Page 67 of Icebreaker

We all laughed, while I protested. "Hey, that was one time, and it's not my fault parts were missing."

When we finally had a free-standing structure, Quinn lined the roof with neat, multi-colored rows of candy buttons. When he stuck his tongue out slightly in concentration, I wanted to tackle him to the table and sweep all the gingerbread away.

Instead, I did my best to focus on the task at hand. "Hey, do you think we'll be this good at building our lives as we head into the future?"

Quinn reached out to steady a wobbly wall. "Better, I hope. Unlike this candy house, we'll build a life meant to last. It'll go far beyond winter nights and holiday celebrations."

A simultaneous "Aww" erupted from Moose, Maja, and Sven. "They're too cute," Maja declared.

When Moose called time, our house was a little wonky, but it held together. Then, I looked over at what Maja and Sven constructed. It floored me. It looked like they pulled it right out of aMartha Stewartmagazine.

Moose put a hand on my shoulder. "Good effort, boys, but I think we have a winner."

I finished his sentence. "And it's not us."

When the day began to wind down, the exhaustion of a well-spent holiday settled over me like a warm blanket. I raised a glass of wine to a final toast with everyone.

"To family," I began, looking around the room at the faces of the people I loved most in the world. "To the ones we're born with and the ones we choose. Let's continue to share love and laughter today and always."

"To family," everyone echoed.

Later, when everyone was gone, and Quinn and I readied ourselves for bed, he pulled a small wrapped box out of the nightstand. "I know our gifts were loads of fun, but I saved a special one for you."

Curious as ever, I took the box from him. He'd wrapped it in shimmering silver foil paper and a bright red bow. I carefully unwrapped the box. When I lifted the lid, I found a leather-bound journal, the cover embossed with a single word: "Forever."

My fingers trembled as I opened the cover. There, I found a note written in Quinn's familiar script. Tears streamed down my face as I read what he had to say.

My dearest Axel:

This journal is a promise. It is a pact that offers my love, devotion, and ongoing commitment to you and our future. Please use these pages to write our story. Keep track of our hopes, dreams, and challenges. Remember to mark our achievements and triumphs along with the setbacks. There will be a few, but they won't stop us. With you at my side, Iknow that we can achieve anything. I love you, Axel, today and always.

Forever yours, Quinn.

I looked up at him with glassy eyes. He watched for my reaction. I didn't respond in words. Instead, I reached out and pulled him into my arms, crushing his face against my chest.

"I love you," I whispered. "Damn, I love you so much. I didn't know anything like this could happen. You're my everything."

His tears started to dampen my shirt. "Yours, Axel…forever."

"Forever," I repeated.

For the first time in my life, I knew I could face anything the world could throw at me because together, with Quinn, we were unstoppable.

Epilogue - Quinn

Afire crackled and popped in the fireplace, sending a warm glow across the living room. I sat in my favorite leather armchair, an antique family blanket draped across my lap. It was Christmas Eve, and I was alone for the first time in over half a century.

Earlier in the day, I spoke with Maggie and Axel's younger sister, Maja. Our daughter, Lainey, called. She'd hoped to visit, but then my granddaughter came down with the flu. The most important person of all was missing.

Axel passed peacefully earlier in the year. The absence of his deep, melodic voice and peals of laughter left our beloved Victorian house quieter than it should be.

I reached for a worn leather photo album on the side table. After our first season with the Lumberjacks, Axel insisted that we document our lives with real, physical photographs. "Whywould you only keep digital ones?" he grumbled. One good lightning zap and our life is gone—forever."

As I started to flip through the pages, I realized how right he was. The colorful images took me back in time to our shared past, keeping the memories of our wedding day clear and vivid. Axel was stunning in his tailored charcoal suit, his eyes sparkling with joy as he slipped the ring on my finger.

I could almost hear his voice reciting the vows. "You're my everything, Quinn, my reason for getting out of bed every morning. I promise to love and cherish you forever. I'll be your rock and your shelter from the storm for all the days of my life."

It could have been a prediction. He was precisely that even on his last day.

---