“Did your. . .”
“What?”
“Did your stylist try to come on to you before you left?”
“What?” He blinked and looked around. “Why? Is she here?”
I shook my head. “Did she tell you that there was no reason to wait for me? Were you in a towel talking to her in your bathroom while you shaved?”
Saint let go of me and stepped back. “What’s going on? How do you know that?”
I trembled. “So it did happen?”
“Yes, but how did you know?” Saint held a confused expression on his face. “I didn’t tell anybody.”
“It doesn’t matter because that’s the end of that.” I went back to him, got on my toes, and wrapped my arms around his neck. “I won’t give her the chance to have you.”
“My stylist?”
“Anybody.” I leaned away and stared up at him. “I love you. I’m scared about that. I’m actually. . .terrified about that, but I’m more afraid to let you go. You just can’t die on me. Please don’t.”
Saint parted his lips.
“Promise.”
“Okay, Ivy. Let’s go inside my villa and get you warm—”
“Saint, I love you.”
He grinned. “I love you too. There’s just a lot to unpack. How did you know about the stylist?”
“If I told you, then you would think I’m crazy.”
“I already think you’re crazy, Ivy.”
I quirked my eyebrows. “What?”
“Yeah.”
“Uh. . .well I guess I do have some mental issues.”
“A few.”
“Hey, I don’t need you to help me with that.”
“You actually do.” He moved his gloved hand to my chin and outlined my lip with his finger. “What changed, Ivy? I’m happy. I’m now not going to let you turn this around. But what happened?”
“You wouldn’t believe me.”
“Try me.”
I frowned. “Ghosts came to me. Well, first my mother showed up and she was in that same rope that she killed herself with and—”
“The nightmares are back.”
“This wasn’t truly a nightmare. We sat in clouds.”
“O-kay.”
“And so she has these two ex-lovers that are like powerful ghosts.”
“Yeah. We should definitely go inside. Have you slept?”
“That’s what I’m trying to say, Saint. When I sleep, my mother’s spirits come and show me things. Like the one spirit showed me my past and then the other showed me this month.”
A large truck barreled and parked in front of the SnowChapel. An illustration of flowers was painted on the side.
“Oh, that’s the florist.” I left his hold and headed that way. “We have to make sure everything is great. Did you know that Holly didn’t even want to have the wedding here?”
“Yeah.”
I stopped and turned to him. “You knew?”
“Yeah.” He shrugged.
“Why would you let her do that? This wedding is supposed to be about her. Not me.”
“Because loving you is one of her happiest duties in life. Nikolas and I couldn’t convince her to do otherwise.”
I wanted to cry. Instead, I stepped back as if her love was around and ready to grab me. “I. . .”
“Yes?”
Do I deserve her?
I sighed. “Does it seem like I love her too?”
“Of course, Ivy.”
My voice went weak. “Are you sure?”
“Why would you ask that? You’re one of the most loving people I know.”
I shook my head. “How could you say that? I do my best to not love you all. It hurts too much.”
“Still, you love us. If not for you, Nikolas and Holly wouldn’t be together.”
“I didn’t really have a hand in that.”
“If not for you, I wouldn’t be a chef or have my own restaurants and shows.”
“My grandmother was the one—”
“No, Ivy. It was you. Your Grandmother showed me around the kitchen and ignited the passion for food, but you kept it going. You were always encouraging me. Always telling me how my food tasted good even when I knew it might’ve sucked. You always sent me cookbooks and chef biographies. That was why I decided to be a chef.”
I held my hand over my heart. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. You’re always caring for us and pretending that it’s no big deal. Even with your charity. You dedicate your collections to helping single mothers. It costs you so much money and time. And every year you push yourself even more so that you can help more.”
I looked away. “It’s not that big of a deal.”
He took my chin and brought my view back to him. “It is a big deal. Say it.”
“What?”
“Repeat after me. You love people.”
“I don’t need to say it.”
“Come on.”
I frowned. “I love people.”
“And your charity is a big deal.”
My bottom lip quivered. “It’s a big deal.”
“You’re a good, loving person.”
“I’m a good, loving person.”
He gave me a wicked smile. “And you love me.”
“I do love you, Saint.”
“And you’re ready to make this work.”
I swallowed.
“That wasn’t a question, Ivy. You’re supposed to repeat after me.”
I nodded. “I’m ready to make this work. I just need us to take baby steps.”
“No way. I’ve waited several years. I’m grabbing you and we’re leaping forward. Enough with the baby steps.”
I edged back.
He closed the distance. “It’s too late for that.”
He was barely half an inch away from me.
I widened my eyes. “Too late for what?”
He moved in closer. “It’s too late to escape me, Ivy. Now that you’re going to try, I won’t let you back out of it.”
My knees went weak. I forced myself to remain standing. “Okay. I’m just. . .”
“Afraid.”
“Don’t leave me, Saint.”
“Have I left you all these years?” He kissed me before I could answer. And then those huge arms lifted me like I weighed nothing. And I melted in his arms, even though it was so cold and icy outside. I was warm in his embrace. Hot within that kiss.
When the kiss ended, I immediately wanted to head back to the villa. A boom came from the truck. I turned. Men had begun carrying huge stacks of flowers out and heading into the SnowChapel.
I looked back at Saint.
The whole time he’d been watching me.
I cleared my throat. “We should check on the decorations.”
“Should we?” He licked his lips. “Holly has a wedding planner and my mother will be all over the place checking this and that. Perhaps we could do other things.”
I smiled, knowing the wicked thoughts spinning in his head. “I told her I would make sure everything went exactly as planned. Besides. . .she’s here because of me.”