Christmas Kisses Collection. Louise Allen

knew I was going to run away tonight?”

      “My singing is pretty bad. I wasn’t expecting you to swoon with the sudden realization that everything was going to be perfect.”

      “Your singing was beautiful.”

      “I’ve heard of being blinded by love, but I’m pretty sure you must be tone-deaf from love.”

      “I do love you, McKenzie.”

      “I know.”

      “I made Shelby a promise.”

      “One you’ve kept all these years. It’s time to let go. You asked Shelby to give you a sign, Lance. I’m that sign. The way we feel about each other.” She wrapped her arms around him and leaned her forehead against his chin. “I don’t need you to forget Shelby. She’s part of what’s made you into the man you are, the man I love, but you have to let the guilt go. You can’t change the past, only the future. I want to be your future.”

      “What are you saying, McKenzie?”

      “That I want a lot more than two months to see what the future holds for us.”

      Lance held the woman in his arms tightly to him. He couldn’t believe she was here, that they were standing by Shelby’s grave at midnight.

      He couldn’t believe McKenzie was laying her heart on the line, telling him how much she cared.

      “If we do this,” he warned, his heart pounding in his chest, “I’m never going to let you go, you do realize that?”

      She snuggled closer to him and held on tight. “Maybe you weren’t paying attention, but that’s the idea.”

       EPILOGUE

      “THE EMCEE JUST winked at you.”

      McKenzie nodded at her mother. “Yep, he did.”

      “He has a disgusting habit of doing that,” Cecilia accused with a shake of her head.

      “You’re just jealous,” McKenzie teased her friend.

      “Ha. I don’t think so. My hunky boyfriend is Santa, baby,” Cecilia countered, making McKenzie laugh.

      “Yeah, yeah. Quit pulling rank just because Santa has the hots for you.”

      “I could dress as Santa if you’re into that kind of thing,” Yves offered Violet.

      “Eww. Don’t need to hear this.” McKenzie put her fingers over her ears. “La-la-la. I’m finding my happy place, where I didn’t just hear my stepdad offer to dress up as Santa to give my mom her kicks.”

      Yves waggled his brows and gave Violet a wink of her own. McKenzie’s mother giggled in response. McKenzie just kept her hands over her ears, but she couldn’t keep the smile from her face at how happy her mother was or how much in love the two newlyweds were.

      “Ahem.” Cecilia nudged her arm. “The emcee is trying to get your attention.”

      “He has my attention.” And her heart. The past nine months had been amazing, full of life and happiness and embracing her feelings for Lance, with him embracing his feelings for her. Sure, there were moments when her old insecurities slipped through, but they were farther and farther apart. Just as Lance’s moments of guilt were farther and farther apart.

      He’d even been asked to speak at the local high school the week before graduation to talk to the kids about what had happened with Shelby. McKenzie had been so proud of him, of the way he’d opened up and shared with the kids his tragedy, how he’d lived his life trying to make amends, but one never really could. The Celebration Graduation committee had surprised Lance by setting up the Shelby Hanover Scholarship in her honor and had made the award to its first recipient following Lance’s talk at the high school.

      “Yeah, well, he’s motioning for you to join him onstage,” Cecilia pointed out. “He gonna have you croon for him again?”

      “I hope not.” McKenzie still didn’t enjoy singing or having everyone’s eyes on her, but the emcee aka the most wonderful man in the world truly was motioning her to come up onto the stage.

      She got onto the stage. “Please tell me I’m not about to embarrass myself by singing some Christmas ditty.”

      Grinning, he shook his head. “You’re not about to embarrass yourself by singing.”

      “Phew,” she said. “That’s a relief to everyone in the audience.”

      One of the performers brought over a chair and set it down behind where McKenzie stood next to Lance. She glanced around at the chair, then looked at Lance in question.

      “Have a seat, McKenzie.”

      She eyed him curiously. “What’s going on?”

      The look in his eyes had her concerned. His grin had faded and he actually looked nervous.

      “Lance?”

      “Sit, please.”

      McKenzie sat, which must have cued the music because it started up the moment her bottom hit the seat.

      When she caught the tune, she smiled.

      All the performers came out onto the stage and began singing. Lance stood in front of her, his eyes full of love. When the song ended, she got to her feet and kissed him.

      The crowd cheered.

      “You have me, you know,” she whispered, for his ears only.

      “I sure hope so or I’m about to look like the world’s biggest fool.”

      She arched a brow at him. “Lance?”

      “Have a seat, McKenzie.”

      Her gaze met his and her mouth fell open as she sat back down.

      A big smile on his face, Lance dropped to one knee, right there on the Coopersville Community Center’s stage, with half the town watching.

      “McKenzie, at this show last year you saved the mayor’s life,” Lance began. “But without knowing it, you saved mine, too.”

      McKenzie’s eyes watered.

      He wasn’t doing this.

      He was doing this.

      “This past year has been the best of my life because I’ve spent it with you, but more than that you’ve helped me to be the person I was meant to be, to let go of things that needed to be let go of, and to embrace the aspects of life that needed to be embraced.”

      “Lance,” she whispered, her hand shaking as he took it in his.

      “I can’t imagine my life without you in it every single day.”

      “You’ll never have to,” she promised.

      “I’d like to make that official, get it in writing,” he teased, drawing a laugh from their audience. “McKenzie, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

      McKenzie stared into the eyes of the man who’d taught her what it meant to love and be loved and felt her heart expand even further, so much so that she felt her chest bursting with love.

      “Oh, yes.” She nodded, watching as he slipped a diamond ring onto the third finger of her left hand.

      He lifted her hand, kissed her fingers. “I love you, McKenzie.”

      “I love you, too, Lance.”

      Lance lifted her to her feet, kissed her.

      The curtain