Page 95 of Take Me Home for Christmas

Her first persuasive piece, Everett thought proudly. He was glad he and Kitty were able to convince the judge to help them help Hayden. Hopefully, it would do the trick. He wanted Elle and Hayden to have what he’d had with Keeley. What he had now with Kitty.

Tim cleared his throat and began to read.

Your honor,

I am writing to you today to tell you about my best friend, Hayden Lovell. It’s not a lie to say I have loved him since kindergarten. As you weigh his fate, I would like you to know more about what an incredible human being he is.

I am deeply saddened that a family lost their home and the irreplaceable treasures within it. I know they want justice. But the fire was a result of an accident, not malice. Hayden Lovell wouldn’t know how to commit malice if he tried. This is a boy who routinely gives his lunch to a classmate whose family is struggling. The boy who took on a bully in the second grade because he was tormenting another boy who stuttered. A boy who tells his parents his running shoes are worn out long before they are so he can give them to another kid on the team who can’t afford decent sneakers. Malice isn’t in his DNA.

Hayden went to that party because he thought people he cared about might be in trouble. Namely me. It’s a guilt I will live with for the rest of my life. But he didn’t go there to start a fight, much less a fire. Hayden made a mistake. My father has a favorite James Joyce quote that he’s always reciting to us kids: A man's mistakes are his portals of discovery.

Hayden has so much more to discover in this world. So much more good to do. I humbly ask you to consider that as you weigh his sentence. Hayden Lovell is an irreplaceable treasure to his mother, his father, his sister, his friends, and the people of Chances Inlet. And most of all to me. Please don’t bury that treasure away.

Sincerely,

Elinor McAlister

Kitty dabbedat her eyes when Tim finished reading. Claire slumped down into the nearest chair. Lamar cleared his throat. Patricia kneeled in front of Claire.

“I have five children.” She placed her hand on Claire’s knee. “I know exactly what it feels like to be helpless when all you want to do is protect your child from the world around them. You know in your heart Elle isn’t responsible for what happened to your son. And Hayden’s life is far from ruined. But you are hurting your relationship with your son by blaming Elle.” Patricia sighed. “Those two are still writing their story. And whichever way it ends, they need our support.”

Kitty placed her arm around her sister’s shoulders. “Let it go,” she said. “It isn’t like you to carry around so much hate toward someone. Much less a girl you once thought of as a second daughter.”

Claire gulped a sob. “I don’t know if I can,” she whispered. “It’s easier to bear if I have someone to blame.”

“I felt the same way when I lost my husband. Always looking for someone to blame for him being taken away from me,” Patricia said. “But it gets easier if you accept the fact that life happens. And Hayden is still here. You need to embrace that fact and be happy instead of holding onto the pain of the past.”

“I’m so sorry for my behavior, Patricia. I’ll—I’ll try with Elle. I really will,” Claire said between sniffles. “I’m grateful to you for understanding. And to Donald for everything he did for Hayden back then.”

“He loved your son like one of his own. Because Elle loves him.”

Patricia’s words brought on another strangled sob.

“Maybe we could get to that toast,” Lamar said when his wife stood. “I think we all need a drink about now.”

Tim handed his wife her glass then took her hand in his. He raised his glass in the air. “To second chances. We are the town for it, after all.”

His meaning wasn’t lost on anyone as they toasted.

ChapterTwenty-Four

Later that night,Elle sat cross-legged on her bed, staring at the clumsily wrapped gift West had given her, wondering what was inside. Their relationship had come a long way in the past month. Probably because West had come a long way since arriving in Chances Inlet. A happy smile twitched on her lips as she recalled the intense way he looked at Kitty while he was vowing to love and cherish her always.

As touching as the simple ceremony was, it was also a painful reminder of what Elle was leaving behind in Chances Inlet. A life with Hayden. Every day—and night—they were together, the idea of living separate lives seemed more and more daunting.

Not that he’d offered her any kind of life with him. It was hard for her to be miffed at Hayden for that, though. He, of all people, knew how important this opportunity atVantagewas for her. He loved her enough to let her go chase her dream. And she loved him even more for it.

Except that left their relationship up in the air. And Elle was beginning to feel edgy about things between them being so open-ended. They’d put off having “the talk” long enough.

Following the wedding ceremony, she’d suggested to him that they grab dinner to discuss their future. He’d cried off, however, saying he needed to finish his Christmas shopping. Adding insult to injury, she’d be alone in her bed tonight. Getting some uninterrupted sleep was a priority for him since he and Simone were pulling a twenty-four-hour shift beginning at noon tomorrow through Christmas morning. As the only two deputies without kids at home, they had drawn the short straw, so to speak.

Elle groaned in frustration. Two nights without Hayden would certainly be a test for the months to come. She looked over at the pile of clothes she still kept by her bed. During her first session with Kate’s friend, the therapist had reiterated exactly what her sister said when Elle told her about her idiosyncrasy. The therapist reaffirmed that Elle had chosen an excellent coping mechanism. That she had nothing to be ashamed of. Best of all, she told Elle that she would be more concerned about her if she didn’t have lingering stress after her ordeal.

Take that, Jeremy. I’m not a baby.

Her post-traumatic stress would ebb and flow over time, the therapist explained. Elle wasn’t necessarily worried about the nightmares tonight. She felt safe at the inn and in Chances Inlet. But she would still be lonely.

Hoping for a little distraction, she ripped at the wrapping paper to reveal the leather-bound journals belonging to West’s late wife.

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