It was obvious Sam’s stepmom hoped he’d return to undo this mess, but Bella had only received one text. His message had been a simple apology and a wish for a Merry Christmas despite his behavior. She’d responded with a generic Christmas wish to him, unwilling to let him off the hook for his behavior but unable to call him out or ask him for more of an explanation. She wasn’t sure she’d want to read his answer.
“Do you think I’m going to have to move?” she asked as she picked apart the fluffy cinnamon roll without taking a bite. “I love my apartment.”
“Of course not.” Jayne shook her head. “You and Sam are friends, even though now you’re friends with benefits or however that works. Friends don’t run away from problems. They work through them.”
Bella sighed. “It’s awful to think about going back to having a crush on him while watching him cycle through other women again.”
“I think our little Sammy has gotten that out of his system,” Jayne said with a gentle smile. “He’s changed. Both his dad and I see it, probably his siblings, too, although it’s hard to relinquish family roles, especially during the holidays. He’s different, Bella, and not just because of you. But you’re part of it.”
“He just left,” Bella said, feeling miserable. “I chased him away from celebrating Christmas.”
“You didn’t do anything,” Jayne assured her. “And Christmas will still be here when Sam gets back.”
“What if he doesn’t come back? What if he went to find one of his old girlfriends?”
“You don’t believe that any more than I do.”
“I wouldn’t blame him.”
“Of course you would. You care about him, and you respect yourself. You hold him to a higher expectation than the rest of us do. It’s good for him. You’re good for him.” Jayne stood and refilled Bella’s mug from the coffee thermos she’d brought over along with the cinnamon rolls.
“He’s good for me, too. He makes me see myself in a different way and try new things that help me step out of my comfort zone.”
“You balance each other,” Jayne agreed. “Sam needs that. I’ve known him since he was a baby, all the kids. I was friends with his mother before she passed. It was hard on Pete and the older kids, but they bonded over taking care of Sam. I think he likes the idea of making women happy but didn’t want to open himself up to being hurt. He’s open with you.”
“He’s also not here,” Bella grumbled.
Tater barked when someone knocked on the door a moment later. Jayne raised a knowing brow and smiled.
“They’re probably looking for you,” Bella said, but she walked to the door with anticipation making it hard to draw a full breath.
She let out a shuddery gasp when it opened to reveal Sam standing on the other side. Tater wagged his tail and tried to lift his cast to jump on Sam, greeting him like he’d been gone for days. Bella understood the feeling.
“I’m sorry,” he said without preamble, then glanced past her to Jayne. “I’m sorry for everything. I shouldn’t have let my brother get to me that way.”
“You didn’t deny the things he said,” Bella said. His words had hurt her.
“I’m sorry for that, too.” Sam frowned, his brows drawing low over his blue eyes. “Last night wasn’t casual for me, Bella. My feelings for you aren’t casual, but they’re scary as hell because I don’t have the best track record. And I don’t want to hurt you.”
Hope sprang to life in her heart, and she pressed two fingers to her chest like she could keep it at bay.
“Can you come out here?” Sam gave her a sheepish smile. “I have a surprise for you.”
With an encouraging nod from Jayne, she gathered the puppy and closed him in the house, then followed Sam into the front yard only to stop short.
Jake Combs was standing near Sam’s SUV in a Vanderbilt sweatshirt, jeans and flip-flops, holding a guitar and looking nearly as shocked as Bella felt.
“Merry Christmas, ma’am,” he said in his slow drawl.
“Um, Merry Christmas.” She glanced toward Sam. “What’s he doing here?”
“I sort of begged him.” Sam ran a hand through his hair.
“I’m a sucker for a good love story,” Jake added.
“A love story,” Bella murmured.
“The start of ours, I hope,” Sam told her. He held out a hand. “The kind where we start as best friends and end as so much more. Would you dance with me, Bella?” It was a simple request, but it meant the world to her.
As if Sam could read the emotions tumbling through her, he took a step closer. “Would you give me a chance to prove that you’ve captured my heart? Please let me try again. I promise I’ll do my best to be the kind of man you deserve.”
Allowing hope and love to pour through her unfettered, Bella put her hand in his. Jake played the first chord of her favorite love song, and she danced on the grass with the man of her dreams. But this was so much better than any fantasy. Because it was real, and Sam was hers. Forever, if she had anything to say about it.
“Merry Christmas, Bella,” Sam whispered as he placed a delicate kiss on her forehead.
The best Christmas she could imagine.
* * *
ISBN-13: 9780369703521
A Carolina Christmas
Copyright © 2021 by Michelle Major
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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