Page 55 of Saving Christmas

“Jimmy called Owen, but he didn’t have the guts to call me. Or return my calls. The man is a coward. With a capitalC,” she added. “A complete coward.”

“I’m so sorry,” Brianna said, biting her lip.

“Apparently, he had some kind of event at his gallery. It sounded really important, so I didn’t mind him going, and I would have gone with him,” she insisted. “If he’d asked. But I don’t think he was ever planning on coming back.”

“Did he know you would have gone with him? Did you guys ever talk about the future?” she asked.

Roni barked out a laugh. “You know Jimmy. He’s a pancake on a hot griddle, constantly flipping back and forth, not knowing what he wants or how he feels. Did he know how much he still means to me? How could he not? Everyone knows. Even my cat knows.”

“But we’re talking about Jimmy here,” Brianna said with a grin and hugged her for a long moment. “Call him and tell him how you feel,” she insisted. “Now. You two will never be able to fix things if you can’t communicate with each other.”

“I don’t know if I want to fix things. I don’t think my heart could handle him rejecting me again,” she admitted, feeling the tears rising once more.

“You can. You are a strong, capable woman. Look at this festival.” Brianna gestured around her at all the booths and all the people milling around. The smell of popcorn filled the air. Christmas music played through loudspeakers, and people were smiling, laughing, and enjoying themselves. “You did this, Roni. Look at all these people. You saved Christmas in Pineville.”

Roni scoffed. “I didn’t do that alone. I had a little help from my friends.” She smiled and gave her friend’s shoulder a nudge with her own. “But you’re right. In all my concerns about Frankie’s and worrying about Jimmy, I’ve lost sight of what’s important to me.”

Curiosity sparkled in Brianna’s eyes as her face lit up in a brilliant smile. “Oh yeah? What’s that?”

“You and my friends. This town. You are the ones who have always been there for me.”

“And we always will.” Brianna hugged her again, clearly delighted. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Roni said and succumbed to the tears once more.

“What about me?” Jimmy asked, walking toward her out of the crowd.

Roni wheeled around and stared at him, wiping her tears away. “You’re here.” Surprise and awe filled her voice.

His smile was easy and knocked her off-balance. “Of course, I’m here. I told you I would be.”

Confusion swam though her brain. “But I don’t understand. What about Denver? Your auction. Your mom said…” She struggled to put the pieces together. How could he be here? His mom…

“I’m sorry about that. I told you I would be here, and I am. I’m just a little late. My mom didn’t know.” Regret pooled in his eyes. “I’m sorry she upset you.”

He is sorry she upset me?

“Finally,” Owen said, approaching them. “I’ve sold almost everything.”

“That’s great to hear. Thank you for covering for me until I could get back.”

“You knew?” Roni demanded of Owen. Anger stole her breath as she thought of all her tears, her lost afternoon, her heart that still ached in her chest. A throbbing started to beat at her temples.

Owen looked at her and shrugged. “Sorry, I was sworn to secrecy.”

That isn’t good enough.

Rage swept through her, tightening every part of her. “How could you do this to me?” she demanded of him. Of both of them. “How could you not tell me what was happening? Do you know what I’ve been through today? You’ll be lucky if I ever speak to you again.” Her words were spoken so loudly they drew attention from the people moving around them.

Owen took a quick step back, his hands raised in front of him. “Don’t look at me.”

She turned to Jimmy, and instead of responding, he dropped to one knee in front of her and held a velvet box in his hand. “I’m sorry I didn’t call you. I had to be one hundred percent certain I wanted to move back here, and now I am. I love you, Roni. I’ve always loved you. All these years, I’ve felt a restlessness in my soul I couldn’t shake, but since I’ve been back, I’ve felt calm. I’ve felt like I’ve finally found my home. With you. Please forgive me, all my mistakes, and know that I love you. Will you marry me?” He opened the box and she saw a sparkling diamond nestled in black velvet.

A loud gasp sounded from the crowd around them but she barely noticed. Caught off guard, she gazed down at him for a long moment, then shook her head. She must be dreaming. This couldn’t be happening. “What about Denver? Your art? Your career?”

“I needed to learn where my heart was before I could decide what to do, and as I stood in that gallery, I saw the truth shining through my paintings. My heart is right here in Pineville. My heart is with you.”

She looked at the sincerity in his eyes, the love, and saw his truth. Her love for him filled her chest, expanding so big in her chest, it hurt.

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