Page 24 of Hot Mess Christmas Express

Epilogue

“Look here, Kurt,”Caleb muttered to the swan strolling by him. “We’re on the same side here, got it?”

The large white bird honked, although Caleb wasn’t quite sure if it was in agreement or some way of telling him to pound sand. He seriously hoped it was the former.

For being Christmas Eve, it was surprisingly warm outside, with the sun shining bright and only a single cloud as far as the eye could see. He couldn’t have asked for a better day. Now all he needed was to get Sienna alone.

“Sorry, sorry,” she called, rushing down the small, paved pathway that led from the backside of Somerset House to the side garden. It was the exact spot where they had reconnected a year ago, complete with ill-tempered waterfowl, and Caleb couldn’t help but smile at the memory. “I know I said I wasn’t going to work today, but we have that huge family doing that reunion thing for Christmas, and getting them all checked in was chaos.”

“It’s fine, I was just hanging out with Kurt.”

The swan honked again, and this time Caleb was sure the bird was mocking him.

“I’m glad the two of you got over your differences,” Sienna joked.

“Only took us a whole year.”

Sienna laughed, tossing her head back, her multicolored hair streaming down her back. The sound of her laugh made Caleb’s whole body tingle, and the sight of the pink and yellow streaks tugged at his heart.

There was no denying that the year had flown by, but there were still days that Caleb couldn’t believe it had only been a year. His life prior to Sienna seemed like forever ago, and he wasn’t sure how he’d gotten through his day without her smile waiting for him at the end of it. Her smile turned his world upside down, in all the right ways. Hell, even now it was making his already warm insides turn to goo.

It was also a smile that seemed to be ever present now. Turns out that losing her job at Cosmas was just the jumpstart she had needed to get her own business going again. With the help of her siblings, who were not only more than happy to have her back on staff at the Seven Swans but also to help her convince many local businesses they needed a marketing makeover, Sienna had SSooo Good Designs up and running in no time.

“I do think I owe him a thank you though,” Caleb continued, closing the gap between him and the woman he loved.

“For?”

“It was Kurt who brought us back together.”

“You’re going to credit Kurt rather than Mark and Kathleen?”

Caleb paused for a moment, acting as if he were thinking about it. But he already knew the answer. Sure, it might have been his best friend’s wedding, but his buddy didn’t need one more thing to have a big head about. Besides, it made for a much better story starting out with a swan bite than a bridezilla.

“Credit goes to Kurt.”

Sienna laughed again, the sound filling the air around them. He pulled her closer to him, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. She was his world, and nothing about that was ever going to change.

“All joking aside, this last year has been the best one of my life. I have no idea how I managed to exist before we found each other again. That sounds crazy, I know. But it’s true. You brighten my day with both your smile and your wild hair. You are smart, and caring, and the most beautiful woman I have ever known—both inside and out. And I want your laughter to be the soundtrack to the rest of my life. I love you.”

“I love you too, Caleb,” Sienna said, tears glistening in her eyes.

Taking a step back, he winked at her, dropping down to one knee. She gasped, her hands flying to her face as he looked up at her. He could see her trying to hold back the tears, already knowing what was coming. Her answer seemed ready to burst from her just as much as the question was from him. Still, he paused for a moment, admiring the beautiful woman in front of him, not wanting to forget this moment.

“Sienna, you are my swan. I have never felt so connected to another person the way I do with you. I want to spend the rest of my days making you the happiest woman on this earth, helping you make all your dreams come true.” He swallowed hard, taking in a deep breath. It was now or never. “Last Christmas you told me that the only thing you wanted from me was me. Well, beautiful, this is me, giving you just that. All of me, forever. Will you marry me?”

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the small velvet box that had been burning a hole in his pocket for weeks. He flipped it open, letting the solitaire diamond sparkle in the Southern sun.

“Yes! A million times yes!” Sienna exclaimed, throwing herself at him.

Caleb stood just in time to catch her, spinning her around, and she buried her face in his neck.

“You know what this means though, right?” she asked, loosening her grip and sliding down his body. He raised an eyebrow, not quite sure where she was going with this. “Now this is going to make me the hot mess bridal express.”

Caleb laughed, pulling his fiancée in for a kiss.

“I can’t wait.”