The Christmas Cabin

by Susan Hatler

  The next morning, I opened my eyes to a shaft of bright sunlight hitting my face through my bedroom window. That’s when I realized it was Christmas morning. Kicking off the tangle of sheets and blankets, I pushed myself up on my elbows, swiping my dark hair off my face.

  My eyes felt hot and swollen from crying last night. Sadly, I was pretty sure I’d set a new world record for tears. So much for thinking that being single this holiday season would make life easy for me. Instead, I’d never felt so confused.

  My chest felt hollow, except for the searing pain that sliced my heart whenever I thought of Gabriel’s sweet smile and his warm chuckle. I’d never felt this awful over a break-up and it’s not like we’d officially been together. When Curtis had broken up with me, I’d actually come out stronger than ever. I’d even decided that I’d never need a man again, that I’d never beg a man for anything either. Most importantly, I’d decided to never give my heart away.

  And yet, I’d broken all of those rules for Gabriel.

  I’d basically begged him to tell me what his client had told him about my client. Since I hadn’t stuck to my life’s philosophy, I only had myself to blame that my emotions were now a huge mess. It didn’t help that I couldn’t stop thinking about Gabriel, either.

  I scrambled out of bed, pulled on my robe, and secured my hair in a low knot. Then I headed to the kitchen to make coffee, frustration licking at my heels. As I gazed around the townhouse I’d always loved, a feeling of emptiness washed over me. Everything was in perfect order right down to the three most current of my favorite magazines fanned artfully on my coffee table. But nothing seemed right here anymore.

  With a sigh, I poured my first cup of coffee, wishing I could snap myself out of this funk. But I missed the cabin in the woods and the feeling of Christmas, which had been present in every single thing Gabriel and I had done together.

  I mean, I didn’t even have a Christmas tree. That thought only made me think of the tree Gabriel and I had decorated by the fire, while it had been snowing outside. Everything about that tree had been special, even down to trekking out in the fog to cut it down. I missed the Christmas music Gabriel always had playing, the way we laughed while cooking a meal, and the delicious gingerbread smell while making Christmas cookies.

  I even missed the huge messes Gabriel had made in the kitchen.

  Taking a sip of coffee, I waited for that energizing feeling that used to hit me as I drank my morning cups. Didn’t happen. I groaned. My routine wasn’t working. Somehow, I needed to become strong again. I had to stick to my motto about self-reliance and not needing a man, especially not Gabriel Hart. I had to keep my heart safe. There was only one person I knew who could get me back on track. I picked up my cell phone to call Aunt Lucy.

  “Merry Christmas, Harper! How are you, dear?”

  “Merry Christmas, Aunt Lucy.” I bit my lip. I didn’t want to burden my aunt with all of my stress, but I’d never hidden anything from her before and I wasn’t about to start now. “Actually, I’m not doing so great. In fact, I left Tahoe and came home.”

  “You aren’t at the cabin anymore?” Aunt Lucy asked, sounding surprised.

  “No.” I set my half-empty cup of coffee down on the breakfast bar and walked over to the living room windows. I gazed out at the sunny California morning and the small piece of ocean I could see from my place. But this time the beautiful cerulean water did nothing to ease the lump in my throat. “Things had been going well at the cabin until I took a business call. I convinced my client to give her husband a second chance. Things went downhill from there and I can’t seem to get back on track.”

  “You convinced a client not to follow through with her divorce?” she asked. I could picture the confusion on her face, since I knew the concept of second chances in relationships was completely foreign to her.

  Not to Gabriel Hart, though. Wince.

  “Yes, Aunt Lucy. I gave my client terrible advice, which is the problem. She took my advice to give her husband another chance, and while she was spending her time researching a good marriage counselor her husband was spending his time figuring out how to make sure she got nothing in the divorce. It’s my fault she trusted him. I feel so guilty.”

  A long stretch of silence ensued.

  “I-I’m just stunned that you’d give that kind of advice to anyone,” she said, her voice cracking. Then she made a humming sound. “Did something happen to make you so optimistic about her situation?”

  I sighed. “It doesn’t matter why I gave her that advice. You could just call it Christmas cheer, or whatever. But what makes this even worse is that Gabriel knew his client was out to get my client, and he didn’t even give me a clue to pass on to her. He completely blindsided me.”

  “Oh, that must’ve been hurtful . . .” Aunt Lucy’s voice trailed off, and I could hear something in her background that sounded a lot like a man’s voice.

  My brows came together. “Are you at home?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you have the TV on?” I asked.

  “No.”

  I dropped into the nearest chair. “But I heard someone in the background. A man.”

  “Ah, well . . . ” She paused, and then cleared her throat. “Harper, I guess I should tell you that I have a guest over for Christmas breakfast.”

  My eyes widened. “Who?”

  “His name is Walter,” Aunt Lucy said, with an unfamiliar lilt in her voice. “I met him through Emily, remember? Oh, Harper. He’s different than any man I’ve ever known. He’s a widower and he speaks so fondly of his wife. I can tell he was a good husband. We were at the Christmas Eve tapas event at the club last night, and I met his late wife’s best friend. She hugged me hard, saying that Walter was a wonderful man and she was happy he’d found someone special again.”

  My head started spinning at the breathless rush of my aunt’s words. I could picture the flush that appeared on her cheeks when she was feeling giddy. Leaning my head back against the wall, I tried to process my aunt’s news. “Wow, that’s a big turn of events.”

  “Imagine my surprise, too.” She giggled, sounding like a young lady who had just experienced her first kiss. “I asked Walter what the friend meant about him finding someone special, and he admitted that he’d told her about me. He said for the first time since his wife passed away, he had feelings for a woman. Me. I admitted that I was quite fond of him as well. After that, we went to an all-night diner. We talked about my divorce and his marriage, and just about life in general. Now we’re dating, Harper. We really are.”

  My mouth dropped open. My aunt was over the moon for a man? Had reality shifted while I was in Tahoe, throwing me into an alternate dimension? Still, hearing my aunt so happy warmed my heart. I couldn’t help but be thrilled that she had found someone after all these years.

  “I’m really happy for you, Aunt Lucy,” I said, tears blurring my vision. “He sounds very special. I can’t wait to meet him on my next trip home.”

  “Thank you,” she said, pausing for a long moment. “Listen, I understand why you’re upset about Gabriel not telling you about his client’s intentions. But I’ve never heard you so hot and bothered over a man before, so it’s plain as day that you’ve fallen for him. Maybe you could cut him some slack for not breaking his lawyer-client confidentiality for you. Keeping his client’s business private is part of his job after all. You have to admire him for his decision.”

  I sat upright immediately. “Whose side are you on?”

  “Yours, Harper. I’m always on your side. That’s why I’m telling you to call him. Don’t waste time in doing so, either. After all, it’s Christmas. The most magical day of the year.”

  Okay, my aunt clearly had mistletoe-brain due to her new relationship. I didn’t want to put a damper on her happy cloud, either. “I’ll think about it,” I offered.

  “Good girl. Merry Christmas!”

  “Merry Christmas.” I hung up and slumped down on my sofa, tossing my cell phone onto th
e coffee table. Deep down, I knew Aunt Lucy had a point about client confidentiality. But all of the other parts of me were telling me to protect my heart at all costs. I felt more confused than ever.

  Hot tears pricked my eyes, so I decided to keep busy by unpacking my bags. Getting my things in order physically would help me get things in order mentally. Right? I hurried to the foyer where I had set my suitcase. When I unzipped it, a small red package fell out. I recognized the wrapping from the gift that had been under the Christmas tree at the cabin. How had it gotten here? Gabriel must have stuck the gift in my bag before I’d left.

  My hand trembled as I lifted the package. I took it into my living room where I peeled back the tape slowly. Inside, I found a small white box. I lifted the top off, revealing a silver charm bracelet on a square piece of white cotton. Tears sprang to my eyes as I examined each charm. There was a Christmas tree, a snowflake, a Scrabble tile, a deer, and a cookie. All of the things that had made the cabin and this Christmas feel so special.

  Everything, except Gabriel.

  Tears blurred my vision as I imagined Gabriel alone at the cabin right now. I wondered if he had opened my present to him, the angel. Had he put it on top of the tree? Had it helped give him a fond memory of his dad? Or had it upset him? My heart shattered at that last thought. Wiping stray tears off my cheeks, I knew what I needed to do.

  I needed to call Gabriel. And I couldn’t waste another second.

  Chapter Nine

  When I called Gabriel, his phone went straight to voicemail. I left him a message to call me. Now it was hours later, and he hadn’t called me yet. I’d unpacked, cleaned up my take-out mess from the night before, and rearranged my living room, all while feeling the charms from Gabriel’s gift thump gently against my wrist. The constant reminder of him only served to make me feel more frantic.

  It was getting late in the day. Christmas would be over soon. I had really hoped to talk to him before the end of the day, before whatever magic we might recapture had vanished for another year. I had really blown it. Gabriel had opened his heart to me, and I had turned away, too scared or too stupid to see what was right in front of me.

  Now, he was in Tahoe and I was in Blue Moon Bay. Glancing down at the charm bracelet, I remembered what Gabriel had said drew him to move here. It had been the legend on the plaque by the ocean at the Inn at Blue Moon Bay. Just thinking about how much the legend had meant to Gabriel—how it had drawn him in enough to live here—made me want to read the legend again. The urge to go was overwhelming, so I grabbed my keys and hurried to my car.

  In truth, I had always thought the legend was pretty sappy. But no matter how hard I tried to recall, I couldn’t remember any of the words now. If I read the legend right now, then at least I’d have a way of feeling close to Gabriel on Christmas.

  The sun had already slipped below the horizon as I drove through the deserted streets of Blue Moon Bay, which were lined with twinkling lights and Christmas wreaths. I felt a pang of sadness and regret as I realized that everyone here would be tucked in for the evening with their loved ones. I had no one to blame for being alone, except myself.

  I turned down the drive toward The Inn at Blue Moon Bay, which sparkled with colored lights that had been strung from the eaves. I pulled into the parking lot, found a spot on the edge, and climbed out of the car. I strode through the double doors of the hotel and spotted Janine Wilson standing behind the welcome desk.

  I’d met Janine a couple times through my friend Charlie Rockwell, and it was nice to see a friendly face. Inside, the inn’s lobby was decorated even more festively than the outside, with a floor to ceiling Christmas tree and ropes of garland draped everywhere.

  Janine looked fantastic in a shimmering crimson floor length dress, her blonde hair tumbling around her shoulders in a mass of loose curls. She waved to me as I crossed the lobby.

  “Merry Christmas, Harper.” She smiled, stepping out from behind the podium to give me a quick hug. “It’s nice to see you. How are you doing?”

  “Fine,” I lied, giving her a squeeze back. “Merry Christmas to you as well. How are things at the inn?”

  “Busy,” she said, gesturing around at the set up tables with abandoned champagne glasses and juice glasses. “We had Christmas carolers earlier for the guests to enjoy. What are you doing here?”

  “Just came to take a walk down on the beach.” I forced a smile, took a step back, and then waved over my shoulder. “Merry Christmas.”

  “Thanks.” Janine grinned, moving back behind the front desk. “Have a nice walk.”

  I slipped out the back door, crossed the porch and lawn, then hurried down the steps toward the beach. A chilled breeze swept over me, bringing the scent of salt with it. At the bottom of the steps, I kicked off my shoes, reveling in the feel of the cold sand between my toes.

  I closed my eyes, and listened to the rhythmic sound of the waves crashing against the shore. I loved the cabin in Tahoe, but this was my real home. I loved it here. But something had changed inside me. Instead of soothing me, the beauty of the ocean waves made me long to share this moment with Gabriel. So, I’d do the next best thing right now. I walked over to the plaque.

  When I reached the weathered monument pillars that surrounded the legend’s plaque, I glanced up and saw that someone had hung mistletoe from the top of the wood. The sight of the festive green plant—hung by a red velvet ribbon—brought a rush of memories to me. I thought of all my time with Gabriel in Tahoe, our kisses in the snow, and cuddling by the fire. I thought of the way he’d made a mess when he cooked. I’d always been a bit of a neat freak, but somehow I even found that habit of his endearing.

  Most importantly, I remembered how he’d made me believe in second chances. He’d made me believe in love. I wanted to be with him on Christmas and this was the best I could do. I glanced around at the vacant Adirondacks against the bluff and at the empty stretch of sand to my right. Not a soul was down here tonight. So, I cleared my throat and decided to read the legend of Blue Moon Bay aloud.

  “Kissed by the Bay,” I started, taking a deep breath. “One kiss, right here, under a blue moon will lead to love that lasts forever . . .”

  I glanced out at the darkened waters of the bay that stretched out as far as the eye could see. A nearly full moon hung high in the air, sending diamond-shaped sparkles of light shimmering on the rolling waves. Magical. I turned back to the plaque, emblazoned with bronzed letters.

  “Know the history of two young people,” I continued, fingering the words on the plaque as I read, wondering how many people had touched this very plaque and longed for their true love. “The daughter of locals and the son of summer guests. The two fell helplessly in love on this very beach. When their parents discovered their relationship, they were forbidden to see each other.” My throat tightened as I imagined their love being ripped apart. “His parents felt that the working girl was beneath their son. Her parents feared the scandal would ruin their business. But the night before the boy’s family was to return home, the son got a note to his sweetheart, and they met here under the stars.”

  A cool breeze blew off the ocean, blowing my hair back from my face. Hot tears slipped down my cheeks as I imagined finding love and then losing it. I didn’t have to imagine hard, because I felt it with every cell in my aching heart. I swiped at my face, inhaled a shaky breath, and looked down at the plaque again.

  “He pleaded with her to wait a year for him to turn eighteen and become a man—that until then they could write to each other in secret and he’d find a way for them to be together. The young girl knew their parents would never allow that to happen, though. She’d always obeyed her parents and wasn’t strong enough to go against their wishes, even for the perfect love she shared with him.”

  I paused for a moment. The way things sounded between the young couple made me think of Gabriel, though everything reminded me of Gabriel at this point. When I was up at the cabin with him, everything had felt right with him—perfe
ct even. He’d pushed me out of my comfort zone to help chop down a Christmas tree. He’d introduced me to new traditions when we decorated for Christmas. I’d loved playing Scrabble with him by the fire and drinking hot cider.

  If I had realized I loved him when I was there, I would’ve fought for him. I’d fight for him now, though, just as soon as he got home from Tahoe. For now, I’d read the legend he loved so much. I tried to ignore the tears that blurred my vision.

  “So, with broken hearts, they said goodbye to each other right here at this very spot.” My throat squeezed so hard that I couldn’t read on. What if—like the lovers in the legend— I had to say goodbye to Gabriel? I shook my head. No, I didn’t want to. He was too special.

  We’d grown so close in such a short time and I truly believed in the depths of my heart that we belonged together—just like when I arrived in Blue Moon Bay and knew I’d always been meant to live here. My eyes burned as I tried to get a grip on my emotions so I could finish reading the legend Gabriel loved so much.

  But I choked on a sob, unable to continue. . . .

  “A blue moon hung in the night sky, illuminating their final kiss. And they promised to love each other always,” came a deep voice from behind me.

  I gasped and spun around, blinking in shock at the male figure standing in front of me. Tall, broad-shouldered, chocolate-brown eyes fastened on me. “Gabriel . . .”

  He stood a few feet away, his hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans, his red sweater stretching across his muscular chest, and his hair mussed as if he’d been driving with the windows down.

  His gaze held mine as he continued from memory, “Then they vowed that everyone who kissed at this exact point by the bay, under a blue moon, would be in love forever—and would never separate as they tragically had.”