“Yeah? And this was the best way you came up with to do it?”
He grinned, full-out, teeth and all, and her stomach raised up, up, up to kiss her rib cage. “I was desperate. And I just so happened to have a cop car at my disposal.”
“How convenient,” she said, and his grin widened even more.
“Regina, I didn’t know quite what to make of you when you stormed into my life, and I still don’t, but I know you’re far from boring, you make me smile, and I’d be an idiot if I let you go without a fight.” He brushed his lips across hers. “I want you to stay. I know it’s fast and there are a lot of things we need to figure out, but I’ve never felt a connection so strong in my life. Stay till Christmas at least, so I convince you to stay even longer.”
Before she could answer, he kissed her again, backing her up against the car and kissing her until her bones turned into liquid fire. “Okay, I’ll stay,” she said, her voice breathy. “I’ll still have to go home in the near future and take care of some things, but I’m not ready to let you go either.”
Emmett dropped his forehead against hers. “Thank goodness. I’m pretty sure that they’ll throw me out of office if I return to town without you.”
“Oh, so this is for the town?”
He took off his coat and draped it around her. “It’s definitely for me. But we’ll let them think it’s for them too. Then maybe they’ll give us a moment’s peace as we figure everything out.”
At the same time, they both said, “Probably not,” and laughed.
Then kissed some more.
Fat flakes of snow drifted down around them, making her cuddle tighter into his embrace. Regina basked in the feel of his warm lips against hers as the snow dusted their heads and the ground around them.
Two weeks ago, she didn’t think there was such a thing as Christmas miracles, but as she made her way back to town with a guy she was crazy about, she thought maybe it was like one of those snow globes she loved. You had to shake your life up a bit before you got to be one of the blissfully happy people in the perfect scene with all that magical snow swirling around you.
Epilogue
One year later …
“I’m so nervous,” Regina said to Callie, who was walking around the train of Regina’s wedding dress, fluffing and arranging. “What if he doesn’t show? Or what if I get up there and he says he can’t marry me?”
Getting married one year to the day they’d met seemed romantic when Emmett proposed it—after he’d proposed to her. These days she did her financial directing from home, which was now in Friendship, occasionally having to travel to consult when businesses wanted more than virtual support.
In a lot of ways, it felt like she and Emmett had fast-forwarded through the beginning parts of a relationship during her first two weeks in town, so they’d gone back and taken their time dating and getting to know each other. She was now part of the town, and they were always in her business and either thanking her for the sheriff being in a good mood—or asking her if she could do something when he was in a bad one—and she loved it.
Loved the town, loved her life, loved Emmett Haywood. She used to think she knew what she wanted and what the ideal family and life looked like, but now she did know, and she couldn’t wait to take that next big step.
“I’ve never seen any dude as excited to get married as my brother,” Callie said. “Trust me, he’s going to say ‘I do’ as fast as humanly possible.”
Regina blew out a shaky breath. She believed her almost sister-in-law, she did, but she’d been in this position before. With the wrong guy, she realized that now, but it didn’t stop her nerves from going haywire on her.
But before she could overthink it too much, they were lining up and then marching down the aisle of the church.
Regina’s parents hadn’t fallen in love with Friendship quite the way she had, but they were supportive and planning to stay through the holidays to experience all the traditions, from the tree lighting ceremony to the gingerbread contest, to the party with the dance.
As her father neared the end of the aisle, he lifted her veil off her face.
Regina slowly turned toward Emmett, and in that moment, she was sure of everything. His expression spoke of unconditional love. Of shared laughter, the many conversations they’d had, and the countless kisses they’d exchanged over this past year.
He was also giving her the full smile, with teeth.
She returned it, excitement zipping through her on a high-speed, high-voltage circuit.
Then Emmett extended his hand, and she happily placed her palm in his. They walked the last few steps to the pulpit together.
Reverend Jones read some lovely words, and as he repeated the vows to Emmett, Regina held her breath.
“I do,” Emmett said, loud and clear, without any hesitation.
And of course she did too.