Protecting What's Mine(123)

Mack laughed and took Sunshine as Linc headed off to go find Luke.

Harper hurried down the porch steps, bundled up in a bright red parka.

“Your house looks stunning,” Mack told her.

It did. There were thousands of lights. Every window, every door, was framed in white Christmas lights. The porch columns and railings were wrapped so tightly the wood wasn’t even visible. The roof was lit up like a runway. Wreaths hung from every window. Candy canes lit the walkway from sidewalk to front porch.

“Thank you,” she said, beaming. “Luke goes bigger and bigger every year.”

“I think he does it for you,” Mack guessed.

Harper’s eyes filled with tears, reflecting the dancing lights that covered just about every inch of her home. “I can’t believe I could have missed this. I could have left. I was going to leave. Move on. Start over again. And I would’ve missed out on the greatest things in my life.”

Lola the pit bull in her Santa sweater and tiny Max in his bowtie barked playfully at an inflatable snowman in the front yard.

The kids ran in and out of the crowd, playing keep-away with a reindeer mitten. Luke and Linc stood side-by-side, arms crossed, feet wide on the sidewalk as they admired their handiwork.

Tears rolled down her friend’s face. Tears of joy and gratitude, of a happiness that filled her to the point of overflowing.

“I’m glad you stayed,” Mack said, clearing her throat.

“I’m glad you stayed,” Harper said, leaning in to give her a hard hug.

Mack swiped her sleeve under her nose. It wouldn’t do to have the town’s family practitioner sobbing on the sidewalk on Christmas Eve.





Linc





“Dreamy, we need to go back home and get naked together soon or I’m going to go hypothermic,” he groused as she led him somewhere. He wasn’t sure where because she’d insisted he close his eyes. He just knew that as soon as the Wellness Club’s Christmas Light Walking Tour wrapped up, she was dragging him off.

“Yeah, yeah. Soon. I promise.”

“It’s Christmas Eve. I want to unwrap my Christmas present.”

“Almost there,” she promised breathlessly.

“And by ‘Christmas present,’ I mean you, and by ‘unwrap,’ I mean take your clothes off.”

“Okay. You can open your eyes now.” Mack sounded practically giddy.

Linc opened his eyes. She was bouncing on her toes, hands clasped under her chin, in front of the old fire station. Sunshine danced excitedly next to her.

He glanced up to the second-floor windows. The exact spot where only a few weeks ago they’d fucked themselves senseless.

“Since your place is too small and mine burned down, I thought we’d need a more permanent option,” she said gleefully.

“Another option?” he parroted.

“To live in.”

“You want to live here? With me?” He was leveled. Absolutely fucking leveled.

She nodded. “That’s kind of the plan. I mean, if you’re smart enough to recognize what a good deal this is.”

He was having trouble comprehending what she was saying.

“Run this by me again one more time?” he demanded gruffly.

“I’m picking you. I’m choosing you. And I’m asking you if you’ll…” Her voice got tight. Her words stalling.

Dreamy was never without her nerve.

“Are you okay?” He reached for her, but she took a step back.

She shook her head impatiently and took a breath. “I’m asking you, Lincoln Reed, if you’ll marry me. If you’ll move into this fire station with me. If you’ll help me plant roots here.”

Sunshine let out a happy little bark as if she understood everything Linc was having trouble grasping.

“What? Wait. What?” This time when he reached for her, she let him.

“Oh, come on! I’m asking you if you’ll make an honest woman out of me, Hotshot.” She grinned up at him and threw her arms around his neck. “Say yes.”

He was the luckiest son of a bitch in the world.

“You’re damn right I’ll marry you,” he said, lifting her feet clear off the ground and spinning her around. Sunshine ran in delirious circles.

“I knew you were beautiful and smart.” Mack laughed. Her arms tightened around him, and he saw the glisten of tears in those beautiful, bottle green eyes.

“Are you sure about this?”

She shook her head. “I’m scared shitless. That’s how I know it’s going to be good.”

“I won’t let you down, Dreamy,” he promised her earnestly.

She smirked. “I know you won’t. And I’ll do my best to return the favor. This is going to be one hell of an adventure.”

“I’ll make sure it is,” he promised fervently.

“It’s a wreck,” she warned him. “I’ve already walked the building with Luke. It’s gonna be a lot of work to make it livable.”

“A hell of an adventure,” Linc repeated, feeling his heart swelling in his chest.

She’d chosen him. Mackenzie O’Neil had picked him to spend the rest of her life with. He wasn’t just lucky. He was golden.