Christmas Haven (25 page)
Authors: Hope White
“You’re not chief, remember?”
“I’m still an officer of the law.”
“And an idiot.”
“Where’s this coming from?”
“Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. That’s you.”
“Still not getting it.”
“You let her go again? What’s wrong with you?”
“She chose to leave.”
“Ashley says because she loves you too much.”
“That makes no sense.”
“No? Lana told her that Julie left because she thought it was best for you, that she’s bad for you.”
“She left because she knew I wasn’t good enough.” Morgan couldn’t believe he’d uttered the words to a teenager.
“An idiot narcissist.” Sketch shook his head and tapped at his keyboard.
“Look, I love her, but I don’t want to keep her someplace where she’s not happy. So I let her go.”
“Great, yeah, you love her so much you let her go. She loves you so much she left. You guys are the definition of dysfunctional.”
“What makes you so smart about relationships?”
Sketch pinned him with intense blue eyes. “I watch people. A lot. I’ve also been taking psych classes online. You want my opinion?”
“Not particularly.”
“Tough.”
“I can see why you got kicked out of school.”
Sketch ignored the immature comment. “You’re making this all about you—‘Julie doesn’t have faith in me, I couldn’t protect her, she’s better than me.’ Get over yourself. You kept her safe in your dad’s house for a week, saved her from drowning and got her interested in God again.”
“What?”
“That’s what Lana said, that Julie’s talking about going to church. What I don’t get is why you’re so dense. She loves you, you love her. What’s the problem?”
“It’s more complicated than that.”
“No, it really isn’t. And love isn’t something you just throw away because it’s hard.”
“Kid, I appreciate the counseling session, but I’m a bit older than you and have a little more life experience about these things.”
Sketch got out of the booth and grabbed his laptop. “That’s right, put me down ’cause I’m a kid. Great defense mechanism.” He started to walk away.
“Hey, I didn’t mean—”
Sketch turned to him. “Love is a gift, dude. You keep throwing it away like a used paper towel because your ego can’t take the hit, or you’re scared, I dunno. When are you gonna grow up and stop being a coward?”
Sketch stormed out of the restaurant, leaving Morgan speechless. He’d planned to fight for Julie this time, but hadn’t had it in him after seeing the look of pity in her eyes. Or had it been something else?
He reached into his pocket for spare bills to cover his and Sketch’s coffees. Instead, he pulled out a folded piece of paper. Julie’s note.
He was tempted to toss it into the trash on his way out.
When are you going to grow up and stop being a coward?
Was the kid right? Was Morgan still clinging to the past? He’d accused Julie of running, but wasn’t that exactly what he was doing? Running from himself? From their love?
He slowly opened the note and read:
Morgan, please know I love you with all my heart. Always have. Always will.
Love, Julie
He folded it and glanced out the window, wondering how he could have been so blind. To his own faults, to Julie’s love. He’d accused her of taking responsibility for everyone else’s decisions, yet he was giving up on their love because he was afraid he wasn’t good enough?
“You’re right, kid,” he muttered. “Time to grow up.”
He left the restaurant and went to find Lana. He needed help, and fast.
One good thing Julie had learned from the tumultuous week in Port Whisper was to take care of herself. Morgan had pointed out that she hadn’t taken a vacation in years. No time like the present.
She pulled into a parking spot at Friday Harbor and sighed. Lana had convinced her to start her getaway with a tour of the San Juan Islands. She’d even made the reservation on a friend’s boat.
Julie had booked a few nights in a cozy bed-and-breakfast where she could relax. The Inn was primed for the holidays with fresh evergreen swags stretched across the fireplace mantel, white lights and gold ornaments decorating a Christmas tree in the corner of the living room, and the aroma of hot cider filling the house. Julie struggled to embrace the Christmas spirit, but her heavy heart fought back her joy.
After her weekend in Friday Harbor, she was thinking about visiting a warm climate. She was making up for lost time.
Helen had been surprisingly gracious when Julie had given her notice. She still wanted to work with kids, but realized she was burned out, and not as effective as she could be when counseling them.
She had enough money saved up to support herself for six months, and if she got into trouble she could always go back home.
She got out of the car and leaned against it, eyeing the harbor. No, she couldn’t go back home, it wouldn’t be fair to Morgan. She’d be a constant reminder of his failure. She wouldn’t do that to him.
As she ambled toward the dock, Julie hoped she could muster the strength to be pleasant to her host. Some days she could barely bring herself to smile. There would be other tourists on board, so she shouldn’t have to work too hard. She could just lean back, relax and enjoy the scenery.
While in town she’d start her Christmas shopping for Mom and Lana. Somehow Christmas didn’t feel all that joyous this year without Morgan.
She approached the tour boat, the
Susanna,
decorated in Christmas red, green and white lights. A part of her wanted to turn and walk away, but she forged ahead. It would be good
to distract herself, to think about something else for a while, something other than her broken heart.
“Hello?” she called out.
“Come on aboard,” a male voice answered from the cabin below.
She carefully climbed over the edge and waited for her tour guide. As she glanced across the channel, she appreciated that the waters were calm today. She should be frightened of the water after what she’d been through, but she’d made a deal with herself that she wouldn’t let the Dynacorp criminals ruin the things she’d previously loved: the water, sunrises…
Morgan. Ugh. How long would it take to get over this? To mend the hole in her heart?
“Jules?”
She spun around and gasped at the sight of Morgan, stepping out of the cabin.
“I’m that scary, huh?” he joked.
“You’re here.”
He took her hand and pulled her against his chest. “Sweetheart, I’ll be wherever you are. Always.”
She clung to him for a second, then broke the embrace. “I don’t understand.”
“I’m an idiot. Sketch said so.”
“I… But…”
“Shh.” He pressed his forefinger to her lips and hugged her again.
“I heard you quit your job,” he said. “What will you do?”
“Not sure yet.”
“How about coming back to Port Whisper and helping them start up Horizon Farms?”
“You heard Joe offered me a job?”
“I did, and that you turned him down.”
She looked into his eyes. “I thought every time you’d see me you’d be reminded of what you perceived as your own failure.”
“Yeah, Sketch pointed out that’s a little narcissistic on my
part.” He led her into the enclosed section of the boat and motioned for her to sit down.
“Where is everybody?” she asked, looking around.
“It’s just us. Your sister set it up.”
“Figures.” She smiled.
Morgan shifted beside her and pulled a box out of his pocket. “I have an early Christmas present for you.”
Still in shock, she couldn’t speak. She opened the box. A beautiful silver locket in the shape of the sun shined back at her.
“I… It’s beautiful.”
“To remind you of the sunrise. I was going to get you something else, but didn’t want to be presumptuous.”
“You mean…?”
“It’s time to finally embrace the plan God has for us—to be together.”
He leaned forward and kissed her. Her body flooded with love and her eyes welled with tears of joy. After a few seconds he broke the kiss and whispered in her ear.
“I love you, Jules. Always have, always will.”
Dear Reader,
How many of us have made a decision in our lives that seemed like a good one at the time, but as the years passed we wondered if it had been the right one? Living with regret can be frustrating and can hold us back from reaching our full potential.
Julie’s story is about making a decision based on guilt, and discovering the beauty of self-forgiveness. It’s also about believing in the grace of God, and opening your heart to His love.
This book holds a special place in my heart since it’s about putting the past where it belongs—in the past—and embracing the possibilities and the wonders of love, friendship and God. As Julie and her high-school sweetheart, Morgan, evade danger, they make peace with their past and learn that through forgiveness anything is possible.
Thanks for giving me the chance to share this story with you.
Blessings,
Hope White
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
- Did you agree with Julie’s decision to flee danger by running back to Port Whisper? Why or why not?
- Did you respect Julie for leaving her high-school sweetheart to pursue a career counseling runaways? Why or why not?
- Have you ever known someone who carried the guilt burden? If so, how did you help open her/his heart to self-forgiveness?
- Regarding Sketch, what do you think is the best way to help a troubled teen?
- Have you known someone who had difficulty taking help from friends? If so, how did you get through to her/him?
- Have you known someone who had a tendency to bury himself or herself in work? Why do you think this is?
- Do you think Julie moved to the city out of guilt (because she couldn’t save her friend) or because she wanted to help teenagers? Or was it a combination of both?
- Have you known someone who, in their effort to help others, got into trouble themselves? How did they reconcile their efforts?
- Do you think Julie was selfish when she left Port Whisper after high school? Why or why not?
- Did you feel that Morgan and his father were at peace in this story? Why or why not?
- Should Morgan have worked through his heartbreak and totally given up on Julie?
- Was Morgan’s resentment of Julie in the first part of the book justified?
- Did you feel hopeful that Morgan would be able to help Sketch find his way?
- Did you understand Julie’s desire to leave Port Whisper—and Morgan—at the end of the story? Do you think it was a selfish or selfless decision?
ISBN: 978-1-4592-1628-0
CHRISTMAS HAVEN
Copyright © 2011 by Pat White
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the editorial office, Love Inspired Books, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279 U.S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
This edition published by arrangement with Love Inspired Books.
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