Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

Liam stood outside the general store on Main Street, hands deep in his jacket pockets. He was here with Chloe and the other volunteers to decorate the street with colorful Christmas decorations. The town was abuzz with holiday spirit, and he could feel the infectious energy all around him. Laughter and chatter echoed from every corner as residents bustled about, preparing for the upcoming festivities.

“Here you go,” Chloe said, handing him a bundle of bright red bows. “Mabel’s already added the fairy lights to her trees, so it shouldn’t take us as long as it did the other stores.”

“Got it,” Liam replied, taking the bows from her. Oscar skipped beside them, humming a Christmas tune.

“Can I help?” Oscar asked, his eyes wide with excitement.

“Absolutely, buddy,” Liam smiled. “You’re in charge of picking the perfect spot on each tree for these bows.”

Oscar grinned. “Yes!”

Each store had two miniature Christmas trees on either side of their entrance. A few years ago, the business association had received funding from the county to spend on decorations. The Christmas Committee had bought artificial trees and each year they were a favorite with the community and visitors to the area.

Liam knelt beside Oscar. “Where should this bow go?”

Oscar pointed decisively. “Right there in the middle, so everyone can see it!”

“Excellent choice,” Liam said, tying the bow where Oscar had pointed.

Chloe watched them with a soft smile. “You two make a great team.”

“I couldn’t do it without my trusty assistant,” Liam winked at Oscar.

After they’d covered the trees in bows, they checked the solar-powered lights, making sure they were working properly.

Oscar tugged on Liam’s sleeve. “Our school play is soon. Can you still come?”

Liam was glad Oscar still wanted him there. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“Yeah!” Oscar cheered.

Chloe adjusted a strand of lights, her cheeks tinged pink from the cold—or perhaps from overhearing their conversation. “We’re all looking forward to it.”

“Hey,” Liam said, turning to her. “After we finish up here, how about grabbing dinner together? My treat.”

Chloe gave him an apologetic smile. “I wish I could, but I need to fix three elf costumes before tomorrow afternoon.”

“The busy life of a supermom,” Liam teased gently.

She laughed. “Something like that.”

Oscar held Chloe’s hand. “My dad’s coming to see me.”

Liam looked down at the innocent expression in Oscar’s eyes. He wasn’t sure what to say, so he looked at Chloe. Her smile disappeared.

“I talked to him on the phone and he said he might come to my school play, too.”

Before Liam could respond, the door of the general store swung open, and Mabel bustled out with a festive red scarf wrapped around her neck.

“Well, haven’t you made the entrance look splendid!” she exclaimed, clapping her hands together. “The trees are just lovely.”

“Thanks, Mabel,” Chloe said warmly. “We’re almost finished.”

Mabel’s eyes shone as she looked at Oscar. “I baked a fresh batch of gingerbread Christmas cookies this morning. Would you like to come inside and have one?”

Oscar’s face lit up. “Yes, please!”

“Go ahead,” Chloe encouraged him. “We’ll be right here.”

As Oscar followed Mabel into the store, Liam turned to Chloe. “Is everything okay?” he asked softly.

She sighed, her breath forming a small cloud in the cold air. “My lawyer said it might be good for Paul to see Oscar before we go back to court. He’s flying into Kalispell next Friday and he’ll be here for the weekend.”

Liam searched her face. “How do you feel about that?”

“I’m worried,” she admitted. “Oscar hasn’t seen Paul in over a year. I don’t know how he’ll react. And I’m... I’m anxious about seeing him again.”

Liam reached out and gently touched her arm. “I imagine that most people would feel that way.”

She looked across the store. “I just want to do what’s best for Oscar. But the idea of Paul coming here, into our new life... it’s unsettling.”

“You don’t have to meet him on your own,” Liam said firmly. “I could be there.”

She met his gaze, gratitude filling her eyes. “I think that’d only make things harder. Paul will probably be on his best behavior, and I’m worrying about nothing.”

Liam felt a surge of protectiveness toward Chloe and Oscar. He wanted to help, to ease their worries, but he also knew this was something she had to navigate carefully. “Do you think Oscar’s ready to see his dad?”

“He’s been asking about Paul. I think he misses the idea of him, but I’m not sure he understands what it means for him to be back in his life.”

“Kids are resilient,” Liam told her. “But they also pick up on more than we realize.”

“That’s what worries me,” she whispered. “I don’t want him to be hurt. My lawyer suggested setting some boundaries and meeting Paul in a neutral place. He’ll only be with us for an hour on Saturday. He’ll probably come to the school play that evening, but I’m not sure.”

Before Liam could ask her where Paul was staying, Oscar bounded back outside, gingerbread cookies in each hand. “Look! Mrs. Terry gave me some for you, too!”

“That was nice of her,” Liam said, accepting a cookie.

Chloe took hers with a smile. “Thank you, sweetheart.”

As they enjoyed the treats, Mabel reappeared at the door. “Don’t forget, the carolers are rehearsing tonight at the church if you’re interested.”

“Thanks for the reminder,” Chloe called back.

Mabel waved cheerfully before returning inside.

Oscar munched on his cookie. “Can we go see the carolers, Mom?”

“Not tonight, Oscar. We have a lot to do.”

“Maybe I could help fix the costumes,” Liam offered. “I’m not much of a tailor, but I can follow instructions.”

Chloe raised an eyebrow playfully. “Are you sure you want to spend your evening sewing?”

He shrugged with a grin. “I’m willing to learn. Plus, it means I get to spend more time with you and Oscar.”

Oscar’s eyes lit up. “Please, Mom? Can Liam help?”

Chloe looked at each of them, a soft smile spreading across her face. “All right. I suppose an extra pair of hands won’t hurt. But we still have six Christmas trees to decorate.”

With lots of laughter and more than one Christmas treat, they made their way along the next three stores, adding the finishing touches to each tree.

As they stepped back to admire their handiwork, they met the volunteers who’d decorated the other stores on Main Street. Each business glowed with holiday cheer, the red bows and sparkling lights creating a picturesque scene straight out of a postcard.

“It’s perfect,” Chloe said quietly.

The other volunteers nodded. Once the lights were strung across the street and the large Christmas tree delivered, Sapphire Bay would be ready for the start of their holiday celebrations.

According to the last email Liam had received from Mabel, the tree would be delivered the day after Thanksgiving. That gave everyone a couple of weeks to complete any last-minute issues with the tree-lighting ceremony and get ready for hundreds of visitors to the area.

While everyone chatted about the other Christmas events they were organizing, Liam gathered the bags that’d been full of shiny red bows.

Amongst the laughter and good-natured banter, Chloe was quieter than usual. As Liam watched, her gaze drift toward Oscar. He was talking to another boy about the same age as him. She seemed so lost in thought that he was worried about her.

Folding the last bag into a larger one, he walked across to her. “Hey,” he whispered. “It’ll be okay.”

She looked at him, her eyes full of vulnerability. “I hope so.”

He sent her a reassuring smile. If she was worried about her relationship with her ex-husband, there wasn’t a lot he could do to help her.

“Mom! Liam! Come look at this!” Oscar called out, pointing to a group of children building a snowman across the street.

“That looks like fun,” Chloe said. “Let’s go see the snowman.”

They walked over together, joining in the laughter and joy that filled the air. For a moment, Chloe’s worries seemed to fade, replaced by the simple pleasure of being surrounded by warmth and community.

A little while later, Chloe looked at Liam. “Are you ready to head home and tackle those elf costumes?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” he replied with a smile.

“Can I make the hats?” Oscar asked eagerly.

“Of course you can,” Chloe told him. “You could even show Liam how to make them. He could be your assistant.”

Oscar frowned. “What’s an assistant?”

Liam wrapped his arm around Oscar’s shoulders. “It’s someone who does everything you don’t want to do.”

“Like making my bed and drying the dishes?”

A smile tugged at the corners of Liam’s mouth. “Something like that.”

Oscar grinned. “You can be my assistant every day!” And with his tiny hand clasped in Liam’s, they walked back to Liam’s truck.

Regardless of what happened in the future, Liam was glad he was here to spend Christmas with Chloe and Oscar. With everything that was happening in their lives, they’d need all the support he could give them.

Chloe stood in front of her cottage’s large bay window, her gaze fixed on the quiet street. The winter afternoon was calm, with snowflakes gently falling and blanketing Sapphire Bay in a pristine layer of white. As she waited for Paul, her fingers nervously twisted the hem of her sweater.

“Mom, when will Dad be here?” Oscar’s voice pulled her from her thoughts. He stood beside her, his small hand tugging at her sleeve.

She looked down at him, forcing a smile. “Any minute now, sweetheart.”

Oscar’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. “I can’t wait to show him my new dinosaur book!”

Chloe swallowed the lump in her throat. “I’m sure he’ll love it.” A knock at the door made her heart skip a beat. If it was Paul, he must have parked farther down the street. “That might be him.”

Oscar dashed toward the door, but Chloe placed her hand on his shoulder. “Remember, we open the door together, okay?”

He nodded eagerly. “Okay!”

Chloe’s palms were damp as she grasped the door handle. Opening it, she was met with Paul’s familiar face—a face that brought back a flood of memories, both good and bad.

“Hello, Paul,” she said, her tone polite but guarded.

“Chloe,” he replied, his gaze shifting to Oscar. “Hey there, buddy!”

“Dad!” Oscar exclaimed, throwing his arms around Paul’s waist.

Paul hugged him tightly. “Look at you—getting bigger every day!”

Chloe stepped aside to let them in. “Come in out of the cold.”

They moved into the living room. Paul glanced around, taking in the cozy space filled with Oscar’s drawings and the scent of freshly baked cookies. “Nice place you have here.”

“Thank you,” Chloe replied, sitting down on the couch. She watched as Oscar excitedly pulled out his dinosaur book.

“Dad, look! I got this from the library. Did you know the Stegosaurus had spikes on its tail called thagomizers?”

Paul sat beside him. “Thagomizers, huh? I didn’t know that.”

Chloe watched them talk to each other. In a strange way, it was almost as if the last couple of years hadn’t happened. Seeing Oscar so happy made her worry about what the future held for them.

“Would anyone like some hot chocolate?” she offered, hoping to ease the tension she felt.

“Yes, please!” Oscar chimed.

“That sounds great,” Paul added.

She headed to the kitchen, the familiar routine calming her nerves. Although Laura had told her to meet Paul in a neutral place, she didn’t know how Oscar was going to react to seeing his dad.

Making him feel comfortable and less stressed was the most important thing, so she’d agreed to Paul coming to their cottage. So far, it seemed to be okay, but only time would tell if she’d made the right decision.

Returning with the mugs, she handed them out and sat opposite Paul. “Careful, it’s hot.”

They sipped in silence for a moment before Paul spoke. “So, how have things been?”

“Good,” Chloe replied cautiously. “Oscar loves his school. He’s made a lot of friends.”

“That’s great to hear,” Paul said, glancing at Oscar. “And how about you, buddy? What do you like most about school?”

Oscar frowned. “I like everything. Guess what’s tonight? The school play! I’m an elf and my friends are reindeer. Mrs. Thompson said we have to sing in big voices so everyone can hear us.”

Paul smiled. “It’s exciting that you’re an elf. Am I still allowed to come?”

Chloe felt her chest tighten. If she was being mean, she’d say no. But this weekend was for Oscar, not for her. She looked at Paul, trying to see whether he really wanted to be there.

Oscar beamed. “You can come. Mom has a ticket for you, don’t you, Mom?”

She nodded, hoping it was enthusiastic enough for Oscar. Because, with the way she was feeling right now, she could easily burst into tears.

Paul hesitated briefly. “I’d love to come.”

Oscar was practically bouncing on the spot. “Yeah! Mom made my costume and everything.”

“She’s always been good at sewing,” Paul acknowledged, meeting Chloe’s eyes briefly before looking away.

Chloe forced a small smile. “It’s been fun helping the other teachers and parents.”

An awkward silence settled over them. Chloe knew she couldn’t let this opportunity pass without addressing the questions that had been gnawing at her.

“Paul,” she began carefully, “can we talk for a moment?”

He glanced at Oscar, who was now engrossed in flipping through his dinosaur book. “Sure.”

She stood and took him through to the kitchen. After closing the door, she leaned against the counter. “I’m surprised you wanted to see Oscar. You could have spent time with him while we were still in Washington, but you didn’t.”

Paul looked down at his mug, tracing the rim with his thumb. “I know, but I wasn’t in a good place back then.”

Chloe studied his face, searching for sincerity. “And now?”

He met her gaze. “I’ve been working on myself. I’m going to therapy and I’ve joined a support group. It might not seem like it, but I’m trying to get my life back on track.”

She nodded slowly. “I appreciate that you’re making changes, but it’s been over a year. Oscar has grown so much in that time.”

“I realize that,” he admitted. “And I regret not being there for him. That’s part of why I’m here now. I want to be part of his life again.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Is that why you want to change our custody arrangement?”

He hesitated. “Partly. I miss him, Chloe. I want to make up for lost time.”

She almost felt sorry for him. But then she remembered the way he could manipulate any situation to his advantage. “You can’t just walk back into his life and expect everything to be the same. He’s adjusted to a new routine, a new home.”

“I understand that,” he said quietly. “But I’m his father. I have a right to be involved in his life.”

Taking a deep breath, Chloe tried to keep her emotions in check. “Rights come with responsibilities. You can’t expect to see him all the time when you’ve been absent for so long.”

“People change,” he insisted. “I’m trying to do better.”

She shook her head. “This isn’t just about you, Paul. It’s about what’s best for Oscar. Uprooting him or causing confusion isn’t fair to him.”

He leaned forward, his expression earnest. “I’m not trying to cause problems. I just want a chance to prove that I can be a good father.”

Before she could respond, Oscar opened the kitchen door. “Look at this picture! It’s a Tyrannosaurus rex chasing a Triceratops!”

Chloe mustered a smile. “That’s impressive, honey.”

Paul nodded. “Very cool, buddy.”

Oscar climbed onto a kitchen stool and read more of his book.

Chloe lowered her voice. “We can discuss this further another time, Paul. For now, let’s focus on making this visit positive for Oscar.”

Paul nodded, and an uneasy silence settled between them.

Oscar closed his book and looked expectantly at Paul. “Dad, do you want to see my elf costume?”

“That’d be awesome.”

As Oscar dashed off to his room, Chloe moved away from the counter. “I’ll go help him. You can wait in the living room, if you like.”

Paul took a step toward her, then stopped. “Chloe, I meant what I said. I hope you’ll consider giving me a chance.”

She paused in the doorway, her back to him. “We’ll see, Paul. One thing I’ve learned over the last few years is that actions speak louder than words.”

She went upstairs to find Oscar carefully laying out his costume on his bed.

“Do you think Dad enjoys visiting us?” he asked innocently.

She smiled into Oscar’s trusting eyes. “I think he does. He’s happy to see you.”

“That’s good,” Oscar said, adjusting the elf hat. “Do you think he’ll like the play?”

“I can’t imagine anyone not liking it,” she replied. “Your dad loves Christmas and singing carols as much as you do.”

With Oscar looking much happier, they returned downstairs. When they reached the living room, he proudly showed off his costume.

Paul seemed impressed. “Wow, that’s a great costume. You’ll be the best elf on the stage.”

Oscar grinned from ear to ear. “Mrs. Thompson said we’re all special ‘cos we’re a team.”

Chloe glanced at the clock. The hour-long visit they’d planned was nearly over. “We need to get ready for the play.”

Thankfully, Paul took the hint. “I should let you get organized, then.”

“Are you sure you’ll be at the play?” Oscar asked.

Paul looked at Chloe, then back at Oscar. “Yes, I’ll be there.”

Oscar’s face lit up. “Yeah!”

Chloe picked up an envelope off the hall table. “This is your ticket to Oscar’s school play. The doors to the auditorium open at five-thirty. We should be finished by seven.”

Paul slid the envelope into his jacket pocket. “Thanks.”

She opened the front door and looked at Oscar. He was clinging to Paul’s hand, making the most of having his dad beside him.

“I’ll look for you when I’m on the stage,” he told Paul.

Paul nodded. “I’ll wave so you can see me. Break a leg tonight—that means good luck.” He crouched down and hugged Oscar tight. “I love you, buddy.”

“Love you too, Dad.”

Paul stood and turned to Chloe. “Thank you for today.”

She met his gaze. “We’ll be in touch.”

He gave a faint smile before stepping onto the veranda.

Closing the door, Chloe let out a breath. The conversation had left her with more questions than answers. Paul didn’t seem to have any ulterior motives in coming here. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that his sudden interest in Oscar was more complicated than he’d told her.

“Mom,” Oscar called from the living room. “Can you help me pack my bag for the play?”

“Of course I can.” Chloe pushed aside her thoughts about Paul and focused on Oscar. He deserved to have a wonderful evening without the weight of adult worries.

After they’d packed everything they’d both need, she smiled at her son. “Ready to go?”

“Ready!” Oscar was clutching his elf hat in one hand and his dinosaur backpack in the other.

After Chloe zipped up his jacket, they stepped out into the softly falling snow. The world around them was quiet, and so much of why she’d traveled halfway across the country to Montana.

Oscar looked up at her. “Do you think Dad will like the play?”

“I think he’ll love it,” she assured him.

After Oscar climbed into the truck, Chloe clicked his seatbelt into place. She was determined to face whatever challenges lay ahead with strength and grace. She owed it to herself and, most importantly, to Oscar.

She glanced down at her son. His cheeks were rosy from the cold and his eyes were bright with anticipation. No matter what happened, she’d protect this happiness.

Oscar smiled. “I’m glad Dad came today.”

She swallowed her uncertainty and kissed his cheek. “Me too, honey. Let’s get you to the school play.”