Page 24 of The Christmas Con
I kneel in front of him and scoot so I can kiss him. He pulls away. “You haven’t answered me. Is that a yes?”
“It’s a Merry Christmas heck yes!” It’s a snotty kiss with tears blinding. He sweeps me, weightless into his arms and stands. I look at my ring finger and the large diamond surrounded by intricate golden snowflakes. “It’s like you crawled into my head and saw exactly what I would want. This ring. This day. My whole world is better because you’re in it.”
A familiar shiver of awareness crawls over my skin when he lowers me to the ground, pressing his body against mine on the way. There are other people in the room, but now people are caught up in celebration, presents, and food. There’s almost too much good happening and I wonder if something bad will happen.
“This wasn’t anything I was expecting,” I say, finally grabbing a flute when we pass the table.
Luca lifts his glass of water up to clink with mine. “To the best thing no one ever saw coming.”
“I’m engaged,” I say, ogling the ring again.
My mom was standing near and overheard. “I’m so happy for you, Lizzy. This was the best Christmas present I could have ever gotten.”
“What? You didn’t like the robe I got you?”
She shakes her head and hugs me. “Grandma is beside herself. She thought you liked women.”
I narrow my eyes at my mom’s smirk. “Oh, so we both have jokes today.”
“This is the reset you needed. We all needed it. Look at how happy everyone is.”
It’s true. Jingle Bells is blaring through the sound system and everyone is on cloud nine. We talk for a couple more minutes while Luca talks with his dad. I look at him longingly. “I called it the second he entered my home. He was the guy for you.”
Shay cuts in. “I did not call it. I thought Lizzy was going to get kidnapped for ransom by a Nigerian prince!”
“It wasn’t a Nigerian prince,” I say, letting my gaze find Gabby. She’s dancing on a table with a new purse on each arm. “But you could say it was a story for the grandchildren.” One I’ll have to tame in order for it to be appropriate. “Shay is the reason I went to Bora Bora.”
“Does that mean I get a crown too?” Shay says, round eyes growing. “I want a title, bitch.”
“You’re such a poser, Shay. You are happy to be my friend then?”
“I was never not happy to have you as my best friend, I just thought you were mad and I thought he was a con.”
Luca’s gaze meets mine and I feel it in my stomach. My heart beats in time with the music “The Christmas Con. It’s only the single most epic thing that’s ever happened to me.”
Epilogue
The happily ever after
“BUT THE WAYthat image is positioned makes it look like he’s having sex with her. They know he doesn’t dip the dog anymore, and I don’t think social media should make it look like he does. Change it, or crop differently.” I’m talking to my assistant who took over my job when I got a promotion to work more closely with Luca. She is a bright girl with tons of promise and I can’t help but see myself in her when she arrives bright-eyed and full of zest for learning. I haven’t asked her if her parents know which company she works for.
I look at my watch. “Our flight to Bora Bora is in four hours, and I haven’t packed yet. I’m going to head home now. You have this? Same schedule as yesterday and email Mario if anything is questionable. I’ll be out of pocket completely.”
Ada gives a firm head nod. “Of course, boss. Enjoy your anniversary. I’ve got this all under control.”
Luca and I have been married for seven years and we take this block of time off every year, to go to where we fell in love. We fall in love all over again every single year. I joke that there’s something in the French Polynesian water, but the more likely explanation is that we were always destined to be together. That’s what it feels like, anyway. We complete each other in a way I never knew was possible. I know for certain that loving Luca made me feel alive for the first time in my life. Speaking of the devil himself, he strolls into the conference room we’re in. “Mrs. Bianchi, I’m here to whisk you away on the vacation of your dreams.”
Ada blushes furiously, like most of the female employees in the office. Everyone other than Kieran who now runs a breakoff talent agency office in Paris. She finds us the most beautiful talent, and recently became engaged to a fashion designer who knocked her up. She was happy to be sent to Europe after our engagement. I took the right-hand woman position. “I was just leaving to pack. Let’s ride together.”
He waggles his eyebrows as he takes out his phone to call for a driver to pick us up. “Your idea is much better than mine.” Ada flees the room with a brisk good afternoon.
“Why do you have to scare the employees?” I ask, smiling with my eyes. “I’ll punish you if you cost me Ada. She’s a hard worker.”
“Punish me how?” Luca’s reply reeks of ulterior motive, and I love it.
I frown, throwing my hands out. “I’d deliberate for a few days before I formed a concrete plan.”
“Concrete is pretty hard,” he quips, lips twitching. He extends his hand. “Car will be around in three minutes. We should get a move on.”
