Page 78 of Knot what I want for Christmas
Epilogue
Hollie
2 years later
As I step out of the clinic and into the snow, I’m greeted by the sight of my three alphas lounging against Clay’s pickup truck like the scrummiest of cowboy buffet choices.
“This is a surprise,” I say. “You’ve all come to pick me up from work?”
Tucker tips his hat at me, steps forward, and drags me toward him, kissing my mouth before saying, “It’s Christmas Eve, sweetheart. And we didn’t want you getting lost in any snowstorms.”
I sigh. “That’s a shame. I quite liked the idea of getting lost in a snowstorm, especially if it meant being lost with the three of you.”
“There’s still hope,” he says, pointing at the sky. “You never know when a storm might strike and we might have no choice but to hunker down in the cabin and forgo all the Christmas festivities.”
I pinch Tucker’s arm. “As lovely as that sounds, you know there is no way in a million jingling jingle bells that Annie is going to let us miss her Christmas Eve soiree. Snow storm or no snow storm.”
Clay groans. “I’d much rather just spend Christmas the four of us.”
“Don’t be a grinch,” I say, walking over to him, rising up on my tiptoes, bopping the end of his nose before kissing his mouth. “You love Christmas. In fact …” I unzip his winter coat and peer inside, finding, as I expected, one of his god-awful Christmas sweaters.
“They get worse every year,” I mutter.
“Blame Annie. I think she’s on the mission to find me the worst Christmas sweater possible.”
I smile at him and then I turn to Nash, walking over to him and kissing him last of all.
“How was your day, Hollie?” he asks, wrapping his arms around me.
“Amazing,” I tell him. “I got to meet Mr. Burns new snake.” Tucker shudders. “Seriously, I have the best job in the world.”
“Still don’t know why they made you work on Christmas Eve, though,” Clay grumbles.
“Because I volunteered,” I point out.
I loved my job back in Rockview, but I love it even more out here in Silver Creek. I know all my patients and all their owners and I also get to spend a serious amount of time with horses. I even have my own horse now. Cloud is officially all mine and I ride her as often as I can. My childhood self would be squealing with joy. Just one of the many advantages I’ve encountered since moving in with Clay and his pack and making Silver Creek my permanent home.
“Let’s get moving,” Clay tells us all. “I’m under strict instructions from Annie not to be late for this Christmas ordeal,” he makes a face, “there’s going to be carols around the tree.”
I clap my hands in excitement. The first Christmas I was here, a snowstorm and all the, well, sexy business, meant I hadn’t experienced Jackson Carols Round the Tree. But last year I did and it’s one of my new most favorite Christmas traditions.
I hop up into the front seat of the cab. “Actually,” I say, “can we make a little detour to the drugstore before we head back to the ranch?”
Three pairs of alpha eyes are on me immediately.
“Is anything wrong?” Nash asks me as Tucker says, “Are you ill?”
“No,” I say, telling a little white Christmas lie, “just another gift I need to pick up.”
“Okay,” Clay tells me, “but be quick.” He glances at his watch. “You know Annie will give me such a lecture if we’re even a minute late.”
“I’ll be quick,” I promise.
He pulls up outside the drugstore and I jump down from the truck, sprinting inside, locating what I need and trying to ignore the expression on Mrs. Mills’ face as she slides my purchase into a paper bag and hands it back. I cradle it close to my chest, climb back in the truck, and then we’re rumbling away, back to the ranch.
I think this winter might be even more beautiful than the winter before, and that was probably more beautiful than my first winter here. Everything is sparkling white in the sunshine. And it feels like we’re somewhere magical. Somewhere Christmas miracles could happen every single day. And I’m wondering if they’ll be one of our own again this Christmas.
Not that Annie considers what happened two years ago a Christmas miracle. She has made it very clear on more thanone occasion that she takes credit for me hooking up with Clay’s pack, despite the fact that Clay has also pointed out on numerous occasions that she does not control the weather.
