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“I just heard. Are you okay? Is Charly okay?” She hugs us both, and even though Charly and I are physically unhurt, Mrs. C’s hug drives away some of my pain.
Person after person finds me to check on us both. I worry Mom and Dad are going to be upset that it’s taken me so long to get back, but when I find them, they’re surrounded by Thomsens, even though Adam and Evie already left to take Heidi home.
“There’s the star!” Pete says when he sees Charly. “She did such a good job!” Before I can thank him, he’s got his arm slung around my shoulders. “And this one! You should see her fight off squirrels. Can you believe what she’s pulled off here with Yulefest?”
My face flushes, then grows even warmer when I see the look of pride on my parents’ faces.
“Both my girls are amazing,” Mom says and reaches for Charly.
Charly shakes her head and burrows deeper into my arms. Mom looks hurt, and I know I have to explain what’s happened, even if she’ll probably freak out.
“There was an incident in the parking lot,” I tell her.
Before I can say more, someone behind me interrupts.
“Old Mr. Parker nearly ran over her.” The man in uniform—Officer Tuttle, I think—hitches up his belt and holster and goes on. “Seb Sparks leapt over the car, stopped it with one hand, and scooped up the little girl with the other. Never seen anything like it. He may have saved her life.”
He finishes, then juts out his hand to my parents. “Ted Tuttle. You must be Hope’s folks. Saw you at the wedding.”
Mom’s eyes are wide, her face white as she shakes Officer Tuttle’s hand. Dad isn’t quite as shell-shocked and manages to choke out a “nice to meet you.”
“Well, that’s our Seb, right Bear?” Pete nudges Bear who’s standing next to him.
“Yep. Leaps tall buildings in a single bound. That’s Seb,” Bear jokes, then grows serious when he looks at me. “He’d do anything for you and Charly.”
I blink back the tears trying to escape because I know he’s right. I just don’t know if Seb realizes how capable he is. I’m still shocked that he ran. I know he must have been scared, but how could he not see how good he is at protecting and taking care of Charly?
Not just Charly. Me too.
He drove me all the way to Florence, so I wouldn’t have to drive in the snow. He’s helped me come up with and implement ideas for Yulefest. He’s kept me from crossing my own intimacy boundaries when I know he’s wanted to cross them too.
“Where is he now?” Mom scans the chapel.
“He left.” My voice is barely above a whisper.
“Tell him thank you for us, please,” Mom says to Pete. “If we don’t see him before we leave tomorrow, I want him to know how grateful I am.”
We make our goodbyes and finally get to my car an hour after the nativity ended. An hour after Seb left. An hour after I nearly lost Charly.
During that hour, one thing became clear: Dad was right. I have a community here, a whole support network. I have a family…
With or without Seb.
But do I still want it if it doesn’t include him?
I already know the answer.
Once we’re all in the car, on the road, I take a deep breath.
“I’m going to stay in Paradise,” I blurt. “Carson wants me full time, and I think this is where Charly and I should be.”
Dad reaches from the back seat and squeezes my shoulder. “Me too.”
Mom stares out the window, her fingers pressed to her lips. Long seconds pass before I can’t wait any longer for her reply. “Mom?”
She turns slowly, tears in her eyes. “No one will take care of Charly like I do, but…” She reaches across the seat to squeeze my hand. “If you’re sure this is what you want, it’s a good place. Good people.” Her voice cracks. “But I’m going to miss both my girls so much.”
“I know,” I say, feeling a shake in my voice as I grasp how far away I’ll be from everything familiar. “We’ll miss you too, but we need this. Being a full-time mom to Charly these last weeks made me realize how much I have relied on you all to do my job.”
