Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19

Last year, Chloe hadn’t been here for all the Christmas activities in Sapphire Bay. This year was different.

Excitement filled the crisp night air as families gathered around the towering Christmas tree at the end of Main Street. Bright red and gold baubles the size of dinner plates filled its branches, and the scent of pine mingled with the aroma of hot cocoa from nearby booths. Oscar stood between Liam and Chloe, his eyes reflecting the wonder of being here.

Pastor John stepped onto the small platform beside the tree, his warm voice carrying over the murmuring crowd. “Good evening, everyone. As we come together for this cherished tradition, let’s remember the joy and hope that this season brings.”

Chloe glanced at Liam. As he smiled back, his breath formed a soft cloud in the chilly air.

Emma from the Christmas Committee took the microphone next. “Thank you, Pastor John. And now, the moment we’ve all been waiting for! Let’s light up our beautiful tree. Help me count down!”

“Five... four... three... two... one!” The crowd joined in, voices rising.

With a flip of a switch, the tree burst into a symphony of lights. The crowd erupted into applause and cheers as the angel at the top shimmered against the night sky.

“Look, Mom! There’s an angel!” Oscar pointed excitedly.

Chloe followed his gaze to the glowing figure perched on the very top branches of the tree. “It’s beautiful.” For a moment, she closed her eyes and made a silent wish for a happy and healthy year ahead.

“Come and see my decoration!” Oscar tugged at their hands, pulling them closer to the tree. They wove through the crowd until they reached a lower branch where his glitter-covered ornament hung proudly.

“You did a great job,” Liam said. That earned him a huge smile from Oscar.

“Would you like me to take a picture of you standing in front of your decoration?” Chloe asked her son.

“We could send it to Dad,” Oscar said excitedly as he stood next to his decoration.

Chloe took the photo, capturing his smile against the backdrop of the twinkling tree. Before she changed her mind, she sent the picture to Paul, then wrote a brief message to explain what was happening.

Hi Paul. We’re at the tree lighting ceremony in Sapphire Bay. Oscar wanted you to see a picture of the Christmas decoration he made at school. He’s very proud of it.

She hesitated briefly before hitting send, but reminded herself that life was too short for being angry. Whatever Paul’s intentions, she wanted Oscar to feel connected to his dad.

“Did you send it?” Oscar asked.

Chloe nodded. “I did. He’s going to love it as much as we do.” She just hoped Paul replied to the message before they left town.

As they moved away from the tree, the soft strains of Christmas carols filled the air. A group of local singers had gathered nearby, their harmonies adding magic to the evening.

“Would anyone like a cup of hot chocolate?” Liam asked, nodding toward a booth decorated with large candy canes and thick, green Christmas garlands.

“Yes, please!” Oscar exclaimed.

As they waited in the line, they listened to the carolers sing “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” By the time their drinks were ready, Oscar was so excited that Chloe was worried he’d spill his cup. So she held it for him while they found somewhere to stand away from the crowd.

The hot chocolate was just as delicious as it smelled—and the warmth from the cup was wonderful as it seeped through Chloe’s gloves. When the carolers started a new song, her phone buzzed with a message from Paul.

Thanks for the photo. He looks so happy. Tell Oscar his decoration is awesome. I’d love to see him for Christmas, if it’s possible. Happy to pay for your flights.

She took a deep breath and replied to his message. I’ll think about it.

She was still worried about Paul. But with Liam heading to Buffalo to have Christmas with his family, maybe this was the right time to trust that he really did want to spend time with his son.

Chloe showed Oscar the message. “Your dad said your decoration is awesome.”

“He could come here to see it. Mrs. Thompson said it’ll be on the tree for ages.”

She looked into Oscar’s blue eyes and sighed. “Your dad lives too far away to come back so soon, but we can take more photos of what we’re doing tonight.”

“Can I do it?”

Chloe nodded. “After you’ve finished your hot chocolate, you can use my phone.”

Oscar drank his hot chocolate as fast as he could. Luckily, there wasn’t much left.

While he was busy taking photos, Chloe turned to Liam. “I think I’ll take Oscar to Washington, D.C. for Christmas.”

“Are you sure?”

She nodded. “He wants to spend time with his dad, but I need to be there with him. It’ll take a lot more than a visit and a few texts to make me trust Paul again.”

Liam nodded. “If you want to fly home via Buffalo, you could meet my family after Christmas.”

Chloe hadn’t thought of that. “How long will you be there?”

“I don’t fly back to Montana until January 6 th . Mom and Dad have plenty of room in their house.”

Spending time with Liam’s family was a big step, but it’d be fun meeting his mom and dad, and seeing where he was raised. “I’d love to come for a couple of days, but check with your parents. If it’s okay with them, I’ll book our tickets to come home through Buffalo.”

Oscar looked up at them. “Are we seeing Dad for Christmas?”

“Only if we can get a flight to Washington, D.C.”

“Yeah!” Oscar’s eyes sparkled even brighter.

Chloe hoped she hadn’t told Oscar too soon. He’d be disappointed if she couldn’t find tickets to get them there.

The carolers began a lively rendition of “Jingle Bells,” and Oscar sung with them. Liam and Chloe joined in, their voices melding with the people around them.

Halfway through the song, Liam lifted Oscar onto his shoulders, and Chloe’s heart melted. Oscar hadn’t been this happy in a long time, and for that she was extremely grateful.

After thinking Paul would be the only person she’d ever love, she hadn’t trusted herself to open her heart to another man. But somewhere between meeting Liam in The Welcome Center and now, she’d fallen in love with him. She knew how rare it was to find someone who made you believe in a brighter future, and she wanted to do everything she could to make their relationship work.

As Liam and Oscar laughed together in front of the Christmas lights, she felt hopeful that whatever the future held, they’d never stop being happy.