“Yes, it will,” I agree.
Of course it will. True love always finds its happy ending, right?
***
That evening at the Christmas Eve candlelight service, Carwyn and I exchange smiles across the pew as we sing “Joy to the World.” I love the profound and overwhelming message of Christmas. To be here with my family and see the man I’ve adored all my life smiling at me with love in his eyes adds to the joy.
Gram, who never misses anything, links her arm through mine as we leave the church. “That one’s a keeper. Don’t let him get away.”
“Not planning on it,” I say with a smile.
We’re all gathered around the dining table, eating our Christmas Eve snack of chips, cheese, and crackers and artichoke dip, washed down with eggnog, when the doorbell rings.
“I bet I know who that is,” says Grandpa, winking at me.
I hurry to the door and open it, and there stands Carwyn in jeans, boots, and that mountain-man suede jacket of his. It’s lightly snowing now, and some of the snow has dusted his hair. He’s holding a wrapped present.
“Come on in,” I say, and he steps inside and hands me the box.
“Merry Christmas,” he says.
“I don’t have anything for you,” I protest.
“Oh, I think you do,” he says, and points to the mistletoe hanging above us.
Here it is, the moment of truth.
Eight
At last she would be his. He was sure of it.
—Hailey Fairchild,What the Heart Needs
I set the box on the hall table and turn to face him. My heart is galloping faster than Santa’s reindeer on takeoff.Don’t let this be the beginning of the end.
It’s a beautiful kiss, tender and sweet, with his hands on my cheeks. None of those other mistletoe fails started with a mistletoe kiss like this, so packed with respect and kindness and... love? Is it possible? It sure feels possible.
“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” he murmurs.
“No, that was fantabulous,” I say and come back for more.
We’re still standing there, going at it, when Dad comes out and says, “Hey, you two, knock it off and get to the kitchen. The artichoke dip’s getting cold.”
Carwyn chuckles and takes my hand, and we move to the table where everyone is discussing what holiday movie to watch.
“NotElf,” says Sam, giving me a stern look.
“And notDie Hard,” I shoot back.
“Family Man,” suggests Mom.
“We have to watchIt’s a Wonderful Life,” Gram insists, and everyone groans. “It’s tradition,” she argues.
We’ve all watched that movie every year at Christmas for forever. I can say all George Bailey’s lines right along with him. And Ican’t stand Zuzu. Sam is rolling his eyes, and I bet now he’s sorry he voted downElf.
“That’s a great movie,” says Carwyn, earning points from Gram.
“Of course it is,” she says and plunges another cracker into her dip.
