Page 42 of Love on the Run

“Nothing.”

“You don’t like chocolate-covered strawberries?”

“I do, but you can have mine if you want.”

If he liked it and wanted it, why was he offering it to her? After taking her time chewing, she found the courage to ask the question that had been burning in her mind since they left the bakery. “Why didn’t you correct Jan when she asked if we were on our honeymoon?”

Beau turned his attention toward the stage. “It’s kind of a long story. Explaining it while we were in line would have been weird.”

Okay, so he had a point. They would have gotten some odd looks after explaining she was on her honeymoon with a man who wasn’t her husband.

Anna didn’t have a husband. She’d spent months preparing herself to be a wife both mentally and spiritually. She’d prayed and planned, but now she was single again—starting over from square one.

She’d been thinking less and less about Dean. The sting of his betrayal had waned as if more than two days had passed.

In fact, her life with Dean held a dream-like quality. It played like a movie in her head, but the woman in the vision wasn’t Anna. She was watching the show from the sidelines.

Maybe it had all happened without her. The past almost seemed calculated for her—absent of her will. Had she slept through the entire thing?

Yet, the past forty-eight hours were burned intoher memory. She’d stepped into a world of color after a lifetime of black and white.

The soft Christmas music playing through the square changed to an upbeat tune as the mayor of Freedom took the stage. The man was younger than she’d imagined the mayor would be, but he held the audience’s attention with ease.

“Welcome to Freedom’s annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. Christmas is our time to shine here in Freedom. I’ve lived here my whole life, and this small town is more than lights and skiing. It’s filled with hope, love, and community.

“I’ve always thought the tree lighting ceremony was more than pretty Christmas decorations. It symbolizes God’s love for us. It lights up the whole world, and I’m always happy to be reminded of the gift of Jesus and his sacrifice for us.”

Anna glanced at Beau who listened intently to the mayor. She needed the reminder of God’s love. Dean might have hurt her, but that slight was nothing compared to the hope she had in Christ.

Everything was going to be okay. She was going to go on with her life, and her goal was to be stronger than ever.

Suddenly, the trees and light posts around the square flickered on, illuminating the dark sky amidst gasps and awes. The crowd erupted into cheers as the town transformed. Dozens of trees were wrapped in various colored lights, garlandsparkled on every shop sign, and everything from snowflakes to doves hung on light poles as far as the eye could see.

The breath Anna inhaled tingled in her chest as “Joy to the World” filled the air. When the buzz of the crowd overtook the song, she turned to look at Beau with wide eyes. He wore a mischievous grin, but his gaze darted down.

Oh, she was holding onto his arm. When had that happened?

She let her hand fall away and wrapped it around her cup with the other one. “Sorry,” she said, loud enough to be heard above the roaring of the crowd.

“It’s fine,” he whispered before turning to scan the scene.

Heat crept up her neck and cheeks despite the blistering cold. Beau kept his distance from everyone. She’d known him to be that way in all the years she’d known him.

But she’d never known him like this. Alone, relaxed, and just enjoying life.

Soon, the throngs of people on the sidewalks thinned and the lines in stores shortened. They visited each shop and vendor as she asked Beau repeatedly if he was ready to leave, but he never said yes. Instead, he carried the bags as they bought Christmas gifts for their families and friends.

Christmas shopping with Beau wasn’tsomething she would have ever expected to experience in her life, but it should have been on her bucket list.

They drove back to the lodge in silence. With her head resting against the seat, she didn’t feel the need to talk. Beau had been right beside her the entire day, and every minute of it had been perfect.

Back in the room, Beau took the bathroom first, changing into his pajamas and getting ready for bed. When it was Anna’s turn, she took her time basking in a hot shower.

When she looked in the mirror, the woman staring at her was glowing. Not from the heat of the water but from the excitement of the day that still lingered.

The room was quiet when she stepped out of the bathroom. Unlike their room from the night before, this one had the bed, couch, TV, and a small table all together in one area. It still featured all of the opulence of a luxury honeymoon suite, but the atmosphere was cozier than the other place they stayed.

Beau lay sprawled on the couch asleep with one leg hanging off the side. He was much too big for the small piece of furniture, but he’d absolutely shut down her offer to share the bed.

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