Page 73 of Rebel Without a Claus

Perfectly Grizz.

I eye him suspiciously as I open it, unwrapping the little string keeping it shut. I’m not sure what I’m expecting, but it’s not… paperwork. The room is silent as I flip through the pages inside.

It’s an enrolment form, with my name printed across the top of the first page.

“Grizz?” My heart feels like it’s going to explode from my chest. “What is this?”

“An online business program,” he says, making my heart race even faster, pounding against my ribs. “You can do marketing, or management. Whatever. It’ll be paid for.”

I shake my head in disbelief. “Wait…”

“And Hades said when you’re done, you can have shares in The Gallows.”

My mouth hangs open as I look up at him in shock.

I keep trying to find the right words, or even the wrong ones at this point, but I just keep opening and closing it like an idiot.

A tear drips down onto my lips, and he swipes it away, chuckling softly. “Baby, it’s done. You don’t need to come up with all the reasons why you don’t deserve it, or why it’s too much.”

The man knows me.

“Mom, just say thank you!” Jovie insists, laughing as she throws her hands up. “It’s rude not to!”

I clear the emotion from my throat and meet Grizz’s amused stare. “Thank you,” I whisper, trying hard not to choke up. “I… it’s… thank you.”

Grizz chuckles and wraps his arm around my shoulder. I fold into his body, lifting my legs over his thigh and tucking myself into him. This is it. This is home. The place I want to be forever.

“Must be your turn, kid,” Grizz says, but Jovie is already standing at the tree and plucking her wishing jar from where she wedged it between a couple of branches.

The glitter that decorates the sides falls to the floor as she man handles it, but she manages to get it free and leave a messy trail behind her. “That other one was from Mom, but this one is from me,” she explains, holding it out to Grizz. “I want you to read it.”

Grizz and I are both a little confused, but he’s not one to turn Jovie down—ever—so he carefully unscrews the lid while sheholds it tightly, and reaches two fingers inside to pull out a single piece of torn paper.

I look away, letting him read the paper—not sure if it’s something I’m meant to see.

But when he sucks in a sharp breath, and gently unwinds his body from mine before getting to his feet… I can’t help but watch on.

And I’m glad I did.

“Yes,” he says, his voice thick and shaky. “Hell yes, Jon Bon. Hell yes.”

Jovie launches herself into his arms, wrapping hers tight around his neck—the two of them squeezing the life out of each other.

The sight is something so damn special, my emotions finally get the best of me, and I cover my mouth just as soft sobs falls free. The small piece of paper falling from his hand, to the floor where I pick it up, gasping as I read the words so tenderly written all those weeks ago. Placing it gently on the coffee table, I wrap my arms around the man who stumbled into our lives and filled a hole we didn't realise was missing. Kissing Jovie on the temple, I rub her back as Grizz adjusts his hold, taking both of us in his embrace.

“This is the first of many celebrations,” he says, his low baritone muffled as he speaks into the crook of her neck. “Merry Christmas, kid. You gave me the most important gift I could ever ask for.”

THE END.