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She wasn’t so sure.
Call him, she told herself. Let him know you’re coming.
But she was afraid, unsure of his reaction.
Rachel tried not to panic as her connecting flight was pushed back yet another half hour, while new flights were now being canceled.
She found herself praying for her plane to arrive.
She prayed that Atticus would want to see her.
She prayed that—
Her prayer was interrupted by the ringing of her phone. She fished the phone out of her purse.
It was Atticus.
“Hello,” she said answering.
“Just wanted to wish you a merry Christmas,” he said.
Her chest grew tight, tender with bottled emotion. “Merry Christmas to you, too. How are you doing? What did you do tonight?”
“Had dinner with the Sheenans, and then went to the caroling service at St. James with Lesley and her family.”
“Sounds like a wonderful Christmas Eve.”
“It’s been nice. But it’ll be good to see my family tomorrow.” He paused, cleared his throat. “What about you? How is your Christmas Eve?”
She glanced around the crowded airport with all the stressed and unhappy looking people. “Not as nice as yours.”
“I hope you’re not alone.”
“Oh, no, definitely not alone.”
“Good.” He paused, and silence stretched. “I just wanted you to know I was thinking of you.”
“I’m glad you called. I was thinking about you, too.”
Another beat, one that made her heart ache.
“Merry Christmas, Rachel.”
Tell him you’re coming, tell him you’re on the way, tell him not to leave before you get there. But the words stuck in her throat and her eyes had that terribly dry, gritty feeling and she was afraid of being hurt, and not being enough. She was trying to change but maybe it was too little, too late. “Merry Christmas, Atticus.”
They hung up, and she squeezed her eyes closed, squeezed them painfully tight, but even then, it didn’t hold back her tears.
She should have just told him. She should—
She reached for her phone and typed a quick message to Atticus. “I’m sitting in the Salt Lake airport hoping my Bozeman flight will still leave tonight. Wanted to see you for Christmas, but if I don’t make it before you go, know that I tried.”
She didn’t have to wait long for a reply. “I hope it works out. Keep me posted.”
*
Rachel landed in Bozeman at midnight, the plane taxiing down the runway in a swirl of falling snow.
But she’d arrived, and she’d only brought a carry-on bag with her which meant she could head straight out. Unfortunately, the rental car booths were closed, and there were no taxis in front of the terminal. Standing at the curb, she tried her ride share app, but nothing was available. It seemed as if everyone was already home, tucked in for the night. She didn’t blame them. The snow was lovely but it was cold and she was exhausted and just wanted to be snug in a warm bed.
A big SUV pulled up in front of her and the passenger window rolled down. “Need a ride?” a very handsome man, wearing a fancy sheepskin coat, asked.
She didn’t think she’d ever been so happy to see anyone before. “Yes. Thank you!”
He came around, gave her a swift hug before taking her bag and stowing it in the back.
He’d felt so good, so big, and so right that some of her anxiety melted. “What are you doing here?” she asked, as he opened the passenger door for her.
“Making sure I saw you before I left,” he answered, closing the door behind her.
His answer made her heart ache. She’d only arrived. She wasn’t ready to think of saying goodbye, and she wasn’t going to focus on goodbyes. Not yet. “I’m grateful.” She smiled at him, content to just drink him in. “You’re looking well.”
He flashed her a grin. “I had a haircut a few days ago.”
She gurgled with laughter, and then it hit her that this was the first time she’d laughed since she’d left Marietta two weeks ago. “How did you know when I’d arrive?”
“Tracked your flight.”
“Thank you for that.”
He shot her a glance as he left the airport and turned on the frontage road. “So, what brings you to Marietta?”
“You. Lesley.” She wrapped her hands around one knee and started out the windshield where the wipers were rhythmically swishing away snow. “The bookstore.” He said nothing and she quietly added, “But mostly you.”
She felt rather than saw him look at her. She kept her gaze fixed on the window and the small, lacey snowflakes.
“Things not going well back home?” he asked carefully.
“They’re going according to the plan.” She chewed on her lip, wondering how to tell him everything that had happened, and everything she’d learned. Maybe best to start small. “I got the promotion.”
“You did?”
She nodded. “I got the call on the day I flew back into John Wayne Airport.”
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” She waited another moment before adding, “I played in the holiday classic, it’s Novak & Bartley’s Christmas golf tournament for their big clients. I did okay considering it was the first time I’ve actually played with anyone other than my instructor.”
“Good for you.”
She heard the warmth in his voice and she looked at him in time to catch his smile. “I was so nervous.”
“Was it fun?”
“Not really.”
“Why not?”
“It was kind of boring actually.”
He choked on smothered laughter. “You probably got a bad foursome.”
“That’s what I keep telling myself.” She wrinkled her nose. “But maybe it’s me. My dad said I’m boring.”
He laughed out loud this time. “He said what?”
“That I’m boring.”
“I would never, in a million years, describe you as boring. Now, I might call you stubborn, obstinate, inflexible—”
“I’d prefer tenacious and persistent.”
Atticus smiled and shook his head, but he said nothing else and Rachel was content to sit, listening to the Christmas carols playing on the satellite radio station. Hard to believe she’d made it to Montana after all. It had been such a stressful day trying to get here. “What is Lesley like?” she asked. “You said you went to church with her tonight, so you must get along with her.”
“She’s exactly what you expect. Warm, kind, sweet, funny, helpful, determined to make everyone feel good.”
“You didn’t tell her I was planning on selling the bookstore, did you?”
“No.”
“Did you tell her I was coming?”
“No.”
Rachel fidgeted in her seat, suddenly uncomfortable. “Have you decided if you want to buy the bookstore?”
He glanced at her, expression sober. “Let’s not do this now. You only just got here.”
“But you’re leaving in the morning.”
“And sometimes less is more.”
Prickly heat rushed through her, and she looked out the window, and blinked hard, horrified that she was going to cry now, in front of him, but she was tired, and overly emotional. She had to keep control or this entire trip would end in disaster.
*
Atticus saw the tears in her eyes and his gut cramped. The last thing he wanted was to make her cry.
He reached over and took her fist in his hand, his thumb stroking over her tightly clenched fingers. “That came out the wrong way. I’m sorry.”
Her throat worked. She was still holding back the tears but she gave a faint nod.
“Did you want to see me because you wanted to see me? Or did you want to see me to talk about the bookstore?”
A tear fell, a glistening streak on her pale cheek. She reached up with her free hand to brush it away. “See you,” she said brokenly.
His gut burned and his chest felt heavy. He gently worked her fist open, and laced his fingers through hers. “I’m going to be honest, and I hope this doesn’t hurt you, but I’m not interested in the bookstore anymore, Rachel. I’m just interested in you.”
She drew a raw breath. “I’m good with that.”
“Yeah? Because sometimes everything is just business with you.”
“I know, and I’m working on changing that.” Her fingers tightened around his. “That’s why I’m here. I wanted to see you. I needed to see you. You’re the best part of my life and I’m here to figure out how to keep you in it—” She broke off, gulped for air. “Romantically. You make a great friend, but I’d like more with you, if you’re open to that.”
He lifted her hand to his mouth, and kissed the back of her hand. “Most definitely open to that.”
“Really?”
He laughed at her astonished tone, and gave her an amused look. “I want it all with you. It’s not a secret. We should be on the same team. I can see a future with you—marriage, children, our own Marietta home.”
“Wow.”
