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The more they drove, the worse she felt. Her body was heavy with sadness, and she was finding it harder and harder to breathe. She didn’t want to give this up. Not any of it. She wanted to stay and be a part of the town. She wanted Christmas in July and then Thanksgiving and the entire month of December. She wanted to see the giant Advent calendar and be there when the first snow fell. She wanted friends and something more than being alone for the rest of her life.

By String of Lights Park she heard a familiar voice and saw the entire Easley clan, including Henry and Norma, waving frantically and calling out to her.

“You’ll have to come back for dinner,” Norma yelled. “We miss you.” Norma frowned. “Are you crying? Shaye, what’s wrong?”

Shaye touched her cheek and found it was wet with tears. She was crying, and she had no idea why. The only thing she knew for sure was she had to find Lawson before it was too late.

“He’s waiting at The Wreath,” Kathy said softly. “I asked him to be there when we got back.”

Shaye stared at her. “Why would you do that?”

“Because I don’t believe in giving up hope.”

Shaye leaned over and hugged her friend. “What was I thinking?”

“You were alone and afraid. You thought you didn’t have anyone, but you were wrong. You have us, Shaye. We’re going to be your family for the rest of your life. You’ll see. It’s going to be wonderful.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now, wave to the nice people.”

Shaye gave a strangled laugh and turned back to the crowd. She waved and waited, aware of how painfully slow the parade was going. Finally she couldn’t stand it any longer.

“Let me out,” she told Elliot. “Stop the car. I’ll run the rest of the way.”

Elliot did as she requested. Shaye fumbled with the seat belt, then scrambled out and started running. She cut across Noble Street and down Gingerbread Lane, entering The Wreath from the north.

The crowd had grown, but she was undeterred. She hurried to the finish line and scanned the faces until she found the one that filled her heart with so much love, she knew she would never feel empty or alone again.

“Lawson!”

She ran toward him. He turned and saw her. Their eyes locked, and for a second she saw how much he’d been hurting and what she’d done to him. Then his expression brightened, and he was running toward her.

“I’m sorry,” she said, pressing her hands to his chest. “I’m sorry. I was so wrong. I was scared, and I let that fear define me. It wasn’t you, it was me. I didn’t think I could handle one more loss. Only, I got it wrong. Love gives you strength. Love is what makes life worth living. You offered me so much more than I could have ever imagined, but I didn’t see it that way.”

She paused. “I’m not making any sense, am I? I just want you to know I was wrong to think leaving was the answer. It’s not. I want to stay. I want to make my life here in Wishing Tree, and I’m hoping you’ll still want to go out with me. I think we have something special between us, and I want to see where it goes.”

He smiled at her, a handsome, sexy smile full of promise and hope and something that looked at lot like love—not that she was going to assume anything.

“I’m in love with you,” he said simply.

Her heart fluttered, and her knees went weak. “I love you, too.”

“Then, you want to get dinner later?”

She laughed and threw herself at him. He caught her and held her like he was never going to let her go.

Epilogue

The October day was cool and crisp. The blue sky provided the perfect backdrop to the reds, yellows and oranges of the changing leaves. Shaye breathed in the scents of fall as she walked the trail with Lawson. They were on what she feared was their last hike of the season. She would miss their weekly treks but knew they would start up again in the spring.

They were on one of their favorite trails. The steep path ended at a flat outcropping that offered a stunning view of the town and the mountains beyond. They came up here often and thought of it as their special place.

After realizing she would be a fool to leave Wishing Tree and reconciling with Lawson, Shaye had settled into life in the town. She’d accepted the job at Judy’s Hand Pies and had signed a lease with Kathy. She would be applying to college in the spring, with the idea of starting the following fall, once she’d established her residency.

Paisley and Dena had forgiven her for almost-leaving, and now the three of them were good friends who spent many a girls’ night together. Shaye was hoping one or both of them would find a great guy so they could double date.

Lawson’s family had welcomed her as one of their own. She and Norma were close and getting closer, something Lawson teased her about, but she didn’t care. She loved being part of a big, loud family.