“Maple,” Jessica chided quietly through clenched teeth.
“What? Are you saying it’s not true? That you’re not all hot for my grandson?”
Oh…my…God.
“Grandma,” I groaned. Jessica stared at Maple with the kind of look that saidI’d kill you if you weren’t an old lady. I can’t believe you!
Maybe, she wasn’t as sure of me as I’d thought? Damn it.
“Grandma, maybe, Jessica—”
“Maybe,” Jessica interrupted, grasping my hand and squeezing, “I’d like to talk to Micha privately about that, just the two of us, before discussing it with the world.”
“You’re so like Doris,” Maple said, shaking her head and turning to leave us. “Everything doesn’t have to be so complicated, dear.”
No, it really didn’t.
“Grandma, I’m stealing Jessica away for the rest of the day.”
She waved a hand over her shoulder in acknowledgement as she disappeared through the doorway. A knowing laugh trailed behind her.
I turned to Jessica, everything inside me singing a symphony, proclaiming she was mine. “You’re staying?”
Her lips quirked as she fought a smile. “I like the mountains.”
My brow raised. “Just the mountains?”
“And the town. I like Majestic Falls.”
My arms wrapped around her, and I pulled her to me.
“And your grandma,” she added. “She’s pretty great. So is her shop, even if she won’t claim it.”
My lips brushed across Jessica’s, stopping her nonsense.
“It is pretty great,” I breathed between kisses. “All those things are.”
“And I like your house and stuff…” Her fingers knotted in my shirt as she went to her toes to get closer to me. “And I really like your kisses.”
“Yeah?”
“Take me home?”
I nodded. “In a second. First…”
My lips sealed over hers, and I kissed her with all the love welling up inside me. With all the passion that surprised me. All the relief that she really was mine.
I hadn’t been looking for my future, but here she was.
* * * *
We drove Jessica’s car to my place since I’d walked to her shop. Soon, we stood in the driveway facing each other. Anxious for our next step, I swept her up into my arms. Carrying her inside and into our future just seemed right. I wanted the moment to be perfect.
“You have a little tree up here, too,” she gasped, leaning up on her elbows when I’d placed her on the bed in my room.
“Christmas is special. I try to show it all over the house. Now, it’s going to be even more special.”
“Our special time,” she agreed.
