It was Christmas Day and the late morning sunshine filtered through the snow that fell faint and dazzling like glitter outside the Jolly family home. Adam was in the living room, tidying the brightly colored wrapping paper scattered around the floor from where it had fallen when they’d opened presents. The smell of turkey and gravy cooking came from the kitchen, along with the happy voices of his parents and Matty.
He and Noelle had barely spoken and hadn’t had a moment alone since the emergency vehicles had converged on the scene of the crash the night before. He’d given multiple statements to police, seen Lou rolled away, ranting angrily on a stretcher, and even relented to a quick look over by a paramedic himself. Then he’d headed home where two hours of gift wrapping had awaited him. He’d told his parents Noelle and Liberty were coming for Christmas, placed the presents under the tree and reassured his mom that she had indeed set the cinnamon buns for breakfast to bake in the bread maker overnight. Then he’d finally tumbled into bed shortly after midnight only to be woken up by an excited Matty bouncing on his bed at six in the morning. There’d then been Christmas stockings and warm cinnamon buns with butter, followed by family church and opening presents.
Yet, somehow, it hadn’t quite felt like Christmas, until the moment he heard the crunch of tires in the snow outside his house and looked out to see Noelle and Liberty walking up the driveway. He watched as Noelle whispered something in Liberty’s ear and then he opened the door, Liberty barreling through.
“Matty’s in the kitchen!” he told Liberty, as her snout brushed his leg briefly, before bounding past him into the kitchen where Matty greeted her with glee.
Then Adam slid his feet into his boots and stepped outside to meet Noelle. There was a familiar-shaped and gift-wrapped box in her hands. His eyebrows rose. “You brought a FlupperPup?”
“It’s for Matty,” she said. “I know Irene already got him one, but I thought these two could be friends. It’s a yellow Lab. I used some black fabric paint to paint a black smudge on her ear to match Liberty’s.”
Gratitude surged in Adam’s heart. How had he possibly met a woman as amazing and thoughtful as her?
“He’ll love it,” Adam said. “It’s perfect. You’re...you’re perfect.”
He hesitated, feeling his arms ache to hug her, but not wanting to squish the package in her hands.
“I need to tell you that we found one more drug-filled FlupperPup,” she said. “It was in Quentin’s apartment. You were right that he had nothing to do with Lou Shmit’s drug-smuggling enterprise. It just happened to be the only FlupperPup in the toy shipment for your first event on the twenty-third. When he saw how Matty made a beeline for it and picked it up, Quentin set it aside, to ask you if he could give it to him. Then he forgot about it. I think he’s planning on calling you later, but didn’t want to interrupt Christmas morning. But that explains the mystery of why Liberty sensed trace amounts of drugs on Matty at the mall.”
“I’m really thankful that Liberty did,” he said. “I shudder to think what would’ve happened to all of us if she hadn’t led you to us.”
A smile filled her face. “I’m really thankful too.”
His hand slid down and squeezed her free one.
“Come inside,” he said. “Everyone’s looking forward to seeing you, lunch will be ready soon and we have cinnamon buns left over from breakfast if you can’t wait.”
Besides, he’d been in such a hurry to greet her he’d forgotten to put on his coat.
“One moment,” she said. “You said a lot of words to me yesterday and I have something I want to say to you.”
She took a deep breath and he felt something tighten in his chest.
“I like you, Adam,” she said. “I really, really like you. I get why you’re scared because this is all new to me too. I’ve never met someone I felt this way about before. Which is why...”
Her words trailed off and she took a deep breath, her eyes closing as if she were praying silently. Then she opened them again and took another step toward him until he could feel the warmth of her against his chest.
“Which is why I want us to be friends, just for a while,” she said. “I want to get to know your parents and your son. I want to get to know you and I want you to get to know me, until we’re both ready for something more.”
Something rumbled deep in his chest. He looked down at their linked hands. Then his other hand brushed her cheek.
“There’s nothing I want more for Christmas,” he said, “than to get to know you better.”
“Me too,” she said softly.
Two months later, faded red and pink construction paper Valentine hearts covered his living room mantel where the Christmas garland had been. Adam stood at the front window and watched as Matty and Liberty charged around the melted remnants of their Christmas snowmen, skidding on the tufts of grass from the first thaw of spring, which Adam knew would be covered up soon enough by a fresh burst of snow.
Then he turned to where Noelle sat on the couch and his heart soared with thanksgiving for how their relationship had grown, day by day, week by week, meal by meal and conversation by conversation, as slowly they’d gotten to know each other. She’d passed her internal police investigation with flying colors and was back to working long hours on new high-profile drugs cases with Liberty and the rest of their team. But she always made time for Adam and his family. And as for right now, in this quiet moment alone, he had her full attention, and she had his.
“I have a surprise,” he said. He pulled his guitar from its place by the couch, then sat down on the coffee table opposite her and started to strum. “I’ve been practicing. It’s slow going, but I’m getting there.”
For a long moment, he sat there, his knees bumping hers and singing under his breath as he played one of the first songs he’d learned as a teenager.
When he finished, Noelle leaned toward him.
“You have no idea how extraordinary you are, do you, Adam?” she asked.
“Funny,” he said and set the guitar down. “I feel the same way about you.”
Her hand brushed his jaw.
“Is it okay if I tell you I love you?” she asked.
“Very okay,” he said. “Because I’m so very in love with you too, Noelle. I love everything about you. How you care, how you push yourself and who you’re striving to be. I love how you are with my parents and Matty. I miss you every moment you’re not around and I’m so unbelievably happy when you’re near me. You make me feel like the richest man alive.”
Her hand slid around the back of his neck. “I’m ready to be more than friends, if you are.”
He took her face in his hands and thanked God for blessing him with this extraordinary woman.
“I’m ready to ask you to marry me,” he confessed.
“And I’m ready to say yes to that,” she said.
A grin turned at the corner of his mouth. “Noelle, will you please marry me and be my wife?”
“Of course I will.”
Then he pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply, knowing without a shadow of a doubt he was holding the woman he was going to spend the rest of his life with.
Keep reading for an excerpt from Deadly Amish Reunion by Dana R. Lynn.