Page 21 of Winter in Kentbury
“Yeah, just . . . had a long day,” I say, trying to brush it off. But she sees right through me, just like she always does.
We finish eating, and I excuse myself, saying I need to go to the restroom. As I stand, my hand accidentally knocks my fork off the table, and I bend down to pick it up. Before I know it, I’m on one knee, looking up at her, and the moment feels both surreal and perfect.
Jenna’s eyes widen, and she tilts her head, a confused but hopeful smile starting to form. “Holden . . . what are you doing?”
Taking a deep breath, I reach into my pocket and pull out the ring box, opening it to reveal the ring I’d chosen just for her.
“Jenna . . . from the moment I met you all those years ago, I knew there was something extraordinary about you. You got under my skin in ways I couldn’t shake, and no matter how far away I went, you stayed with me.
“The way I felt about you then is the way I still feel now, only deeper. I wasted so much time thinking I wasn’t good enough, thinking my past would ruin what we had. But I don’t want to waste any more time.
“I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to make you laugh, to make you smile, to be the man who’ll be there for you through every season.”
I look into her eyes, holding out the ring with a hand that shakes, my heart thundering. “Jenna Santos, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Her eyes fill with tears, and a soft gasp escapes her lips as her hands fly to her mouth. She stares at the ring for a heartbeat, and then her gaze meets mine, her face full of love and joy I can’t believe is directed at me.
“Oh, Holden, yes! Yes, of course I’ll marry you,” she cries, reaching for me, her hands framing my face as she pulls me into a kiss that says more than any words could. Her lips are warm, and I taste the salt of her happy tears mixed with her laughter as I wrap my arms around her, deepening the kiss, feeling like the luckiest man alive.
After a moment, she pulls back, her cheeks flushed, her eyes shining, and holds out her hand. I slip the ring onto her finger, and it glimmers in the candlelight. We spend the rest of the evening lost in each other, planning a life, a future, a forever. And as I watch her gaze at the ring, a smile on her face, I know this is only the beginning of our story—one I’m ready to live, every single day, by her side.
Epilogue
Holden
I standin front of the mirror, adjusting my tuxedo, barely recognizing the man staring back at me. In a few short hours, I’ll be marrying the love of my life, and somehow, that fact still feels unreal. Just months ago, the thought of being here, about to callJenna my wife, was nothing more than a dream I never dared to hope would come true. But here I am, about to make the most important promise of my life.
Landon steps up beside me, clapping a hand on my shoulder with a grin that tells me he’s just as excited as I am. “You ready?”
I meet his eyes in the mirror, my own reflection softened by a smile I can’t contain. “I’ve never been more ready for anything in my life. I’ve dreamed about this day for so long . . . part of me still can’t believe it’s happening. Feels like any minute now, I’ll wake up, and it’ll all be gone.”
Landon shakes his head, pulling me into a tight hug. “This isn’t a dream, Holden. You’re here, and you’re about to marry the love of your life. I couldn’t be happier for you, man. You deserve this more than anyone I know.”
I smile, and in that moment, I feel grounded, standing here with my brother by my side. He’s right. This isn’t a dream—it’s the best kind of reality. Coming home to Kentbury has changed everything for me, and for the first time in my life, I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
The McFolleys joke about Kentbury having some kind of magic in its soil, and now, standing here in a tuxedo, waiting to marry Jenna, I can’t deny it. Coming back here brought me back to her, and I wouldn’t change a single thing.
“You’re right,” I tell Landon, straightening my tie one last time and meeting his eyes with a steady gaze. “Life’s hard, but with the right person, all of it—the struggles, the setbacks—it’s worth it. I just wish I hadn’t taken so long to see that she was right in front of me all along.”
Landon nods, his voice low, carrying that quiet reassurance only a brother can offer. “Sometimes our heads get in the way of our hearts. But you finally figured it out. You two . . . you’re perfect together. She’s the missing piece you didn’t know you were waiting for.”
I take a deep breath, letting his words sink in. I’m ready. I step out of the room and head toward the gazebo, the late-afternoon sun casting a warm glow across the flower-strewn pathway. Purple and white roses—Jenna’s favorite—adorn every arch and beam of the gazebo, filling the air with their sweet fragrance. Raffa McFolley stands there, waiting with a knowing smile, ready to guide us into the vows we’ve both waited too long to say.
I feel the anticipation building in my chest, each step toward that gazebo making my heart beat a little faster. And then the music starts, soft and melodic, and I look down the aisle to see her, my Jenna, the love of my life.
My breath catches as she steps into view, radiant in a dress that looks like it was made just for her. The gown is soft, layers of lace and satin cascading down to the floor, catching the light with a delicate shimmer.
The bodice hugs her frame, intricate lace forming a sweetheart neckline that highlights the graceful curve of her shoulders. The dress seems to glow around her, like she’s surrounded by some otherworldly light, and as she walks toward me, her eyes on mine, I feel my heart expand in a way that’s almost overwhelming.
She reaches the gazebo, her hand slipping into mine as her eyes lock with mine. I’m filled with an indescribable warmth, like everything I’ve ever needed is right here in front of me.
Raffa begins, his voice steady, warm. “We gather here today to celebrate the union of two people who have journeyed a long way to be together. Life may have separated you once, but love brought you back.”
Jenna and I exchange a smile, a quiet acknowledgment of everything we’ve been through, everything that brought us to this very moment.
Raffa looks to Jenna first. “Jenna, would you like to say your vows?”
She nods, taking a soft breath, her hand holding mine tightly as she begins.
