16. Chapter 16
Chapter sixteen
Devon
T he slam of Bella’s car door echoed in my mind. Why had I been so stupid? I should have just told her the truth. All right, I never should have tried to use her in the first place. But I should have brought it into the open before Madison could.
I had retreated to the attic and thrown myself into the sleigh restoration project, desperately trying to keep my thoughts from spiraling. I wiped the sweat from my brow, leaving a streak of red paint across my forehead. The Santa sleigh was coming along nicely, its vibrant crimson finish gleaming in the light that filtered through the dusty attic window.
My phone buzzed, Liam’s name flashing on the screen. I swiped to answer, wedging it between my ear and shoulder as I continued working.
“Hey, man. How’s training been going?”
Liam’s voice crackled through the speaker. “Well, I’m actually about an hour away from Serenity Falls. Just finished up a competition near Albany.”
I paused, paintbrush hovering mid-stroke. “What? Why didn’t you tell me I would’ve come to watch.”
“Because I knew you had your hands full with the whole Bella situation. Didn’t want to add to your stress.” There was a pause, then, “Listen, I feel terrible about the whole real estate mess. I’m driving over to help with that sleigh of yours. I want to make it up to you.”
I set down the brush, running a hand through my hair. “You don’t have to do that. You must be exhausted after competing–”
“Rest isn’t as important as fixing this, Dev. I’ll be there in an hour. Don’t do anything stupid before I arrive, alright?”
A reluctant smile tugged at my lips. “No promises.”
As I hung up, I heard the sound of a car door slamming. I peered out the small attic window to see Olivia storming up the driveway, her face looking like a thundercloud.
“Fantastic,” I muttered, setting down my brush and wiping my hands on my jeans. I headed down the attic steps, bracing myself for the impending storm.
The front door flew open before I reached the bottom. Olivia’s voice, cold as the winter air, cut through the silence. “Devon. Where are you?”
I rounded the corner, plastering on what I hoped was a neutral expression. “Olivia, I—“
“Save it.” Her eyes narrowed behind stylish glasses, arms crossed tightly. “You don’t get to play hero now.”
I flinched at the venom in her words. “Look, I know I messed up—“
“Messed up? That’s putting it mildly. Do you have any idea how hurt Bella is?”
The guilt crashed over me like a wave. “I never meant to—“
“To what? Lead her on? Make her think you were actually staying?”
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to meet Olivia’s gaze. “I’m not even selling the guesthouse anymore. I’ve realized how much I want to stay in Serenity Falls and be with Bella.”
Olivia’s eyebrow arched skeptically. “Oh really? And we’re supposed to believe this sudden change of heart?”
“I know what I did was wrong, but I’m trying to make things right,” I insisted, hoping she could see my sincerity.
Olivia studied me for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Finally, she shook her head. “Actions speak louder than words, Devon. And right now, your actions have been pretty freakin’ loud.”
“Bella asked me to come and put a couple of more decorations out in the living room.” Without waiting for a response, she turned and started unpacking a box of decorations. The tense silence stretched between us as she aggressively fluffed a garland.
I shifted uncomfortably, torn between wanting to defend myself and knowing I deserved every bit of her anger. Deciding discretion was the better part of valor, I mumbled something about checking the roof and escaped outside.
The crisp winter air hit my face as I dragged the ladder from the shed, and positioned it against the side of the house. I couldn’t shake Olivia’s words. She was right—I had a lot to make up for.
“Montgomery!” Liam’s voice rang out. “Need a hand with that sleigh, or are you planning to haul it up there with sheer stubbornness?”
I turned to see him striding towards me, blonde hair peeking out from under his signature beanie. “O’Connor. I have to admit, it’s great to see you. I could use some friendly support right about now.”
Liam clapped me on the shoulder. “Couldn’t let you botch this grand gesture, now could I? Let’s get this beauty on the roof.”
We maneuvered the sleigh out of the attic and onto the roof, our movements synchronized from years of friendship. As we worked to secure it in place, I caught sight of Olivia watching us from below, her arms still crossed tightly.
Liam’s voice lowered as he tightened a rope. “Look, I feel bad that I pushed you to use Bella’s blog for PR and to get the guesthouse sold. Sorry, it took longer for the listing to be removed. I want to make it up to you.”
“It’s okay, Liam,” I muttered, trying to keep my voice steady. “It was my decision. You didn’t push me into anything.”
As we finished securing the sleigh, I glanced down at Olivia. Her expression was a mix of suspicion and curiosity as she stepped forward.
“So, you’re really not selling it?”
I met her gaze, unflinching. “No. I’m not selling. I had the listing removed five days ago.”
Olivia studied me for a long moment, her analytical mind clearly working overtime. Finally, she gave a small nod, her posture relaxing slightly. “Good. Because Bella deserves someone who’s all in.”
I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of her words. “I know. And that’s exactly what I intend to be.”
Liam headed into town, and Olivia retreated inside to finish decorating. I trudged to my room, muscles aching from the day’s exertion. There was still one more piece to my grand gesture.
My fingers hesitated over Sophie’s number. Bella had given it to me early in case there was an emergency. This call could go south fast. I took a deep breath and hit the FaceTime button.
Sophie’s face appeared, her expression immediately morphing from surprise to annoyance. “What do you want, Devon?”
I ran a hand through my hair, suddenly feeling like an idiot. “I, uh, need help with a DIY project.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “You? DIY? This should be good.”
“It’s... it’s for Bella,” I admitted, holding up the tarnished angel tree topper. “It was my mom’s. Bella always loved it.”
Something in Sophie’s expression softened, but wariness still lingered in her eyes. “You better not mess this up.”
I nodded, feeling a mix of determination and nervousness churning in my gut. “That’s why I need your help. I’m useless at this stuff.”
Sophie sighed dramatically. “Alright, Mr. Butterfingers. Let’s see what we’re working with.”
As she walked me through the restoration process, I struggled with the delicate metalwork, and Sophie’s running commentary didn’t help.
“No, not like that! Are you trying to decapitate the angel?”
I gritted my teeth. “I’m trying, okay?”
“Clearly not hard enough. I can’t believe you’re this bad at crafts. Did you skip kindergarten?”
Despite my frustration, I felt a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. “Hey, I can carve a mean double black diamond. This is... different.”
Sophie rolled her eyes, but I caught a hint of amusement in her voice. “Different, he says. Just don’t impale yourself on those wire cutters, Ski Boy.”
My nervousness about the grand gesture bubbled to the surface as I worked. “Do you think she’ll be surprised by the Santa sleigh?”
There was a pause before she answered. “If you do it right? Yeah. She will.”
I looked up, catching the sincerity in her gaze. For the first time, I felt a flicker of hope.
As I ended the call, my fingers traced the intricate metalwork of the now-gleaming angel. This wasn’t just a tree topper. It was a piece of my past, a symbol of the future I hoped to build. With Bella.
The sound of the front door closing told me Olivia had left. I stepped outside, the crisp night air filling my lungs. The guesthouse, once a symbol of my desire to escape, now glowed with warmth and promise. Strings of twinkling lights draped across the eaves, garland above the door. And there, perched atop the roof like a beacon of hope, sat the restored sleigh.
My throat tightened as memories flooded back. Mom’s face lighting up as she directed Dad and me to hang the Christmas lights. Dad’s annual struggle and triumph of getting the sleigh onto the roof, his booming laugh echoing through the crisp winter air. For a moment, I could almost hear Mom’s voice: “It’s not Christmas until that sleigh is up, boys!”
Seven years. Seven Christmases without their laughter, without the warmth they brought to this place. I’d let it all go, burying my grief under layers of neglect and distance. But now...
“I hope you’re watching, Mom and Dad,” I whispered, my eyes stinging. “I know I’ve let things slide, but I’m trying to make it right. This is for Bella, yeah, but... it’s for you too. I’m sorry it took me so long.”
The wind rustled through the trees, and for a moment, it felt like a gentle pat on the back. I smiled, blinking back tears. “I miss you guys. But I think... I think you’d be proud of what we’re doing here.”
As I stood there, taking in the twinkling lights and the restored sleigh, I felt a weight lift. This wasn’t just about winning Bella back or saving the guesthouse. It was about reclaiming a part of myself I’d lost and honoring the legacy my parents had left behind.
“Merry Christmas, Mom and Dad,” I said softly.
“Ho ho ho! What do we have here?”
I turned to find Mayor Todd dressed in a Santa hat with blinking lights. His eyes widened as he took in the scene.
“Well, I’ll be a sugar plum fairy! You’re really going all out, aren’t you?”
I nodded, feeling a mixture of pride and anxiety swirling in my gut. “Just trying to bring back some of the old Christmas magic, Mayor.”
Mayor Todd’s eyes twinkled mischievously. “And I’m sure placing a giant Santa sleigh on the roof has nothing to do with a lovely lady named Bella, eh?”
I shuffled my feet nervously. “Maybe?”
The mayor chuckled, patting my shoulder. “You know, in my day, we just wrote love letters. But I suppose times have changed.”
As the mayor left, I sank onto the porch steps, my eyes fixed on the twinkling lights. The house seemed to hum with life, so different from the cold, empty shell it had been just weeks ago.
“This has to work,” I whispered, more to myself than anyone else. “It just has to.”