Page 19 of Christmas in Watch Hill
EPILOGUE
CHRISTMAS DAY
NORA
Once, I’d thought Iwould spend every holiday alone. The last two Christmases had been some of the coldest and loneliest of my life. I’d thought that was my future forever.
But maybe not.
“I’ve got the pies,” I said to Scott as we got out of his car.
“Great. I’ll get the wine.”
It was just after four, and we’d spent the last hour driving to his parents’ house in Dayton. Moments before, he’d parked his car in the driveway of a large ranch house with multicolored lights and two large inflatable snowmen in the center of the front yard. Scott took two wine bottles from the trunk and we crunched through the fresh snow to the house. Several cars sat in the driveway, and noise came from the house. Before we got to the front steps, a woman with salt-and-pepper hair opened the door, her arms outstretched.
“Scott, merry Christmas, honey.”
“Merry Christmas, Mom.”
They hugged, and she regarded me over his shoulder. “And this must be Nora.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” I said, feeling nervous and happy about spending the holiday with Scott’s family. Still, it all felt right in a way I couldn’t explain. “I am so glad to spend the holiday with your family.”
“We’re glad you’re here. When Scott called and told me that we needed to set out another plate, I didn’t hesitate. We always have room for one more.”
“Thank you,” I replied. “I made some pecan pies. They’re not much, but—”
“I think they’re absolutely perfect,” she said as she took them from me. “I can’t imagine anything better.”
She was kind. I knew that right away. She led us into the warm home and introduced us to the rest of Scott’s family—his sister, brother, dad, brother-in-law, and their children. They all greeted me as if they had expected me, as if they were ready for someone like me. It was a home; this was going to be a wonderful evening.
“So here we are,” Scott said in my ear when we were alone in the living room about a half hour later. The rest of the family had moved into the kitchen, ready to eat the large spread of food his mother had made for dinner. “I am so glad that you’re here.”
“Me too.” I studied him. “And thank you for helping me realize that I have to make some major changes in the coming year.” I thought about the ads we’d started running the night before on social media—already I was happy with the results after less than twenty-four hours. The three he’d designed were getting better engagement than anything that I’d put together, and that made me hopeful. I knew my parents would be proud, too. Making a change didn’t mean I had to give up their legacy. “It was time, and you pushed me to do it.”
“I think the store can have new life, Nora. I really do.”
“Tara thinks so, too.”
He tucked a few wayward strands of hair behind my ear. “Excited to be part of it. This is going to be a great year for both of us. I can feel it.”
“To new beginnings that come in the most unexpected ways.”
“And to the magic of the holiday season.” I gazed deep into his eyes, intoxicated by the warmth and happiness I saw there. “Merry Christmas, Scott.”
“Merry Christmas, Nora,” he said before he kissed me.
And he was right. It was a very merry Christmas indeed.
THE END
