Page 114 of The Encounter
“You didn’t need to get me anything, doll.”
“I wanted to.”
He delicately tore the paper off, taking care not to rip it. She giggled.
“What?” he asked.
“You’re just really cute.”
He smiled and set the paper aside. He glanced at her and then lifted the lid off the box, stopping short.
“Oh, Maddie.” He pulled out two hand-stitched Christmas stockings; one with Jace’s name and one with Maddie’s. He ran his hands over the sequins on the Christmas tree on her stocking, before doing the same with the sequins on the Santa on his stocking. His heart clenched. No one had ever given him something so thoughtful. “These are beautiful. Did you make these?”
She nodded. “I’ve been working on them non-stop since we shopped for decorations. Whenever we weren’t together, I was stitching. They took far more time than I expected. I had to pull a few late nights on the days you were working at the club, and then hide it all before you got home. I really didn’t think I’d finish.”
“This is such a thoughtful gift. I’m just—” He cleared his throat and clenched his eyes shut briefly to ward away the swarm of emotion that suddenly came over him. “—I’m blown away.”
“I wanted you to have some stockings to hang above your mantel since you didn’t have any.”
He set them back in the box and took her hands. “You mean, to hang aboveourmantel.”
A smile spread across her face and he suddenly wished he could take a picture of it even though it would be ingrained in his mind for the rest of his life.
“I like the sound of that.”
He leaned forward and kissed her. “I do too. You know what this means, right?”
“What?”
“We have to go shopping for stocking hangers.”
Her eyes lit up and the gleeful squeal that left her lips was the best sound he had ever heard.
EPILOGUE
ONE YEAR LATER - CHRISTMAS EVE
Maddie stood in front of the floor-length mirror and smoothed her hands down the front of her white lace wedding gown.
“Oh!” Kayla, Kailynn, and Haley all said in unison.
Maddie turned around as tears glistened in her eyes. “Can you believe I’m getting married today?”
“You look stunning!” Kayla said, taking a step toward Maddie and clasping their hands together. “I can’t believe you nabbed the sexiest man in this city!”
Maddie laughed. “Um, aren’t you supposed to be calling your own boyfriend the sexiest man?”
Kayla was still going strong with Robert, despite her not wanting to let on that she was wildly in love. She played their relationship off like it was still new, but everyone knew better… including Robert. Kayla was smitten.
“Oh please. I don’t see him in the room.” Kayla waved a hand in the air. “In all seriousness, though, you look incredible.”
“Thank you,” Maddie said.
Kailynn stepped forward next, taking Kayla’s place. “You are gorgeous, and I can’t believe you’re getting married!”
“I don’t know how I can ever thank you,” Maddie started. “You made me this wonderful dress, and it’s the most beautiful dress I could have ever picked for myself.”
After Jace had proposed, Maddie, Kailynn, Kayla, Haley, and Jackie had gone to several bridal stores so Maddie could try on bridal gowns, but she never found one she was perfectly happy with. That’s when Jace suggested Maddie ask Kailynn to make it. Maddie approached Kailynn and asked if she’d consider making the wedding dress. Kailynn hesitated at first, but within an hour said she would try. The two of them got to work finding a design that had all the elements Maddie wanted.
