Page 35 of The Mountain Man's Fake Christmas Bride
"Maybe." A small smile touches her lips. "I want to be."
"Me too." I reach for her hand, relief flooding through me when she doesn't pull away. "I'm sorry I walked away. It's whatI always do when things get difficult. Retreat. Withdraw. Build walls."
"I know." She squeezes my hand. "I'm sorry I let my fears make you doubt how I feel. Because I do love you, Jared. More than I thought possible in the time we had."
"I love you too." I bring her hand to my lips, pressing a kiss to her palm. "And I want you to stay. Not just for now, but for as long as you want to be here. With me."
Her eyes fill with fresh tears. "Are you sure? It won't be perfect. I'll drive you crazy with my mess and my late nights and my tendency to use all the hot water."
"I'm counting on it."
She laughs softly, the sound like sunrise after the longest night. "We're really doing this? Taking a chance on us?"
"If you're willing."
Her answer is to slide from the chair into my arms, her lips finding mine in a kiss that tastes of tears and forgiveness and hope.
Morning bringsBeverly's arrival and a flurry of activity preparing for Christmas Eve. Jennifer and I move through it together, stealing touches and private smiles, our argument resolved but not forgotten. Instead, it feels like a necessary step. Our first real test as a couple, navigated imperfectly but ultimately strengthening the bond between us.
Beverly notices nothing amiss, greeting Jennifer with exaggerated enthusiasm while slipping me a wink when Mildred isn't looking. Too busy fussing over Aunt Mildred and loudlyinterrogating Jennifer about our "wedding day" for Mildred's benefit, she plays her role to perfection. Mildred catches my eye occasionally, a knowing look passing between us. She's keeping our secret, though I suspect more for her own amusement than for our benefit.
As the women decorate the living room for our "vow renewal," I slip away to my workshop. The wooden box I made for Jennifer is finished, but it's no longer the gift I want to give her. Instead, I open the small safe tucked beneath my workbench and remove a velvet pouch.
Inside lies my mother's engagement ring. A simple platinum band with a single diamond flanked by sapphires. I've kept it all these years, though I never imagined giving it to anyone. Not even Sarah.
But Jennifer? I can see it on her finger. Can picture her face when I give it to her. Can imagine a future where this symbol of commitment isn't fake or temporary but the beginning of something lasting.
It's fast. Probably insane by normal standards. But nothing about our relationship has followed conventional timing, so why start now?
I tuck the ring into my pocket just as Jennifer appears in the doorway.
"There you are. Beverly's going full wedding planner mode in there." She crosses to me, wrapping her arms around my waist. "I think she's more excited about this fake vow renewal than we are."
"About that." I rest my hands on her hips. "What if it wasn't fake?"
She pulls back slightly. "What do you mean?"
"Mildred knows. About our arrangement. Has since she arrived."
Her eyes widen. "She knows we're not really married?"
"She figured it out immediately."
"Oh God." She covers her face with her hands. "So, this whole charade has been for nothing?"
"Not nothing." I pull her hands away, holding them in mine. "It brought us together, didn't it? That's worth something."
"Everything," she corrects. "It's worth everything. But what do we do now? Tell them we know they know?"
"Actually, I had a different idea." I take a deep breath, gathering my courage. "What if we made it real?"
She freezes. "What?"
"Not a vow renewal." I reach into my pocket, withdrawing the ring. "A real ceremony. Real vows. Not because we're pretending for anyone else, but because we want this. Us."
Her gaze drops to the ring, then back to my face, shock evident in her expression. "Jared, are you proposing?"
"Apparently I'm doing it badly if you have to ask." I manage a nervous smile. "But yes. I am."
