Page 54 of Faking It with My Bossy Ex

He gently places the necklace against my chest as I sweep my hair out of the way. The warmth of his fingers lingers on my skin as he fastens the clasp. He turns me around, his hands resting ever so lightly on my shoulders. He pulls me toward him, leading me back a couple of steps. I look up at him, my breath catching in my throat.

“Look up,” he whispers. His eyes twinkle, and a smile lifts his lips.

There, hanging above us, is a sprig of mistletoe. Heat floods my body, spreading up to my cheeks. His hands are still on my shoulders, sending little tingles down my arms.

“I love you, Dylan. Thank you for not giving up on us.” I look into his eyes.

His eyes soften, a smile spreading across his face.

“I love you too,” he says, his voice full of warmth and certainty. “I always have.”

He's so close, yet not close enough. I can't tear my eyes away from his. The way he's looking at me … like I'm his whole world. My breath catches. I want him closer, need him closer.

Pushing up on my tippy toes, my heart beating in time with his, I press my lips to his, evaporating the distance between us. My lips touch his, barely there at first, then pressing closer until he’s all I can feel, everything that I am.

His arms go around my waist, drawing me close, enveloping me like a hug. The cold around us vanishes. It’s like I can feel the fireworks in my body. This feels right. It feels like home.

Dylan is mine, mine to love, mine to have, and I am his. Maybe we were never anything else all along. We always belonged to each other. It just took a little while to find one another again. This time, I'm never walking away, and I know Dylan won't ever let me go again.

We're in this together, forever.

Epilogue

Amy

One Year Later

Snow drifts lazily past the window of Laura's bakery, collecting in soft piles against the glass. The sight brings back memories of last Christmas—a broken-down car, snowshoes, and a certain someone who turned my world upside down.

“Earth to Amy!” Laura waves a hand in front of my face, breaking my reverie. “That's the third time you've sighed in five minutes. Either you're thinking about Dylan, or my cinnamon rolls aren't as good as they used to be.”

I bite into the warm, gooey pastry with an exaggerated moan. “The cinnamon rolls are perfect, as always.”

“Then it must be Dylan.” She settles into the chair across from me, a knowing smile on her face. “Hard to believe it's been a year since you two found each other again. Though I have to say, watching you try to resist falling for him was pretty entertaining.”

“You're terrible.” I throw a napkin at her, but I can't help smiling. This past year has been like something out of a dream, the kind I never let myself believe could come true.

Moving to New York hadn't been part of my plan, but when an art gallery offered to represent me full time, Dylan insisted I take the chance. “Chase your dreams,” he'd said. “This time, we'll do it together.”

He found me an apartment in his building, close enough for morning coffee runs but with enough space to rebuild our trust. Every day, he proved that this time was different.

No more secrets, no more making decisions for me. Just love and patience.

“Speaking of your handsome man, isn't he supposed to be here by now?” Laura glances at the clock. “The Christmas Couples Contest starts in an hour.”

Mrs. Parker had been relentless about us joining the Christmas Couples Contest again this year. She considers us her greatest success story, proof that Christmas magic really does exist at Cozy Haven. After all, how many couples go from pretending to be in love to falling for real? When I'd tried to protest, she'dreminded me that some couples compete for ten years straight. According to her calculations, we only have nine more to go.

“He's picking up Jake and Tyler from the airport. Can you believe they're actually excited to see him this time?”

It took months, but my brothers finally warmed up to Dylan. Probably around the time he helped Jake land a job at his company and got Tyler's basketball team new uniforms. Though I suspect it had more to do with how Dylan showed up for every family dinner, every crisis, every celebration, proving he was in it for the long haul.

The bell above the door chimes, and a gust of cold air sweeps in along with my favorite person in the world. Dylan's cheeks are pink from the cold, snowflakes melting in his dark hair. His eyes find mine immediately, lighting up with that smile that still makes my heart skip.

“Sorry I'm late, sweetheart.” He crosses the room in three long strides, pressing a kiss to my temple. “Your brothers insisted on stopping to get Mrs. Parker's dog a Christmas present. Apparently, Pepper is family now, too.”

“Speaking of family …” Laura stands with a suspicious grin. “I should go check on things in the kitchen.Very important things.”

Dylan doesn't lead me to our usual table. Instead, he guides me toward the back of the bakery where a small “Reserved” signsits on a familiar booth, the same one where we used to share brownies and dreams in high school.

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