She was gone before she could see him groan and shake his head.
It was later than she thought by the time Bella pulled into Glacier Falls. Dinner would certainly be over by now. She almost steered the car toward her grandfather’s house and the warm familiarity she’d most certainly find there. But she wouldn’t find what she needed there.
It only took a few more minutes to get to the firehall. She had to park down the street and pick her way through the icy and snowy sidewalk toward the festivities. She could hear the music and laughter as soon as she stepped outside the car. It was a sound that made her both excited and terrified at the same time.
She knew that Papa would be happy to see her, at least until he learned that she’d blown off the gig that could have potentially been the catalyst to a huge career. He’d be disappointed to hear that. After all, she was supposed to be his shining star. The one that followed her dreams and made everything come true.
Bella swallowed down the lump of uncertainty.
She’d made the right decision. She knew that. She felt it.
After she’d left Kyle’s apartment, she’d gone home, showered, carefully done her hair and makeup, and slipped into the sexy dress. She looked amazing and, judging by their earlier rehearsals, she sounded amazing. It was all lining up to be a perfect night. The night that would launch their careers and secure them the record deal with Starshine Records. It was everything she’d always wanted.
But it wasn’t.
She couldn’t shake the feeling that it was wrong. All of it. It felt wrong. It wasn’t everything she’d ever wanted. The feeling had only grown stronger as she started to drive until she took the exit that led to the mountains and Glacier Falls. The minute she’d pointed her car in the right direction, the weight had started to lift.
Papa would be disappointed, that was certain. But Bella knew as soon as she explained her reasons to him, he’d understand. Besides, this was far from the end of her career. No matter what Kyle’s angry voicemails and text messages said. He was wrong about her. Always had been. And there was no way she would ever feel good about moving ahead with her career if it was any way linked with him. Those days were over.
Bella stood in front of the door to the firehall and took another deep breath. She had no idea what waited for her inside. Whether Jeremy would even speak to her, let alone forgive her for leaving the way she had. She wasn’t sure she could. But she hoped with her entire heart that he would.
And even if he didn’t, she needed to try. Bella was done hiding from what she really wanted. Papa had spoken to her about following her dreams and going after the thing she really wanted.
She wanted Jeremy. She had no idea what that looked like or even what it meant, but she wanted him with a ferocity inside that she couldn’t deny. It seemed impossible in such a short time, but she was falling for him. Heck, she’d already fallen for him.
With one last deep breath, she tossed her hair over her shoulder and pulled the door open.
Katie was right. Jeremy hated to admit it, but she’d been right. At least about one thing. After she’d left him alone in the kitchen, he’d wrapped up two more platters of leftovers before he’d had enough and left the rest of the mess in the kitchen for the others to handle. It was Christmas, after all, and even if it wasn’t going exactly the way he’d hoped it would, all of his friends were there and he was going to enjoy himself…even if it killed him.
He poured himself a drink and joined the rest of the group, who were passing out song books and singing along to the band who’d started up in the back of the hall.
Maybe it was because he’d most recently done it with Bella tucked up next to him on the sleigh ride a few days ago, but something about singing Christmas carols made him smile.
And that’s just what he was doing when “Away in a Manger” finished.
“See?” Katie elbowed him. “There’s that smile. That’s all I wanted to see.”
Jeremy turned around so he could face all his friends. “Here it is.” He grinned widely for them all and raised his glass. “Merry Christmas, everyone. I’m really glad you are all—”
“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire.”
He froze, his glass in midair.
There was only one voice that sounded like an angel.
Bella.
His friends, the noise, the room full of people faded away as Jeremy turned slowly to see Bella on the stage, the microphone in her hand, as though she were born to be there. She was absolutely stunning in a fitted red dress that hugged every one of her curves and sparkled under the Christmas lights that hung over the stage. Her long, dark hair hung in soft waves over her shoulders and her piercing green eyes looked directly at him as she sang the lyrics to the familiar Christmas song. Just as she had days earlier at Ever After Ranch.
Despite being surrounded by almost a hundred of his friends and neighbors, this performance was dramatically more intimate. Everyone else fell away and it was just the two of them. She sang directly to him. The familiar lyrics of his favorite carol had never sounded so romantic, so special, and so completely perfect.
It wasn’t until the last chorus that Jeremy even realized he was up and out of his seat. He made his way through the crowd until he was on the stage standing next to Bella as she sang the last line, “Although it’s been said many times, many ways…Merry Christmas, to you.”
She reached out her hand and he took it. The crowd erupted in applause as he pulled her to him and kissed her, long and slow.
He could have kissed her forever, and he planned to. But first, there was something he needed to say. “Bella, I—”
“Jeremy, I’m so—”
He silenced her with a gentle finger to her lips. She had a lot of explaining to do, of that there was no doubt. But there would be time for that.
“Later,” he whispered. “Right now, the only thing that matters is that you’re here and I’m here with you in my arms. I don’t know if it’s the magic of the season or what, but what I do know, Bella Burton, is that I’m falling in love with you.”
Her smile was the sweetest and sexiest thing he’d ever seen all at once, but when she spoke, he knew he was gone for good. Bella bit her lower lip. “I can’t tell you how glad I am to hear that, Jeremy, because I’ve already fallen. Completely and totally. I love you.”
Jeremy didn’t care that everyone was watching and even that the applause had turned into cheering as he kissed her again, this time deeper. He didn’t care because the only thing that mattered was that she was there. She was in his arms, she felt the same way he did, and his Christmas wish had come true.
Chapter 12
When Bella woke up with Jeremy’s arm snuggled around her, holding her close against his hard chest, she contemplated pinching herself to see whether it was true. Because how could it be?
She’d made such a mess of things. To the point that she wasn’t sure she could salvage things. But not only had she, but…it had been the most perfect night.
When she’d walked into the firehall the night before, she hadn’t seen him among the crowd, and her stomach had dropped. She’d missed him. But then she saw Santa with that familiar twinkle in his eye, and she went to him.