Marrying Miss Kringle: Frost

by McConnell, Lucy

  He rose up on his tiptoes to see over the stage, but the stairs were empty.

  The band leader lifted his arms, and the flutes trilled, the drumline pounded out a slow march, and then a spotlight lit up a piano set back under an awning. He hadn’t even seen it there. Tim, the intern who was always a jumble of nerves, cracked his knuckles and smiled right at Tannon before plunking out the first few notes of “A Thousand Years.” The band picked up what would’ve been the vocals, and the whole square flooded with romance. The crowd in front of Mrs. Grant’s bakery parted to reveal Frost in a gown of pure white.

  The crowd gasped.

  Tannon could find no words—nor could he feel his body. Seeing her had transported him to another state of being. The only sound he could hear above the music was the pounding of his heart telling him this was a dream, a perfect dream.

  She floated over the cobblestones, her amethyst eyes reflecting thousands of fairy lights. Her hair was plaited loosely, with wisps framing her heart-shaped face. When she was several feet from him, he fell to his knee and reached for her hand. His robotic leg poked out at an angle, but he didn’t care that everyone could see his flaw, because Frost didn’t once look at it. Their gazes had come together and Tannon never wanted to look away.

  She smiled, stepping closer and taking his outstretched hand.

  The crowd clapped wildly. He turned, smiling at them all, and reached into his pocket to pull out the ring box. Those in the front saw what he had, and they cheered even louder, spreading the news to the people in the back.

  “Frost Kringle.” He paused because he was simply too full of joy to continue.

  Her thumb brushed over his fingers, and he laughed. She laughed too—his joy mirrored in her eyes.

  “I’ve waited my whole life for you. You’ve seen me at my worst, and I hope you’ve seen me at my best. When I’m with you, I see the joy in every moment, because you are made up of—” He chuckled. “—of sugar and spice and holly berries and mistletoe. I can’t see a future without you in it. Will you marry me?”

  “Well, I already have a dress …” she teased. “Yes!”

  Tannon used her hand to pull himself up. He flashed back to the day she’d offered her hand on the rock and he’d refused her help. He’d been a fool. Frost’s arms came around his neck and he pulled her close, sealing the promise with a kiss.

  The crowd cheered, and soon the two of them were about run over by Brody. He and Frost looped their arms around the kid and included him in the hug.

  “You look stunning,” Tannon whispered in her ear.

  “I’m glad you think so, and I hope you don’t have cold feet, because we’re about to say I do.”

  “What?” Tannon squinted at her.

  “Come on. I’ll introduce you to the pastor.” Frost took his hand with her right and Brody’s with her left and led the way to the stage. “You’re good with a quick engagement?” she asked over her shoulder.

  Tannon’s gaze fell over her fancy hairdo, the graceful slope of her neck, and down the dress that she wore like a queen, and then back up to the come-hither look on her face. He grinned. This woman could be his before the end of the night? “The shorter, the better.”

  She stopped at the car. “Will you join us?” she asked his parents.

  They climbed out of the car and followed them all up onstage. At the top, Frost whispered something to Brody and he scampered off to stand by Layla. Her parents motioned for his parents to join them in the line that was quickly looking like a wedding line.

  Frost took a microphone from Zuzu. Poor Zuzu was so overcome with emotion she had mascara running down her cheeks. She hugged Frost quickly and then ran offstage.

  “Hello, Elderberry!” Frost lifted her and Tannon’s hands over her head. The crowd clapped and some yelled hello back. “When I started planning the light parade, I didn’t know I was planning my wedding.”

  They laughed with her, and she turned to give Tannon a million-dollar smile. He shook his head, amazed that this woman wanted to be his.

  “But it worked out just right. We’re going to get married now.” She giggled, and once again the women all sighed at the romance.

  The man who had come with Stella stepped forward and shook Tannon’s hand. “Hi, I’m Pastor Willis.”

  “From Alaska?” asked Tannon. He’d read about Ginger and Joseph’s big wedding and Lux’s elopement. This was the man who’d performed the ceremonies. The fact that he was standing there, shaking hands with a man who had appeared only in letters from Santa’s daughter, was surreal.

  Pastor Willis pumped his arm. “Yeah—how did you—? You know what, there’s all sorts of things going on tonight that I don’t want explained. Let’s get you two married.”

  Tannon put his arm around Frost. “Sounds good to me.”

  The pastor took the microphone. He looked lost for a moment before Stella handed him a worn and weathered Bible. He thanked her and then did a double take. Running his hand down his face, he opened to where a red ribbon lay between the pages. “We’re gathered here, before these witnesses, to join Tannon Cebu and Frost Kringle in matrimony.” As if on cue, large, romantic snowflakes began to fall. Tim played softly in the background, the music too pretty to put to words.

  Frost’s finger ran across his knuckles, and Tannon was back to only hearing his heart beat and seeing Frost. She was the most beautiful bride in all of creation. And she wanted him. His mind replayed every moment from her first letter to what brought them here today. Their beginning didn’t start with that letter, though; it started with a broken little boy in a hospital bed who asked for a leg but whose heart begged for a friend. He’d gotten the wish of his heart and so much more.

  At some point he said I do and so did Frost. He and Frost led the group off the stage and around the corner. As soon as they were out of sight of the family, they burst into a run, including his parents and Brody. Tannon did his best to keep up. Really, he just followed Frost. “My head’s in the clouds.” He laughed at himself.

  “Just you wait,” called Stella, racing past them. “Can you take the pastor home?” she asked her parents as she ran.

  “You flew him here?” Gail scolded.

  “Someone had to arrange for a pastor.” Stella shrugged.

  They rounded another corner and were in an empty parking lot. Well, empty except for several sleighs complete with reindeer and jingle bells.

  “Cool.” Tannon grinned at Frost.

  Ginger and Joseph ran past, Ginger holding her skirts up, revealing white boots. “Congratulations! We gotta go. Love you, Frost!”

  Joseph slid across the front of a green sleigh Dukes of Hazzard style.

  Ginger threw back her head and Ho Ho Ho’d at his move. “That was so hot.” She grabbed the reins and called, “On, Dasher.” With a flick of her wrist, the reindeer strained against his harness and they lifted off the ground, disappearing in a swirl of snowflakes.

  “Whoa!” Brody stared after them. “Did you see that?” he asked his grandparents.

  Tannon’s parents didn’t have an answer. Tannon grabbed them both in a hug, laughing heartily. “I can explain everything.”

  Stella pecked a kiss on Pastor Willis’s cheek. “It’s been a real treat, darling, but I have to jet.” She too had a red sleigh. With a wink at the pastor, she called, “On, Blitz!” and was gone in a flash of light. The pastor stared after her, his mouth hanging open. After a moment, he reached up and touched his cheek where Stella had kissed him.

  Lux and Robyn slowed down as they approached. Lux had her phone to her nose, reading as she walked. “Quik says we’re level back home. I need to help him take out the shims and make sure the substation wasn’t damage in the shift.” She grabbed Frost in a hug. “Congratulations on the wedding!”

  “I’ll bet you wish you’d let me make you a wedding dress now.” Frost hugged her back.

  Lux rolled her eyes for Tannon. “Quik liked my cargo pants just fine.”

  Robyn didn�
��t let them breathe before she hugged Frost too. “I’m going to miss our Single Kringle meetings.”

  “Your what now?” Tannon asked. Frost hadn’t told him everything in her letters.

  “Nothing you need to worry about,” quipped Robyn. She hugged him too. “I hate to run, but we still have chocolate Santas to load before the sleigh leaves.”

  “Go. We’ll be right behind you.” Frost shooed her and Lux into the green sleigh, and they took off.

  Tannon took her by the hand. “We will?”

  “I have to check last-minute letters.” Frost’s smile was huge. “Do you want to see the North Pole?” she asked Brody.

  “Can I?” He breathed the question.

  “Of course. You’re a Kringle now.”

  Brody threw his arms around her middle. “That means you’re my mom.”

  Time stopped as she cupped the back of his head. Her eyes filled with tears and cascaded down her cheeks. Tannon didn’t think his heart could grow any larger, but those words, spoken with such eagerness, and the sight of Frost holding his son—their son—undid him.

  He heard sniffing and turned around to see his parents holding on to one another as they sobbed. “We’ll visit,” he offered.

  Mom swiped at her cheeks. “It’s not that.”

  “Then what is it?”

  “You were meant to be a family.” Dad gripped Brody’s hand and shook it. “It’s easy to see that you belong together. I don’t know how we missed it before.”

  Mom nodded. “It’s like God orchestrated it all from the beginning.”

  Tannon caught Frost’s gaze. “I think He did.”

  Frost’s chin dipped in agreement.

  Dad lifted a hand. “I don’t want you to worry about the mill. I’m going to step in and take over. I heard your speech at the party, and I agree—the mill is family, and I should take care of her.”

  Tannon pumped his hand and pumped and pumped as his mind swirled over the idea that his parents were backing off of adopting Brody and giving Tannon the space to be himself. “Thanks, Dad.”

  “We can give you a ride home, Mr. and Mrs. Cebu.” Clarence, Frost’s dad, swung a set of keys from his finger. “In style.”

  They all laughed, releasing a little of the heaviness that had come on with Mom and Dad’s heartfelt confessions. Even the pastor had stopped staring into the night and was smiling broadly at them. He was a little older than Tannon and wore heavy clothing, like what the forest guys wore to work. Wherever he had come from must have been cold.

  “I don’t know why you love that car so much.” Gail slapped Clarence’s arm playfully. Frost’s parents were everything he’d pictured Santa and Mrs. Claus to be—well, they were a bit younger.

  “It’s a classic.” He winked at her before telling Frost and Tannon, “We’ll see you at home.” They all trouped back to the ’54 convertible left in front of the stage—pastor included.

  Frost clapped her hands. “I can’t wait to get there.” She ushered Brody into the last sleigh, the old reindeer looking over his shoulder at her and huffing out a breath. “I swear, Max, if you are ornery on my wedding day, I’m going to take away your hay cubes for a month.”

  Max shook his antlers and stamped a hoof.

  “I’m glad you understand what’s at stake.” Frost motioned for Tannon to get in. “Come on, it’s Christmas Eve. There’s so much to do.” She bounced.

  Brody was busy running his hands over the velvet seat and tracing each carving with his fingertips in awe. His boy was about to have the Christmas of his life. For that matter, so was Tannon. He stepped into the sleigh and put his hands on Frost’s hips, pulling her close.

  She lifted her chin, bringing her lips within kissing distance.

  “We can’t go until I’ve kissed the bride.”

  Her mouth formed a small O, and she suddenly grew shy.

  Tannon took his time, running his fingertips over her cheekbone and down her jaw.

  She sighed into him, her arms running up his arms and around his neck.

  “I can’t call you Miss Kringle anymore.”

  “Nope. I’m officially a missus.”

  He kissed her lightly. “I love you, wife.”

  “I love you, husband.”

  With those words, Tannon’s heart burst through the final size restriction and swelled to a love so big he couldn’t contain it. Frost moaned softly against his lips and he deepened the kiss, wanting her to feel and know and trust in his love for her. She returned his kiss and he felt it inside his whole soul, the love that had been growing for years finally bursting forth in full bloom. They broke apart, gasping for breath. Tannon whispered in her ear, “Take us home.”

  She kissed him once again. “That’s my home.”

  He chuckled. “Is that why I feel like we’re flying?”

  Frost blinked. “We are flying.”

  The sky and stars blurred past them. They turned in unison to see Brody holding the reins, a grin as wide as the Big Dipper stretched across his face.

  They burst out laughing. Frost ruffled his hair. “You’re going to make an awesome Kringle.” She pointed to the North Star. “Aim for that, and we’ll be home before you can say Merry Christmas.” Brody pulled on the right rein and adjusted course.

  Tannon pulled Frost into his arms and just held her, grateful that he could. She’d given him so much throughout his life: hope, friendship, someone to be better for, and unconditional, unequivocal love. He said the only words he could think of that would be an adequate thank-you for his Miss Kringle. “Merry Christmas, Frost.”

  Her face softened and she cupped his cheek. “Merry Christmas, Tannon. I hope you’re ready for what awaits us.”

  “I am.” He was more than ready; he was eager to take his place among the first family of Christmas. But more importantly, he was ready to be the man Frost had always believed him to be.

  Chapter 31

  Frost rushed into the Letters room to find a small stack in the incoming box. Her fingertips tingled and she ripped the first one open with wild abandon. “I never want to be banished again.”

  Tannon came in behind her. “Then stay off the Naughty List.”

  She stuck her tongue out at him. “Easy for you to say.”

  “Hard for me to do with you looking so ravishing in that gown.”

  Her cheeks positively burned. “Honeymoon?” she squeaked.

  He put his finger on the back of his ear. “What was that?” His rakish smile told her that he’d heard her just fine and that he enjoyed making her blush.

  “Where do you want to go on our honeymoon?”

  “Hmm … Cappadocia.”

  “Why there?”

  “Because no one will bother us.” He trailed his fingers up her arm, sending shivers to all the right places.

  “Cappadocia it is.” She could barely get the words past the desire coursing through her veins. “You have to stand over there, or there will be thirty-five children disappointed tomorrow morning because I didn’t read their letters.”

  Tannon gave her that newly discovered rogue grin once again. “Fine.” He took two large steps away and then spun in a small circle. “I’ve pictured this place a thousand times.”

  She smiled without lifting her eyes from the page. This one was a recap—he mentioned that he’d written before. She scanned quickly for changes to his wish list, found none, and set the letter aside, moving on. Falling into her old work was as easy as putting on a glass slipper, but the whole time she read, the stack growing smaller and smaller, she was aware that Tannon was in the room. He introduced himself to the elves, saying something personal to each one. He must have pored over her letters to remember the small details in their lives that she’d mentioned in passing.

  She set the last letter in the finished pile for the elves to file.

  Frost looked at her husband, all handsome and strong

  And decided he belonged here in Letters all along.

  He filed with ease, and
read just a few,

  Leaving most of the reading for her to do.

  When the work was over, or it took too much time,

  Up her neck, with great skill, his kisses did climb

  And then she’d forget about “Dear Santas” and “I’ve been smarts”

  And let Tannon’s kisses slowly take her apart.

  And the moment fluffed and grew with bliss

  And they kissed and they kissed and they kissed, kissed, kissed, kissed.

  With each kiss that came from Tannon Cebu,

  She fell deeper in love and her heart grew and grew.

  * * *

  Not ready to leave the North Pole or the Kringle Family?

  You can pick up the other Marrying Miss Kringle romances by clicking on a title below.

  Marrying Miss Kringle: Ginger

  Marrying Miss Kringle: Lux

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  Read on to discover more sweet romances from

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