Page 125 of Love on the Run

Their friends bowed their heads as Dawson prayed, “Almighty Lord, we come to You with grateful hearts. Thank You for sending Jesus to die for our sins. Thank You for loving us and forgiving us when we make mistakes. Thank You for the gift of salvation. We are nothing without You, and we humbly bow ourselves before Your mighty name. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.”

Olivia clapped her hands and squealed. “I’ll hand out the presents!”

Dawson held out an arm, blocking her from the tree. “No way. This is every man for himself. It’s a grab-fest.”

Olivia rolled her eyes and bent to pick up a present with her name on it. “Whatever. We’re not kids.”

Bella pushed past the bickering couple. “Got mine!”

Anna made her way over to the tree and found hers and Beau’s. Both were in the same cube shape big enough to grip with one hand.

She handed Beau’s to him with a smile before sitting down at his feet. “It’s not much, but I thought of you when I saw it.”

Beau leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Yours isn’t much either.”

Anna’s Christmas mornings as a child had looked different from Beau and Olivia’s. Anna woke up to dozens of expensive gifts she wasn’t allowed to play with, while Beau and Olivia received a few small things they’d really wanted. After talking about past Christmases and the true meaning of the holiday, they’d decided on simple gifts with no expectations or pressure.

Anna held up her gift. “Open them together?”

Beau aligned his fingertips on the edge of the paper. “Ready, set, go.”

She tore through the wrapping and opened the box, lifting out a white mug with blush-colored letters on it. Laughing, she read the words. “Practically perfect in every way.”

Beau held up his mug with a smile. “Rock solid.”

Bella crooned, “Aww. That’s the cutest. You got mugs for each other.”

Beau shrugged. “I figured one day we might get back to reading the Bible together in the mornings.”

“With coffee,” Anna whispered. The memory of the peace of those mornings on the trip to Freedom squeezed her throat.

She’d always been the one looking to the future.She was the romantic one who dreamed of a perfect family full of love and happiness.

But Beau could see that future too, and he imagined it with her. His gift wasn’t small at all. It was all she’d ever wanted.

“You actually have another one,” Beau said.

Anna frowned. “What? I only got you one. That’s not fair.”

Beau stepped behind the tree and pulled out a flat, rectangular present. “I bought this one a while ago.”

“How?” She took the gift from him and slowly peeled back the paper.

It was a painting—one she thought she’d seen before. It was so familiar. A white landscape with snow-capped mountains and a bright sun shining over them.

“Where did you get this? It’s beautiful.”

“I bought it in Freedom. The artist is local,” Beau explained.

The familiarity hit her. “It’s the view from where we rode on the snowmobiles! I love it!”

Beau grinned. “I thought you’d like it.”

Anna stared at the painting that transported her back to that day when she’d wrapped herself around Beau and trusted him to take her on an adventure she’d never dreamed of before.

“This is so thoughtful.” Her heart radiated insideher chest as she reached for him. “I love it. I love you.”

“I love you too. I think I knew then.”

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