“Father!” All three sisters rushed inside and, in a matter of seconds, were being heartily embraced by the Earl. If Nick was not mistaken, he spied a few tears in Lord Everly’s eyes.
“You look wonderful!” Lady Noelle declared.
“You have come?” Lady Holly squealed. “Papa, Noelle and I are getting married!” And then she blushed.
Oblivious to the fact that they’d just interrupted the marriage contract negotiations, Eve’s sisters took turns introducing Lord Everly to their intendeds.
Eve had stepped away from the introductions, looking rather pleased. From across the room, she held Nick’s gaze.
She was always going to be his. He was always going to be hers.
Enough with the damn waiting!
He cleared his throat noisily and held up a hand. “If I could have a moment.” All eyes landed on him and, as the room fell quiet, Nick stared steadily at the person who was his destiny. She blinked in surprise, but the corners of her lips lifted slightly into a very Eve-like smile: peaceful, mysterious, patient but knowing.
Nick swallowed hard and removed his hands from his pockets. As he slowly crossed the room, a nervous excitement hummed through his entire body. “I should have asked this question a long time ago.” Emotion made his voice gruff. When he dropped to one knee, her sisters’ gasps of surprise urged him on.
He stared up at her solemnly, willing her to feel his love—to trust it—to believe in it.
“From the moment I laid eyes on you, you’ve possessed my heart. You are the other half of my soul, the air that I breathe.”
He took hold of her hand, and she squeezed his fingers.
Nick pressed onward.
“I love you. I’ve told you that. But I want more for us. I want you to believe in hope—believe that joy exists today but also in the future. Will you give me the chance to share my hope with you, my love? Eve? Will you be my wife?”
She nodded, tears swimming in her eyes. “Yes. Nicholas. Oh, yes!”
Nick burst to his feet, capturing her in his arms as he did so. At the same time, a cheer rose up in the room.
And that was just as it should be.
Epilogue
Eve slid her hand through her husband’s arm as he led her toward the inn. A few people mingled on the lawn behind them and wishes of Merry Christmas and Good Tidings floated across the square.
The day had been an exhausting one but also one of the best days of her life. First, they had attended Noelle and Dash’s wedding at the most beautiful castle. Eve had tried not to cry but couldn’t help it when she’d heard her sister’s voice trembling with emotion, and then her groom’s heartfelt response as they spoke their vows to one another. Holding back the tears had been impossible.
Then the entire caravan of witnesses and guests had traveled to a beautiful little cabin near the lake, which the Earl of Tidemore had decorated in a manner that would have made their mother proud. Jack was the perfect man for Holly. He not only loved her, but he valued all the love her little sister felt for everyone else.
And then everyone had returned to the center of town where an archway had been set up and decorated with ivy vines and holly. Nick had had it erected in the exact spot where they’d been reunited—where she’d smashed her pie against her cloak and then lost most of it on the ground.
Eve hadn’t known the location of their wedding beforehand.
Since she had chosen the flowers she would carry, decided on how she would do her hair and the dress that she would wear, she had allowed her groom to decide this most important detail. And she had not been disappointed.
The moment she caught sight of the arched trellis, a warmth had filled her. It was perfect.
Because the moment they had found one another again had breathed new hope into both of them. And today, they were celebrating hope.
Nick dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “Happy?”
“I didn’t think I could ever be this happy again.” She tilted her head back to meet his loving eyes. Not only did she feel happy, but she felt secure and oh, so very very hopeful. “Mama would have loved it.”
Nick squeezed her to him. “I wish she could have been here for you.”
Each time she thought she couldn’t love him more, he did or said something that proved her wrong. He’d already done more than she ever could have dreamed to make her happy.
“I think Mama was here, in a way. She was always the one who could make the impossible possible. And three weddings in a single day? I must admit I was skeptical. But everything was beautiful. Mama was watching out for us.”
“You are beautiful.”
The desire in his voice spiked her own need. With her aunt and Mr. Kringle, as well as her father, watching over the three engaged couples, it had been nearly impossible for any of them to be alone with their intended privately.
Even when the couples had tried to accompany each other for chaperonage, their father had never once been far off.
Eve reached over and ran her hand up Nicholas’s chest. “Have I told you yet how handsome you look today?”
He growled and increased their pace.
“Lord and Lady Merriweather!” Mr. Rudolph greeted them before they could escape up the stairwell. “May I be the first to offer my heartfelt congratulations? And Merry Christmas as well!”
“Our thanks, Mr. Rudolph,” Nick offered over his shoulder as he dragged Eve up the stairs.
Eve had always heard that ladies were a little afraid of their wedding nights, but she felt nothing but anticipation, and…
An aching need that had grown to almost unimaginable proportions since she’d become engaged.
Nick fumbled with the key but before she could step inside, he swooped her into his arms. “Have I told you yet today how much I love
