Eiley hugged Harper whispering, “I’m so happy for you.”
A tear dripped down Harper’s cheek. She was happy, too. Happier than she’d allowed herself to be for far too long.
Fraser tugged her closer as the music started, and she looped her arms around his neck as they began to sway gently.“You should be tending to your new business.” The locals were admiring his wares nonstop, just as they had at the autumn festival. “Your customers are waiting.”
“They can wait a bit longer. I’ve got some making up for lost time to do.” He drew light circles on her lower back as they moved, sending another shiver through her. As happy as she was to be in a room full of people she admired, people who admired her, she couldn’t wait until they were alone.
He must have had the same thought, because his eyes darkened to a blazing night-sky blue.
Right on cue, an acoustic cover of “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” began to play from the speakers. Andy cleared their throat and clapped their hands together to announce, “For the record, this isnotmy playlist. It’s Cam’s. But tonight is for celebrating, so have a boogie if you fancy it. I won’t judge. Much.”
The little makeshift dance floor of twinkle lights and glossy floorboards was soon bustling. Myra passed them, placing a kiss on the side of Harper’s temple, and then her son’s. “Welcome to the family, love.”
And then it was just the two of them again, and Harper couldn’t remember a time when she’d ever been so happy. He twirled her under his arm suddenly, drawing a loud laugh from her that made him sparkle, too.
His lips grazed her ear lobe as he leaned in close. “How long do you think they expect us to stay?”
She scoffed. “It’s your launch party. I think you’re sort of expected all night.”
He feigned dismay, a soft groan vibrating from his throat. “I want to take you home.”
She wanted that, too. For now, she could only kiss him lightly: a promise, one she hoped they would both keep.
“Take me soon.”
Epilogue
“So, Princess Callie ran back into the forest – to her friends, to home. And there, she lived happily ever after.” Harper placed down the printed pages of her new story, swallowing against her parched throat. It was the first time in weeks that most of the children were quiet. As Christmas approached at the preschool, the excitement had risen to a constant, audible buzz, and Harper had soon discovered that taking care of three-year-olds wasn’t always fun and games. Sometimes, it was tired temper tantrums and melted reindeer biscuits in every crevice of the room.
It was worth it for moments like this. While she was still editing her adult novel, she had adapted a simpler, child-friendly version for the playgroup after discovering they liked her often improvised tales of fairy folk and found family. In this one, all the characters were inspired by Harper’s loved ones here in Belbarrow. The biggest focus, though, was self-acceptance. She hoped that if she explored this theme with the beautiful little minds that surrounded her, they might not grow up as she did, searching for validation in all the wrong places.
The children and parents clapped as she drew her reading to a close. She was certain Eiley even wiped a tear from her eye before encouraging little Saffron to clap, too.
“And there we have it,” said Dot, climbing into the circle of children with a warm smile. “What a lovely story to finish with on our very last session before Christmas. I hope you all have a fab festive period. We’ll be open again in the New Year– hopefully with some more stories from Miss Harper! Parents, don’t forget to grab a mince pie on your way out.”
Harper had already eaten two for breakfast, but she itched for more all the same. It was Christmas, after all. She planned to celebrate early with Fraser and his family tomorrow, and then would risk the mayhem of Christmas Day traffic to take him home to meet her parents. Fraser had dithered at first, worried his family would need him here – but Cam had practically packed his bags for him and told him, in no uncertain terms, to “Fuck off to Manchester.”
Harper couldn’t wait to see Myra open her present from Fraser. He’d decided to give her his beloved birdhouse – his very first childhood passion project. While Fraser’s dad had never appreciated it, Harper knew his mum would be overjoyed to display it in her garden, sharing it with the birds as her young son had once so earnestly hoped.
But already, Harper felt anxious to return to Scotland in the New Year. Fraser wanted to focus more on his crafts, something he was able to do now her rent was a steady income, so they’d scheduled market events around Scotland, planning themselves a little road trip to breathe life back into January.Though it felt odd to be working at her own pace for once, taking time away from her usual productivity, she was slowly settling in and letting herself be grateful. She even planned to freelance as a marketing specialist focused on small businesses on a budget, while she fixed up her novel and searched for beta readers.
She couldn’t rush a bestseller, after all.
As the children and parents began to disperse, many of them wearing merry and bright Christmas jumpers, Harper joined Eiley and Sorcha by the table of “eggnog”, which was actually just banana-flavoured milk for the kids. Isla jumped straight into her arms, the blue tinsel she’d used to decorate her hair tickling Harper’s face. “Princess Callie is my new favourite princess,” she decided matter-of-factly.
Harper squeezed her tight. “Well, I’m glad. She reminds me a lot of you.”
“You did an amazing job,” Eiley said. “I wish they listened to me half as intently as they do you. You have a magic touch.”
Harper shrugged off the compliment, though her chest swelled. Being accepted by Fraser’s family was special, but there was something about being welcomed with open arms by children that really made her feel accomplished in a way an office job never could. These tiny, little people trusted her to entertain them, to teach them love through words and stories.
“Are you all ready for your trip home?” Sorcha asked while rocking Archie from side to side.
“I am. Fraser, on the other hand…”
Eiley rolled her eyes. “I don’t know how many times we have to tell him that we can manage without him.”
In truth, Fraser was doing better recently. With Eiley learning to drive, Flockhart’s up and running smoothly, and everybody in high spirits, he was trying harder than ever to make time for himself. To take care of his own wellbeing as well as everyone else’s.
