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“Me too, and I know I’m going to spend the rest of my life making you believe that every single day.”
My heart swells once more. “I already do. I love you.”
“Not as much as I love you.” He leans toward my ear. “Just know all the dirty things I’m going to do to you when we get back.”
I press my body into his. “Game on, Mr. Devereaux. Game on.”
Epilogue
Alistair
Christmas
“And this one’s for you, Charli!” Layne beams, passing Charlize a huge present so big she can barely lift it.
“What the hell is that?” I say, taking it out of her arms, placing it on the table in front of where Charlize sits on the couch.
Layne gives me a withering look. “I can’t tell her before she opens it, doofus. That would ruin the surprise.”
I roll my eyes.
My sister, Charlize, and Mum and Dad are all wearing matching onesies. It’s like when Charlize came into the family, they adopted her without a care in the world that she was my ex-stepdaughter. My parents could see how in love we were and they gave us their blessing. Since Dad and I refuse to wear onesies, Charlize organised ‘manly’ pyjamas. Granted, they are matching and in dark blue, with little dancing Santas all over them.
Anything to make her happy. My father may be a very well respected businessman and ex-CEO of our company, but he’ll do anything to keep that smile on my mother’s face.
Christmas-time has always been a big deal in my family’s house. We also have two Christmas trees. Every year, my sister and mum go and buy a new tree; even though they have last year’s perfectly good tree in the attic — several of them by now. That tree goes in the entryway so visitors can admire it when they visit. The natural tree goes in the living room where all the presents sit underneath. The girls always go overboard. I told Charlize there is nothing she can buy me this year that will exceed having her in my life. I have everything I need. But of course, she got roped into going shopping with Layne and Mum, and now she’s more excited about Christmas than ever.
“Thank you, Layne!” Charlize rubs her hands together as she starts to rip the paper.
“You don’t know what it is yet,” I remind her. “You may not be thanking her so quickly if it’s some shit appliance.”
“Hey! I don’t buy shit presents!”
“Language!” Mum chastises, as if she never swears.
Charlize laughs, ignoring us, as she rips the paper off to reveal a top of the range air fryer. “I’ve been wanting one of these for ages!” She squeals, standing, she and Layne hug over the coffee table. They’re both as bad as each other and act like little kids but it is kind of adorable.
“I’m glad you like it.” Layne beams.
“I love it! I can make my own chips now.”
“I’m sure Dom would love to hear you say that, he’ll be horrified,” I mutter.
Charlize hands my sister a present, and she carefully unwraps the paper as I shake my head at her. She has unwrapped presents this way since we were little kids.
“Oh, Charli! A digital photo frame — you knew I wanted that!” She beams. They hug again.
“I remember you saying you want to put all your photos onto a slide. I thought this would be perfect.”
“It is. I love it!”
Mum and Dad exchange gifts. Mum gets a cashmere scarf, and Dad receives a new jigsaw puzzle. This is how my genius father spends his retirement these days.
Then Charlize hands me a box and I rip the paper open to reveal a brand new Versace tie. It’s in a shiny rose-gold with the classic Versace logo. I smile. I know how she loves my tie collection, especially when I’m using them to secure her hands to the bed.
I slide a long, slender box into her hand and she looks up at me suspiciously, narrowing her eyes.
Ripping the paper open, she gasps at the Cartier box. Inside is a sparkling, diamond bracelet that I had custom made. When she flips the lid, a big smile spreads across her face.
