Christmas Blessings: Seven Inspirational Romances of Faith, Hope, and Love

by Leah Atwood

“Come on,” Alec urged. “Play along with me. Let’s have a little fun.”

  With a slight nod in his direction, Maggie gave him her permission. With a slight smile, Alec reached across the table and clasped her hand. She wasn’t expecting to feel an electric current pass between them at his touch. He stared deeply into her eyes, and even though she knew he was putting on a show for the nosy customers, she found herself tumbling over the edge. Just at that moment the waiter came and brought them their desserts. Without skipping a beat, Alec reached for her spoon and began feeding her the chocolate mousse she’d ordered. One quick glance around her proved that every diner within a twenty-foot radius was mesmerized by what was going on at their table. Feeling a little daring, Maggie reached for Alec’s spoon and began feeding him bites of his key lime pie. The whispering around them reached a crescendo.

  By the time they’d finished their desserts and paid the bill, Maggie was having a hard time not cracking up. When it was time to go, Alec jumped up from his seat and walked over to her chair and held out his elbow with a flourish. She walked out of the restaurant on Alec’s arm as dozens of eyes watched their every move.

  Once they pushed past the front door of the restaurant they both let loose with huge bursts of laughter. Maggie was laughing so hard she had to hold her side while Alec was bent over at the waist. The valet stood gawking at them as if they’d lost their minds. Alec took her by the hand and walked her past the squinty-eyed valet and towards the car. A red sleigh with a team of snow white horses was sitting in the parking lot about ten feet away from them. With snow falling all around them it was the picture-perfect image for a winter wonderland.

  Maggie let out a gasp of appreciation. “Is this real? I feel like I just stepped into a fairytale.”

  She felt Alec’s eyes on her, ever watchful.

  “It’s as real as it gets. I hope you’re up for a sleigh ride in the snow,” Alec said. “That’s the reason I told you to dress warmly. We’re about to ride off into the moonlight.”

  **

  “Whoa!” She turned toward him, her mouth opened in surprise. Her green eyes flashed like emerald fire. “Seriously? Is this for us?”

  Alec nodded, praying this gesture wasn’t too over the top for a first date. “Yes. I thought you might like a nice, old fashioned sleigh ride in the snow. Especially since this is your first date and all,” Alec teased.

  She smiled at him playfully. “Well aren’t you full of surprises.”

  All the hassle he’d gone through to arrange this sleigh ride was now worth the time and effort. He’d had to pull a few strings to make it happen on such short notice. Thankfully, the Donahue name gave him a little pull. And the smile Maggie leveled at him radiated like warmth from the sun. He took her by the hand and led her over to the sleigh, not letting go until she was safely inside. He followed behind her, giving the driver the signal that they were ready to go.

  Once he was seated he reached for the fur throw and placed it over their laps. Maggie dug in her purse and pulled out her mittens, then quickly shoved her hands inside.

  “This is wonderful,” Maggie gushed as she looked around at her surroundings.

  The property adjoining The Lobster Boat was a wooded area with a trail lit up with lights and lanterns. A full moon hung in the sky, which lent a romantic air to their sleigh ride. He’d never considered himself a romantic guy, but there was something about being here in the moonlight with Maggie, with the crisp wintry air lashing against their faces, that appealed to his whimsical, tender side.

  He looked over at Maggie, admiring her heart shaped face and beautiful profile. Her little cranberry colored hat and firebrick red scarf accentuated her delicate features. She looked like the beautiful mythical firebird.

  “So, I’m still a little stunned that this is your first date,” he said, trying to make some easy conversation. “A woman as lovely as you must have been swarmed with offers.”

  Maggie shrugged. “I suppose I’ve had my fair share of male interest.”

  “What was it like growing up in Ireland?” Alec asked, consumed with curiosity about her life prior to arriving in America.

  “I might have been a little sheltered for most of my upbringing in Ireland,” she said. “Being here in the States is allowing me to come out of my shell a little bit. I’m starting to speak up more and fight for the things I want.”

  “Like Christmas trees?” Alec teased.

  Maggie jabbed him in the side with her elbow. “You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?” She shook her head and laughed.

  On impulse, Alec reached over and lifted her chin up until their gazes locked. He studied her as a wild desire to know everything about Maggie Kilcannon roared through him. “You’re full of surprises. A woman like you…beautiful, funny, spirited…I would have imagined the boys in Ireland lined up for miles just to catch a glimpse of you.”

  “My life wasn’t conventional. Not by a long shot,” she admitted. She took a deep breath.

  “This part is never easy to talk about. When I was twelve, I lost both my parents in an accident.”

  His heart sank. “Oh, Maggie. I’m so sorry,” Alec said, his voice softening to almost a caress. “That must have been devastating.”

  She rushed on, no doubt wanting to get all the details out in one fell swoop. “After the accident I went to live with my grandparents. And after high school graduation I went to University at St. Andrews in Scotland. My parents left me enough money to pay for my education and have a little nest egg. And then I went back to Ireland after graduating. My grandparents passed away last year within six weeks of each other, which meant my last family ties were gone. I’m an only child.”

  Alec let out a gasp. “You’ve been through a lot of loss. I can’t even imagine what you’ve endured.”

  A sadness flashed in her eyes. He reached out and squeezed her mittened hand.

  “My grandparents were married for sixty years. It was painful to see my grandfather rattling around without the love of his life. I know it may sound strange, but it almost made me feel happy to know they were together, even if it left me completely rudderless.”

  After sixty years as a married couple he could only imagine her grandfather’s sorrow after losing his beloved. Sometimes God worked in mysterious ways. He had heard numerous stories about couples who passed away in close proximity to one another. It was as if they couldn’t endure life without the other. It made Alec’s skin tingle with goosebumps.

  “If you don’t mind my asking, what happened to your parents? You mentioned an accident?” Alec asked. Although he was curious about her past, he didn’t want to push too hard. It was important to be compassionate and show her support and understanding. At the same time, he wanted to know every single thing about Maggie.

  “My Da had his own small plane. He had his pilot’s license and he loved flying. For most of my life he flew us around. Being up in the air with him felt like a slice of heaven. Floating among the clouds and looking down at the emerald green land below us was amazing. Soaring. It was the most unreal feeling.” Moisture pooled in her eyes and he watched as she blinked away tears. “The accident happened during a weekend joyride. Da was flying us to a festival in County Tipperary. On the way back there was engine trouble. He was forced to make an emergency landing.” As Maggie spoke, the lilt in her voice became more pronounced.

  “Us?” Alec blinked in surprise. “M-Maggie…you were on the plane? You were there when your parents died?”

  Maggie swallowed past the huge lump in her throat. “Yes, I was there. A lot of it I’ve blocked out. I don’t remember the crash itself. But I do remember screaming their names over and over again until help came. I was there for hours it seemed like. I found out later that they died on impact. I broke a few ribs and my leg. Pretty good considering everything.”

  “That’s miraculous. I-I mean for you. That you were spared.” Alec fumbled with the words. He didn’t know if he’d said the right thing, even though h
e felt it was the truth. Maggie’s life was a blessing.

  She bobbed her head. “I know what you mean. For a long time, I rejected that notion. I thought it was cruel for God to allow me to live when they didn’t. I felt a lot of guilt. Survivor’s guilt they call it.”

  “That’s understandable that you had those feelings. But, God wasn’t finished with you yet.”

  She squeezed his hand. “Thank you for saying that. That thought has been rumbling around my head for a very long time, but no one has ever said it to me. Not in those words.” She grinned at him. “It feels really nice to hear you say that. I’m at a place in my journey where I can really hear it and believe it.”

  Alec nodded. “Thanks for sharing your story with me. I need to tell you, Maggie, it’s hard to believe we just met. I feel…almost as if we’ve known each other for years.” He spit out the words, then found himself wishing he could pull them back in. Would Maggie think he was crazy for saying such a thing? After all, they barely knew each other.

  She bit her lip. Her eyes were brilliant in the soft glow of the moon. “I feel the same way.” She let out a low chuckle. “It’s almost as if the first time we met at the tree stand…there was this hint of recognition…of awareness.” She shook her head, causing her auburn locks to swing all around her face. He reached out and pushed her hair out of her face with his mittened hand. Surprise registered on Maggie’s face seconds before she said in a soft voice, “Thank you.”

  “Thank you for coming out with me tonight. And for peeling back your layers and sharing your hurts with me. That’s never easy,” Alec said.

  “Since we’re sharing,” Maggie answered. “How’s your father doing? Really?”

  Alec bowed his head and took a breath. He didn’t talk about his father’s health crisis often, but after everything Maggie had divulged to him, he knew he owed her nothing but honesty. “He’s had two bouts with cancer and he may have a recurrence. His appointment yesterday was for some scans and a checkup related to his recent surgery. Now we’re just waiting for word. And the worst part is that if we get bad news, I still have to deploy in a few weeks. I can’t be here to support them.”

  “I’m sorry, Alec. It’s terribly scary and stressful to wait for news like that. But from what I saw yesterday, your father really enjoys being in your company…and your support. I know he’s enjoying every minute of you’re being back home. You two have a very special relationship.”

  “We do,” Alec acknowledged. His father was his best friend, along with being his personal hero. If he could give him an iota of the love and comfort he’d provided Alec for his entire life, he would be a happy man. “I can’t imagine life without him,” he said, his voice sounding muffled as he found himself getting choked up.

  “Pray, Alec. Just keep praying,” Maggie urged. “When I lost my parents it’s the one thing that got me through the pain and heartache. God always hears our prayers, even when we don’t think he’s listening.”

  As the sleigh looped around and began heading back toward the Lobster Boat, Alec placed his arm around Maggie and pulled her tightly into the crook of his arm. She let out a sigh and dropped her head onto his shoulder. A feeling of contentment rose up inside him as he gazed down at Maggie. She looked up at him with an expectant expression on her face. Kiss her, a voice urged him.

  He lowered his mouth to hers, his lips moving over hers in a tender, romantic kiss that felt like no other he’d ever known. Maggie kissed him back, tentatively at first before relaxing into it. He raised his mittened hand and cupped the side of her face with it. As the sleigh continued to trek through the forest and snow swirled all around them, they shared a heartwarming kiss.

  No matter what happened between the two of them moving forward, he would take this memory with him when he deployed overseas. When things got bad, as they always did sooner or later in the military, he would remember this moment and rejoice.

  “If you’re going to take a risk on something,

  take a risk on love. It’s a risk worth taking.”

  Gene Kilcannon

  Chapter Six

  Christmas had come and gone in a flurry of activity and celebration. Not a day had gone by without Maggie spending time with Alec. Being with him was invigorating. It didn’t matter whether they were bowling or watching a movie or taking a walk on Breezy Beach. Alec made her laugh at his corny jokes and he seemed to be very interested in her work at the hospital. He listened to her. And he was courting her in true romantic fashion. Flowers would mysteriously show up on her desk at work without a card attached. A batch of home-made chocolate chip cookies sat perched in a basket at the front door of her home. And a beautiful surf board had shown up under the Christmas tree at home with her name on it.

  How wonderful could one man be?

  The only problem was that Maggie didn’t know what she was going to do when it came time to say goodbye. How would she feel knowing Alec was headed back overseas where his life could be in danger at any given moment? Just the thought of it left her feeling panicky and nervous. It was extremely difficult to lay her heart on the line when she could lose him at any given moment. She knew her fears were wrapped up in losing her parents, but there was no way of pushing away the dread. Although she’d been praying for relief from this constant fear, her stomach was still all tied up in knots. And the pressure was building and building until she feared she might explode.

  With only five days until Alec deployed, Maggie was dealing with non-stop anxiety. So far she hadn’t been able to confess her feelings to Alec. It wasn’t as if they were in a committed relationship. Hadn’t Alec made it clear early on that he wasn’t interested in anything serious? Her feelings for Alec had grown by leaps and bounds over a short period of time. The weeks they’d spent together felt like months. She was falling in love with him. No question. No doubt.

  For once she wished she’d had a wealth of experience with dating. She had no idea what came next for them. What did Alec want? Was this just killing time for him while he was stateside? Or was it something more for him also?

  “Penny for your thoughts?” Alec’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. They were walking down Main Street in the center of town while holding hands and window shopping. Every now and then they would pop inside a store and make a purchase. One day, she wanted to have her own store in Breeze Point. She would watch from inside her store as customers gazed through her store windows. And she would greet each customer with enthusiasm and grace.

  “Sorry. I’m just a little preoccupied.”

  “Anything you want to talk about?” Alec probed. She looked over at him, noticing the little crinkles of worry on his forehead and the way his eyebrows were furrowed. His ice blue eyes shimmered with concern.

  “I’m not sure what we’re doing here,” she blurted out.

  Alec frowned. “What we’re doing?”

  “Us.” She gestured back and forth between them. “You’ll be gone in five days. I’ll be on the other side of the world.” She twirled her hair around her finger, a nervous habit she’d been trying to break for years. “What are we doing?” she whispered, hoping Alec could make some sense of what was happening between them.

  “I thought we were getting to know each other. Aren’t you having fun?”

  She blew out a huff of air. Fun? Was this what it was all about for him? Fun?

  “Of course I’m having fun with you. But I just..I’m not sure what—”

  “How to wrap your head around all these feelings?” Alec asked.

  Having Alec say the words lifted a weight off her shoulders. She exhaled. “Yes. With my feelings. This is all new to me. And we’ve been spending so much time together. I feel really close to you.”

  Alec smiled. “I feel the same way. All I can tell you, Maggie, is that I know how complicated it is for us to start something right before I head back to the service. But on the other hand, I have to tell you that I’ve never felt this way before. Ever. And that knowledge is powerful.” />
  “I’ve never felt this way either,” Maggie admitted. “And I keep trying to figure out what we are to one another. I know it’s silly to try and define it, but every time I’m with you I want more. More time. More togetherness. More everything. Does that make sense?”

  Alec’s eyes lit up. “Yes, it does. It makes perfect sense.” Alec reached out and nuzzled her face with his gloved hand. He leaned in and brushed a swift kiss across her lips. The kiss felt reassuring, as if he was affirming that what was brewing between them was something extraordinary. He was giving her comfort.

  As Alec pulled away from their embrace she searched his handsome face for a sign. She yearned to know if everything was going to work out between them. It was silly of her to think that by looking at Alec’s expression she could find those answers. As wonderful a man as he was, even Alec couldn’t foretell the future. And it wasn’t fair to expect anything from him, considering his upcoming deployment. Staying alive and in one piece was her utmost wish for Alec.

  Lord, I need your wisdom. You’ve opened up my heart after so many years of it being closed off to love. But now that my heart is wide open, I’m not certain if it’s safe to invest my heart in this good, kind man. I’m scared…so very scared of losing another person I love. Lord, please guide me.

  As they parted ways, a feeling of unease swept over her. Alec Donahue’s presence in her life was like being presented with a wonderful, unexpected gift. But now, with her heart at stake, she knew that she had to be careful. She wasn’t just falling in love with Alec. She’d already tumbled head first over the edge. And it scared her senseless.

  **

  Ever since he’d left Maggie on Main Street the previous afternoon he’d been worried about her. He had no idea as to whether or not he’d said the right things to her. He’d tried to be honest with her to the best of his ability. But there had been things he hadn’t said to her. He hadn’t told her that he was crazy about her or that he thought about her non-stop. He hadn’t told her it might not be fair of him to allow her to fall for a soldier who might be in harm’s way. After all, Maggie had lost a great deal in her young life. How could he be so selfish and put her through such hardship?