Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 27909 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27909 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
She’d found home in Leo. Anywhere he was, that was where she wanted to be.
Their apartment was closer to her new job. After Christmas last year, Jenny agreed to look at Cammie’s portfolio. Then she’d immediately agreed to interview Cammie. As Leo had predicted, she’d been impressed enough to overlook Cammie’s lack of a degree. She began working at the PR firm in January and she’d been there ever since. The job was perfect, exactly what she’d hoped it would be.
Although she’d left her barista job, she visited the coffee shop as a customer now, often accompanied by Leo, who still loved the peppermint mocha holiday special. Mona had been promoted to manager and now ran the place, always giving Cammie a friends and family discount when she came in. Her friend still liked to tease her about her obvious crush on Leo before they got together, but Cammie was too happy with the man to care.
Leo was the perfect partner. He didn’t just support her career goals; he’d adjusted his own work/life balance, cutting back his hours at the office so he could actually have a life outside of his job. He discovered he could make money but also have fun. He even ran a marathon. Most importantly, he was home every evening, spending time with her.
“Come on,” he said after she took their picture in front of the tree. “I told you I’ve got something planned.”
She smiled and let him drag her away from the tree, but they didn’t go far. Leo led them to the igloos set up by the ice rink, the clear plastic domes glowing with golden light from within.
Excitement bubbled up inside of her as he checked in with an attendant, who escorted them to a private igloo Leo had rented. Inside the heated space, there were six cushioned chairs around a table, but she loved the fact that they had the entire cozy igloo to themselves.
Leo pointed to the ice rink and a redhead with earmuffs on. “Did you see that woman’s jump?” Leo asked. The woman was gliding across the ice with the kind of form that only someone with training could pull off.
“That’s called a loop,” Cammie said. “It’s when someone takes off and lands on the same foot.”
They watched the skaters while eating Bavarian pretzels with beer-cheese dip and drinking hot apple cider. It was a relaxed yet incredibly romantic meal.
She dipped a piece of pretzel in the cheese and popped it into her mouth. She was so busy watching the skaters, especially the woman now doing an upright spin, she was shocked when she glanced at the table to find a small gift waiting for her and Leo’s dark eyes boring into her own.
The green box had a red bow on top. “What is this?” she asked.
“Open it.” He rubbed his hands together, but he couldn’t be cold. Not with the heater. So, what was wrong?
She lifted the top off the box and gasped at the beautiful Christmas ornament tucked inside in the shape of a hand-carved, wooden building. The painted sign above the door read Santa’s Workshop.
She lifted the ornament by the ribbon attached at the top, taking in the finer details, including small hinges along the side.
“The door opens,” Leo said.
She carefully managed to open it, holding her breath as she looked inside. A diamond ring sat on a tiny wooden table and her breath caught in her throat.
She looked to Leo, who knelt on one knee, and tears of happiness filled her eyes.
“Cammie, I think you know how you’ve changed me for the better and I can’t imagine my life without you in it. You’re my sunshine and my Christmas angel. And I hope one day soon, you’ll be my wife. You’re all I want for Christmas. Will you marry me?” he asked.
She was too choked up to speak so she threw her arms around his neck, peppering kisses all over his face until he was laughing.
Leaning back, he held her face in his hands. “I’ll take that as a yes,” he said.
“Yes,” she repeated, finding her voice again. “I’ll marry you, Leo.”
With a huge smile on his face, he rose to his feet and lifted her into his arms.
He’d already put money on the table to cover the check and the next thing she knew, he carried her out of the igloo and took her to their home.