Page 87 of Christmas with the Elkin Billionaires

“Would you like to see a few of the shots?” the photographer asked.

“Yes!” Anna grabbed Gabe’s hand and they went to stand next to the woman.

The images took his breath away. Anna’s eyes shone up at him, and it was clear from the way they touched each other that it was love. Real, deep love. He put a hand to his chest and caught the photographer’s eye. “Do you do wedding photography?”

Anna gasped.

“I mean it,” he said, the knowledge breaking over him like a wave. “I want to be with you. I want to marry you.”

Everything fell away except for Anna and the happy tears in her dark eyes. Gabe was dimly aware of the photographer hustling to detach her camera from the tripod and whisk it away. He took both of Anna’s hands and was surprised to find that his own were trembling. This seemed way more momentous than his first throwaway proposal at the Top of the World. This was probably the most important thing he’d ever do. The significance of it settled over his shoulders and made his heart beat hard, and Anna bit at her lip, smiling through her own surprise.

He didn’t have a new ring—but he did have the old one in his pocket. Anna had handed it back to him when she left, and he’d kept it in his pocket ever since. It was a testament to his love and kept him close to her even when they were apart.

Gabe sank down onto one knee and put his hand into his pocket. The room went silent, all eyes on him. For one heart-stopping instant, he couldn’t find the ring. Relief filled him when his fingers closed over it, Gabe eager to ask the biggest question of his life. “Anna, you’ve changed everything about my life for the better,” he told her. The click of the camera’s shutter was the only sound that could be heard. “I want you to be by my side forever, and I want to be by yours. Will you marry me?”

He held up the ring, and Anna burst out in delighted laughter, tears streaming down her face. The pictures would be priceless—something to remember and talk about for generations to come. “And I know,” he went on, “that this is our fake engagement ring, but we picked it out together. I’d like it to be a real one now.”

“I love it,” she cried. “It’s my dream ring.” She dissolved into happy laughter again, and someone started clapping, the others joining in just as he slid the ring onto Anna’s finger.

Back where it belonged.

She bent down to kiss him, her hands on either side of his face. He stood, taking her in his arms to deepen the kiss. “We don’t have to do this until you’re ready,” he said so only she could hear. “There’s no rush.”

“But there is,” she whispered, a hand stroking down the back of his neck. “I want your grandmother to see us get married. AndIdon’t want to wait. If we could do it right now, I would.”

“Me too,” he answered. “Me too.”

Excitement hummed through him as Chase and Tana took their photos with Lindsey, and then Jonas and their grandmother. And finally, his grandmother posed for a portrait in her favorite seat in the house—the left-hand corner of one of her upholstered sofas. Happiness and grief tightened Gabe’s throat as he watched. He was going to miss her. They wereallgoing to miss her, but they’d have the memory of this day and this photo. That was more than some people got.

And they didn’t have to miss her yet.

The photographer spoke with Jonas and then disappeared. There were more rounds of family portraits scheduled for later this afternoon, but they had enough for one session. Now it was time for some good old-fashioned Christmas fun.

His grandmother rose from the sofa, holding her hands up high. “Who’s ready for presents?”

Lindsey whooped,and then there was a rush for seats around the tree, and Gabe settled back into their spot on the sofa with Anna tucked under his arm.

Anna’s my gift and all I need.

“Merry Christmas,” he told her, kissing her hair. “I love you.”

“I love you, too. Let’s always make Christmas special.”

He drew her in, savoring the feeling of her body close to his. “Deal. But only if I can unwrap you every year. I’ll never need another present.”

EPILOGUE

ANNA

February

“The movers have taken the last of the boxes downstairs. Are you ready to go?” Gabe asked her from the doorway to her bedroom. Well, former bedroom. She stood in the now empty room feeling overwhelmed at how quickly her life seemed to be coming together. “Hey, are you okay? If you feel like it’s too soon and you want to keep your apartment, I can tell them you changed your mind.”

Anna lifted her head to see Gabe’s concerned look, worry creasing his brow. She walked to him and he opened his arms to pull her into a hug. “It’s not too soon.” She reached up to rub her thumb across his brow, bringing a smile to his lips. “It’s just a lot to take in. New business. New client. New state. I needed a minute.”

He tightened his arms around her and kissed her forehead. She tilted her head up and he placed featherlight kisses down her face before reaching her lips. “Elk Lodge is just another client, and you already know everyone there. And if Jonas gives you any grief—”

Anna reached up to silence him with a finger against his lips. “I know. But Elk Lodge is my first client since I started my own business and I’m feeling nervous.”

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