Chapter Eighteen – Sarah
“We’re going on a sleigh ride! We’re going on a sleigh ride!” Emmy sang as she ran into Sarah’s bedroom and headed for the window. “Dad should be here soon!”
And I’m going on a date! Sarah smoothed down the front of her sweater, turning sideways to check her reflection one last time.
The soft cream color complemented her winter-pale skin, and the emerald scarf brought out flecks of green in her eyes.
Was she trying too hard? It wasn’t like Michael had actually called it a date…
he’d just invited her to the Christmas market in Wolf Valley.
Friends did that sort of thing all the time.
Except friends didn’t make her stomach flutter whenever they smiled at her. Friends didn’t occupy her thoughts during quiet moments. Friends didn’t make her check her reflection five times before leaving the house.
She ran her fingers through her hair, tucking a stray strand behind her ear. The truth was, she wanted it to be a date. The way Michael looked at her made her feel seen in a way she hadn’t in years. If ever.
She couldn’t recall Liam ever looking at her in the same way.
“Mom!” Emmy’s voice pulled her from her thoughts. “Is Dad here yet?”
Sarah’s heart sank as reality crashed back. She glanced at her watch. Liam was already fifteen minutes late. But that could be due to the weather. The journey might have taken him longer than he expected because of the ice on the roads.
“Are you all wrapped up, ready to go?” Sarah asked, going to join Emmy at the window where she was staring out along the street.
“Yes.” Emmy held up her hands. “Mittens, scarf, jacket, boots.”
“You do look snug,” Sarah said as she wrapped her arms around her daughter and followed her gaze, her stomach churning.
She had texted Liam yesterday to confirm he was still coming to Bear Creek and that he had the correct address, and also knew what time to pick Emmy up.
He’d replied with: Yes. Don’t stress.
But right now, Sarah was stressed. The hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach would not go away.
She’d been here before, so many times. Not just with Emmy.
No, she carried her own bitter memories of being let down by her husband—anniversaries, birthdays, work events, hell, even one Christmas before Emmy was born.
But surely after the divorce, after she and Emmy had moved away, Liam would make an effort to get this right. For his daughter.
But as the minutes ticked by and no Liam arrived, Sarah’s mind raced through contingency plans. Michael had offered a backup sleigh ride, but she hated to impose on him when he’d made plans to visit the Christmas market over in Wolf Valley.
She could take Emmy herself, but it wouldn’t be the same. Emmy had her heart set on going with her dad.
“He’s going to come,” Emmy murmured as much to herself as to Sarah. “I know he’s going to come.”
Sarah closed her eyes and hoped Emmy was right and her dad would come. The weight of her daughter’s faith was almost unbearable. How many disappointments could one small heart take?
Then Emmy stiffened and leaned forward as a vehicle appeared around the corner and then came to a stop outside their house. But the vehicle belonged to a certain Christmas tree farmer, not a certain deadbeat ex-husband.
Sarah squashed down her anger, which was brewing hot, fit to boil. Michael had come to pick her up for their Christmas market outing, right on time as promised. And now she’d have to cancel because Liam was a letdown. Again.
“Michael’s here. I’ll see you later,” Emmy said in a small voice and gave Sarah a hug.
“Em, I am not going to leave,” Sarah said. “Grandma has gone to meet her friend.”
“But Michael is here to take you to the Christmas market,” Emmy said in a tone that broke Sarah’s heart.
Damn Liam. If only he were like Michael, thoughtful and kind. And on time.
That’s what added to her pain. She was going to have to let Michael down, too. Yes, Liam had ruined not only Emmy’s plans, but Michael’s, too. And hers, she reminded herself. But that didn’t matter compared to how upset Emmy was going to be.
“I need to go talk to Michael,” Sarah said, kissing the top of Emmy’s head. “Will you be okay here for a minute?”
Emmy nodded, her eyes still fixed on the empty street beyond Michael’s truck.
Sarah grabbed her coat and headed outside. Michael was just climbing out of his truck, a warm smile spreading across his face when he saw her. The sight made her chest ache with what-might-have-been.
“Hey,” he called, his breath clouding in the cold air. “Ready for some Christmas market magic?”
Sarah crossed her arms, partly against the cold, partly to hold herself together. “Michael, I’m so sorry, but I need to cancel.”
His smile faltered. “Everything okay?”
“Not really.” She glanced back at the house where Emmy’s pale face was pressed against the window. “Liam was supposed to pick up Emmy for a sleigh ride, but he’s late. Again. I can’t leave her, not when she’s waiting for him.”
Understanding filled Michael’s eyes, followed by something that looked like determination. “It’s okay,” he said, stepping closer. “We can wait with Emmy.”
The kindness of his offer made Sarah’s throat tighten. “You’d do that? Wait around on the off chance my unreliable ex-husband doesn’t show?”
Michael shrugged, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “Of course.”
“Why?” The question slipped out before she could stop it.
He met her eyes steadily, the intensity in his gaze making her breath catch. “Because I care about you. Both of you.”
Sarah blinked back the unexpected sting of tears. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Shall we go inside?”
“Sure,” Michael said.
“I’m so sorry about this,” Sarah murmured as she opened the front door. “He promised he’d be here.”
Michael’s expression darkened briefly before smoothing back to careful neutrality. “No need to apologize,” he said, his voice filled with understanding. “These things happen.”
“They shouldn’t,” Sarah said, unable to keep the bitterness from her voice.
Michael’s hand brushed against hers, so quickly she might have imagined it. “No,” he agreed gently. “They shouldn’t.”
Ten more minutes passed. Then fifteen. Sarah tried Liam’s cell twice, both calls going straight to voicemail. Each passing minute felt like a weight pressing down on her chest as she watched Emmy’s excitement slowly drain away.
“Maybe he got lost,” Emmy suggested, her voice smaller now. She’d moved from the bedroom window upstairs to the one in the living room, her face pressed up against the glass.
“Maybe,” Sarah agreed, though they both knew better.
Twenty-five minutes after Michael had arrived, Emmy’s shoulders finally slumped in defeat. She turned away from the window, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “He’s not coming, is he?”
The question broke Sarah’s heart. She kneeled beside her daughter, taking Emmy’s small hands in hers. “I don’t know, sweet pea. But even if he doesn’t make it today, we can still have a special day together.”
“How?” Emmy asked, a single tear spilling down her cheek.
“Well, you could still go on a sleigh ride,” Michael suggested and then winced.
“We could?” Emmy asked, her eyes lighting up with excitement.
“I…” he stammered as he glanced at Sarah apologetically.
Sarah saw Michael’s hesitation and read the concern in his eyes. She could tell he wanted to help but was worried about overstepping. Placing her hand gently on his arm, she felt the solid warmth of him beneath his sleeve.
“Go on,” she urged. “What were you thinking?”
Michael’s shoulders relaxed under her touch. “I can drive you both up to where the sleigh rides start. It’s not far from here.”
Emmy’s face fell, disappointment etching new lines around her small mouth. “But it’s too late. Everyone will have left by now.” Though her words were resigned, the hope lingering in her eyes was heartbreaking.
Sarah’s chest tightened. There really wasn’t anything they could do to salvage the day. Another memory ruined by Liam’s carelessness. She opened her mouth to offer some small consolation when Michael cleared his throat.
“Well, yes, that’s true,” he admitted, crouching down to Emmy’s level. “But if you happen to have an expert sleigh driver, there’s a chance you might catch up with the others.”
Emmy’s eyes widened, a tentative smile playing at the corners of her mouth. “Are you an expert sleigh driver?”
Michael arched one eyebrow dramatically, his expression so perfectly serious that Sarah had to bite her lip to keep from laughing.
“It might be one of my many hidden talents,” he said gravely.
Something warm and wild burst in Sarah’s chest—gratitude and something deeper she wasn’t ready to name. Without thinking, she rushed forward and pressed her lips to Michael’s cheek. The brief contact sent electricity through her body, her lips tingling even as she pulled away.
“Thank you,” she whispered, suddenly shy as heat flooded her face.
Michael looked stunned, his hand rising to touch the spot where she’d kissed him. His eyes, when they met hers, were dark and full of something that made her stomach flip.
“Grab your things, sweet pea,” Sarah said, turning to Emmy to hide her flushed face. “Let’s see if Michael really knows how to drive a sleigh.”
Emmy didn’t need to be told twice. She dashed up the stairs to get her backpack, footsteps thundering overhead.
“I’m sorry,” Sarah said, not quite able to meet Michael’s eyes. “That was…I shouldn’t have…”
“Don’t apologize,” Michael said, his voice hoarse. “Not for that. Not ever.”
When she finally looked up, the tenderness in his expression made her breath catch. Before she could respond, Emmy came clattering back down the stairs, backpack slung over one shoulder.
“I brought snacks!” she announced. “And my camera. And an extra hat in case it gets super cold.”
“Smart thinking,” Michael said, his eyes still on Sarah. “We should get going if we want to catch them.”
The drive to the sleigh ride staging area took less than ten minutes, but Sarah spent every second hyperaware of Michael beside her. Her lips still tingled, and she couldn’t stop reliving the moment she’d impulsively kissed his cheek. What had she been thinking?
That’s just it, she hadn’t been thinking at all. She’d been feeling. A curious mix of gratitude and wonder and something else. Something that made her heart race whenever he looked at her.
When they pulled into the parking area, Sarah’s hopes fell. The place looked deserted except for a lone figure bundling harnesses into a shed.
“Wait here,” Michael said, climbing out of the truck. He jogged over to the man, gesturing animatedly as they spoke.
Emmy pressed her face against the window, her breath fogging the glass. “Do you think we’re too late?”
“I don’t know, sweet pea.” Sarah squeezed her daughter’s hand. “But whatever happens, Michael was very kind to bring us here.”
After what seemed like forever, Michael returned to the truck, his expression unreadable. He opened the driver’s door and leaned in.
“Well,” he said, with a slow smile spreading across his face. “It looks like today is your lucky day. Nolan was just about to take the last sleigh back to the barn.”
“You mean we’re not too late?” Emmy asked as if she could barely believe it.
“Not too late,” Michael confirmed.
Emmy squealed with delight, already scrambling to unbuckle her seat belt. Sarah’s heart swelled with relief as she watched her daughter’s excitement return full force.
“Michael,” she began, not even sure how to express what she was feeling.
He shook his head, cutting off her thanks. “Come on,” he said, holding out his hand to help her from the truck. “Your sleigh awaits.”