Page 85 of Under the Mistletoe
“No, listen. You don’t have to limit yourself to the family you were given. Luke chose to be like a son to a man named Chet Anderson over the years. Chet was the brother of Luke’s foster mom but also just a staple in town with no family left. There is no blood connection and nothing legal. He just shows up time and again. And now Chet shows up at our house time and again. We have become family. Just like you have. And if you look around, there are so many people that care about you right here. Heritage is more than a community. It’s a family. We are here for you. Your parents are not the only family you have.”
Devin nodded as tears filled her eyes.
Hannah patted her arm. “Could you have handled the meeting better with the Barlows? Yes. Could you have maybe talked through a few things sooner with Logan? Maybe. Could you have made your parents want to spend time with you by being a better child? No. But even if it were yes, their choices are their choices. You are not responsible for their decisions. And it is okay to be upset when people hurt you.”
Something broke inside of Devin as years of trying to be the daughter her parents wanted her to be, the employee her boss wanted her to be, even the girlfriend Logan wanted her to be came crashing down. She buried her head in her knees as the sobs raked over her.
The cushions shifted as Hannah scooted closer and wrapped her arms around Devin.
After a moment, Devin eased away and wiped at the wetness on her face. “What do I do now?”
“What do you want to do?”
“I want to barge down Logan’s door and scream at him.” She released a small laugh and grabbed a Kleenex.
“That’s not a bad idea.” They shared a laugh, then Hannah sobered. “I wanted to do that with Luke, but I didn’t know where he was, and I just had a feeling I was supposed to wait.”
“So you’re telling me to wait?”
“No, God doesn’t do things the same every time. I am saying that wait or go, I think that question is for God, not me. Remember, you aren’t in this alone. He goes before you. Pray about it and follow your heart. But above all, don’t dismiss what you want. What you want matters.” Hannah pinned her with a stare, then patted her leg. “On that note, I need to get going. You have stuff to think about, and I have four boys unattended at home.”
Hannah stood and walked to the door. She reached into her purse and pulled out a familiar blue box. “I forgot. I found this on the porch.”
Did Hannah look guilty or what? “Youfoundit?”
“Yup.” She held it out, a teasing look in her eye.
Devin took the box and flipped it open. It was a tiny Nativity charm. Her heart sank. “It’s great.”
Hannah pulled on her coat. “Last night was a disaster. But what you were trying to do was a good thing. Even when we are doing a good thing, life can kick us in the head. And when it does”—Hannah tapped the charm—“Jesus is always the answer. He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Hannah walked out the door, and when it clicked shut, Devin took in the tiny details of the charm. She removed it from the box and clipped it next to the snowman charm that Jess said she’d found on the porch after the snowman contest. A part of her had been disappointed to find out Logan wasn’t her Secret Santa, but finding out it was Hannah was almost as good. Sometimes family were people you chose, and no matter what happened with Logan, she was happy to claim Hannah as part of her family.
She pulled her phone from her pocket and dialed her mom’s number. It went to voicemail on the second ring. “Hi, Mom, it’s Devin. I have decided I am not going there for Christmas. I’m not angry. I can see that your priority is your work, and I’m done trying to squeeze into that schedule. If you ever want to visit me here in Heritage, you are welcome. I love you.”
She ended the call and set her phone aside. She still didn’t have any idea about what she was going to do about Logan, but for the first time in a long time, she felt ten times lighter.
fifteen
What was Cal barking at now? Probably a squirrel making a nuisance of itself on the porch. Logan pulled the pillow over his head, but it didn’t help. He’d had less than five hours of sleep last night after he finished up the final two chapters. His readers would be angry at the ending, but they might as well get used to disappointment. He’d drive over to the diner later today and upload them both and be done with it.
Cal’s barking shifted from alert to excitement just before the familiar creak of his door opening. What in the world? Logan jumped up and grabbed a sweatshirt and stepped out of his bedroom. His parents, Luke, Libby, and Liam all stood in his living room that was barely big enough for him. “Feel free to walk right in.”
Four of them looked a little embarrassed, but not Liam. He just shrugged, took off his coat, and settled into the corner of the couch. “It’s cold out there.”
“No kidding.” Logan started the pot of coffee brewing that he’d set up last night, then motioned around the small living room. “Feel free to sit. Coffee will be ready soon.”
His dad pulled off his red cap and left his coat by the door before claiming the leather recliner. Luke took the antique rocking chair, and Libby and his mom squeezed onto the brown couch with Liam.
Logan knelt by the cast-iron wood-burning stove and opened it. There were a few orange coals remaining from when he’d gone to bed just five hours ago. He stirred them up, then added a few more logs. He shut it tight and then stood and faced his family. “So, is anyone going to tell me what you all are doing here? Or are we going to sit here awkward like?”
“Better question is, what are you doing here?” Liam finally broke the silence.
“This is my house.” He leveled his gaze on Liam. The guy needed a haircut and a shave. “I know you might not recognize the concept of staying in one place very long, but this is what people call a home.”
“This”—Liam motioned to the cabin around him—“is not a home. This is a hideout. A nice hideout, I will give you that, but it is not a home.”
Logan crossed his arms, staring down his brother. “Don’t let the wood paneling fool you, brother. Those are walls. This isn’t some fort that I play in, it’s my home.”
