Together, we hefted it from its sidecar nest and took it into the kitchen, where we quickly cleared a spot in the middle of the island, wedging it between the relish tray and the mashed potatoes.
The crowd quit talking and stared at the ice sculpture. And at Jeremy.
“Jeremy Hotston?” someone whispered, in mock horror. Or possibly real horror.
“Danica!” Mom hissed. “You promised.”
“How do you like the ice sculpture?” I asked the crowd. “Well played, Jeremy. Right? Everyone?”
He didn’t seem the least bit cowed by the cold reception. “I thought a stork was fitting, considering that I ruined a bird at the last big party for Angelica.” This earned him a laugh, and the party’s chatter resumed. Some even clapped. One person cheered for the stork. Even Mom distracted herself with food, and at last, Angelica started opening gifts.
Whew.
In the crazy new-normalness of it all, Jeremy smiled down at me. “Are you finally impressed?”
I was impressed.
He kissed me softly—in front of everyone.
My mom gasped. “Jeremy Hotston! Danica! What are you doing?”
I was kissing Jeremy—even before I’d taken time to introduce him to my family anew. “I made you some dinner,” I said to Jeremy, ignoring Mom.
Jeremy took his gaze off me and looked at the buffet. “Ham and rolls? And mashed potatoes? You made all of it? How did you know that was my favorite?”
For once, I was the one to give the enigmatic lift of the eyebrow. “There wasn’t room on the counter for dessert yet. It’s in here.” I led him by the hand into the laundry room, where the five large pans of his mother’s recipe waited. “Do you recognize it?”
“I recognize sweet things when I see them.” Away from everyone’s eyes, Jeremy kissed me solidly. “When I got back in the country last night after my Reserve duties, my phone received a barrage of texts akin to Hurricane Sandy. Most of them were about business. I skipped all of them but yours. Then, at home, I saw your invitation with the date and time for this shindig. Sorry I was late. I booked the ice sculptor last minute. And I had to buy a motorcycle. You’d be surprised how hard it is to find a sidecar.”
He’d bought a motorcycle. For this. For me. Just to make this day hilariously perfect. “The stork is awesome.” Jeremy was awesome. “I’m really sorry I didn’t react well to your prior Grease impersonation.” Or to all of the other gestures. “I’m working on that.”
“I’m sorry you thought I’d ghosted you.”
“Garrett told you that?” Possibly about the grocery store, too.
“That’s how I knew it was time for me to come back.”
“My memories of our time together returned in full.” They’d come piecemeal over the weeks since Jeremy left, each one accompanied by a stabbing pain. “I thought I’d lost you.”
“I hoped I hadn’t lost you.” Jeremy kissed me again. “Let’s remember how this moment feels.” He kissed me again. “Forever.”