Page 47 of Partridge in a Bear Tree

"I believe I'm still going to die," Ashley said dramatically. "My bear isn't speaking to me. But," she said with a grin, "we're going to Disneyland, because I'mfullygonna make those dorks pay up on that bet, and that'll be awesome."

"Maybe for our honeymoon," Penny said a bit rashly, then felt herself blush as Ashley's eyes widened. "I don't mean to jump the gun. I was just thinking it'd be a great honeymoon."

Ashley's wide eyes turned to a bright smile. "On one hand, yes. On the other, I think the deal Jon suggested was 'the losing team takes the winning team to Disneyland,' and I'm not actually sure I want my cousins along on my honeymoon."

"Oh, God! No! You're right! I hadn't thought of that!" Penny laughed. "Never mind! New plan!"

"We have all the time to make plans." Ashley sealed the promise with a kiss. "And now, because I'm a real romantic, I'm going to beg you to bring me home and tuck me into bed. I still feel awful after all those wings, and if I'm here when the party ends I'll end up staying and supervising until everything's cleaned up."

"My chariot awaits!" Penny said grandly. "If you can accept that I mean 'beat up old van' by 'chariot.'" She put her hand into Ashley's and led her off the dance floor, stopping long enough to collect their coats before they slipped out of the party without saying goodbye. Both of them were asleep by a very sensible hour by rock star standards, although Penny was awakened early by Ashley's quiet giggles and then her phone being slid across the bed toward her.

A long list of text messages were full of admiration and complaint that Ashley had managed to sneak out before cleanup time. Half of them were in support of the two women running off together, but Laurie and Jon were trying to make a new beef of it. Bill had added his two cents, saying,You're just trying to get out of taking them to Disneyland. Suck it up, bros,and that had ended the late-night text chain, except for a handful of heartbroken emojis from the two younger brothers.

"This is what you're going to have to put up with forever," Ashley warned Penny sleepily.

"I think I'm getting off easy." Penny reached for her own phone, found a video clip she wanted, and tilted it toward Ashley so she could see a hall full of fans wearing Sixty Pix t-shirts and making an incredible amount of noise as the band came out of an interview. "This is whatyou'regoing to have to put up with."

"ExceptI'mgoing to stay away from all of that as much as possible," Ashley murmured. "You'regoing to keep coming home to my huge crazy family. I think you get the worse end of the deal."

"I absolutely do not," Penny disagreed. "Because I get to spend the rest of my life with you, and there's nothing better I can think of doing."

Ashley gave her a dippy smile and nestled in close. "Well, when you put it that way…oh, Merry Christmas!"

"Yeah," Penny murmured, "yeah. Merry Christmas, always."

EPILOGUE

CHRISTMAS – ONE YEAR LATER

Penny had forgotten about it, when she'd lost the fairy dress on the night of her first shift a year earlier. She'd returned the gown to Karina, the owner of the Looking Glass costume shop, and had been startled to get a call the next day asking if she wanted to come pick up her property. Only then had she remembered sitting down at the drums that night, hitting the cymbals and sending something flying off it and into her hand. She'd barely looked at it, just shoved it in the dress's pocket, and forgotten about it entirely until Karina called.

She'd been holding onto it since, waiting for the right moment. And there weren't a lot of right moments, honestly, not with the Sixty Pix on the road promoting their new album and themselves, not with Ashley busy expanding the pub's beer garden, not with a hundred family members underfoot all the time. But it was Christmas again, and Penny was determined to make it work somehow.

Mostly by lurking around the pub, hoping Ashley would have a minute to spare. She never did, not with the success of last year's parties to build on. The pub had been booked out for the holidays since March, and Ashley's triumph meant Ashley had to work that much more. Fortunately Penny didn't mind just sitting on a bar stool, beaming when her mate came scurrying through, and generally watching the crowds. But still, she was beginning to think the chance would never arise.

Bill appeared abruptly, energetic and bright-eyed. "Gwen has grabbed Ashley for a minute outside. Go before she slithers away."

Our mate does not slither! She…The partridge went silent immediately, trying to figure out a more delicate word for 'lumbers.' Because bears certainly didn't trip lightly on their toes, dancing through the daisies like…well, possibly like partridges. The partridge was many things, but not clumsy. Lithe and quick, maybe, which also weren't words for a bear. It was still thinking about how to defend Ashley from slither-hood when Penny made it through the throngs and out to the porch where Gwen was chatting with Ash, who was looking guiltily toward the doors and clearly trying to make an escape.

She lit up when Penny came out, though. "I know you're only here a couple of days, and I'm so sorry it's so crazy busy. It's worse than last year, even without an accidental charity event on the premises." She sounded completely thrilled at that.

Penny, smiling, wrapped her arms around Ashley's waist. "Yes. We fly out in two days for a gig, so I'm going to steal you away for a few minutes because I'm afraid I'll never see you alone if I don't."

"Oh, but I can't," Ashley said unhappily. "The pub?—"

"Bill has the pub," Gwen told her. "You can take half an hour with the love of your life and just get off your feet and enjoy yourselves."

Ashley said, "But," as Penny took her hand and dragged her away from the pub.

Gwen yelled, "At least half an hour! More is better!" and went inside.

"You coordinated this, didn't you?" Ashley asked without any real accusation. She was relaxing even if she thought she should be on for the pub 24/7. "You all think I need a break."

"We're all right, too," Penny said. "But since I have to leave in two days and your head would explode if I tried to take you away from the pub during the holidays, I'm going to put off insisting we take two weeks at a hot springs until January." Instead, she brought Ashley to her van, which was one of the least romantic spots she could imagine, but at least it was immediately available. She'd had the engine going on and off all afternoon, keeping it warm, and they both climbed into the back to collapse in a bean bag Penny had thrown in there.

Ashley, despite her protests, groaned as she sank into the beans and let some more tension go. "I could just shift into a bear and sleep here for the rest of the winter," she suggested, not meaning it but sounding like she wished she did. "New pub rule: bean bag lunches. Just a quick nap to perk you up. Hey, where you going?" She made a lazy grab at Penny as she slid off the bean bag, then sat up, amused, as Penny hit the metal floor. "What are you doing?" Then her eyes widened as Penny got herself arranged correctly, down on one knee. "Oh my God, what are you doing?"

"Proposing," Penny said, feeling a little silly. "Obviously."

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