by Liz Durano
"That was amazing, Mariah," he murmurs, resting his forehead against mine as we catch our breath.
"I just might be in the mood for more later."
He chuckles. "I'll be ready. Will you?"
"Of course." I kiss the tip of his nose. "Happy New Year, Mr. Garrison."
"Happy New Year, Miss Peters." He kisses me on the lips, grinning. "Come here."
As Logan pulls me toward him and plants a kiss on my forehead, there's nothing else I want to do to greet the new year but this, moving on together as the world turns on a new leaf, a new year... a new me.
Epilogue
Mariah
Snow covers the ground when we arrive at the Soraya Lodge two months later. Ski season is in full swing and the parking lot to the main lodge is full, the sign at the front window indicating that there are no vacancies.
It's times like these when Mom and Dad enjoy the influx of visitors to the lodge, regaling them with stories about the area or in Mom's case, about the efficacy of certain crystals depending on their current need. Love? Try rose quartz to heal old love wounds first and then follow it with malachite or Amazonite. Need clarity? Why not try amethyst or citrine?
I probably have enough rose quartz to last me a lifetime as well as a wire-wrapped malachite pendant that Mom sent me as soon as she heard that Logan and I were seeing each other a month after we left the Soraya.
"For real this time?" she'd asked over the phone, doubt evident in her voice.
"Yes, Mom," I reply. "I promise I won't lie to you ever again about that or anything else for that matter. We've been officially dating since New Year's Eve."
That's when she sent me the malachite pendant the following week and for Logan, a bracelet made of hematite and malachite beads. And he's worn it ever since he received it, removing it only when he's working with engines so it doesn't get dirty.
We're actually on a date, four straight days of doing nothing but relaxing. It's one of the things Logan has wanted to do since we officially started dating—to come back up here so we can face my parents and show them that this time, it's real. No more lies, no more charades.
There's no work, either. No phone calls from the shop for the next four days, not even to check the sales numbers. That will be Harper's job, now that she's part of the flower shop, too.
Still, there’s no denying how nervous I am to see my parents again, not after what happened and how disappointed they were when they learned the truth about my engagement. But what’s done is done. What matters most is what's happened since then and I couldn't be happier. While our businesses have both exploded ever since the New Year and getting together has often been a challenge, our return to the lodge marks a chance for a do-over. We even get our very own cabin.
Except for Harper who's holding down the fort in LA, everyone else has come down for a mini-reunion of sorts. They all greet us the moment we arrive at the house at two in the afternoon. Over coffee and freshly baked cookies, we talk about what everyone's been up to, from Emily and Brad who are trying for a second baby to Forrest who's busy leading snowshoe hikes along the Royal Gorge.
Afterward, the men head to the garage to talk about Dad's truck while Mom and Emily pull me aside to quiz me about the New Year's Eve wedding that put my small flower shop on the map after the bride raved about it to a major lifestyle magazine. That's why Harper is manning the fort while I'm gone, because business pretty much ballooned and I can't handle everything alone anymore. It helps that she's not exactly alone either. Cooper is with her.
"So what are your plans now that everything's real?" Emily asks after all the business questions have been answered. "Everything is real this time, right?"
"Of course, it's real, Em. But right now, we're just dating," I reply. "We've only been officially dating for two months."
"So what?" Emily asks. "It's not like you guys haven't known each other for years before you officially started dating."
I sigh. No, marriage is not on the table. Not yet. With business at the shop booming and the Garrison brothers going on a sponsored road trip along the coast for three weeks that's appearing soon on their Youtube channel, we've barely spent enough time together the last two months. "Whatever you're thinking, Em, it's too soon for that."
"Nothing is ever too soon," Mom says, grinning. "After all, you guys were already kinda engaged during the holidays."
I roll my eyes. "Mom, that was different."
She looks at me with a faint smile, her eyes glinting mischievously. "Was it?"
The sound of footsteps on the deck signals the return of the men from the garage and an end to any more questions about Logan and me. I jump up from the couch, joining Logan at the door.
"Hey, you," he says, kissing me fully on the lips in front of everyone. "Would you like to take a walk with me before it gets dark?"
I nod. "Definitely. Let me grab my coat."
We hike along one of the easy trails around the lodge, enjoying our time together and not caring who sees us. With guests coming and going, enjoying all the activities Soda Springs has to offer, we take advantage of the anonymity and the privacy. We even have a playful snowball fight which Logan starts as we make it back to our cabin. But I make sure to get him good with one snowball hitting him smack in the face. He laughs, tackling me to the ground before kissing me, his lips cold against mine.
I giggle. "Your lips are cold."
"So are yours. But it'll warm up soon enough," he says as he gets to his feet and helps me up. "Come on, I want to check something out."
"What?"
"Where it all started."
"Where what started?" I frown, not knowing what he means but the moment I see where we're headed, it makes sense. The little bridge where we had our first kiss.
"This is where it officially started," he says when we get to the middle of the bridge and look around us. I can see the main house. I can even see my parents standing by the window. Emily is standing on the deck.
"I've been waiting for this moment for awhile now," Logan continues as I turn to look at him.
"What moment?"
"Kissing you again... for real this time."
"But we've been kissing for real since the New Year. Actually we've been doing more than just kissing," I say, laughing but Logan looks serious.
"You know what I mean, Mariah."
I hold my breath as he cups my face in his hands. There's that same intensity in his eyes that I love, the one that tells me that underneath the happy-go-lucky persona that people know, there's a man who's serious about life, especially when it comes to love and family. I close my eyes as Logan lowers his face toward mine, the feel of his lips warm and soft. My arms wrap around his neck as his kiss deepens, heat racing through my body. I can never get enough of Logan, not his eyes and that smile that always makes every moment better, nor those arms that know when to hold me and keep me safe. Definitely not his heart that never seems to fear being true.
"I love you, Mariah."
"I love you, too, Logan," I say, wanting to ask him what's going on. But before I can, Logan gets down on one knee in front of me and pulls out a small box from his coat pocket.
I bring my hand to my mouth, my mind going a mile a minute as I look around us. Is it true? No, can't be. Is he really doing it... right here while my parents and sister are standing by the window watching us?
"Will you marry me, Mariah Peters? For real this time?"
But even with the rush of questions, my rational brain going a mile a minute, my heart knows the answer. It always did and there is no hesitation.
"Yes, Logan Garrison. I will marry you," I reply, pulling him up to his feet and kissing him as my parents join Emily and Brad on the deck, all of them cheering happily. "For real this time."
The End
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Coming Soon
The Reluctant Fiancé
All she wishes is privacy and a little independence even if she doesn't have the faintest idea how to work the wood stove in her rented cabin.
All he wants is that she not burn the place down in the process.
Or at least, that's what he tells himself…
Acknowledgments
My deepest gratitude to Michelle Jo Quinn for always being there for me with all my writerly doubts and challenges, for always listening and being a friend. This series wouldn’t be possible without you.
To Charity Chimni for cracking the virtual whip to make sure I’m not procrastinating by making more covers than I already have in my stash (up to 32 now) when I should be writing the stories and listening to the muses. Thank you for making sure I stick to the schedule.
To my readers who have stuck with me through thick and thin, through my silences online and my occasional spurts of engagement, thank you. Thank you to those of you who remind me to take it easy and to release the books “when they’re ready.”
Most of all, this book was inspired by friends in Northern California who made those lonely holidays extra fun by showering me with love and support and their everlasting friendship. Thanks for helping this city girl figure out how to de-ice a windshield or which headlights to use while driving on mountain roads… although I suspect I’ll still need help getting that wood stove to work…
Other Books by Liz Durano
Celebrity Series
Loving Ashe
Loving Riley
California Love
Finding Sam
In His Heart
A Different Kind of Love
Everything She Ever Wanted
Falling for Jordan
Breaking the Rules
Friends with Benefits
Fire and Ice
Collateral Attraction
About the Author
Liz’s start in storytelling got its rocky start in 8th grade when the “play” she was writing landed her in the principal’s office for being a bit on the NSFW side. She has since majored in Journalism and Advertising only to realize once again that she'd rather write stories about people falling in love and getting into trouble, though not necessarily in that order.
When she’s not writing about her muses, Liz loves spending time with her family and drinking way too much coffee. She lives in a tiny century-old house a few blocks from the beach with her family, a Chihuahua, and way too many books.
You can follow Liz’s book adventures by visiting lizdurano.com or follow her on Facebook at @lizduranobooks.