“Don’t worry, Holly’s safe with me,” Fin said.
“So is that where you’ll be getting married?” Mum asked. “In America.” She turned to Dad, giving him a quick tap on the knee. “We’ve never been to America, have we?”
I yet again opened my mouth to tell my parents the truth about that to find myself yet again prevented.
“We haven’t decided yet,” Fin said.
“We haven’t?” I asked, wondering what the man was talking about.
“To be honest, Holly hasn’t really agreed to marry me yet.”
“But I thought…” Mum turned her attention to me. “Why not?” she asked.
Fin had a glint in his eye as he also looked my way. “As marriage proposals go, apparently mine was sorely lacking.”
I almost laughed as I remembered our conversation that morning. Fin had either taken my words out of context or I’d been one hundred per cent right.
I swallowed hard as I watched Fin get up from his seat and walk towards me. He transfixed me with his gaze as he got down on one knee. “What is he doing?” I thought to myself. Fin’s behaviour was not in the script I’d mentally prepared.
“Holly Noelle,” Fin said. “I fell in love with you the moment I saw you.” He smiled. “Even with all that mascara smudged down your face.”
I heard Mum gasp. “Joe, look. He’s proposing. Again.”
“And while you probably won’t believe me,” Fin continued. “I knew there and then that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you.” He took my hands. “Which is why, Holly Noelle, I’m asking you to marry me?”
Tears welled in my eyes and my heart raced as I let out a nervous giggle. Feeling like all my Christmases had come at once, I wondered if I was dreaming.
Fin willed me to say something.
“Yes,” I said, by then in danger of snivelling. “I will marry you.”
I heard Mum squeal in delight as Fin stood up to pull me out of the chair and onto my feet. “Are you sure about this?” he asked, keeping his voice low.
“I’m sure,” I said, whispering back.
He leaned down to give me a long lingering kiss and forgetting all about my parents for a moment I melted in his arms.
“This calls for another drink,” Dad said, interrupting the moment.
I giggled again as Fin and I, at last, separated.
“I love you, Holly Noelle,” Fin said.
“I love you too, Finlay McCormack.”
“Care to join me, Fin?” Dad asked.
“Thank you, Joseph,” he replied. “I think I will.”
“Oh, come here, you two,” Mum said. Jumping up from her seat, she threw her arms around us in a wonderful trio hug. “This really is the best Christmas ever.”
Accepting Mum’s embrace, I couldn’t agree more.
39
New Year’s Eve
It had been a busy few days getting ready for our departure to the US. I’d packed and re-packed my suitcase over and over again, feeling sure I’d left something important out on each occasion. I’d had to hand my notice in at work, not that I’d been able to give any. Ruth, my manager, had been great about that. She’d said, “I don’t suppose you’ll need it, Holly, but if you ever do, there’ll always be a job for you at the bookshop.”
