SlowHand-25

Epilogue

A crash sounded outside her apartment, sending Nikki racing to the front door. She flung it open to find Shelby dragging a gargantuan fir tree up the steps.

“What the heck are you doing, Shel?”

Shelby looked up, her Santa hat askew. “What does it look like? The trees were on clearance at the Home Depot, so I thought I’d buy one and spread some Christmas cheer.”

Nikki scrunched her face. “Don’t you think it’s a bit too big for the apartment? That thing must be seven feet tall!”

Shelby shrugged. “I wanted the best one. Though I think it’s going to look more like a Charlie Brown tree by the time I get it in the door.”

On closer examination, the tree was pretty dried up and its needles formed a trail of green all the way from the apartment steps to the parking lot.

“How on earth did you even get it home?” Nikki asked.

“Got a ride from the guy working in the garden department. I also have a date now for New Year’s Eve.” Shelby winked. “It was kind of a trade.”

“Glad to know one of us will be having a good time.”

“So, you still can’t get a flight out?”

“No,” Nikki sighed. “And I miss Wade horribly. We were supposed to spend New Year’s Eve together, but the airlines are completely booked until the weekend after the holiday. I’ve called every day and put myself on all the waiting lists. I had no idea Montana is such a popular Christmas destination.”

“You could always drive there,” Shelby suggested.

Nikki shook her head. “Not on your life. I’ve never driven in snow before, let alone snow- and ice-covered mountains. The idea of it terrifies me even more than flying. Besides, I was going to leave you my car since you still don’t have one.”

“That old piece of—”

Nikki silenced her with a look. “It’s still better than the one you don’t have, isn’t it?” she retorted, hands on her hips. “A little appreciation might not be out of order.”

“Quit acting like my mother.”

“Then don’t be such an ungrateful little brat.”

Shelby dropped the tree and threw her hands in the air. “Fine! I’m outta here!”

“C’mon, Shel,” Nikki cajoled. “Let’s not get into it again. It’s Christmas Eve. I’d rather have eggnog than arguments.”

Shelby’s scowl softened. “You’re right. And I could go for a drink. You got anything good to spike it with? Or do I need to go back out and hit the package store?”

“I’ve got a bottle of Bacardi stashed away.”

“Had,” Shelby corrected.

“You drank it?”

Shelby shrugged. “Mojitos go really good with Jerry Springer.”

“I can’t believe anyone with your IQ watches that crap!”

“It’s highly entertaining…not to mention culturally enlightening.”

Nikki shook her head. “If that’s true, I’d rather stay in the dark, thank you very much. C’mon. Let’s get this pathetic tree inside, although with all my stuff packed up, I’m not sure what we’ll decorate it with.”

Shelby grinned. “Don’t worry. I bought a bunch of Christmas thongs on clearance.”

* * *

“I’m so sad,” Nikki whispered tearily into her phone. “I tried every flight but it’s impossible. I really miss you, Wade.”

“Me too, darlin’,” Wade replied. “More than you know. I can’t wait to show you just how much. We’ll make up for all the lost time when I see you.”

“You promise?” Nikki asked.

“Yeah. I promise.”

“How are you going to make it up?”

“You really want me to tell you?”

“Yeah. In explicit detail, but maybe I should take this conversation into the bedroom first.”

“That might be a good idea,” Shelby replied, rolling her eyes and upending the empty bottle of Captain Morgan.

The doorbell rang. Nikki stared at her watch with a scowl. It was almost midnight. Who would be dropping by at this time of night? The bell chimed a second time. She covered the phone and hissed to Shelby who was sprawled across the sofa watching a marathon of A Christmas Story. “Get it, will you? I’m kinda busy right now.”

Shelby protested, “But this is the part where he gets his tongue stuck to the flagpole.”

When Shelby still made no move to answer it, Nikki jerked her head toward the door. “All right already!” Shelby muted the movie before heaving herself up to answer the bell.

“I’ll be counting the days,” Nikki continued to Wade.

“That so? Well, I’m counting the seconds now. I’m hoping it’s not more than thirty before you answer the door.”

“What?” Nikki bolted out of her chair. “Are you saying—”

Shelby flung the door open. “Well, boy howdy, Nikki! Just look at what Santa dropped off!”

Wade stepped through the doorway, tipping his hat with a mile-wide grin. “Merry Christmas.”

“Wade!” Nikki shrieked, shoving Shelby out of the way to leap with simultaneous laughter and tears into his open arms. He picked her up and swung her around, almost knocking over the thong-covered Christmas tree. “How did you get here?” she asked, raining kisses all over his beloved, beard-stubbled face.

“Camped out for two straight days at the airport waiting for anyone to no-show on any flight headed south. I only got as far as St. Louis and then had to rent a car and drive the rest of the way.”

“I can’t believe you did that! Or that you’re really here!”

“I couldn’t stand the thought of not being with you for Christmas, New Year’s, or any other day to come.”

“Oh, Wade,” she cried. “I don’t even know what to say!”

He flashed his sexy grin. “Say yes.”

“Of course! Yes! Yes! A thousand times yes!” She suddenly drew back with a puzzled look. “Yes to what?”

“You didn’t think I came empty-handed did you? A guy who shows up at his girl’s place on Christmas Eve had better be armed.”

Nikki’s heart almost stopped when he plucked a velvet-covered ring box out of his shirt pocket.

“Oh my God!” Shelby’s jaw dropped. “A ring? He brought you a freaking ring!”

Nikki swallowed hard. “But we never even talked about this. I thought we were going to wait a while to see…” She stared at the box, afraid even to touch it.

He opened the box to a gorgeous emerald-cut diamond surrounded by glittering baguettes. Nikki stared down at the ring through eyes blurred with joyful tears and then back at Wade.

“I’m not getting any less certain about us.” He paused, searching her face. “Are you?”

“No,” she cried. “It’s been agony being away from you these past weeks.”

“Me too. I know we didn’t talk about this but it just felt right to me. We don’t have to rush into it if you don’t want to, but you’ll let me put it on your finger, won’t you?”

His eyes held a look of uncertainty, of vulnerability, that she’d never seen in him before. Did he actually think she’d refuse it? With her throat too tight to speak, Nikki stuck out her hand with an emphatic nod. Wade took it in his with an audible sigh of relief and then dropped to one knee.

“You’ve got to be kidding.” Shelby grimaced. “Are you for real?”

Wade’s grin returned, even broader than before, displaying his perfect white teeth and a mind-erasing dimple. “Humor me, Shelby. I’m an old-fashioned kinda guy.”

Wade’s expression immediately sobered when he took Nikki’s left hand in his. “I had this all planned out. I was going to ask you this question on New Year’s Eve, after a bottle of wine and a nice romantic dinner, but once I bought the ring, I knew I couldn’t wait. I’ve already wasted enough time in my life. Now that I know what I want, I don’t want to waste another minute.”

“Me either,” she whispered.

His eyes of crystal blue bored into hers. “Then will you marry me, Nikki? Will you be my best friend and my lover for real and forever?”

Nikki watched in breathless amazement as he slid the ring past her knuckle and firmly onto her finger. She gazed at the shimmering diamonds thinking this was the most sublime moment of her entire life. “I still can’t believe this,” she murmured.

“That’s not the answer I was hoping for, sweetheart.”

“How about this?” She clasped his face between her hands, kissing it all over with wild abandon. Wade soon took command, toppling her backwards over his knee for a long, deep, heart-clenching kiss, releasing her from it slowly, reluctantly.

“Can I take that as an affirmative?” he asked.

“Yes, Wade.” Nikki stroked his perfect face feeling like her heart would burst. “I’ll be your best friend and your lover. For real and forever.”