Page 5 of Wedding Bells in Silverwood

Holly snickered. “No, it wasn’t. New York is lovely, but I’m much happier in Silverwood. With you.” Holly had moved to Silverwood to escape the constant reminder of her failed art career. The mountain cabin she’d inherited from her father provided the perfect retreat, but once she fell in love with the quaint town—and the incredible man by her side—she couldn’t imagine living elsewhere.

Holly rotated her stick but a little too fast. Her marshmallow was there one second, and then the next, it had disappeared into the pit. At first, she could only stare at the melting sugar. With everything that had gone wrong during the day, losing the marshmallow somehow didn’t surprise her. She let out a small laugh. “Seriously?”

When she turned to face Nick, laughter erupted from his throat. The joyous sound echoed in chorus with the crackling flames. Holly couldn’t help but be infected by his mirth, her giggles bubbling forth as they shared the lighthearted moment. Eventually, their laughs subsided, leaving behind a lingering warmth and a sense of quiet contentment in the tranquility of the night.

The fire popped and crackled, embers dancing midair as the flames brightened.

Nick checked his watch and then bent his head back to look at the sky. “Now, if Mother Nature would play nice, we might get a glimpse of what we came here to see.”

Holly shifted to rest her head on his shoulder. She pressed her lips together, steadfastly refusing to let the frigid temperature dampen the romantic vibe by setting her teeth to a cacophony of chattering. Though the appearance of the Northern Lights seemed to take some time, she didn’t mind. She was content to wait in the comfort and warmth of Nick’s arms.

And then the energy in the air changed, and the color of the heavens transformed. Holly stood, and Nick followed suit.

Bright lights danced above her eyes, forming a delightful curtain of sparkling colors. She swore she could hear a slight hum in the atmosphere. Magic was literally in the air. Holly sensed something special was about to happen. The exciting feeling of anticipation made her heart race.

“It’s so fascinating. I don’t understand it, but I love it.”

“Well, it’s caused by activity on the sun’s surface. Solar storms charge particles with electricity at the Earth’s poles, and—” Nick laughed. “Oh. You weren’t really looking for an explanation, were you?”

She smiled as she leaned into him. “Not really. But you sure are cute explaining stuff.”

His gaze softened, and he released a shuddered breath before pulling her closer. “Holly, I have something to confess.”

“Oh?”

He bit his lip, his eyes cast downward.

Holly leaned away to see him better. “Nick?”

“I had an ulterior motive for bringing you here.”

She searched his face. “Wh-what motive?”

His lips quivered.Trembledwas more like it. Holly’s heartbeat quickened. Nick could hear it, she was certain.

He ran his thumb along her jaw. “Holly.”

“You’re making me shiver.” It wasn’t from the cold. She hardly noticed her frozen fingers and toes anymore.

“I’m sorry.” He let out a small chuckle and shook his head. “It’s just that I’ve been going over the right way to do this in my head. The most meaningful and memorable way. If a man’s lucky, he’ll only do this once in his life.”

“Do …?” Holly swallowed hard. Was she even breathing?

“Starting with the magic of the Northern Lights tonight, I promise to fill each of your days with as much magic as I can if you allow me.” He searched her face as he shifted, bending until he balanced on one knee.

When he dug into his coat pocket, Holly covered her mouth. The world seemed to spin, the sparkling colors of the aurora borealis glimmering in her periphery as Nick presented an open, black velvet box. The diamond ring nestled in the satin interior reflected the prism shimmering above their heads.

“Holly, I feel connected to you in a way I’ve never felt to anyone. I can’t imagine spending a single day of my life without you in it. The day your car skidded into that ditch was a blessing because it was the catalyst that brought you to me, and you skidded into my heart.”

She laughed as tears trickled down her cheeks.

“Every day I am in your presence, I find a thousand more things I love about you. And I could spend my life doing that if you let me. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?”

Nick looked at Holly, seemingly holding his breath as he awaited her answer. Meanwhile, Cupid jumped up on his hind legs, his front paws bent as if he were begging.

She had to inhale to get her voice to work. Nodding, she lowered her hands. “Yes. Yes, I will.”

His smile was almost as bright as the colored beams surrounding them. Standing, he took her hand and slipped the ring onto her finger.

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