A Heartwarming Christmas: A Boxed Set of Twelve Sweet Holiday Romances

by Melinda Curtis

  “I don’t know,” Chloe coughed, shaking her head as cleansing tears streamed down her face. “I was taking a walk and talking to Teddy on the phone when I heard this loud pop. Next thing I know I saw smoke erupting into the chapel. I hung up on him.” Her eyes went wide. “So I could call 9-1-1.”

  “Call him back,” Marnie ordered as Sam let go of her hand and wandered away. “Let him know you’re okay.”

  “Yeah,” Chloe said, her hands shaking as she lifted her phone to her ear and walked away.

  “Chloe, Marnie, I need you two to stay back,” Rick Fisher, one of Christmas Town’s firefighters donned his helmet and herded them away from the building.

  “How bad?” Marnie asked, unable to believe she could speak around the tears in her throat. “Rick?”

  “Hard to tell. Looks like it started in the basement. I think we’ve got it contained. We’re trying to save the structure, but it’ll take time. Lots of smoke and water damage at the least. Please, stay over there by Sam, okay?” He was back, yelling orders to his men as they aimed their hoses toward the now non-existent front doors.

  “Did I hear him say it started in the basement?” Sam asked as Marnie returned to his side by his truck. Even in the darkness, the glow of the lights from the cars and engine cast a pale pallor on his skin. He looked dazed, detached. Defeated.

  “They think so,” Chloe answered having told Ted a proper good bye this time. Marnie could only lean against Sam and stare at her chapel. Her chapel. Tears skidded down her cheeks. When had it become her chapel? Something inside of her died even as her dreams struggled to survive against the billowing smoke and licking flame. “You said the repairmen finished today.”

  “They did,” Sam said and Marnie could hear her own shock in his voice. “They left a few things behind to be picked up tomorrow, but—” He sucked in a breath, turned guilty eyes on Marnie. “The light. Oh, God. I thought I turned that light off. This is my fault.” She watched as he teetered on the edge of despair.

  “This is not your fault!” Marnie grabbed hold and dug her fingers into his arms. “I saw you turn that light out, Sam. I wouldn’t lie to you about something like that.”

  “If not me, who? How? I must have forgotten something, done something—”

  “Sam, stop.” Marnie grabbed for him, but he stepped out of reach, shut down. Turned away from her. “There’s no reason to worry and wonder until the fire is out and they can investigate. Rick will find out and if he doesn’t, Josh will.” Marnie knew the Fisher brothers wouldn’t let any questions go unanswered. They lived and breathed firefighting and they took it personally whenever any structure in Christmas Town was threatened. If only Josh wasn’t on leave at the moment due to injuries. Injuries…She spun around and tried to catch Sam’s vacant stare even as he scrubbed a hand over his scars. “This can’t be easy for you to watch.” Not with his history with the fire department.

  “I’m not going anywhere.” Marnie was torn between watching him and watching the flicker of flame kiss the inside of the mud room. Sam was either stuck in that basement or in the past with those horses he’d been determined to save over a decade ago. She didn’t want him reliving—or dwelling—on things he couldn’t change.

  “Sam, why don’t you—”

  “Don’t tell me to go home.” Sam’s tone was ice cold, firm and sent chills racing down her spine even as the rest of her was feeling the heat from the fire. “I’m not leaving until I know what happened. Until I know if—”

  But she knew Sam. Knew what he was thinking, feeling. That there was something he could have done to spare her and her sisters this pain. “Stay here with Chloe. I’m going to go see if they need help.”

  “No, wait, Sam!” Marnie grabbed at him, more petrified of him going anywhere near a fire again than of losing the family business she’d been charged with.

  “Let him go, Marnie.” Chloe dropped an arm around her shoulders and hugged her close. “Let him deal with this on his terms.”

  “But—”

  Tires screeched behind them and the sisters turned to see Noelle leaping out of her car. She didn’t bother to close the door before she skidded to a stop beside them, eyes blank, defeated. Lost. “Their chapel.”

  Those two whispered words unlocked the floodgate and Marnie let the tears flow unchecked. Everything their parents had built, everything their grandparents and their parents had sought to create, was at the mercy of something nobody, not even a determined Sam Collins, could control.

  Noelle came around and wrapped her own arm around Marnie, sandwiching her between the only other two people in the world who would understand yet another loss they’d have to endure.

  They stood there, in the darkness of a Christmas Town night, and watched their parents’ legacy burn.

  Chapter 8

  Sam’s boots crunched over warped wood and ash-strewn floorboards as the morning sun peeked over the horizon. The residual heat from the fire had died down. The fire crew continued to go through the chapel checking for hot spots and to ensure the fire was indeed out.

  He squatted, bracing one arm on his knee and lifted a remnant of the soft fabric only the day before he’d draped over the rafters. He closed his fingers and turned it to ash.

  “It’s not a complete loss,” Rick Fisher said as he joined him. “The structure is still sound, but there’s a lot of rebuilding and replacing to do.”

  “I figured.” For the hours he’d watched Marnie’s dreams go up in smoke he tried to find the silver lining, searched for any hope in the situation, but all he could feel was the final tether keeping her in Christmas Town slipping free of his grasp.

  With the chapel gone, with her mind made up, there was no reason for her to stay.

  “You did good work with the team,” Rick went on, slipping off his helmet. “Bet it felt old hat.”

  “Like ten years never happened,” Sam agreed before he asked the question that had been haunting him since he’d first heard the sirens. “Do you know what caused it?”

  “Worklamp in the basement.”

  Sam squeezed his eyes shut. “I didn’t turn it off.”

  “A light being left on wouldn’t have done any damage and besides, the switch says it was off,” Rick said. “Josh is going to come by and have a look, but I did see where the electrical cord was frayed in a small section. Not to mention it wasn’t up to code to work with the new outlet they installed. Never should have been used if you ask me.” Sam looked over at him. “Marnie mentioned the boiler had just been replaced. You and Nick didn’t do it?”

  “We hired it out.” Because he thought it was the right thing to do. “The work crew finished yesterday. They asked if they could store the lights for the night. I’ve already called the owner. He’s on his way.”

  “Make sure you get his insurance company’s contact. You want to speak with them directly if for no other reason than to touch base. I’ll have a final report to you by the end of the day. It could have been worse, Sam. No one was hurt and most of the damage is cosmetic.”

  Most of the damage had been done to Marnie’s heart. To his heart. This place was hers. She’d made it hers. And within hours of completing everything she wanted, giving her everything she’d asked for, it was gone.

  “Appreciate all you guys did.” Sam got to his feet and walked him out. He inhaled the smoke-tinged icy morning air, sulfur overtaking the anticipatory scent of the holidays. He pinned his gaze on the house, wondering what he’d say when he got there. Wondering what he was going to tell her.

  He was barely half way to the porch when the door slammed open and Marnie and Chloe emerged with thermoses in their arms, paper cups clasped in their bare hands.

  “Things finally settled down?” Chloe called.

  “Yeah, they’re cleaning up and moving out in a few,” Sam said, unable to meet Marnie’s eyes. Once again, his happiness had been short-lived. And burned alive.

  “We’ve got coffee,” Marnie said with a smile so strained he wasn
’t sure how she managed. “Did Rick say how—”

  “One of the lamps they left. Frayed cord.” The relief that it hadn’t been his fault wasn’t as strong as he’d hoped. He wasn’t responsible, not directly, but he should have paid closer attention. It had been his decision on who to hire for the work. “The owner is on his way out. I’ll deal with him when he gets here.”

  “I can—” Marnie started.

  “I’ll deal with him,” Sam stated more firmly. “You have a project proposal to finish and turn in.”

  “If you’ll excuse me, I see some thirsty firemen.” Chloe plucked the cups out of Marnie’s fingers and stepped out of the line of fire.

  Marnie turned her face away but not before he saw tears spring into her eyes.

  “Marnie?”

  “I’m fine.” She took a breath and shook her head. “It’ll just be hard, going through all those pictures, seeing how close we came to making it perfect.”

  “We can make it perfect again.”

  She shook her head and deflated his heart with a smile so sad it would haunt his dreams. “There’s no time, Sam. You have a job you need to get back to and I have a reality check to deal with. Maybe an almost finished project will be enough. I guess I’ll find out if a fire is an excuse to miss a deadline.” Her forced laugh stabbed through him. “I’m thinking not.”

  Sam heard her strain for humor, to find something to be relieved about, but he knew when she walked away from him without another word, the fire had taken more than the chapel away from her. It had destroyed her dream.

  Again.

  “Hey, Sam the Man. Can I get you some coffee?” Noelle stepped onto the porch and held the door open. “You look like you could use it.”

  “Yeah, thanks.” He kicked out of his filthy boots and left them on the porch, ditching his jacket on the banister as he followed her into the kitchen. He saw Marnie’s laptop open on the table, the presentation she’d been working on flashing on the screen. “Crap of a night.”

  “Could have been crappier,” Noelle said. “No one was hurt and Marnie’s a trooper. She’ll find a way through.”

  He stared down at the laptop and accepted the steaming mug from Marnie’s sister. “She shouldn’t have to find a way through. She was counting on this to get her to New York.”

  “Yeah, I know.”

  “I don’t want her to go. But I love her. I can’t let her give up.”

  “And that’s why you’re one of the best guys I know.” Noelle took a seat and aimed too-knowing eyes in his direction. “Hard to let someone go when you’ve loved her most of your life.”

  Color rose to his cheeks. “Is there anyone in town who doesn’t know?”

  “Sam Collins, you’ve always worn your heart on your sleeve when it comes to my sister. Mom saw it. Dad saw it and Chloe and I did, too. Too bad it took so long for her to.”

  “But she did. Last night.” For a little while anyway. “Couldn’t have come to a worse end.” On the bright side, disaster had already struck. What did he have to lose from here on?

  “What end?” Noelle said. “Nothing’s ended, Sam. This is a bump in the road and trust me, there will be plenty more, especially if you want a life with her. The question is, are you going to let an accident completely derail you or are you going to keep fighting for her?”

  “She needs that chapel,” Sam said, an idea—a crazy one—forming. “Whether she realizes it or not. I don’t know if she needs me, but she needs this chance.” And he needed to give it to her. He set his coffee down and aimed his intent gaze on Marnie’s sister. “You up for helping me?”

  Noelle smiled over the edge of her mug. “Figured you’d ask. Why else do you think I stayed back at the house?”

  ~*~

  Marnie drew the curtains of her mother’s sewing room closed early the next morning, afraid a glance outside would mean having to face what was left of the chapel.

  She knew the outside didn’t tell the complete tale; that the remnants of the smoke could be washed away with a hose and elbow grease, but it was the idea of what had been demolished inside that hurt the most.

  Sam had been true to his word—as Sam always was. He’d taken care of calling the insurance people, dealt with the installers of the boiler who, after coming face to face with the department report and Sam’s uncharacteristic and eye-opening anger, had agreed to a sizable settlement that more than covered the cost of the expenses she’d put into the remodel. It would be a while before she saw any of that cash, but it would come and maybe even in time to pay the tuition to design school.

  If she even bothered to submit the proposal.

  She had two days to come up with a new project but she’d sunk everything she had, the money Chloe had given her, most of her savings not to mention the countless hours, into this one. Maybe she should take the fire as a sign that the future she’d dreamed of wasn’t for her after all.

  But there could be a future here, one she hadn’t planned on. If only Sam would return her calls. She hadn’t spoken to him since yesterday morning and aside from him asking for information for the insurance companies, they’d barely seen one another.

  She wanted to talk to him. The need to was almost a palpable ache. She’d already worn out Chloe and Noelle’s ears and poor Ted’s as well, but they weren’t as close to the situation as she was. They hadn’t chosen every element of that space, every paint chip, every windowpane only to see it all vanish in a matter of hours.

  Sam was the only one who would understand.

  And for the first time in memory, he wasn’t anywhere around for her to lean on.

  Word about the fire had spread faster than the flames themselves. They’d been inundated with phone calls and offers of help, from pastor Eli Welcome and his assistant Cass, to Brady Sullivan, a new-to-town former forest ranger who had stopped by yesterday to offer his assistance in the midst of still-smoldering lumber. Long time friends and lifelong residents were eager to help put Bells are Ringing back together, but the truth was, Marnie didn’t have the energy to address anything right now.

  But she had managed to finally put the finishing organizing touches on her mother’s sewing room.

  The once cluttered space was now spic-and-span clean. Not a thread on the floor, not a dot of dust on the floorboards. It was something at least.

  It wasn’t enough.

  She plopped down in the Boston rocker, staring over at her laptop and the presentation that was only seventy-five percent complete. She’d input the last of the photos from before the fire, but the lack of all the personality she’d planned to include might as well be bells chiming in a cemetery for all the good it did her.

  The intent of the project was to prove she could finish something. She’d only needed a few more days…yeah. She heaved a sigh and closed out the program, removed the flash drive she’d planned to send and left it on her mother’s sewing table.

  A loud rumbling down the road had her frowning and looking over her shoulder, but the curtains blocked her view.

  “Marnie!” Noelle called. The fact her sister had been sticking so close to home during her busy season added to Marnie’s guilt. Both Noelle and Chloe had been inordinately attentive, hovering and whispering, commenting and cajoling her out of the sadness that only lifted when she thought about Sam.

  “Marnie get your butt down here, please!” Chloe yelled.

  “What?” She stomped out of the sewing room and leaned over the railing. “What’s going on out there?”

  “Clean up crew!” Noelle called up, hands planted on her hips. “They’re going to need instructions, so stop wallowing and let’s get to this.”

  “I’m not wallowing,” Marnie grumbled as she trudged down the stairs in her ratty jeans and even rattier t-shirt and sneakers. “I’m basking in failure.” Okay, maybe she was wallowing.

  “The fire was an accident,” Chloe said for the hundredth time. “What you do about it won’t be. Now come on. Sam’s waiting for you.”

&nb
sp; “Sam?”

  “Told you that would perk her up.” Noelle elbowed her sister. “Yes, Marnie. Sam. You didn’t really think he’d abandon you after this, did you?”

  “N-no, of course not.” But she had and that made her feel even worse. “Where is he?”

  “Right here.” Sam walked out of the kitchen looking ready for battle with his heavy work boots, black t-shirt and those snug jeans she enjoyed so much. “Sorry I haven’t been around. I’ve been—whoa! Okay.”

  Marnie threw herself into him, locking her arms around his neck and clung, afraid he’d vanish on her again.

  “It’s okay, Marnie.” He wrapped one arm around her waist while his other hand patted her back. “I’ve got you. I’m right here.”

  “You disappeared on me.” She squeezed her eyes shut and lifted her hands to dive into his thick hair. “You left me alone. Where the heck have you been?” She leaned her head back to stare into his beautiful brown eyes.

  “Busy. Planning. Come see.”

  Marnie’s eyes narrowed. “What are you up to now?”

  “You’ll see.” He planted a quick kiss on her lips before squeaking past her sisters to the door. “Ladies. Shall we? Busy couple of days ahead. We have a deadline to meet.”

  Marnie joined them on the front porch and grabbed on to Sam for support. Dozens of cars and trucks, vans, and municipal vehicles were pulling to a stop all around the chapel. People spilled out of doors, calling out orders and setting up work stations all over the snow-covered property.

  Piles of wood were set up on sawhorses, paneling and hardwood planks. Buckets of paint and supplies were set near the door to the chapel while a group of Christmas Town residents that included Pastor Eli Welcome, along with Cass Logan and her two daughters Lia and Amy setting up a coffee and snack station closer to the house.

  Within minutes Marnie was introduced to Lia’s friend Quinn Weston, whose special talent with wood carving made him an MVP when it came to helping with the floorboards especially. The sheriff was back, and Brady Sullivan had returned and was helping direct people to the jobs they could help most with.