by Leah Atwood
“Is it okay if I kiss you now?” He took a step closer to her and rested his forehead against hers. “I think it’s my turn.”
She lifted her face to meet his lips and knew she was home. The sweetness of his love for her filled a place in her barren soul that craved this relationship. His gentle kiss brought healing to the pain of separation. All the years slipped away, and she was in love again. Still.
He lifted his head. “Thank you.” Then he chuckled.
“Thank you?”
“Yes. I’ve been wanting to do that since I realized I’ve never gotten over you.”
“Hmm…so that’s how you feel?”
“It is.”
“Good, because I’m feeling the same way.” She took a step back. “But if we don’t eat, I may pass out from hunger, and we won’t be able to discuss this serious matter in detail.”
He pulled out a chair for her. “Then let’s see how Luther’s barbecue sandwiches are tonight.”
Luther’s barbecue was a longtime favorite of Serena’s. The little things she’d missed and forgotten were a joy to rediscover.
Looking at Michael over the table, she knew he was the best thing she was rediscovering.
“This is delicious. Thanks for bringing it.” She wiped the homemade sauce from her chin with her napkin. “And for getting Edna to stay with Mom. She’s progressing so well.”
“Two more weeks and she’ll be all over the place on that walking boot.”
“How will we keep up?”
He laughed. “I’m still not sure how we’ll be able to keep up with the business this new idea of yours will generate.” He suddenly grew serious. “You’ve turned our world upside down, Serena. Your mom and I have done our best, but you were the missing piece of this puzzle.”
“Let’s see if the idea works before we get too excited.” It was one thing to share a kiss and admit her resurfacing feelings. It was another thing to surrender her entire life to the possibility of success in Oak Hollow.
“I know it will. In my heart.” He turned the paper she’d scribbled on around and read her list of ideas. Asterisks and arrows highlighted the strongest solutions. Underlined words jumped off the page to be discussed. “These are really good.”
“Let’s break them down and see what we should start with.”
The rest of the evening flew by in a whirlwind of brainstorming.
Serena slid her arms into her coat as they started to leave. “Michael, I have a favor to ask.”
He shrugged into his leather jacket. “Sure.”
“I’d like for us to put off making any decisions about our,” she paused and started over. “I’d like for us to put off making any decision about us.”
A puzzled look crossed his face. “Why?”
“Just until we know how the changes to All Things Christmas are going to turn out.”
“My feelings aren’t based on this business, Serena.”
She reached out and touched his sleeve. “No. I mean. If the business fails, I’ll have to go back to Atlanta. I’d like…”
“Don’t do this, Serena.” He took a step back, and her hand fell away.
“Don’t do what?”
“Don’t pull away when you’ve just reached out. Don’t waver back and forth trying to decide if you love me.” His voice became tense.
“I’m not pulling away. I’m just asking for time to focus on the store. Then we can think about us.” She was nervous. Nervous about accepting his attentions. Nervous about what it would mean to her life. Nervous about what it would mean if they tried to make a go of it and failed. Again.
“I can’t focus on the store alone. My life is not my job.” He waved his arms in a giant arc to indicate the store, then he pointed at her and himself. “All of this together makes up my life.”
“It’s a lot to think about. And decide.”
“I need to go. If you want me to lock up, you need to leave now.” Michael stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets and pulled out his keys.
“Please don’t be angry.” She tried to reason with him.
“I’m not angry at you, Serena.” He held the door open and gestured for her to leave. “Last time, I was angry at you. This time, I blame myself. I should have known you wouldn’t stay.”
“What?” She was incredulous. “You got angry at me because I didn’t want to wait five years ago. Today I ask for time to think – to concentrate on saving my father’s legacy – and you can’t give me a few days?”
“I can’t wait for you to decide if you want to stay or go. I won’t live in limbo.”
“That’s exactly what you asked me to do before.” She was trying not to shout, but her heart was starting to crack. The fissures of pain that had only just healed were at risk of rupturing. She knew she’d never get the pieces back together again.
“I didn’t ask you to wait for nothing. I told you what I wanted. I promised us a future, but you weren’t willing to wait on it. I believe your exact words to me were, ‘If things don’t move forward, they die.’”
He was right. That’s what she’d said.
Her voice was quiet. “I see.” She walked by him as he held the door open. She stopped once she was outside and turned. “Michael, I…”
He twisted his key in the lock and said, “You what? You won’t stay if All Things Christmas fails. You won’t stay if you can make more money in Atlanta. You won’t love me unless you do it on your terms, without risk of loss or pain.” He shook his head. “My love isn’t conditional. And it isn’t something for you to walk on. Goodbye, Serena.”
She stood on the sidewalk watching him drive away. Her breath came out in tiny puffs of cold vapor. She thought it would have been the case if it had been a humid July night in southern Georgia. She could feel her heart freezing over inside her chest.
Chapter Five
Michael shoved the last table over about two feet and backed up to look at the room. Emily and her friends would be arriving within the hour. Everything was ready except for hanging the birthday banner over the glass in front of the craft room. He couldn’t do it alone, and Denise couldn’t do it standing on one foot.
He hadn’t done more than nod at Serena since their fight two nights ago.
Why had he let his guard down again? He’d have to work with her until the fate of the store was decided. They may as well start by making Emily happy.
He went to the office door. “Will you help me hang the banner?”
Serena stiffened but didn’t look up. “I’ll be there in a minute.”
He closed the door to the office and went to get the tape he’d need from the cabinet near the cash register. Denise patted him on the arm when he walked past her.
“Don’t let her get to you, Michael. She’s got a lot on her mind.”
“So she says.” He closed the drawer and picked up the banner from the counter.
“She told me about your disagreement.”
“Is that what she called it? Did she tell you I opened myself up to her again? That she cares for me, but not enough to take a risk on a relationship?”
“No. She told me she was scared.”
His heart plummeted to his feet. “Scared?”
“Yes, scared.” Denise looked up at him from her seat behind the register. “Just like she was when she fled five years ago.”
“But she’s the bravest woman I know. She moved off on her own, built her own business, and has done more than anyone would imagine to save this business. I’ve never known her to be afraid.”
“She’s like her father. She admired him so, but she never saw his weaknesses. She didn’t know how afraid he was to risk all of our savings to start this business. He was brave, but part of him knew that he had just as much chance at failure as he did at success.”
“Why did he do it?”
“For us. Me and Serena. He knew I loved Christmas and making beautiful things. But there was nothing like our Serena on Christmas morning. She savored every gift. No t
earing into the packages for her. Nope. Each gift was examined and appreciated. From the wrapping and bow to the contents and the thought behind them.”
“She told me she lost Christmas when she moved to Atlanta.”
“What she lost was the joy of sharing it with her father. She hasn’t admitted it to herself, but without him she didn’t know how to move forward. So she made a new path for herself. One without the risks – or rewards – of that path she was on. As the future owner of All Things Christmas and as the future Mrs. Michael Roundtree. She lost her grip on it all when Robert passed. The more I tried to help her see that, the more she resented my help.”
“She doesn’t resent you.”
“No. She never has. Just what she saw as interference.”
“I think I blew it, Denise.” He shouldn’t have blown up at her. He allowed his resentment of her past treatment to make him defensive. A defense against her. Something he realized he never needed. Serena had never lashed out at him. She’d only lashed out in pain and fear.
Which is what he did two nights ago when she asked for time to think.
“She may be afraid, but she’s also forgiving.” Denise smiled at him. “I best get in that craft room and make sure I’m ready for eight preschool girls.”
“I know they’ll have an amazing time.” He gave her a hug as she went by on the walker the doctor had prescribed to keep her from putting weight on her leg.
“I’d say it’s about time we all enjoyed ourselves.”
The office door opened, and Serena came out. “Are you ready?”
“Yes.” He held up the tape and banner.
They stood on opposite ends of the glass holding the banner up. He taped his end and carried the tape to her side. He pulled off a length of tape and reached to secure the string that held the glittery pink letters together.
She let go when his arm grazed her shoulder, and the end of the banner fell to the floor. They both stooped to retrieve it and bumped heads. He laughed and grasped her arms to keep her from falling onto her seat. He helped her up but didn’t release her.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“I think so.” She clung to his shoulders. “Your head is hard.”
They both laughed out loud. “You have got to be kidding me!”
A deep breath caught in his throat. “Serena, I’m sorry. Please forgive me for being so angry the other night. It wasn’t right.”
“Why were you so upset?”
“I was afraid you were leaving me again. I haven’t slept a wink since we argued.”
“I slept,” she said, “but my heart was awake.”
“Song of Solomon.”
She nodded.
“One of my favorite verses.” He searched her eyes. “We both know that God made us for each other. I’m ready to do everything in my power to help us build a life together.”
“What if the store fails?”
“Then we’ll do what we need to. Even if it means we all move to Atlanta, and I get a job at one of those big box stores.” He grinned at her. “But what if it succeeds?”
“Well, if I’m not too distracted helping you and Mom run the store, I could work with my clients from here. Would you mind if we rode up to Atlanta every quarter or so to take care of the things I’d need to handle in person?”
“It’s only a three hour drive.” He gathered her in his arms. “Did we just bump heads over our situation and come up with a solution?”
“I believe so.” Serena snuggled closer and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I think that may be record timing for a solution of this magnitude.”
“Should we seal the deal in some special way?”
“How about we seal it with a kiss that promises a future – together – no matter the unknown factors.”
“I think I can handle that.” He leaned in for a sweet kiss that he filled with the promise of his forever with her.
* * *
When the store closed that evening, their pastor and his wife were outside waiting to take Denise home. Michael wanted to take Serena on a real date, so he’d called for help to make it happen. He’d slipped away for a few minutes that afternoon to prepare. He had everything he needed in place.
As the pastor’s car pulled away from the curb, Serena asked where they were going.
“I’d like to feed you a nice dinner. But first,” he reached for her hand and led her to his truck. “I want to show you my house.”
She looked taken aback but climbed into the truck. He drove slowly, talking to her the whole time and hoping she wouldn’t figure out where they were going before they arrived.
He turned down his street, and she twisted in the seat to look at him. “This is my street. I thought we were going to your house.”
“We are.” He slowed the truck and stopped on the right hand side of the street in front of his house.
She spun around to look at it. She jerked back to face him. Then back toward the house and back to him. “It’s the castle house.” He hadn’t expected her whispered words to be thick with tears.
He got out of the truck and opened her door. He offered his hand. “I bought it right after you left.”
She slid her hand in his. “I never dreamed.”
He led her up the steps to the swing. “Yes, you did.”
She sank onto the swing and set it in motion with the toe of her shoe. “I did. But it was so long ago, I gave up.”
“Don’t ever give up on your dreams, Serena.” He knelt in front of her and the swing and caught the front of the seat with his hands when it came back toward him.
“You’re teaching me to believe again.”
He reached in his jacket pocket. “Serena,” he pulled out the ring he’d bought all those years before. “Will you marry me and live in our castle house and raise our daughters in the turret? And help me train our sons and daughters to love God?”
“And to never give up on their dreams.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Yes, I will. I absolutely will.”
Epilogue
“Serena! Can you help me with this cake?” Michael let the door of the store close and stepped off the curb near the back of their new delivery vehicle. He couldn’t wait to see the look on her face when she saw it.
The bells rang as she opened the door, but she was talking to her mother. “I’ll be back in a minute. Michael needs….” A delighted squeal pierced the air. “Michael!” She flung herself into his arms.
Her mother stepped outside and grinned. “It’s perfect!”
Michael held Serena off the ground and twisted so she could get a good look at the design he’d created. She squirmed against his shoulders and he set her on her feet.
“Oh, Michael! It’s wonderful!”
“Not too much?” he asked.
She laughed and ran around to the other side. “Just right.” He heard her voice come over the top of the van. “This is great!” came from the back. She stuck her head around the side. “How ever did you do this?”
“Just a little something I scribbled on a piece of scrap paper.” He pulled out the paper she’d used to write all the ideas for the parties and painting. On the bottom corner he’d drawn the design that now covered the van.
Tears filled her eyes. “That’s so sweet!”
“Well, the last six months have proved that the business is here to stay. It’s time we upgraded the way we advertise.” Serena stood beside him, and he took her hand in his. “I thought our four-month wedding anniversary should be special.”
“This is very special.”
“What do you think of the name?”
“All Things Christmas and Parties Galore.” Serena leaned her head to one side as if in deep thought. “I think that captures the spirit of the place.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
She sobered and said, “Thank you for helping me find Christmas again.”
He pulled her into his arms. “I not only helped you find it, I helped you sell it to ever
yone in town.”
“Hey!” She wriggled in a playful attempt to be free. “I didn’t sell them Christmas. I just helped them decorate it.”
He leaned closer. “I didn’t help you find it. It wasn’t lost. You just came home. Back to where you left it all those years ago.”
Dear Reader,
Thank you for joining me for Christmas Lost and Found, the journey of Serena and Michael. Often in life we look back on decisions we’ve made and wish we’d taken another route.
Serena has the chance to go home again, and God works through Michael to show her that true love can stand the test of hardship – and that it’s worth fighting for.
Keeping sight of the important things in life helps us to stay grounded. Leaving our faith in God makes the journey longer and more difficult. I pray you will always seek God’s guidance and direction. May His will be as evident in your life as the Star of Bethlehem was to the shepherds who sought our Lord.
Please visit www.angelmoorebooks.com for social media links and to stay up to date on all the latest book news.
May God bless you and your families with an amazing Christmas season – this year and always. And may you hold the true meaning of the season in your heart year round.
Angel Moore
About the Author
Angel Moore fell in love with romance in elementary school when she read the story of Robin Hood and Maid Marian. Who doesn’t want to escape to a happily-ever-after world? When not writing, you can find her reading or spending time with her family. Married to her best friend, she has two wonderful sons, a lovely daughter-in-law, and three grands. She loves sharing her faith and the hope she knows is real because of God’s goodness to her.
Find her at www.angelmoorebooks.com and www.facebook.com/AngelMooreBooks.
Books by Angel Moore
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Love Inspired Historical Titles