“Taylor Rose Bixby?” He has a small, tender smile on his face as his eyes meet mine.
I swallow hard. “Yes?”
“Every clue in the game seems to say I should take the job I’ve been offered at a newspaper in Charlottesville, find a place nearby, and think about what I want in the future.”
“So weird the clues all worked out like that.” I steal a quick glance at our families, all of them in on it, all of them grinning, except for our moms who are hugging each other while they watch us and sniffle.
“Have to say it got me thinking,” he says. “It’s a good thing I have this engagement ring, because it turns out that my futureisyou. I love you so much, Taylor. Will you marry me?”
“My turn again.” I stand up, draw a slip from the bowl, and hold up my index finger.
“One word,” my dad says.
I nod, then I tackle Levi and knock him flat on his back, pressing kisses all over his face while he laughs.
“I think that means yes,” Sara says.
Levi reaches up to hold my face still between his palms for a moment. “Is it true, Taylor? Are you saying yes?”
I kiss him again. “Yes, Levi Taft. I’m saying yes to you, now and forever.”
Then our moms both sigh and say, “Best Christmas ever,” which causes them to burst out laughing.
I look over at them, then back to Levi, smiling. “We were doomed from the start, weren’t we?”
“Lucky us,” he says, smoothing his thumb over my cheek.
“Lucky us,” I agree. “And it really is the best Christmas ever.”
