at me, “This is just a start. We have so much more to figure out.”

Her words lingered in the air, her questions pulling at thoughts I had been grappling with for a while. I’ve always been the practical one—focused on plans, deadlines, and getting things done—but with everything going on in our lives now, even I felt overwhelmed by the uncertainty. I brushed my fingers along the back of the couch, trying to gather my thoughts before opening my mouth.

“You’re right,” I said finally. “There’s a lot to figure out. But one thing I do know is where I want to start.” I paused, letting my gaze drift to the Christmas tree before returning my attention back to her. “And for me, that’s the hardware store.”

I leaned back into the couch, imagining the old hardware store as something new yet familiar. The counter where Dad had rung up items for countless locals over the years would remain. Keeping a few things would ground the project in its history—a reminder of where I came from, even as the foundation’s work took it somewhere new.

“You know, Dad’s been talking about retiring for years,” I said, massaging Elena’s shoulder. “But actually seeing him agree to it… it’s like he’s finally ready to let go. And I want to make sure the store still feels like a part of him, even when it’s the foundation’s headquarters.”

Elena smiled, her fingers brushing mine. “I love that you want to keep some of its charm. It’s a beautiful way to honor him,” she nodded, “that sounds perfect for you. When do you plan to start?”

“Right after the holidays,” I said. “The foundation always does its request for proposals at the start of the year, so the timing lines up. But I’ll need a space for my team to work while construction is underway.”

Elena sat up straighter, her expression thoughtful. “What if you rented an office here in Cedar Cove? Just until after the baby is born and Jake finishes school for the year.”

I tilted my head, considering what she said. “That’s… a great idea. It’d also give us more time to figure out a place to live in Beaver Creek. I’ll allow my staff to work remotely until we get settled. I don’t want them to have to move twice.”

She nodded, her eyes lighting up. “Exactly. I don’t want to rush into anything, and I still need to find someone to manageReflections. I worked hard to get it started, and I don’t want to let it go completely.”

“I’d never ask you to,” I said. “It’s a big part of you, and I know how much you’ve put into it. You could always openReflections 2.Oin Beaver Creek.”

Elena’s fingers played with the edge of a blanket draped over the couch. “That said, I’ve been thinking… instead of opening another salon in Beaver Creek, I’d rather do something bigger. Something meaningful.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Like what?”

“I’d like to donate my gift from Grandpa Prescott to the Horizon Foundation,” she said. “And I have an idea for how the foundation could use it.”

My curiosity was piqued. “I’m listening.”

Elena leaned forward, her eyes glowing with quiet excitement. “Your Grandpa Prescott left me that money because he believed in second chances. I’ve thought a lot about what to do with it, but this feels right. The foundation is about helping people and making things better—and that’s exactly what I want to do.”

Her voice softened, and she glanced at me. “It’s funny, though. Right after you gave me the inheritance, I thought about all the things I could do for myself. A chain of salons, a bigger house… but none of that feels important now. I want to do something that isn’t only about me or our family.”

---