Christmas in Angel Harbor - Jeannie Moon Page 0,91

page, she shivered.

The Harbor Light

By Dan Gallo

“I love the title.”

“It suits. There’s a lot of me in this book, but more than that, there’s a lot of you. You’re the light.”

Clutching the pages to her chest, Jane had no idea how much that simple declaration would mean to her. On a night filled with so many extraordinary gifts, the soft affection in Danny’s eyes was the only one that mattered at that moment. How did she ever get so lucky? “This makes me so happy. It’s going to be a hit, I just know it.”

“I hope so. My editor loves it. That’s got to mean something, right? He’s a mean old SOB and he said he cried.”

Jane didn’t realize she was crying, again, until a tear dripped on the cover page. “Thank you. It’s perfect.”

“You’re my home, Jane. And like I said, you are the light, just like the angels. You helped me find my way back.”

He rested his head against hers and sighed, and Jane let out a similar shaky breath when the cover page slipped away and she saw the dedication.

For Jane.

A beacon of hope in the darkness.

Thank you for keeping the light on.

Jane held the book close and reveled in the feel of Danny’s arms as he pulled her in. Resting her head on his chest, she could hear his heart beating, strong and steady. Then, she looked to the side and saw the sea of people who were there for her when she most needed them. For years Jane had worried about her dreams going unrealized. She wasn’t unhappy, but she let the question of “what if?” take up too much space in her head. Now, the past was firmly in the past, and all she could see was the road forward.

It was times like these, sacred moments that came unexpectedly, where we found the greatest clarity. Where we found love and joy and peace. Jane felt all those things—all those and so much more. Her life was rich beyond measure. Real gifts, the ones that mattered, were never found under the tree, but were found in the people who became part of our lives.

“I promise to make every Christmas better and better,” Danny whispered. “Merry Christmas, Jane.”

“Merry Christmas.”

Epilogue

Change was a beautiful thing. Especially when the changes brought so many riches to your life.

Sail House had been completely transformed from an elegant residence into an equally elegant store. It was more than Jane ever believed possible, and it was special because so many people had a hand in it. One year ago, Jane was facing a life in total upheaval—she never could have dreamed an outcome that had made her happier than this.

With deep gratitude, this Christmas Harbor Books would start something new. Instead of closing up shop early on December 24th, they were hosting their very first Christmas Eve open house. It seemed fitting that new beginnings required new traditions.

The staircase in the two-story foyer was draped with pine garland, glittery ornaments, and lights, which reflected off the freshly painted gray-blue walls. More ornaments hung from the ceiling, glass globes of varying sizes in gold, green, red, and silver. It was a festive constellation of color and light, and hanging from the center, directly over the customer service desk, was a crystal angel, watching over them.

The ornament was a gift from Danny. Made of artisan blown glass, with gold tips on her wings, he’d given her to Jane on their wedding day this past August.

“She’ll watch over us, and our families,” he said. “Just like the angels who brought the sailors home, I was brought home to you.”

Behind her, she could hear his low, steady baritone filling the large entry. Glancing over her shoulder, she found him laughing with his sister and brother-in-law, so much more at ease than when he walked back into her life over a year ago. He’d gone through his own sea change, moving back to Angel Harbor, chucking his lucrative career writing crime thrillers and instead, writing what came from his heart.

His newest book—Jane’s book—The Harbor Light, hit the bestseller lists at number one when it was released in November, and it hadn’t budged from that spot, becoming this season’s feel-good read. There’d been some talk show interviews that focused on how he’d done a complete pivot, and a few local tour stops, but nothing too extensive. Unlike his other books, this one didn’t require a publicity tour, and he didn’t want one. Danny had hit every note, writing a