A Snowglobe Christmas

by Goodnight, Linda

  “Guess not,” Owen replied.

  “You want me to take her?” Josiah asked, nodding toward Janey. “It’s slick out here, and you took a pretty big hit to the noggin.”

  Owen shook his head, which started drumbeats pounding in his face. “No, I’ve got her.” He put his mouth to Janey’s ear underneath her hat. “This nice man, Josiah, is going to call for help.”

  “All right, Daddy. Then you call Sara.”

  Sara. Her pretty face rose in his mind, and he couldn’t help but think about what a wonderful woman she was and how he couldn’t imagine not having her in his life.

  His chest tightened, and in that single moment in time, he realized he loved Sara.

  Just as quickly, thoughts of those few moments when the truck had been sliding out of control flitted through his memory. He’d had no control, no power, and he’d given over to God automatically, trusting that He would save them, fulfilling His plan for Owen.

  Maybe Owen needed to give his future up to God’s plan, needed to trust in His power and wisdom, just as he’d had faith that the Lord would watch over him and Janey just a few minutes ago.

  And that meant he had to tell Sara he loved her. And that she’d been right; he had been running away by leaving town. But the truth was, he couldn’t escape his love for Sara. No matter where he was, he’d love her. And she was his fresh start, his new life.

  She was his everything.

  As soon as he got checked out by a doctor, he planned to tell her all of it. He only hoped he hadn’t scared her off with his running away routine. Or that she didn’t love him back. Either way, at least he’d know that he didn’t give up without a fight worthy of his newly recognized trust in God’s plan, and of the woman who’d stolen his heart.

  * * *

  With Mia’s hand clamped tightly in her own, Sara forced herself to slow down so Mia could keep up as they charged through the automatic sliding doors to the emergency room of the local hospital.

  Concern thrumming inside her, Sara went immediately to the reception desk opposite the door. “I’m here to see Owen Larsen,” she told the tall, thin nurse behind the desk. “He was admitted a few hours ago.”

  Owen had called half an hour ago, and she’d breathed a sigh of relief to hear his voice, because he hadn’t been answering his cell and she was beyond worried about him and Janey. She’d also feared they were already on the plane to Seattle and were well and truly gone, and her heart had just about shattered.

  Then he’d told her that they’d been in a car accident and were still in Snowglobe, albeit at the hospital, hurriedly assuring her that they were both fine except for his face being a little banged up by the air bag.

  Sara’s stomach had fallen to her toes the second she’d heard the word accident, confirming she should have never let him run away without more of a fight.

  She had to believe in dreaming the impossible dream. How could she ask less of herself when so much was at stake?

  Even though he’d wanted her to stay home because of the icy roads, she’d adamantly refused. She’d grown up dealing with the inclement weather in Snowglobe, and life went on, snow or not. Besides, it wasn’t far, and the roads had been salted.

  Now, here she and Mia were at the hospital, safe and sound. Everything was fine, Sara knew, but she’d feel a lot better when she saw Owen and Janey with her own eyes.

  The nurse consulted a chart. “Ah, yes. Mr. Larsen is just about to be discharged.” She motioned to the waiting area. “If you want to have a seat, he’ll be out shortly.”

  “Can I see him?” Sara asked in an anxiety-tinged voice.

  “Are you family?”

  “Well, no.” And she never would be. Unless she could convince Owen to give them a chance. Mission noted. Again.

  “Then I’m sorry, hospital policy prohibits you from going into the E.R. area.” The nurse lifted a brow, then looked back down at the chart. “But I assure you, Mr. Larsen is just fine.”

  “And what about his daughter?” Sara knew Janey was fine physically, but she had to be scared out of her mind given what had gone on in the past few hours.

  “One of the nurses was just out and told me that Janey is with her dad, and is the proud new owner of a new stuffed bear, so she’s doing well,” the nurse replied with a gentle smile. “I promise.”

  Nodding, Sara breathed a sigh of relief. When in doubt, give a kid a stuffed animal. “Okay, good.” Knowing she’d have to cool her jets and settle for waiting for Owen, she turned to head over to the waiting area. “Let’s go sit down, Mia.”

  “Where’s Janey?” Mia asked, her voice small.

  Before Sara could answer, the double doors leading to the E.R. swung open and Owen walked out.

  Sara’s heart stopped when she saw his bruised, puffy face. He looked like he’d tangled with a prizefighter rather than a vehicle safety device.

  A plump older nurse followed behind with Janey in her arms.

  Sara stared, drinking in the sight of him, all of her love for him bubbling up like a geyser inside of her.

  His gaze caught hers, and his pained expression softened as his mouth curved into an unmistakable smile. Like frosting on a hot cinnamon roll, Sara’s heart just about melted.

  A second later, Janey spotted her, too, and cried out, “Sara!”

  Sara moved toward the man and girl she loved, her eyes burning. And was utterly relieved when Owen stepped toward her and instantly, unhesitatingly, pulled her into his embrace. “I’m so glad you made it,” he said. “After what happened to us, I was worried.”

  She put her arms around him and hugged him tight, motioning for the nurse to bring Janey over to join in, not caring a whit that he smelled like what had to be air-bag debris. “I know my way around in the snow,” she said, never wanting to let either of them go. This was where she belonged, with him, wherever, and she had to tell him that. They’d been given a second chance, and she wasn’t about to squander it. Oh, no. Never again.

  However, now wasn’t the time nor the place for the I-love-you-and-I’m-never-letting-you-out-of-my-sight discussion she intended to have. But she promised herself that the time and place would come about very soon.

  And if Owen thought he could run away again, he had another think coming.

  * * *

  By the time Sara’s car headlights illuminated the snow-covered For Rent sign in Owen’s front yard, his nose had stopped throbbing, thanks, he was sure, to the large dose of ibuprofen the E.R. doc had given him.

  Thankfully, an examination had revealed that his nose was not broken, just badly bruised, along with his whole face. He’d had his bell rung good for sure, but it could have been so much worse; just thinking about what might have been made his knees weak.

  Thank You, God, for watching over Janey and me. And for helping me to see what’s important. And what doesn’t matter in the least.

  The hospital had loaned them a car seat for Janey, since he hadn’t had the foresight in his dazed state to grab his from the truck, which had been towed to a local body shop thanks to Josiah making a call. Owen would contact them tomorrow about repairs.

  The girls were sound asleep in the backseat of Sara’s car—it was near midnight, and both were understandably exhausted—and as he looked over at Sara and saw the soft curve of her face, cloaked in nighttime shadows, he knew he had to level with her. Now. And no matter what she said, he would rest easy knowing he’d trusted the Lord’s plan enough to battle hard for the woman he loved.

  How could that be a mistake?

  The car came to a stop, and Sara shoved the gearshift into Park. She sat for a moment, her hands still on the wheel, and then turned and looked at him, her face pressed into serious lines. “We need to talk.”

  He lifted his eyebrows. Looked like she had something on her mind, too. Okay. He�
��d face it head-on, no more running away. His neck heated up and he unzipped his coat. “I agree.”

  She blinked, paused, and then said, “First off, thank you for the snowglobe. It’s the best present anyone has ever given me.”

  “You’re welcome. I knew having it would mean a lot to you.”

  “It did.” She fanned her face, then reached up and turned the heater control knob down.

  “Warm?”

  “Um...yeah.”

  “Me, too.” There was so much to be said, so many hurdles to clear...no, not anymore. The hard part was behind him. From here on out he’d have the comfort of his faith in God’s guidance. I’m free.

  With that wonderful thought in mind, feeling as if a huge load had been lifted from his shoulders, Owen reached out and pried Sara’s hand off the steering wheel. “Sara, look at me.”

  She turned, gazed at him with a crease between her eyebrows, and opened her mouth to speak.

  He pressed a finger to her lips. “No, don’t say anything before I tell you something very important.”

  She gave him a slow, slightly shaky nod.

  With a steady hand, he touched her cheek. “I love you, Sara Kincaid, and I never should have left.”

  Her jaw dropped and her eyes went the size of dinner plates as she gripped his hand, hard. “You do?” she whispered.

  “I do.” Hopefully, someday not too far in the future, he’d be saying those words in a church, with Sara outfitted in a gorgeous white dress standing by his side, with God looking on, happy that Owen had recognized the perfection of His plan. But first things first.

  “I thought—”

  “That I was going to run away?”

  “Yes.” She nodded. “That’s right.”

  “I was.”

  Her eyebrows crinkled. “Then...what changed your mind?” she asked in an awestruck voice.

  “God did.” At her seemingly stunned silence, he continued on. “When my truck was spinning out of control on the ice, my worst fear came true. And in that space of time, I gave myself up to God’s control and that made me realize that I needed to trust in His plan for my life.” He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. “I think you’re God’s plan for me and that He brought us together, and I can’t ignore that anymore.”

  She let out a gasp, and then her hand tightened on his again and she turned in her seat to face him fully. Her expression was soft with a small smile curving her lips. “Can you guess what I wanted to tell you?”

  “I know what I want you to tell—”

  She mimicked him and pressed a finger to his lips to silence him. “I love you, too, and I knew when I opened that snowglobe and listened to ‘The Impossible Dream’ that I had to follow my dream, no matter how impossible it seemed.” She sucked in a trembling breath. “When you called to tell me you’d been in an accident and my heart just about froze with fear...well, it was clear, then and there, that my decision to fight for you was the right one.” She cast her eyes into the backseat where Janey and Mia slept, oblivious to the momentous event playing out just feet from them. “For all of us. And that means I’ll find a way to go to Moonlight Cove if that’s what will keep us together.”

  Pure joy exploded in his heart. He twisted and leaned down toward Sara, resting his forehead on hers, careful to keep his nose safe as he did so. “You’d do that?”

  “For you?” She nuzzled his jaw. “Anything.”

  The depth of her sacrifice humbled him. What had he done to deserve such a wonderful woman? “No, now that I’ve found you, I realize I want to stay in Snowglobe.”

  “Even with your sad memories?” she asked, her voice hushed.

  “I have new, happy memories here, and I want to make more,” he said. “With you and Mia, as a family.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

  “Neither have I,” Sara said on a breathy sigh.

  He gave her a teasing grin. “So are you telling me we’re on the same page, Miss Kincaid?”

  She smiled back, stroking a soft hand down his cheek. “I believe we are, Mr. Larsen.”

  “That’s the best news I’ve had in quite a while,” he said. “In forever, actually.”

  Then he kissed her sweet lips for a long time, never wanting to let her go.

  And now, thanks to God, some black ice and the most wonderful woman in the world, Owen wouldn’t have to.

  Thank you, dear Lord, for making all of our Christmas wishes come true.

  * * * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt of Montana Dreams by Jillian Hart!

  Dear Reader,

  I love writing about small towns, so when I was asked to write a novella that took place in a little Montana town call Snowglobe, I jumped at the chance. Somehow I find romance so much more heartfelt and genuine when set against the backdrop of a close-knit community.

  An interesting thing happened recently—a friend read one of my books and told me that she could tell that I had based some of the happenings in that book on my real-life experiences. She also shared that she thought the tangible connection between the events in my books and my life experience had added another layer to the genuineness of the story.

  I thought about that, and right about the time I wrote the scene where Owen, Sara, Mia and Janey are arriving at The Snowglobe Gift Shoppe and Sara asks the girls to hold their hands behind their backs to remind themselves not to touch anything, I realized my friend was right. Here’s why: my mom always asked my kids to clasp their hands behind their backs whenever there were fragile things in sight. That realization made me feel good. You see, my mom died in 2006, and I miss her every day. But somehow I’m comforted to know that my mom, in her own way, has contributed to the authenticity and multidimensional quality of the events in my books.

  Thanks, Mom.

  Hearing from readers is always a joy. So please, let me know how you like my books. You can contact me via Harlequin Love Inspired Books, or on the web at lissa@lissamanley.com.

  Blessings,

  Lissa Manley

  Questions for Discussion

  Owen wanted control of his life after his wife died. Was this choice limiting in a negative way, or was it an inevitable result of the tragic event he’d been through? Discuss why or why not, and how you might have reacted in a similar situation, and whether you feel, given time, Owen might have learned to give up some control of his life even if he hadn’t met Sara.

  Because Sara’s dad and husband walked out on her, she didn’t want to depend on anyone for fear of being hurt. Was this a wrongheaded way to go about things, and if so, how could she have reacted differently? Or was her reaction understandable, and, therefore, justified, even though it limited her ability to let someone into her heart, and, ultimately, her own possible chances for happiness?

  Sara told Owen she didn’t think he was trusting in God’s plan, and that he was letting his need for control in actuality control him. Discuss the veracity of this idea, and whether you think this was what Owen was doing, and whether this reaction was justified given the loss that he suffered.

  Sara hoped that Owen would stay in Snowglobe to be with her, yet she wasn’t initially willing to move to Moonlight Cove to stay together. Listening to the musical horse snowglobe play “The Impossible Dream” helped her to realize the error in her thinking. Discuss how a song or other artistic work has influenced you in a positive way.

  In church, Owen was nervous to let Janey go to Sunday school class, even though he undoubtedly knew that doing so was in his daughter’s best interest. Discuss how you have had to let go in this way, and whether or not it was the right thing to do in the long run.

  Owen and Sara discussed having faith in the Lord’s plan. Discuss t
imes in your life when you trusted in the Lord’s plan even though doing so didn’t come easily for you, and how that trust helped you deal in subsequent times of crisis.

  It took some black ice and a spinout into a ditch to show Owen that he actually trusted in the Lord. Discuss how a similarly traumatic or frightening experience shaped your view of your faith and trust in God.

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired story.

  You believe hearts can heal. Love Inspired stories show that faith, forgiveness and hope have the power to lift spirits and change lives—always.

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  Chapter One

  “You always were good for nothing, girl.” Her father’s bitter voice grumbled through the small, unkempt house. “Get the lead out of your lazy butt and fetch me something to eat. I’m gettin’ hungry.”

  Millie Wilson straightened up, mop handle clutched in one hand, closed her eyes and prayed for strength. The Lord had to help her because she wasn’t sure she could do this without Him. The call in the middle of the night, a doctor’s voice on the other end of the line, her father’s collapse and terminal prognosis. If only there had been anyone—anyone at all—to take over his care. “I have to go to the market, Dad.”

  “You should have thought of that earlier,” he barked from the other room.

  And I came back, why? She swished the mop into the sudsy bucket, wrung it out and scoured the last patch of kitchen floor. Marginally better, but it was going to take more than one pass over. She didn’t want to think how long it had been since the floor had a proper cleaning—it would take a scrub brush and a lot of elbow grease to get out the dirt ground into the texture of the linoleum—a job for another time. Her back ached just thinking of it.