Page 51 of A Ferry Merry Christmas
“I thought you’d meet someone else, someone who could give you the things you and Olivia deserve.”
Beth felt like laughing and crying both at once. “I don’t want anyone else. You’re the one I love. You’re the one Olivia adores. Come back to us, Logan. We love and need you more than any gift you can give, more than anything else this world has to offer.” Her hands framed his face. “I love you. I always have and I always will. The only man I want in my life is you.”
Tears ran freely down his cheeks. “Do you really mean it? You’d take me back after everything I’ve done to mess up our family?”
“It would be the best Christmas of my life if you agreed.”
He swallowed tightly and then wrapped Beth in his arms and squeezed her so close and tight that she could barely manage to breathe.
“I don’t deserve you and Olivia,” he argued.
“No, you don’t, but you have us anyway, and we’re never letting you leave us again. Got it?”
“Got it,” he repeated.
A loud cheer arose, and Beth noticed people exchanging high fives. She looked at Logan. His arms remained around her, holding her close.
“My guess is we have a Christmas baby.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The moment was intense. James’s wife, Lilly, was delivering the baby. James had his head bowed and seemed to be praying. All of a sudden, the weak cry of an infant sounded over the Bluetooth speaker and the room erupted into joyous laughter and hoots of delight.
James jerked his head up. With the phone to his ear, he asked, “Is the baby a boy or a girl?”
The doctor’s voice boomed over the speaker. “You have a beautiful baby girl.”
James leaped to his feet, his face bright with tears. “Did you hear?” he shouted to anyone and everyone who would listen. “I have a daughter.” Tossing his arms into the air, he danced around in a circle, stamping his feet.
The young father wasn’t the only one caught up in the happy excitement. Several couples joined hands and skipped around in circles as if they themselves had been the happy recipients of a new son or daughter. Others exchanged high fives, and several clapped James’s shoulder to the point where he nearly stumbled forward. Little could distract from the joyful emotion that filled James’s expression. He hadn’t been at Lilly’s side when she delivered their daughter, but he had a group of strangers who stood by him and Lilly with support and encouragement, sharing this moment. Avery found it hard to believe the total transformation that had taken place after the replacement part didn’t repair the engine. None of those disappointments seemed to matter. A baby had been born and each one who stood at James’s side shared in the wonder and the miracle of it.
Harrison was next to her, and she smiled up at him, enjoying the revelry taking place around them. She was grateful to have played a small role in helping James and his wife.
Harrison slipped his arm around her waist. “This is crazy,” he whispered close to her ear so she could hear him above all the racket.
“It’s a good kind of crazy, though,” she said, and laughed when a man broke into a beatboxing dance. A small group formed around him with people clapping.
For many, the hours they’d been forced to wait had been a trial. Avery had spent the majority of the time getting to know Harrison, afraid she would succumb to his charm. It became a constant battle of wills, all within herself. She’d agreed to give him a chance, and at the time it had seemed fair. But she’d assumed it would be only the time it took to sail from Bremerton to Seattle, not this prolonged wait. She’d spent the time talking to Harrison and him with her. They’d found a common goal in helping James.
To his credit, Harrison had used the time effectively, sharing himself with her, telling her about his dreams, his desire to serve the country with his work in the Navy. Avery had listened and found him easy to be with. Too easy. He asked about her life and appeared genuinely interested. She knew that at the end of the day, he would want his answer.
Now here they were, caught up in this celebration, and she couldn’t keep from smiling up at him, her heart exposed, staring deep into his eyes.
“I know you haven’t agreed to see me beyond today, but I’m hoping you’ll be willing to give me a chance.”
“I . . .” She didn’t know what to tell him. “We’ll be having dinner together later with our siblings. Let’s not get caught up in the emotions of the moment. I think it would be best to give us each a few days to think this through.”
“Then you’ll agree to see me again after Christmas?”
She nodded. “I will.” This moment of joy made it far too easy to give in to what her heart was telling her. Agreeing to date Harrison was what she wanted, but her mind and heart were cautious. She didn’t want to get caught up in the excitement and regret it later.
“I’m willing to wait,” he agreed, with some reluctance. “However, before we step off this ferry, I’d very much like to kiss you.”
Avery’s heart had no objection whatsoever. She didn’t even try to talk herself out of it. Slipping her arms over his shoulders, she knotted her hands behind his neck. “I think that’s a reasonable request.”
Harrison lowered his mouth to hers as his arms tightened around her waist, half lifting her off the floor. His kiss was tender, gentle, sweet, and ever so welcome. When he released her, his gaze held hers.
“You know how I feel, and I hope you’re feeling the same.”
