Shane nodded and looked down at the envelope and back to his dad. “I’m scared I’m going to lose her forever.”
Jack shrugged. “You could. But it will still be okay.”
Jack knew what he was talking about. He’d lived it.
With that, Shane took the letter and began to open it, his stomach in knots.
ELEVEN
Sarah Beth
It had been thirteen days since Sarah Beth had spoken to Shane.
And she’d felt every single hour.
So, when she picked up her phone and heard the tone of his voice, her heart grew warm, her knees grew weak, and her hands grew clammy.
“Hey. Can we talk in person?” he asked.
It was cold in Dillon Creek.
Colder than usual. Even for December.
And Sarah Beth had superstitions about that.
Before she answered him, she grabbed her wool coat, her scarf and gloves, and her purse. “Where?” she asked, just as breathless.
“The Christmas tree?”
She nodded, though he couldn’t see it. She knew she’d made her decision, and he’d have to accept it.
It will all be okay, right? she’d asked herself several times throughout each day that passed in the last two weeks. It would have to be.
It was just getting dark.
The hustle and bustle of Main Street on Christmas made her heart less tender. In fact, it filled with some joy a little.
The cold nipped at her face, and her stomach was full of butterflies. She made her way to the Christmas tree at the end of Main Street.
The Christmas music played.
She watched families across the street. To the Dillon Creek Repertory Theater for a showing of A Christmas Story.
She watched people through windows as she passed by.
Sarah Beth walked quickly, and when she saw Shane Sawyer standing in front of the gigantic tree, she felt her heart almost stop.
The way he looked, his down jacket to his piercing moss-colored eyes, strong jawline, and his five o’clock shadow.
The way he stood.
Sarah Beth slowly approached him. “Hey,” she meekly said.
Shane looked at Sarah Beth. His eyes lit up. “Hey.”
She heard the relief in his voice. She saw the compassion in his eyes. She saw the love he had for her.
Shane was nervous. She could tell because he kept taking his hands in and out of his pockets. Instead of watching him do this one more time, she took his hands in hers.
He finally said, “I received the results from the paternity test today.” He rushed the words out, as if it were a bad memory or bad news.
Sarah Beth swallowed hard. Tried to keep her smile. She didn’t say anything. She just waited and held her breath.
“The baby isn’t mine.”
And without missing a beat, Sarah Beth pulled Shane into her arms and whispered in his ear, “Even if the baby were yours, I would have married you anyway.”
Shane pulled away. His eyes wide.
Shane kissed Sarah Beth hard and deep and held her as close as he could with a big coat on.
Everything around them disappeared.
The Christmas tree.
Main Street.
The season.
The people.
They became drunk on love, on each other. And Sarah Beth knew in her heart that this Shane Sawyer had been the one all along.
They kissed again and again until they drew a small crowd.
And when Sarah Beth and Shane finally noticed, the crowd began to clap.
Jack had tears in his eyes.
Why is Jack here?
Shane whispered, “He’s been doing that a lot lately.”
Sarah Beth’s parents watched. Her mother high-fived her dad and the people around them.
Wait. Why are my parents here?
Josie and Tom watched. Giving a thumbs-up to Sarah Beth, Josie was holding back tears. Tom held her close.
Why is everyone watching us?
Delveen yelled, “It’s about time!”
Pearl laughed.
Mabe rolled her eyes.
Erla smiled.
And Clyda covered her mouth.
But when Sarah Beth turned back to Shane, he was on one knee, shaking like a leaf.
“Sarah Beth.”
She covered her mouth as the tears welled in her eyes too. Oh, God.
“Before our family and friends, in your favorite season, by your favorite Christmas tree, in your favorite town, with our favorite people, I just need to tell you that you’ve always been the one. Since we were kids, I knew you were the only one. The way you looked at me, you saw past my exterior and right to my insides. I watched you from afar, terrified to take the chance. I’ve made some poor choices in my life, but you’re the best one I’ve ever made.” Shane stopped. Caught his breath. “Sarah Beth Dawson, will you marry me?”
The crowd gasped.
Sarah Beth knew two things for sure: she was absolutely in love with Shane Sawyer, and she was willing to take the chance.
She nodded and held her own tears back. “Yes!”
Shane put the ring on her finger, and he stood.
Sarah Beth grabbed ahold of him and kissed him with everything she could.
The crowd clapped and cheered.
Later that night, as the town gathered down Main Street for the annual tractor parade, Sarah Beth’s hand tightly in Shane’s, she asked, “How did all those people know?”
Shane kissed her temple as her back rested against his front while people walked over to congratulate them. “I invited them.”
Sarah Beth turned to look up at Shane.
He shrugged. “I knew you’d want them to be a part of that more than anything.”
“But why were The Ladybugs there?”
Shane laughed. “I have no idea.”
Sarah Beth laughed at Delveen’s and Pearl’s ability to find out news before anyone.
“I asked your parents for your hand in marriage after I got the results of the paternity test. Regardless of what you might say, I couldn’t leave here without taking the chance.”
Shane pulled her close to him from the small of her back. He kissed her softly and then more urgently. She groaned in his mouth.
“Oh, Ms. Dawson, you can’t do that here. You’re going to break this cowboy.”
But the tractor parade was Sarah Beth’s favorite event of the year in Dillon Creek, and she couldn’t miss it. They couldn’t miss it.
The fire whistle sounded, indicating the beginning of the parade.
Sarah Beth gave one last kiss to her fiancé, and she turned to face Main Street among her family and dear friends.
This time, it didn’t matter if she stood on the crack in the sidewalk, wished someone happy birthday before the big day, faced mirrors and hell, drove straight home after a funeral, or saw her breath in November instead of December. Because the storm that had blown into her life that day was the only storm she’d fallen in love with, and she knew they’d live happily ever after.
TWELVE
The Ladybugs
“Did you see that Sarah Beth and Shane’s engagement was on the front page of the Dillon Creek Echo?” Clyda held up the newspaper. “What a love story.”
Erla chimed in, “Sounds like another love story we know.” She bumped her old friend. “Colt and Anna.”
Clyda smiled. “Yes, that one too.”
Delveen started, “Well, you know what I heard? I heard that Tess and Casey are back together. Go figure. All the way up in Ketchikan, Alaska, they found their way back to each other.”
They all stared at Clyda Atwood.
“How would I know? I’m just the old lady in the family. They don’t tell me shit.”
But Clyda knew. She knew the whole story. She knew her grandson loved Tess Morgan with all his heart even if he never said it, even if he was willing to walk away from riding bulls for her. But time and memories changed people. She just praye
d they’d figure it out together even if it meant mending bridges with the Morgan family. After all, Christmas was all about forgiveness and peace. She just hoped they found it before it was too late.
“Anyway, what story will you tell us next after Tess and Casey, Delveen? Because you know all the gossip. The story about Cash and Scarlet?” Mabe asked.
But instead of looking at Delveen, they looked at Erla. Scarlet was Erla’s granddaughter. The comment surprised Erla, coming from Mabe. Erla knew Scarlet and Cash Atwood had spent time together as kids. But he was reckless in his decision-making. A bit of a loose cannon. Surely, Scarlet would think that through.
Why on earth didn’t my granddaughter mention Cash when she came to town? Erla thought. How does Mabe know something I don’t?
“Why would you ask that, Mabe?” came from Erla’s mouth before she could really think it through.
Mabe cocked her head to the right. “You’re the one who told me, Erla.”
Erla was clearly confused, and so was Mabe.
Had she told Mabe she’d heard or seen something? She couldn’t remember.
Mabe must have seen the look of fear on Erla’s face because she said, “Well, maybe it wasn’t you.”
But it had been. Erla and Mabe had been friends for far too long for the look she’d had to go unnoticed.
Merry, one of the owners of The Rusty Nail, approached the table. “All ready, ladies? Here’s the tab. Let me know if I can get you anything else.”
Erla, Clyda, Delveen, Pearl, and Mabe made their way out of The Rusty Nail and went their separate ways.
“Mabe”—Erla looked around as the group dispersed—“did I tell you that? About Scarlet and Cash?”
Mabe was nervous for her friend, but she knew she’d better tell Erla Brockmeyer the truth. Ever since Mabe’s incident with the shopping and the alcohol, they’d promised to always tell each other the truth. “Yes. Right after Scarlet left after Don’s funeral. You don’t remember?”
Erla clearly didn’t. Concern grew in her stomach like a cancer.
“It was just the grief, Erla. Be gentle with yourself, all right?” Mabe touched Erla’s shoulder.
Yes, it could have been the grief. Yes, it could. It most likely was.
She laughed. “You’re probably right.”
But deep down, Erla knew something was awfully wrong.
EPILOGUE
Sarah Beth
“Come on, babe.” Shane took Sarah Beth’s hand and led her outside to her front yard after he’d put the blindfold on her.
It was Christmas Day after all. And they could only enjoy that day for another few hours.
They faced Sarah Beth’s small house, and Shane removed the blindfold.
“It’s freezing out here, Shane. P-p-please, let’s go back inside, where it’s warm.”
“Just one last surprise,” he said.
After they’d made love for the third time that day, Sarah Beth had fallen asleep. He’d taken the liberty to drive down to Nelson’s Feed and buy all the lawn ornaments and Christmas lights they had in stock.
“Okay, open your eyes.”
When Sarah Beth opened her eyes, she couldn’t believe how many lawn ornaments were on her lawn, and it looked like her house could be seen from space. Her heart rejoiced, and she smiled and looked at Shane as she took him in her arms and kissed him. “I love it. It’s so perfect.”
Shane pulled out his phone. “Okay, let’s take a picture. Maybe this could be our tradition. Christmas night photo.”
Sarah Beth remembered when Shane had mentioned the picture his mom took of him and his dad at night among the lawn ornaments and Christmas lights.
Sarah Beth and Shane both smiled big, cheesy smiles and laughed.
And when they looked through photos, his breath hitched.
“What is it?” Sarah Beth asked. “Are you all right?”
“There.” Shane pointed at the outline in the background.
At first, it looked like maybe a reflection of one of the many, many, many lights Shane had put out.
But it wasn’t at all.
It was an outline of a woman, almost ghostlike, which looked just like Shane’s mom, Corinne, beaming at the two of them.
It was said that, sometimes, the universe could pull a fantastic magic trick.
The lighting had to be just right.
The season needed to be perfect.
Joy must exist.
Hearts must be full and good.
And if all this happened at the same exact time, miracles would reveal themselves at the moments their loved ones needed them most.
Always believe in miracles.
The End
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I wrote Little White Christmas because readers had asked me when Saving Tess would be coming out. The truth was, I didn’t know. But I wanted to give my readers something to hold on to until then.
I wrote this novella in a week and a half, but that’s just the beginning of the work that needs to be done to produce a book in this world. There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work that has to be accomplished to put the book in readers’ hands.
First, I’d like to thank my incredible editor and formatter for squeezing my work in at the last minute. Jovana, you are incredible at what you do, and I’m so grateful to have you on my team.
Second, a huge thank you to Tash Drake at Outlined With Love Designs for the beautiful book cover. I was speechless when I received the cover.
Third, thank you to Taylor Colbert Kelley for help with the blurb for Little White Christmas and all the moral support. You are truly a gem, and I’m so lucky to be on this writing journey with you.
Fourth, to my readers—Without you all, this little novella wouldn’t be here.
Last, to my family—Thank you for being my soft place to land.
A NOTE TO THE READER
THANK YOU FOR READING LITTLE WHITE CHRISTMAS.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
J. Lynn Bailey is an award-winning and best-selling author who has loved to write since she learned to read around the second grade. She earned a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from Humboldt State University.
When she isn’t running her children to their next sporting event, watching North Woods Law, or on the hunt for her next Laffy Taffy joke, you can probably find her holed up in her writing room, feverishly working on her next book. She lives in Northern California with her family.
OTHER BOOKS BY J. LYNN BAILEY
THE GRANITE HARBOR SERIES
Peony Red
Violet Ugly
Magnolia Road
Lilies on Main
THE DILLON CREEK SERIES
Taking Anna
STAND-ALONES
Standing Sideways
The Light We See
Black Five
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