As they waited in the line, they listened to the carolers sing “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” By the time their drinks were ready, Oscar was so excited that Chloe was worried he’d spill his cup. So she held it for him while they found somewhere to stand away from the crowd.
The hot chocolate was just as delicious as it smelled—and the warmth from the cup was wonderful as it seeped through Chloe’s gloves. When the carolers started a new song, her phone buzzed with a message from Paul.
Thanks for the photo. He looks so happy. Tell Oscar his decoration is awesome. I’d love to see him for Christmas, if it’s possible. Happy to pay for your flights.
She took a deep breath and replied to his message.I’ll think about it.
She was still worried about Paul. But with Liam heading to Buffalo to have Christmas with his family, maybe this was the right time to trust that he really did want to spend time with his son.
Chloe showed Oscar the message. “Your dad said your decoration is awesome.”
“He could come here to see it. Mrs. Thompson said it’ll be on the tree for ages.”
She looked into Oscar’s blue eyes and sighed. “Your dad lives too far away to come back so soon, but we can take more photos of what we’re doing tonight.”
“Can I do it?”
Chloe nodded. “After you’ve finished your hot chocolate, you can use my phone.”
Oscar drank his hot chocolate as fast as he could. Luckily, there wasn’t much left.
While he was busy taking photos, Chloe turned to Liam. “I think I’ll take Oscar to Washington, D.C. for Christmas.”
“Are you sure?”
She nodded. “He wants to spend time with his dad, but I need to be there with him. It’ll take a lot more than a visit and a few texts to make me trust Paul again.”
Liam nodded. “If you want to fly home via Buffalo, you could meet my family after Christmas.”
Chloe hadn’t thought of that. “How long will you be there?”
“I don’t fly back to Montana until January 6th. Mom and Dad have plenty of room in their house.”
Spending time with Liam’s family was a big step, but it’d be fun meeting his mom and dad, and seeing where he was raised. “I’d love to come for a couple of days, but check with your parents. If it’s okay with them, I’ll book our tickets to come home through Buffalo.”
Oscar looked up at them. “Are we seeing Dad for Christmas?”
“Only if we can get a flight to Washington, D.C.”
“Yeah!” Oscar’s eyes sparkled even brighter.
Chloe hoped she hadn’t told Oscar too soon. He’d be disappointed if she couldn’t find tickets to get them there.
The carolers began a lively rendition of “Jingle Bells,” and Oscar sung with them. Liam and Chloe joined in, their voices melding with the people around them.
Halfway through the song, Liam lifted Oscar onto his shoulders, and Chloe’s heart melted. Oscar hadn’t been this happy in a long time, and for that she was extremely grateful.
After thinking Paul would be the only person she’d ever love, she hadn’t trusted herself to open her heart to another man. Butsomewhere between meeting Liam in The Welcome Center and now, she’d fallen in love with him. She knew how rare it was to find someone who made you believe in a brighter future, and she wanted to do everything she could to make their relationship work.
As Liam and Oscar laughed together in front of the Christmas lights, she felt hopeful that whatever the future held, they’d never stop being happy.
CHAPTER 20
A few days later,Chloe stood outside The Lakeside Inn with Oscar and Liam. A gorgeous green and red festive wreath decorated the inn’s front door, and fairy lights wrapped around the veranda.
Oscar tugged at her hand, his eyes wide with excitement. “Can we go inside?”
“As soon as someone answers the door.” Tonight, they’d finally delve into Eleanor’s history with Sacha and her mother Mary. They’d flown into Montana earlier in the afternoon and Chloe couldn’t wait to speak to them.
