Really, he’d turned away to keep her from seeing his own broken expression. Because as he’d hauled her out of the house, held her in his arms—okay, yeah, he’d wanted to be her next great adventure. Wanted to be her hero. Just like a sappy Hallmark Christmas movie.
“So, you going to go after her?”
He glanced over to Seth, who had come down the porch stairs.
“Who?”
“Please. I was there when you were so panicked to get to Stella that you scaled the house like a parkour champ. And then you just let her walk away?”
Romeo’s mouth tightened at the edges.
“I get it. Truth was, I was afraid of getting hurt too. So I walked away first. Of course, I was only hurting myself.”
“There’s nothing—”
“There’s something and you know it.”
“She’s a guest.”
“Am I missing a code of conduct here? I don’t think that’s a breach of ethics.”
“She’s leaving.”
“You’ve heard of texting, email, and video chat, right?”
Romeo looked away.
“What will hurt more—your broken heart or…well, your broken heart? Either way, you end up alone. It’s just your pride that says you want to do the rejecting instead of being rejected.”
“Ouch.”
“Truth. Listen, try this. Christmas is about God loving us even when we were unlovable. That’s what is called perfect love. It’s complete—you can’t destroy it. But that also means you don’t need to fear rejection. Perfect love means we’re in the hands of a God who will guard our hearts.”
Romeo narrowed his eyes.
“He will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is set on Him, because he trusts in Him.”
“Fine. Stop. Sheesh, I get more Bible from you than I do at church.”
But Seth’s words hung inside Romeo the entire drive back to the resort. He’d check on the place, then head to the hospital.
He didn’t expect to see the Browns’ SUV in the lot as he pulled up.
Or Stella standing down by the lake, her outline illuminated by the hanging lights.
Perfect love… He got out of the car, shoved his hands into his pockets, and headed down to the lake.
Her voice lifted to him before he reached her. “You are my portion, and I trust in Your steadfast love…”
He stilled. So maybe he wasn’t the only one struggling with fear.
With hurt.
He opened his mouth just as she turned.
“Stella?”
Oh, she was pretty, her blonde hair spilling out from under her stocking cap, those blue eyes shiny in the lights.
“Is everything…how’s the house?”
“It’s a wreck.”
Her mouth turned into a fine line, her eyes glistening.
“But it’s okay—” He stepped toward her. “It’s really okay. It was an accident and—” He closed his eyes. Please— He opened his eyes. “I’m sorry for what I said.”
Her eyes widened.
He drew in a breath. “Okay, here’s the thing. I am not great at relationships. Or maybe I don’t even try—I don’t know. But I do know that…” Perfect. Love. “I do know that being with you the last few days has felt pretty amazing. You make me laugh, and somehow with you, things don’t seem so overwhelming, and…I really like you, Stella. I don’t…” He blew out a breath. “I don’t want you to leave.”
“You like me?”
He stepped closer. “Maybe more than that.” He was so close he could probably wrap his hand around the back of her neck, pull her to himself, but suddenly, he couldn’t seem to move.
“I really didn’t mean to—” she started.
“Stop. Of course not.” He did touch her face then, cupping her cheek. “In fact, I think God brought you here this week to show me that maybe I should stop doubting and start believing.”
“In what?” She stepped closer, her hands landing on his chest.
“Happy endings?” Then he took a breath and kissed her. Her lips were soft, yielding, and when a sigh escaped, it shuddered all the way through him.
No, miracles. Because he got it. He was exactly where he belonged.
In the Lord’s hands.
No matter if he was alone, brokenhearted, or…well, whatever happened next.
He deepened his kiss, losing himself for a long, delicious moment in the taste, the sweetness of Stella’s touch, then he lifted his head.
Her eyes were in his, shining.
“Does this mean I can stay?”
He smiled, everything inside him sort of exploding. Merry Happy Christmas to him. “I’ll have to check the books to see if I can extend your reservation—”
She laughed, pushed away from him.
He caught up to her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her into the snow. They lay back, staring at the stars, their breaths caught in the velvety night.
“It’s so magical out here. A real winter wonderland,” she said quietly.
He looked at her. Sat up. Stared at the ice rink with the sparkly lights glittering against the snow, turning it to diamonds.
“Stella, you’re brilliant.” He stood up and held out his hand, pulling her to her feet. “Maybe we can save this wedding after all.”
CHAPTER 10
SATURDAY, 8:00 A.M.
The dawn made the wedding chapel sparkle with an ethereal glow, tiny golden lights shining against the ice like diamonds and gold.
“It’s like a fairy tale,” Stella said, sitting on the bench. Sweat lined the back of her jacket, and by all rights, she should be exhausted.
After all, they’d spent the night constructing an ice palace straight out of Frozen, the movie.
But under the night glow, the snow falling like fairy dust as Romeo shoveled, then built and sprayed the snow with water, it just seemed…
Perfect.
One chiseled, placed block at a time.
She’d seen it with him when he’d stood at the edge of the rink and drawn a picture with his words of his vision.
“Imagine a cathedral of sorts, with an altar at the front and hanging lights inside, with the sky open—”
“And benches covered with blankets, and we could put a runner down on the ice…”
He’d turned to her then, something in his eyes she hadn’t seen before.
Hope. Or maybe…joy?
“Let’s do it.”
He’d carved out the snow around the fortress, like a moat, using the snow to form the icy blocks in a large wood bin. They’d then moved the blocks into place, creating a rounded apse, like the high altar in a cathedral. While she’d covered the altar in an icy, watery mist, he’d constructed walls that stepped down until they reached the narthex of the building. Here, he’d built an arch, made out of two-by-fours. Then he’d cut evergreen boughs and attached them to the arch to create a door.
All they needed was some ribbon, maybe flowers.
They’d strung twinkle lights across the nave, and then she’d helped him carry some hewn logs, propped on end, near the altar to hold flowers.
He’d then hauled in benches from the snow-covered fire pit and set them up on either side and created an aisle. “We have blankets in the lodge for campfires.”