My heart hammers in my chest. Did North really shout that across the room for the whole town to hear? Everyone is here tonight because no one misses the annual holiday party. At least that’s what Tinsel told me as we got ready.
I was so worried about coming to the party in what could be a wedding dress or an over-the-top winter wonderland ball gown. I knew North and I would already be the center of attention tonight, but Tinsel didn’t back down from me putting the dress on.
Once I had it on and saw myself in the mirror, I didn’t want to take it off. I was a princess, or at least that’s what it felt like. It’s special because North had this made for me, and that made me want to wear it even more.
“Joy.” North steps closer. He’s always handsome, but tonight he’s in a tux and the bowtie makes him downright sexy. “I…ah.” He runs his fingers through his hair, and I can tell he’s flustered. He’s always so put together, but now North isn’t sure what move to make next.
North always knows what he’s doing, and I know that. The reality of that flows through me just like his words do. He didn’t marry me because he thought it would be good on paper or even to keep women from hitting on him. Some women will never care if he is married, at least based on Donna's embarrassed expression. She stands there quietly with the rest of the town, and it seems like they’re all waiting for one of us to do or say something.
“You’re trying to trap me?” I’m fighting back tears thinking that North planned this whole thing. He wanted to marry me because he wants me for himself. Little does he know he never had to trap me. I’ve been his from the moment he offered me the job. When I think back to that first interview and how quickly he got me moved out here, I realize he felt the same.
“Is it really trapping if you’re my wife?” he asks.
“A question with a question. You’re really off your game tonight,” Tinsel says from behind me, and I can hear the smile in her voice. Tinsel isn’t a girly girl, but she was down with getting dressed up with me. That should have clued me in about tonight being more than the Winter Wonderland Dance.
“I’ve never been more on my game,” North fires back at his sister as he offers his hand to me.
Without hesitation, I take it, and he pulls me into him. The second my body is flush against his, he drops his mouth to mine and kisses me in front of everyone. I moan into his mouth, kissing my husband right back, not caring at all that the whole room has their eyes on us.
“You know we’re all still here?” Tinsel says, and I blush.
It’s not that I actually care. I'm more lost in the fact that North doesn’t seem to mind that everyone can see us kissing. I guess he just announced to everyone he’s trying to knock me up, so I shouldn’t be surprised.
“I know where I am,” he tells her, but he’s staring right at me. “I didn’t give my wife a proper wedding. I was in too much of a hurry to get her to marry me once I got her to agree to it.” He says it loud enough for everyone to be able to hear.
“You thought I was going to back out?” Did he really not see how much I loved him? I was sure he caught me staring at him a few times, but I suppose he might have been as clueless as I’ve been about his feelings for me.
“It took me six months to get you to marry me,” he responds, as if that has been a lifetime.
“I only moved here six months ago,” I laugh.
“Your flirt game is terrible,” Tinsel mutters.
“You’re one to talk. How long did you two dance around each other?” I turn to glance her way and see Jack standing behind her. They’ve known each other for years.
“Yeah.” North agrees with me, and I peek up at him to see a smug expression on his face that I’ve come to his defense. I’m his wife now, so I’m kind of supposed to do it.
“All right, you guys win this round.” Tinsel may be giving us the win, but she’s doing it with a giant smile on her face.
“Now, back to what I was saying if my sister can butt out for a minute,” North says, and Tinsel pretends to zip her lips.
I turn back to face my husband, and if I wasn’t overflowing with happiness, I’d hate how everyone is watching us like their own personal Hallmark movie.
“I know we’re already married, but I still want us to celebrate our marriage and for you to get the white dress and the proposal you deserve.” He drops to one knee in front of me.
“North,” I gasp as he slides a ring onto my finger right up against the band he bought me the day we got married. I stare down at the antique emerald-cut diamond that has a halo of smaller diamonds around it. I've never seen anything more beautiful in my life. This must be the family ring, and although I know we’re already married, this solidifies it.
“Promise me that you’ll forever be my wife because I promise that I will love you for eternity.”
Tears spill down my cheeks as I nod my head, unable to speak. North rises to his feet and kisses me again before everyone breaks out into cheers.
“I love you too,” I tell him the second his mouth leaves mine. “So much.”
“Good, because promise or not, you’re staying my wife.” He holds me tighter to him.
“Love is in the air,” Carol says with her hand resting on her baby bump. “That dress looks gorgeous on you.”
“I love it. Thank you so much for making it so quickly.”
“We knew it was only a matter of time,” Tinsel says as she comes to stand next to Carol. As normal, Jack wraps his arm around Tinsel, keeping her close the same way North is doing with me now.
“Seriously?” I ask. “You guys thought we’d be a thing?”
“Yes,” everyone around us says in unison. And here I thought no one would buy the two of us being a couple.
“So that whole power going out thing,” Tinsel says, “might not have been real.”
“What?” North and I say at the same time. Clearly he’s as confused as I am.
“I turned it off.” Jack shrugs. “The sheriff ordered me to do it.”
My mouth falls open as I think about that night. The power did go off right after she left.
“You’re a brat, you know that?” North chuckles.
“I love you too,” Tinsel says smugly before winking at me. “Welcome to the family.”
“Welcome home, sweetheart,” North whispers against my lips before he kisses me again. The man really is insatiable, but more than that, he’s right.
I am home.