EPILOGUE
THIRD POV
Christmas eve arrives faster than you could blink an eye. Snow falls softly, the pretty kind that dusts your shoulders lightly and sparkles in the glow of string lights. Silver Crest has outdone itself this year. The square is bursting with warmth, lanterns flickering on every corner, children running around in reindeer sweaters, and the scent of cinnamon and cocoa hanging thick in the air. A tall spruce stands proudly in the center, dressed in ornaments donated by every family in town, its star catching the light like a beacon.
Carolers gather near the gazebo, their voices rising in harmony over the murmuring crowd. Laughter. Chatter. The low thrum of a town healing itself. Ella stands with her father near the refreshments table, wrapped in a burgundy coat and holdin
