“Let me get a picture of the two of you in front of the tree,” I said to Ryan and Lucie as Maxim checked us in.

  To my surprise, they obliged, hugging one another in front of the tree like they’d been siblings their whole lives. Ryan had had his share of friends back home in West Virginia, but I’d never seen him click as well with anyone as he had with Lucie.

  I sent the picture to Jenny with a message thanking her for the umpteenth time for gifting us with the trip that had started it all. Though I could never fully repay her for all that she’d given me, Maxim had graciously flown Jenny and her son out to stay at the resort over Thanksgiving as a thank-you for bringing us together. I supposed that was a start, and I knew that Jenny was just happy that I was so happy.

  Maxim hugged me from behind and planted a kiss on my cheek. “Shall we?” he said.

  Ryan and Lucie scrambled in front of us toward the town car before I had a chance to answer.

  The cabin was even more beautiful than I remembered it, with intricate wreaths on every window. The front of the house was covered in Christmas lights, and I knew Ryan would absolutely love seeing them later on when it got dark outside.

  It was good to be back. I’d never imagined I’d actually feel as if I belonged here, but Maxim made sure that I always felt like I did.

  “Mom, can we go skiing?” Ryan asked the minute my bags hit the floor in the cabin.

  I looked over at Maxim. Though much of my life had changed, I still did not find skiing to be all that enjoyable. Of course, Ryan had been such a good sport about all of the changes in our lives, that I knew I’d take him skiing if he really wanted to go. Luckily, Maxim spoke up before I got roped into going.

  “I’ll take you,” he said. “I’ve missed the slopes!”

  Ryan’s face lit up. “Awesome! I’ll get my stuff.”

  “You want to go, Lucie?” Maxim asked.

  “Not really,” Lucie replied, tugging at one of her pigtail braids. “I thought maybe Tia and I could go to the spa and get our nails painted or something.”

  Lucie’s words made me smile for two reasons: one, I was always up for a good manicure, and two, I was elated that she felt comfortable enough with me that she wanted to spend quality time together. Things had been going really well for the four of us, but it was always nice to get that reassurance.

  Since moving to Switzerland, we’d really become a family unit. While we did things together as the four of us, Ryan was thrilled to finally have a male parental figure in his life, and Lucie loved doing girly things with me that she couldn’t do with Maxim.

  “I’d love that, Lucie,” I said honestly.

  Maxim shot us that grin he always gave before he was about to make some sort of grand gesture. “I’ll do you one better,” he said. “I’ll call over to the hotel and have them bring the spa to you. How does that sound?”

  Lucie’s jumping and cheering provided the answer he needed, and I sure wasn’t one to turn down an afternoon of pampering.

  By the time Ryan and Maxim had changed into clothes more appropriate for skiing, we had a makeshift spa set up in the living room of the cabin. Two nail technicians from the hotel spa had brought over their supplies, and one of the maintenance staff members had brought tables and stools to make it feel more like an actual spa.

  Considering the frigid temperatures outside, I was certain Lucie was an absolute genius. I let her pick my nail color from the wide selection the nail technicians had brought over, and she opted for a dark red for me and bright green for herself.

  “So each of our nails can be one half of Christmas,” she explained.

  That reasoning was good enough for me.

  As the ladies fixed our cuticles and massaged our hands, Lucie rambled on and on as if she’d been holding in a year’s worth of secrets. After explaining to me that she couldn’t talk to her dad about some things, she broke down her whole social circle with me, starting with her best friends and ending with a boy in her class she had a crush on. They were going to have a playdate after their school Christmas party, and Lucie was looking forward to it.

  “Tia, can I tell you something?” Lucie asked.

  “Anything,” I said. I’d wanted to make a joke about how she’d already told me everything there possibly was to know, but it didn’t seem like the right time. Besides, her tone had changed from that of a now ten-year-old to a grown woman in the matter of one sentence.

  Lucie looked away from her half-painted nails and met my gaze. “Thank you,” she said softly.

  “For what?”

  “If my dad hadn’t met you, he would probably still be traveling every day,” she said. “I’d be at school far away, and I’d never get to see him. I miss my friends at my old school, but I’m happy to be back home with my dad. And with you and Ryan.”

  Her words melted my heart. “Sweetie, I’m glad you like having us here,” I said. “But I don’t deserve the credit. I think your dad realized how much more important you are than his work.”

  Lucie shrugged. “Maybe. But I think it’s all thanks to you. You completed our family.”

  It took every bit of effort to keep from bursting out into tears and squeezing Lucie in a tight hug. Both for the sake of remaining calm and for the sake of keeping my wet nails intact, I opted to internalize my joy, at least for the time being.

  “You’re pretty awesome, Lucie. You know that?”

  “Yeah, I am pretty great.”

  We giggled like best friends, and I thanked my lucky stars that I had met Maxim right here at this resort back in the spring. I hoped with all my heart that Ryan opened up to Maxim the way Lucie opened up to me, and I had a gut feeling that he did.

  “Come on, guys,” Maxim called from the kitchen. “Our reservation is in fifteen minutes.”

  It was our first Christmas dinner together, and we both wanted it to be perfect.

  I was the second one ready to go, dressed in a red and black dress I’d gotten on a recent shopping trip with Lucie. Ryan emerged next, donning a button-down I didn’t recognize and a pair of slacks. Having never seen my son in anything other than jeans or sweatpants—or shorts, in the summer—I knew this had to be Maxim’s doing. Finally, Lucie came into the kitchen, her red and green plaid dress the most festive of all our outfits. She even had red lip gloss and a smidge of green eyeshadow on.

  “This is one good-looking crew we have here, Maxim,” I said, leaning over to him. “Wouldn’t you say so?”

  “That I would,” he replied.

  The town car was waiting outside, so we marched out, one by one, Maxim’s arm around my waist.

  Ryan was exhausted from skiing, but not too exhausted to spend the short car ride to the main hotel boasting about how awesome of a time he and Maxim had had. Maxim had taken him on some new, more exclusive slopes, a story I was certain Ryan would be telling to all of his new friends at school once they got back from winter break.

  Lucie poked fun at him like the pesky little sister I’d always wanted him to have, and I caught Maxim grinning.

  The four of us walked hand in hand into the hotel, Maxim’s warm body next to mine. “Hey, I think maybe I’ll try the gelato this time,” I teased.

  “Very funny,” he said. “You’d better. Don’t want you missing out again.”

  I waited with the kids while Maxim went up to the hostess stand, and I wondered if he was thinking about the last time we’d stood up there just like I was. If the restaurant had simply had a table for one when I’d inquired, I wouldn’t have been standing here at this moment, with my son and a sweet little girl who I thought of as a daughter.

  “Right this way,” the hostess said.

  Ryan and Lucie ran in front of me, and I followed behind. It wasn’t lost on me that Ryan had adapted seamlessly not only to life in Switzerland, but to life without worrying about money. He sat down in his chair, with his napkin tucked on his lap, like he’d been living this way all his life. Just by looking at him, I’d never have been able to guess that, this time last year, fast food and takeout were considered a luxury to him.

  It suddenly occurred to me that we were at the exact table where Maxim and I had had our first date at. Sure, we had our kids with us this time, but, other than that, it felt like we had just teleported back to April. It was the spot that had started it all. Thinking about how out of place I’d felt, how much I’d expected to detest Maxim, I couldn’t help but laugh. Our lives had been completely turned upside down but in the best possible way.

  “Maxim, did you request this table on purpose?” I asked, though I already knew the answer. He was the king of grand, kind, wonderful gestures.

  “Of course,” he said. “I wanted to do something special for you.”

  “That’s so sweet of you.”

  “And what better place than right here, the place that started it all?”

  His words made me realize that the table itself wasn’t the special something, but rather the location for whatever he had in mind.

  “You make me feel special every single day. You don’t have to do anything extra just because it’s Christmas,” I said.

  Maxim grinned, in that way of his that told me he was up to something. “I know. But I wanted to get you something extra special.”

  “What might that be?” I asked.

  He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a keyring with a single key. Without a word, he placed it into my hand.

  “What is this?”

  “Ryan, do you want to tell her?” Maxim asked.

  I looked over at Ryan, wondering what kind of secret he could have possibly kept from me.

  “It’s a key to your art gallery!” Ryan chirped.

  “My…what?” I was fairly certain I’d heard him correctly, but the words weren’t making sense in my head. I turned my attention back to Maxim, eager for an explanation.

  “Now that you’re back to painting, you need a place to display and sell all of your beautiful creations,” he said. “And I happened to find the most perfect spot for your gallery, five minutes from the house. If you don’t like it, I can find out—”

  “I love it!” I exclaimed. It didn’t matter what the space looked like, because Maxim had chosen it just for me. I trusted his judgment. I definitely could not fully comprehend the magnitude of having my own gallery space, because it was more than I could have ever asked for. “Thank you, thank you, thank you! I can’t wait to see it!”

  “I’ll take you there first thing Monday morning.” Maxim cleared his throat. “Now, for that something special I told you about.”

  “What?”

  I knew Maxim was a fan of surprises, but I couldn’t think of anything that could possibly top the surprise he’d just given me. He had to be messing with me, pulling out surprise after surprise. Just being at this table, our table, with our kids was enough for me. An art gallery was the icing on the cake of a fantastic year. What else could Maxim possibly do?

  I looked over at the kids, whose eyes were fixated on Maxim. Wait a minute. Was he? No, he couldn’t be.

  Before I knew what was happening, Maxim was down on one knee. My heart sped up as he opened the ring box to reveal the most beautiful ring I’d ever laid eyes on. It was timelessly classic, and—even to my eyes—clearly incredibly valuable. I had to fan myself to keep from fainting.

  “Tia, you make me feel like the luckiest man in the world every day of the week, and I can’t imagine life without you.” Maxim stopped to regain his composure, his voice shaky and quiet. “This ring belonged to my mother. I know she would want you to have it, because you make me happier than I have ever been. Will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me?”

  I tried to open my mouth to respond but was drowned out by the screaming and cheering coming from Ryan and Lucie. They jumped up and down, clearly unfazed by the formality of the restaurant, and chanted something about me answering him.

  I jumped out of my chair and threw my arms around Maxim. Over the cheers of our children, I yelled, “Yes!”

  Tears poured down my face, but they were tears of joy. My hand shook as Maxim slipped the diamond on my finger, its pear shape absolutely stunning. While the ring was every girl’s dream, the sentiment meant more to me. I knew how much Maxim had adored his mother, and now he was passing one of her most sacred possessions on to me.

  My lips met Maxim’s, and we embraced, surrounded by joking, mock-disgusted noises from Ryan and Lucie. After Maxim and I parted, I went over to Lucie to give her a hug, my way of signifying that I knew they were both welcoming me into their family, and Maxim did the same with Ryan.

  “I tricked you,” Lucie said with a sly smile.

  “How’s that?” I asked.

  “Our manicures! Dad wanted to make sure you had your nails done for tonight.”

  In the chaos of it all, the fact that I had gorgeous nails to match my gorgeous ring had totally slipped my mind. Learning that the three of them had orchestrated this whole day shocked me in the best possible way. We really were a family.

  I went around the table to Ryan, my amazing boy who’d given up so much for me, and wrapped him tight in my arms.

  “What do you think?” I whispered in his ear. I noticed for the first time that Ryan had tears in his eyes, too.

  “I’m going to have a dad,” he whispered back. “And a sister who’s my best friend.”

  I was completely overcome with emotion, certain that all of the years of hardship I’d faced had led me to this moment. It had definitely been worth the wait. I started back toward my seat, but Lucie motioned to me to stop.

  “Look! Mistletoe!” she said.

  As if it had been planned that way, mistletoe was hung directly between Maxim and me. Not ones to go against tradition, he took me in his arms and kissed me with all the passion in the world.

  This time, the kids didn’t even squirm. It occurred to me that this was the first time in Ryan’s entire life that he’d had a real family Christmas, beyond just the two of us, and I took comfort in knowing that, now, we would always have a family to share the holidays with.

  The four of us squished in together for a group hug, possibly my favorite hug I’d ever given and received. We were going to become a family, though, as far as I was concerned, we already were a family. This was the start of a new chapter for us all, and I couldn’t wait to see what it had in store.

  The End

  I hope you’ve enjoyed Tia and Maxim’s story. Sign up to my mailing list and get news, freebies and more!

  Holly x

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  Fake Fiancée, Bride Forever

  Time for a tease!

  Up next is the first chapter of the previous book in my Billionaires of Europe series, Fake Fiancée, Bride Forever

  Happy reading!

  Holly x

  Copyright 2019 by Holly Rayner

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part by any means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the explicit written permission of the author.

  All characters depicted in this fictional work are consenting adults, of at least eighteen years of age. Any resemblance to persons living or deceased, particular businesses, events, or exact locations are entirely coincidental.

  Chapter 1

  Leah

  Spring 2014

  From the moment I step off the plane at LAX, everything around me feels like a dream.

  If I’m being honest with myself, though, my life has felt like a dream for weeks now. Ever since the letter arrived from the production company, SnakePit Media, I’ve felt as though reality has been suspended.

  Congratulations, Leah Simmonds! You have been invited to pitch your project to the Vipers!

  The Vipers… My mind reels at the thought of standing in the same room with them. The Vipers are a group of businessmen—all men—who made their names and fortunes in the tech industry when they were my age. “Vipers” is the name they gave themselves when they came together to produce their TV special, through which they plan to identify and back a promising new talent.

  The Vipers’ Nest project has gotten no small share of publicity on the developer message boards I frequent, with hundreds of people posting about their own current projects and their plans to apply for the show. It was mostly the excitement of everyone else talking about it that led me to apply. I never took it seriously because I didn’t think I had a real chance. After all, each of the Vipers is a household name, famous for creating a product used across America. Around the world. My software is a pet project I’ve been working on in my spare time. It’s still in beta. Honestly, I figured that fact alone would disqualify me.

  And now I’m here.

  The last few days have been a whirlwind of shopping and packing. My wardrobe is perfect for the climate of Seattle where I live—cloudy and rainy and never quite warm enough. But in LA, where the show is being filmed, it’s sunny and warm. Hence the recent spate of new purchases which now fill my suitcase.

  I step out of the airport terminal to a sky that is vast and unbelievably clear. As the taxi driver loads my suitcase into the trunk, I put on my new sunglasses and get in the vehicle, ready for an adventure.

  We pull up to the hotel where my fellow contestants and I will be staying. It’s a beautiful tower, the outer architecture hinting at what I’m sure will be a well-appointed and spacious interior. I grab my bag and make my way to the reservation desk to check in.