Page 34 of A New Year's Toy

“Nola Vickers. The first time you called me from Toy Shop, I knew there was something about you. More than your beautiful voice, more than your kindness to help a total stranger while obviously risking your job. Something about you just resonated with me on a deeper level, and I knew I had to have you. I wanted you, and yet I couldn’t believe you agreed to meet me, but I did believe I was extremely fortunate that you had.”

“You made a pretty convincing argument,” I say past the tears.

“Sweetheart.” He kisses the inside of my wrist. “How I love your tender heart.”

“Thank you.”

“In fact, I love all of you.” Alistair lets out a huff of a laugh. “I love the scent you leave in the bedroom we share, your snarky retorts, your ability to trust and give yourself to me time and time again. I don’t take it for granted. I don’t take your smiles for granted, or the constant sunshine you grace my life with.”

His eyebrows knead together. “What you said yesterday, about not being worthy. Baby, I’m blessed beyond any reasonable doubt to have you as my partner. To have you choose me outdoes any physical possession I own, any cent I earned. I was a poor man before you came along, and I’ll be a poor man if you leave.”

“I won’t.”

Joy illuminates his rugged face.

“This belonged to my mother.” He removes it from the box, holding it on the ring finger on my left hand.

So, this is what a heart attack feels like. I hope not to die before I can at least say yes.

“Will you do me the honor of being its new owner? Of being my wife?”

“Alistair.” I slap a shaky palm to my lips. “What about Jolene?”

“She practically begged me to pass it over to you. To us.” He clears his throat. “Your father gave us his blessing, too.”

“Dad?”

“Yes. I asked him a week ago.”

“Alistair,” I repeat his name. It’s so hard to say anything else.

“Is that a yes?”

“Yes! Yes!” I wait for the whole second it takes him to slip the polished Asscher-cut ring on my finger.

After that, I leap on him. We fall to the concrete floor, hugging, smiling, kissing.

“I love you so much,” I mumble against his lips.

“So do I, sweetheart.” He hugs me as if his life depends on it. “So do I.”

It’s going to be a great year.

The End.