Emma shifted the cheese plate closer to the apples. Or should the bowl of nuts be in front? Would they be easier to reach that way?
Mint touched her hand with his. “Everything is perfect. Stop fussing.”
She sighed. “I just want it to be right when Rachel gets here.”
He didn’t let go of her hand, but tugged her around so they were facing each other. He pulled her body against his and slid his other arm around her waist. He looked at her with the contented gaze of a man at peace, who had everything he wanted.
Or, at least, he thought he had everything he wanted. Mint didn’t know what she’d gotten him for Christmas.
He kissed her. Emma forgot about the cheese. The apples. And the bowl of nuts.
“Um…you guys. They’re here.”
Mint shifted, and she glanced over. Megan chuckled, then added, “That looked like fun.” She shot Adrian a look. He rubbed at his chin with his thumb and flushed. Emma found herself flushing also, completely embarrassed.
She glanced at Mint. They really needed to tell their friends the news.
The door opened. Steve and Rachel entered, followed by Bradley and Alexis. Rachel grinned. “You’re all here.”
“Merry Christmas!” Emma clapped. Mint pulled her against him.
Rachel leaned against Steve, looking very much like there was nowhere she would rather be. Clearly happy. She also looked like she needed to sit down. He led her to an armchair in the corner, beside the couch where Mrs. Cromwell sat with Megan’s mom. Rachel started up a conversation with them, while Steve poured two cups of coffee.
The Christmas tree in the corner had a few presents scattered underneath. Small, carefully wrapped gifts.
Bradley said, “Anyone know what that rust bucket Jag is, sitting outside in the parking lot?”
Emma said nothing.
Most of the rest of them shook their heads and looked at each other to see whose it was. Mint strode to the window and pulled down two slats of the blinds. He stared out the window in silence.
Was he going to like it? This was their first Christmas together. She didn’t want to mess it up.
“That’s an E type. Looks like late sixties.” He turned back, his gaze zeroed in on her.
Emma said, “Merry Christmas.”
Bradley and Steve moved with long strides to the window to look out. Adrian joined them. The FBI agent looked out between the blinds. “Looks like a piece of junk.”
“It isn’t.” Mint’s voice was low and steady. Then he came away from the window and moved to her. “Did you buy me a car for Christmas?”
Emma pressed her lips together.
Bradley called over his shoulder, “Does the thing even run?”
“No,” Emma said, not taking her eyes from the man she loved.
“That’s not the point.” Mint grinned, moving closer to her. His arms slid around her. He kissed her, shifting them both so she was bent back over his arm in a dip that took her breath away. Totally worth all the sleuthing, trying to figure out what he wanted. Turns out the answer to that was the “perfect” car, according to him. A project to tinker with.
When he straightened with her still in his arms, she touched his cheeks. “I love you.”
Mint let go of her with one arm, but not the other. He clicked his fingers. “Bradley, get me that metallic green gift box. The little one.”
Bradley huffed, but did as instructed and handed the box to Mint. He brought it between them so that she had to back up a fraction. Emma took the paper off and found a ring box.
“You guys are already engaged,” Megan said, sounding slightly perturbed. Adrian tugged her to him so they could stand together.
Emma lifted the lid on the box.
Mint said, “Because I didn’t get you one when we said our vows.”
Two silver bands, one thin and small and the other wider and bigger, sat together in the box.
“Merry Christmas.”
She kissed him while all their friends gasped and exclaimed.
“You guys got married!”
“Why didn’t you tell us?”
Emma leaned back to find Steve standing beside them. He said, “Congratulations.”
Rachel said, “When did you guys do this?”
“Couple of weeks ago,” Mint said.
“We were together so much, in the car and then separate hotel rooms.” Emma laughed. “It seems crazy to just do it for convenience sake, or so it was easier for Mint to protect me, but…” She felt her face flush again. Whatever their reason didn’t change the fact she was right where she wanted to be.
Mint and Emma both put on their wedding bands, and he slid the engagement ring on her finger after it. They hugged all their friends, and everyone enjoyed their pre-Christmas dinner. The actual day was coming up soon enough. But why wait to celebrate? They were all safe.
Emma leaned against Mint. He glanced at her, and she shifted to look up in his eyes. She said, “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
They kissed again.
“You guys are gross.”
Megan’s mother gasped. “Megan! I’ve seen you and Adrian act just as lovey-dovey as that.” She started to laugh. “You’re just jealous.”
Megan pouted, a smile in her eyes.
“I guess that’s my cue.”
Megan frowned, watching as Adrian set his mug on the coffee table and moved to the Christmas tree. “What cue? What are you talking about?”
She saw her mother shift, out the corner of her eye, but ignored it. She’d much rather look at her boyfriend. Life might be in complete shambles, but there was something about him that gave her peace.
He stilled her. When Adrian wasn’t there, the past crowded in. She got antsy and didn’t know what to focus on. Maybe when Double Down was back up and running, and she was on missions again, then she’d have somewhere to direct her energy. But right now, there was just Adrian.
Strong. Calm. Steady.
She wouldn’t be surprised if one day he was head of the whole FBI. Steve had given him all the credit for taking down the blackmailer, to the end that the president had called Adrian into his office to personally shake his hand.
Megan was the wild card. A renegade former FBI agent. She didn’t fit the mold and even now preferred to work solo. The bureau would never let her team up with Adrian. She’d finally given up her FBI credentials just to smooth out all the ruffled feathers. She was a free agent. An operative of Double Down.
She was proud of all her friends and what they’d done, despite what each of them had been through, but this man was the man she loved. She wanted to be in his life any way she could be and hoped he felt the same way.
Adrian stood and held out a tiny wrapped package for her. Not a ring box, like Emma had gotten. This was long and thin.
She took it. “What..?” Was she supposed to know what this was? He stood in front of her in silence while she tore into the tape. No sense wasting any time getting to the good part.
Someone giggled. Her mother huffed. Megan ignored it. What was he…
Inside the tiny box was a square diamond mounted on a silver ring. From it looped a delicate silver chain. She knew nothing about jewelry other than the fact she liked certain things. Simple decoration. It had to be functional as well as beautiful. Just because something wasn’t flashy, didn’t make it less meaningful.
“I figured you wouldn’t want to go on missions with it on your finger, so I had it put on a necklace.” There was a note of nervousness in his voice.
Megan lifted it from the box and looped the chain over her fingers so the ring dangled down. It blurred as tears filled her eyes.
Adrian crouched. “I’m doing this wrong, aren’t I?” He made a frustrated sound.
No one else spoke.
Megan shook her head. Words refused to form. She leaned close to him and pressed her lips to his. Tears rolled down her cheeks. She kept their faces close, noses touching, and leaned slightly against his face with her eyes closed.
“Megan.” He whispered her name.
She turned her head slightly and kissed his cheek. Despite the fact they’d said they loved each other, she’d been wondering if they should have talked more than that about their relationship. But how did you start that conversation?
She wanted to get married. She wanted to have children with the man she loved. Bradley and Alexis had done it fast, but they’d known each other for years and didn’t want to wait. Emma and Mint were engaged. Now they all knew the two had gotten married recently. Another case of not wanting to wait, not seeing the point in delaying the combining of their lives.
Megan wanted to get to know this man more. To build a life together on a strong foundation, like Bradley and Alexis had.
“I love you.” She whispered it to him, there in front of all their friends.
“Will you marry me? Soon.” He paused. “But not really soon, I want to give you time to actually plan it. Unlike these crazy people just getting hitched on a whim.” He shook his head. “What is that about?”
Megan laughed.
Adrian took the ring from the chain. “Well?”
There was so much hope in his eyes. She loved it that she was the one who put it there. The possibility, the promise. It was a beautiful thing. “Yes, I’d love to marry you…in six to twelve months.”
Everyone laughed. Her mother made a Phew sound and looked at the ceiling. “Thank You, Jesus.” She glanced around then. “I love you all, but I’m going broke from these spur of the moment weddings—and Christmas.”
Mrs. Cromwell lifted her glass. “Here, here.”
Megan grinned. Adrian slid the ring on her finger and tugged on her hand until she stood. He kissed her again.
Mrs. Cromwell said, “Are we done with the big announcements, or is it time to eat?”
Everyone laughed. Bradley started toward the table of food, but Alexis caught his hand, stalling him. She said, “Well…” dragging the word out.
“You’re already married!” Rachel laughed.
“Lex?” He didn’t sound worried, but he had no idea why she hadn’t let go of him yet.
Alexis bit her lip, looking up at her husband with a whole lot of what Megan felt for Adrian in her eyes.
“I’m pregnant.”
Rachel gasped.
Bradley’s legs looked like they gave out. He crumpled in front of her and landed on his good knee.
Alexis choked back a sob as he straightened, still on one knee.
“I… We…” It was like he didn’t even know what to say.
A tear rolled down Megan’s face. Adrian pulled her under his shoulder, fingering her ring with his free hand. She buried her face against his shirt and watched her friends.
Alexis nodded. In a soft voice, almost too quiet to hear she said, “We’re having a baby, honey.”
Rachel whooped loudly. Bradley hugged his wife’s middle. Steve kissed Rachel. Emma and Mint spoke quietly to each other, whispering married people secrets.
Megan hugged her mother and gave Mrs. Cromwell a kiss on her cheek. It might seem weird to some that the elderly mother of the man who’d betrayed her, kidnapped her and then wound up saving her life would spend Christmas with them. But Megan had found forgiveness to be the most freeing thing in life. She might not have fully forgiven the men who turned her life around and killed her partner, yet. But inviting a lonely lady to be part of their family meant something to all of them.
It didn’t matter what had gone on through the year.
Christmas was here.