Page 17 of A Holiday Lift
A lone tear falls down her cheek. “Yes.”
I take her face in my hands, bringing our mouths together. It’s a mix of tears and smiling as the moment settles around us.
“I have something for you.” I shift away from her just long enough to grab the ring out of the bottom of my side table. I lift the lid, revealing the ring I had made.
She gasps. “Dean . . .”
“I wanted it to be Christmas all year.”
There, in the box is a large marquise cut solitaire diamond and, on each side, there are three small stones. One ruby and two emeralds, making it look like holly leaves.
I lift the ring, placing it on her finger. “It’s beautiful. It’s . . . it’s perfect.”
“You’re perfect.”
She kisses me again and then pulls back to look at her hand. Now to ensure the rest of my plan actually happens.
9
“We’re engaged!” I yell as Dean and I emerge from the bedroom.
Our mothers rise from the couch and rush toward us. “You did it!” His mother’s grin is wide as she reaches us first. “I’m so happy for you both. Now, God won’t be upset about you living in sin.”
I want to laugh because it’s not like we’re married, we’re just engaged, but I won’t ruin her mood. It’s Christmas Eve, and she’s happy.
My mother pulls me into her arms. “Oh, my sweet girl. I couldn’t be any happier.”
She loves Dean because he’s a great guy who works hard and treats me well but she also wants grandkids and this brings her one step closer to getting them.
“Thank you.”
“Your father would be so happy too,” she says a little misty eyed.
“I wish he were here.”
Her hand rests on my cheek. “Me too, baby. But he’s here. I feel him all around us this year.”
“Tomorrow is going to be so special,” his mother says while pressing her hands together. “So special. I just know that it’ll all be magical.”
Dean gives her a strange look. “Yes, because it’s Christmas.”
“That’s what I mean. Christmas for you two especially is extra magical.”
There’s a niggling sense that I’m missing something. My mother grabs my hand, pulling me toward her. “How did he propose?”
“He just kind of said it. I know it doesn’t sound amazing or romantic, but it was. We were just lying there, smiling, and he asked me to marry him.”
“I think that’s perfect for you, Holly. You’ve never needed anything big.”
I haven’t. I like low-key when it comes to things like this. Honestly, I would be completely happy with just these people and maybe my best friend, Chelle, at our wedding. As happy as I am about all of this, there is a brief second of sadness when I realize my dad won’t be here to walk me down the aisle. There won’t be a father-daughter dance. It’ll just be me.
I push the thought from my head, this is a special day. I’m engaged to the most wonderful man in the world.
Dean comes behind me, wrapping his arms around my middle. “Are you happy?”
“Blissfully.”
“How is this year’s Christmas in comparison? Are you starting to agree that this is the most wonderful time of the year yet?”
