The Hero + Vegas = No Regrets

I thought it was going to be the worst Christmas ever. Turns out, I couldn’t have imagined one this good. We come up the stoop and the gift bag Sophia brought is still hanging on the doorknob.

“Should I open it?” I ask her.

“You can.” She sounds uncertain. “It’s not anything really. Just a reason to drop by.”

I press a kiss to the top of her head. “You didn’t need a reason.”

Inside the gift bag, I find a fridge magnet. But not any old fridge magnet. It’s the New York Loves Vegas Chapel logo, with a heart replacing the “o” in “love.” A print of our selfie in front of the Vegas sign is framed inside.

It’s perfect. “You’re an excellent gift giver,” I say. “Thank you.”

“I think it will look fabulous on your refrigerator.”

“I’ve always thought that room was missing something.” I smile. “I just realized, I haven’t bought you anything.”

Her eyes soften and she smiles. “I have everything I need, now that I’m with you.”

There’s nothing more to resolve between us. I’ve never felt so certain about anyone in my life, and I know she feels the same. There may be hurdles ahead of us—although I can’t think of any specifics at the moment. Whatever they are, we’ll face them as a couple. We’re together, now and forever. I see it in her eyes. I feel it in her heart.

As we step into the front hallway, the mixture of voices and clatter of dishes fills the air. For a moment, I want to turn right around and escape, so it can be just the two of us a little longer.

“Are they here yet?” A voice draws closer and Jules appears at the kitchen door. “Worth, have you seen—” She sees Sophia and looks back at me, then down to our joined hands. A moment later, she throws herself at Sophia. “You’ve come back!”

The two of them almost fall to the floor.

“You think you can rustle up another table setting?” Sophia asks.

“Absolutely! How are you? I’ve been so worried. Did you see your dad? What happened? How’s your mom? Are your brothers okay? You’re all set?” She lifts her chin in my direction, letting me know the last question was fired at me.

“I came to my senses. Spoke to my mom and my dad. Both helped me see Worth more clearly.” She glances over at me, and I can’t help but stare back and think about all the ways I’m going to claim her body when everyone has left.

But I can’t. Not yet. Before that, we have to celebrate Christmas Eve with our chosen family.

“So you two are back together now?” Jules asks.

Sophia nods effusively. “Forever,” she and I chorus.

Jules shakes her head with a smile and pulls us both in for a three-way hug. “You two are perfect for each other. I’ve never met two kinder souls.”

“Jules?” Leo fills the kitchen doorway and he takes in the three of us.

“Sophia’s back,” Jules says, releasing us from the hug and stating the obvious.

Leo’s eyes bulge. I know he’ll be concerned. “Oh wow. I wasn’t expecting to see you.”

“I didn’t want to miss the first Christmas with my husband,” she says.

It takes everything I have not to drag her upstairs. I’m never going to get tired of hearing her call me her husband.

He nods, glancing from Sophia to me, gauging my reaction.

“I’m really sorry,” she says. “For upsetting Worth. He’s a wonderful, kind, trusting man and I questioned that for a second. Not because of anything he ever did. I just had my own side of the street to clean up.”

I pull Sophia closer. She doesn’t need to do an apology tour. That’s not what my friends expect. But it’s nice that she’s prepared to. It means we’re both at the same starting point—the point where we’ll do whatever it takes to be together and make each other happy.

“We’ve all been there,” Leo says, visibly relaxing. “I just want Worth happy.”

“I know,” she says. “So do I. I just wasn’t sure I was the person to make that happen. But now I’m going to work really hard to make sure I am.”

“I’m not sure you’ll have to do much,” Leo says, patting me on the arm. “The way he looks at you? I think just being his wife does the job.”

“Leo speaks the truth,” I say, trying to reassure Sophia. “It’s understandable that you were frightened to trust people, given everything you’ve had going on.”

She glances up at me from under her lashes. “How could I ever have thought walking away from you was a good idea?”

I don’t care that she walked away. I only care that she came back.noveldrama

“Are things okay with your dad now?” Jules asks.

“No,” she says. “But we had a conversation. I’m seeing things a little differently now.”

“So… you forgave him?”

She shakes her head. “No. But I’m starting to accept him for who he is. He’s not the hero I thought he was. The pedestal I’ve had him on for so long has crashed to the ground. I can see him more clearly now, and that lets me see everything else more clearly, too.” I squeeze her hand. “But Mom and I are working on things. I honestly believe she did the best she could in the circumstances. She was acting in our best interest—me and my brothers’. Things among the four of us are different, but good.”

“That’s great,” I say, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. I want to hear the entire story, in detail, when she’s ready to tell me.

The doorbell interrupts our reunion. Leo skirts past us to answer it. “That will be the entertainment.”

“Entertainment?” I ask.

He opens the door and is handed a huge cardboard box.

“Pass the parcel,” he says, as if that explains everything.

The door goes again. This time, I’m closest. When I open it, Jack and Fisher are standing there with Byron behind them. “Worth’s wreath was definitely the best,” Byron says as all three of them stare at my homemade creation hanging on the front door.

“What can I say?” I reply. “I’m a master at whatever I turn my hand to.”

“You made that?” Sophia says, her tone impressed. “I didn’t take you for a crafter.”

“Sophia!” Jack says when he sees who’s talking. We go into brief explanations about how she’s back for good. They all look to me to check everything’s okay. But it’s more than okay. I’m better than I’ve ever been.

“Anyone else missing?” I ask as everyone starts taking off coats and boots. The scent of cinnamon and gingerbread waft from the kitchen. I’m not sure the brownstone has ever been so festive.

“That’s all of us,” Byron says, taking stock of everyone scattered throughout the first floor.

Our tight group of six has expanded a lot this year. Love has hit three of us hard—so hard, we won’t ever be the same. We’ll just keep getting better.