Page 54 of Sincerely Not Yours

Harris’s breath hitched, grateful for the small omission of her feelings. He took both Gigi’s hands in his. “I want to stay . . .for you. Not for the business.”

Her eyes widened, hope pushing out sadness. “What?”

“That’s what I wanted to ask you in person.” He cleared his throat. “If I stayed in Chicago, would you consider dating me? Would I have a chance of calling you mine?”

Her mouth fell open, but she was quiet, and Harris continued, wanting to make sure she knew what he felt for her. “I made arrangements to manage GambleOnLove remotely. I’ll have to go back after the holidays to get some new processes set up, but Adam and I built a strong team, and they can handle the day-to-day operations. That’s one more thing you taught me—that I need to trust my team. Ironically, I need to take my own gamble on love. And I want to do that with you.”

Her lips tilted up into the most beautiful smile. “Are you saying you want to take a gamble on me?”

“I’m saying I started falling in love with you the day you tackled me on the elevator, and now I can’t picture my life without you in it.”

She squeezed his hands, her eyes twinkling. “You couldn’t resist my Christmas kitten sweater?”

“I couldn’t resist the person who’d wear such a sweater.” He grinned at her, his heart pounding. “Gigi, you’re bright from the inside out. You bring joy into every situation. I can’t imagine one more day without you. I sincerely and truly am in love with you. Please, give me a chance to prove it to you every day, every moment from here on forward. I love you, Gigi.”

Her eyes glistened, and she clutched his hands like she might fall over. He held tight.

“Harris, I . . .” She paused, and Harris nearly collapsed with anticipation. “I love you too,” she blurted, like she’d been holding that secret.

Harris sighed and laughed in the same breath, an immense relief washing through him. Nearly floating, he closed the distance between them and cupped her face gently in his hands. “Thank you,” he began, joy radiating from his heart, “for making this the best Christmas ever.”

Gigi leaned in, her smile radiant. “Best. Christmas.Ever,” she echoed softly.

Their lips met in a tender, heartfelt kiss under the moonlight and stars. Wrapped in each other’s embrace in front of the magical ice castle, the world around them seemed to blur, leaving only the two of them in their own fairytale.

At that moment, Harris knew that this holiday season would be unforgettable. It would be one to remember, for all the right reasons.

Epilogue

New Year’s Eve

Gigi stood facing Harris in his living room, under the string of lights still twinkling over the window. Remnants of lasagna, Caesar salad, and champagne were scattered across the island in the adjoining kitchen, where Paige and Alice were chatting with Nonna. Everyone was happily digesting the beautiful meal they’d cooked and enjoyed together.

“I can’t believe you found someone who could fix this,” Harris said, staring down at his mother’s Christmas ornament. The snow globe sat in the palm of his hand, sparkling as the glitter inside the dome swirled.

“You can find anything in the city if you look hard enough.” Gigi squeezed his arm and smiled, delighted at Harris’s excitement. “You should’ve seen the guy’s shop. There were floor-to-ceiling shelves filled with old clocks, toys, music boxes, basically anything with a tiny motor. Plus, he honestly looked like Santa Claus. He might’ve had elves in the back room.”

Harris grinned at her suggestion. “I really hope he did.”

“Go ahead. Wind it up.”

“It’s been forever since I’ve heard this play music,” he started, turning the tiny gold crank on the bottom of the globe. As the first few notes played, Gigi couldn’t stop her smile from consuming her entire face. When she’d picked up the ornament, she’d turned the crank herself. She already knew what song it would play.

“Is that—” Harris looked at her in disbelief.

“Mariah Carey!” she yelped, jumping at the same time.

“No way!” Alice shouted from the kitchen, as the signature notes of “All I Want for Christmas is You” chimed through the air.

“Yes, way!” Gigi replied, now dancing. Alice, Paige, and Nonna joined, raising their champagne glasses as they swayed.

Harris laughed, pulling Gigi into a big hug. “Thank you,” he murmured into her hair. “This is really special.”

“I’m glad you like it.” She leaned into him, squeezing him back.

“I love it and I love you,” he murmured, his voice filled with affection.

“Love you too.” She smiled into his chest, and he swayed them into a little two-step. Gigi pulled back just enough to look up at him. “I knew you secretly loved this song.”

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