Oh, I was feeling stupider by the second. It explained every awkward encounter today.
“And Marsden? If he’s not your handler, who is he? I heard you on the phone with someone named Marsden.”
Plucking some stray strands of wax strip from my face, he winced as he did so. “Ah, yes. Belfry mentioned that. While it’s true I did once have a handler named Marsden, in this instance, it’s also the name of a lighting company. I had a very particular vision in mind for these lights, and I was on the phone with Hal, who helped me find someone to pull off what you see now.”
Christmas… It just now hit me. Win knew I loved Christmas, so he’d done all this for me. My knees began to melt a little.
“Christmas. Oh, Win… You turned our front yard into a winter wonderland…”
“Because I know how much you love Christmas. I wanted this day to mean as much to you as it does to me. I had to find a way to blend the two.”
Then I glimpsed again the candy canes and the snow swirling around us, and all the pieces of the puzzle fit. “So that’s why you were talking about candy canes and snow…”
“And am I assuming correctly when I say you thought the snow had to do with drug lords from my seedy past?”
My face went hot. He knew me so well. I winced and nodded, hearing the tin foil still on my head thrashing around in the warm evening breeze.
“Guilty,” I muttered, feeling like a world-class fool. “You’re right, I thought someone from your past had found out you were still alive and they were blackmailing you. I was afraid to say as much over the phone or in text because I worried they might be tapping my conversations, and I’d somehow put you in danger.”
His laugh was hearty and deep when he pressed a kiss to the tip of my nose. “I do so love that you tried to protect me, but surely you don’t believe I’d ever let you be exposed to that sort of riff-raff without at least some warning? I’d rather leave the country than ever allow a criminal into your life, Stephania.”
I poked a mangled fingertip into his hard pec with a playful jab. “You know, fake James Bond, I kept telling myself that, but somehow I managed to find a justification for the reasons why you wouldn’t tell me. I knew it was crazy, but that sure as heck didn’t stop me.”
“You truly are a treasure. Now, shall we set aside any more explanations for later and get to what’s taken me two months to plan?” he asked in a teasing tone.
“Puhlease. This stupid bow tie is killing me,” Bel groused.
I giggled. “Of course.”
Win paused for a moment, his eyes meeting mine as he set me from him and took my shaking hands.
“You are, without a doubt, the love of my life, Stephania Louise Cartwright. There is no one in this world I can imagine wanting to spend the rest of my reincarnated life with than you. We’ve been thorough all manner of highs and lows, but you never once gave up on me. You fought a wicked warlord for me. And you’re the reason I fought so hard to get back here.
“In fact, ’twas on this very day, several years ago, I knew I’d do anything to be with you. For ’twas on this day I fully realized I’d fallen helplessly in love with you. That I would always love you and your feisty, sharp wit, your crafty mind, your generous heart.”
Tears began to slip from my eyes, my heart so full, I couldn’t speak.
Kneeling in front of me, Win pulled a box from his jacket pocket and popped it open to reveal a beautiful ring. “So it is with great reverence, my heart on my sleeve, in front of the family we’ve created here on Earth and in the afterlife, that I ask you, Dove—will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?”
I don’t know that I’ve ever felt so full of love for anyone, with the exception of Bel, as I did for this man. We’d fought so hard to be together. Through false starts, murders, disagreements, Plane Limbo, all the highs and lows, Win had fought to get to me—all so that we might have this moment.
I suppose it’s true what they say about finding your one true love. Certainly you can have more than one love in your life, but your first love, the first real love you experience, the love that fits you like a pair of comfortable old jeans but still makes your heart skip a beat, the one who takes your breath away, the love you turn to when times are dark, is an unforgettable love when you experience it for the first time.
And that’s what I’d found with Win.
“Yes,” I whispered. “Yes. My answer will always be yes.”
Epilogue
Win slipped the ring on my finger, and it was then I noticed the shape the diamonds were set in. The symbol for infinity.
A couple of Christmases ago, Win had given me a sterling silver picture frame with a photo of all of us, into which Bel had cleverly inserted a photoshopped picture of Win.
On the picture frame was the symbol for infinity.
“Never broken, never ending…” I whispered, my throat so tight I could hardly breathe at the significance of this gorgeous ring.
And just like he’d once said, he repeated as he rose, “That’s all of us, Dove. Never broken, never ending.”
I threw my arms around his neck with a soft sob before he kissed my lips and swung me around.
Arkady and Bel cheered while Whiskey barked his consent and Strike clucked, happily plucking at the ground.
“Man, Boss,” Bel chirped as he buzzed by my ear. “You really gave us a run for our money. Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep a secret from you, Nosey Nellie? All you do is poke, poke, poke. I’ve been running around behind you all day. It’s like trying to plug holes in a dam.”
I wiped tears from my face and laughed, scooping him up in my hand and planting a kiss on his tiny head. “So you knew all along?”
“Nearly wet myself today when you asked me about Marsden. Then when you said you wanted to talk to Win? I knew you’d seen Hal in the wig. Thought for sure we were goners. Right, Winterbutt?”
“You’re a brilliant partner in crime, my good man,” Win complimented. “Couldn’t have done it without you and Arkady.”
I looked up at the sky, now bruised purple and pink, my heart about to burst. “You knew, too, my Russian cabbage roll?”
Arkady let out a hearty chuckle. “Dah, my blueberry scone. I know all along. It was hard to keep secret. Really hard. This is why I go with Win today, because I know you, and I know that tone in your voice. I know you will start to ask questions and I am no good at telling lies to you.”
“Aw, Arkady. I love you. Thank you.”
“And Arkady Bagrov loves you, malutka. I am so happy for you and Zero. Who would have thought we would end up like this, eh, old friend? So much to be thankful for, dah?”
“Indeed,” Win said, laughing with him. “So much to be thankful for.” Setting me on my feet, he looked at me and wiped the tears from my face with his thumb. “Now, my Dove, seeing as you crashed my well-planned party, forcing me to rush back here whilst you literally chased me—”
“Dana!” I blurted out with a wince. “Oh, no! Oh, Win. I was really awful to him. He pulled me over and was going to give me a ticket for chasing you. I owe him a major apology, don’t I? He was stalling me, wasn’t he?”
Win grinned. “Indeed, he was. I just barely made it back here in time to put on my tuxedo. The plan was for Leif to keep you at the salon for as long as he possibly could so I could get back here and prepare and change, and also so you’d have your hair and nails done. Something Hal said she knew you’d consider crucial to acceptable engagement pictures. But you didn’t make it easy, Stephania Louise,” he joked.
“I’m sorry,” I said, flapping my arms with a look of apology. “But look at the mess I’m in. I have enough tin foil in my hair to call a satellite station in space, my nails are a wreck, and I have wax dripping down my face. I think I’ve paid the toll.”
“I can help with that,” said a voice I knew well, coming from the shadows at the side of the house.
When I turned around, it was to see Hal and Atticus coming toward me, h
er blonde wig askew and swinging around her shoulders while her tiny hummingbird familiar zipped beside her, his wings furiously flapping.
“Hal!” I shouted with pleasure, throwing my arms around her and hugging her hard.
“Stevie,” she whispered, hugging me just as tight. “I’m so happy for you both. You’re going to make a beautiful bride.”
“Stephania,” Atticus drawled in his oddly deep voice for such a tiny hummingbird body. “Many regards of the day. We’re so pleased to have been a part of such a happy occasion.”
I smiled at him and held out my finger so he had a place to land. “Thanks, Atticus. It’s good to see you again.”
Hal wiped a tear from her eye and pointed to the house. “What say we make a quick trip inside and I’ll bibbidi-bobbidi-boo you to your usual fabulous self? Otherwise, I think we might need a chisel and a blowtorch.”
“So are you saying you don’t like my outfit?” I asked on a laugh as I spread the skirt of my torn dress with my fingers, now a gooey mess of cotton balls and nail polish remover.
Hal snorted and took me by the hand. “I think foil isn’t your best color. C’mon, let’s go do this.”
“Before you go, Dove, a question, if you will?
“What’s that?”
He grabbed my hand and showed me his phone. “I’ve been in receipt of easily twenty texts inquiring about your answer. Naturally, the people who made this possible want to wish us well, but if you’d prefer to keep this private, I will, as always, respect your wishes.”
Hal winked at Win. “I think what Win’s saying is there are a ton of people who want to crash this party. Believe me when I tell you, this took a village to plan, and we did our best to include as many local places as we could to support their businesses. I think they love you and you’re a valued member of the community and they want to show you that. Probably, if they’re anything like the folks in Marshmallow Hollow, with a casserole. You up for that, Stevie? Or do you want to keep this just between you two—er, you six?”
I grinned, my heart now near bursting. “The more the merrier.” But then I looked around. “But what about food and drink and—”
“Oh, I’ve got that covered,” Hal said with a snap of her fingers and, in seconds, the scent of food grilling met my nose.
Waiters in white coats with silver platters of champagne flutes stood by a long buffet table filled with plates of food; candles ignited; a dance floor appeared, as did a small band of violins and horns with a very dapper piano player.
“Ohhh,” I breathed, looking around. “I forget about your magic sometimes. Thank you, Hal. It’s beautiful.”
“Now let’s go get you beautiful.” She pointed to the interior of the house, then looked to Win and gave him a thumb’s up. “She’ll be right back. Win? You text everyone and tell them all systems go.”
When we reappeared twenty minutes later, even I have to admit, I felt like a princess as I came down the steps of our house where Win waited for me.
Hal had whipped up a beautiful seafoam-green dress made of yards and yards of silky gauze that wrapped over my chest in an X and left my arms exposed, with a fun, flouncy skirt.
Silver strappy sandals, a pair of small diamond studs in my ears, my hair half pulled up and, thankfully, not pink from the dye being in it so long, with some fresh flowers woven through the sides of my head, and I felt beautiful.
“Ah, Dove,” Win said on a sigh. “You are breathtaking.”
Smiling, my heart so full I thought I might explode, I whispered, “You’re not so bad yourself, fake James Bond.”
I took his hand and let him twirl me around before he embraced me, pressing a kiss to my lips. “Our guests will be arriving any second now, but I find you so ravishing, I almost want to keep you to myself.”
“I can’t believe you did all this—with, of all things, a Christmas theme. In fact, I can’t believe you actually remembered the day you fell in love with me.”
I shouldn’t be surprised the lengths Win would go to for me. I’d never doubted his love or his dedication, but this? This was above and beyond, and I’d made it so much more difficult than it had to be.
“I know how very much you love Christmas, but I wanted this day to have a special meaning for both of us, beyond the normal traditions of a proposal.”
I smiled up at him, cupping his hard jaw. “But to remember the day you knew you were in love with me? That’s pretty amazing, International Man of Mystery.”
“I remember every day with you, my Dove. Every single one, and I cherish them all, but that particular day was the day I vowed to find my way back to this plane, to you, no matter the cost, and look what I’ve gained in return.”
Tears began to sting my eyes again. “Stop, or you’ll ruin my makeup,” I joked.
As cars began to arrive, I saw Chester and Sandwich pile out of one. Melba and Dana from another. My parents, Enzo and Carmella, the garden club ladies, Adele from the flower shop, even Leif, all coming to wish us well.
Hal stood beside us, helping to greet everyone, her dark hair shining in the glow of the lights, the fake snow catching in the strands. She looked beautiful in a red, form-fitting dress and matching red heels.
Dana, with Melba by his side, was one of the first to scoop me up in a bear hug with a wide grin and an apology on his lips, but I put my finger to his mouth. “Nope. Don’t say it. I owe you an apology, buddy. I was awful to you today. So give me that ticket. I’ll gladly pay it.”
He laughed and kissed my cheek. “Not necessary, but remind me not to make you that angry—ever.”
“But you…” I crooked a finger at Melba and gave her a mock scowl. “You were in on this, too, weren’t you? That’s why you couldn’t have lunch with me?”
Melba grinned her wide grin and gave me a hug. “I was in charge of that dang snow machine, which, for the life of me, I couldn’t get to spit any snow. I was right in the middle of fighting with it when you called. But your sister helped me. Thank the gods for Hal,” she said cheerfully. “And congratulations, you two. I can’t think of two nicer people who deserve a happily ever after.”
Hugging them again, I gave them a warm smile. “Thank you, Melba, and you, too, Officer Rigid. Now go, grab something to eat and enjoy.”
Dana gripped my hand one more time and winked. “Anything for you. Always,” he said softly, before taking Melba by the hand to inspect the buffet table.
From there on out, the rest of the evening was spent with rounds of hugs and laughter and my father checking his reflection in a knife while my mother told tales of her missionary trips to the Sudan.
Bel and Atticus observed from a branch on a tree in the yard, chatting with one another, hidden by the leaves.
Win and I mingled with our guests, my chest bursting with so much love and joy at seeing all the people who’d come to wish us well. Whiskey followed us around, with Strike close behind. There were toasts and music and lots of dancing.
Oh, and hot dogs, hamburgers, Twinkies, and plenty of grape soda.
I munched on a hot dog with extra spicy mustard and relish, winking at Win. “I can’t even believe you’re serving this sludge at a party you’re hosting. What’s come over you, fiancé?”
Gosh, I loved that word. Win was my fiancé. Mine.
Win chuckled, loosening his bow tie. “You’ve come over me. This celebration was for you, my beloved betrothed—and in turn, a chance to celebrate everything you love. Christmas, food fit for heathens, and me.”
My head fell back on my shoulders as I laughed out loud. “Tell me the truth. Do you have some icky goose liver hidden around here somewhere?”
Placing his hand at my waist, he pressed a kiss to my cheek. “I’m no fool, Stephania. I ate it well before you arrived.”
Stuffing the last of my hot dog in my mouth, I wiped my lips and smiled at him. “It’s the best party ever, Win. I’ll never forget it.”
“I’m glad, Dove. You know what else should make you glad?”
He wrapped his arms around me from behind and I leaned back into the solid wall of his chest. “I think you should be glad Arkady and I didn’t entirely plan this beautiful evening full of your favorite holiday on our own. In fact, if you knew what we’d originally planned, had it not been for Hal reigning us in and reminding us you’re not a man, we might not be standing here as a newly engaged couple.”
Giggling, I leaned back in his embrace, enjoying the view it gave me of the Christmas lights and everyone dancing. “What did you have planned?”
“Do you really want to know?”
“Do I love Twinkies and grape soda?”
He sighed. “Originally, we thought it would be quite fun if we sent you on a bit of a manufactured mystery for your engagement ring.”
Snorting, I covered my mouth with my hand, still a little sticky from the spicy mustard. “A manufactured mystery?”
“Certainly. Knowing you as we do, we know your love of all things crime-solving and murder-mystery related. Which is why we thought creating a mystery where the end result would be you finding your engagement ring might be something you’d enjoy. Because of course, we’re troglodytes who don’t have a single romantic bone in our bodies. This according to the lovely Hal, who, when she heard our idea, scolded us to within an inch of our lives and set us straight. Then she and Atticus put us on the path of the righteous. The only thing holding us up was how to incorporate Christmas into the scavenger hunt.”
I twisted around in his arms and looked up at him. “A scavenger hunt for my engagement ring, huh? Which, by the way, I love, Win. It’s beautiful and perfect. But I think I’m glad you went with Hal’s revisions.”
He ran a finger down along my nose. “I fall at your feet and beg forgiveness for even considering it. We were thinking like men. Untold horrors have befallen world affairs because of a man who overthought. Let’s all be thankful Hal stepped in when she did.”
Chuckling, I was about to agree when my father (who, I later found out, Win had asked for permission for my hand) approached and asked to dance, sweeping me away.
Gettin' Witched (Witchless in Seattle Mysteries Book 12) Page 8