Chapter 20- Christmas Angel

"What about this one?" Nathan asked, pointing at the evergreen tree in front of him. He had arrived back in Hope Valley only a couple hours ago, tired from his journey, but renewed with the prospect of spending the rest of the day with his girls. Nathan had borrowed one of Lee's logging wagons and a team of horses for their trip to pick out Christmas trees together. Allie had quickly found her perfect tree and now they were in search of one for Charlotte's house.

"Too short." Allie bluntly answered.

Nathan rolled his eyes. They may be here all night searching for two perfect trees in the forest.

"Well, what about this one?" Charlotte questioned, circling the tree in front of her.

"Too skinny." Allie replied, shaking her head. "Are you guys even trying anymore?"

Nathan and Charlotte chuckled. They were trying, just neither seemed to be as particular about the tree as Allie was.

"She does this every year," Nathan stated, taking a few steps closer to Charlotte, as Allie continued down the path in front of them.

"I think it's sweet. You are helping her to create memories she will cherish forever." Charlotte responded. Her mind remembering back to her own childhood. Charlotte and her dad going out on the ranch, early one December morning. Cutting down the perfect tree before bringing it back home where Charlotte's mom would have mugs of hot chocolate waiting for the chilled wanderers.

"We are helping her to create memories she will cherish forever." Nathan gently corrected, leaning closer to Charlotte.

A warm smile moved across Charlotte's face, but she did not say a word. Instead choosing to reach for Nathan's hand, wrapping their palms together. The now familiar comfort, centering them again before they continued down the path to follow Allie.

As they began walking though, a new sensation hit Nathan like a ton of bricks. Charlotte had leaned in closer, the full length of her arm now pressed tightly against his as she wrapped her other hand across her body to gently glide up and down Nathan's forearm. Nathan could feel Charlotte's body tense and breath catch with the new contact. This was not easy for her. But it was another step she was choosing to take in the process of exorcising the demons of her past.

Nathan felt Charlotte shift her eyes to look up at him, making sure it really was Nathan she was sharing this moment with and not the ghost of Beck McEntire. Nathan gave her a reassuring smile and gentle squeeze of his hand.

Yes love, it's me... Let it be me. He thought to himself.

Thankfully, the trio did not have to spend all night in the mountains as Allie was a professional at the whole Christmas tree thing. She had been able to find two perfect trees for them and soon enough the group delivered them back to their row houses and quickly decorated Nathan and Allie's tree while Charlotte made hot chocolate to warm them. Just like her mom had done all those years before.

"Alright. This one is done," Allie proudly stated, as she stepped back and took in her finished tree, "Now let's take Ms. Thompson's tree to her house and we can all decorate it with the homemade ornaments."

Allie's directions caused a lump to form in Charlotte's throat at the realization. She quickly tried to quell the turmoil inside her but was unable to before Nathan noticed and came over.

"I don't have to come with," Nathan whispered to Charlotte, where only she could hear. "I know this is the first time I will be coming into your house and after what happened with… let's just say I understand and don't want to do anything you are uncomfortable with."

Panic rose into her chest until Charlotte looked up into Nathan's gentle eyes. They were filled with so much concern for her. No, she needed to do this too. She could not keep letting Beck rule her life. Nathan was not Beck. Nathan was not coming into her house to attack her in the middle of the night. He was coming to deliver the Christmas tree they had chosen earlier together and to help decorate it with all the ornaments Allie and Charlotte had made the night before.

Nathan was not Beck.

"No," Charlotte shook her head at Nathan. "I want you to come. I need to do this."

An understanding smile, similar to the one he had given her in the mountains, crossed Nathan's face.

"A little to the left."

"No. Too far. Back now to the right."

"There."

"No. Maybe a little further back towards the wall?"

"Can you turn it, so the fuller part is to the front?"

"It's leaning now. You better fix that."

Allie's directions were giving Nathan and Charlotte a workout as they moved in tandem to perfectly place the tree in the living room of Charlotte's house. The tree had found its way all over the first floor, twisted and turned, this way and that, for the past fifteen minutes until, at last, Allie was satisfied.

"Phew. I'm exhausted." Nathan said as he straightened the kink in his back, finally having a chance to take in the view of Charlotte's house. He had been in it before her arrival in Hope Valley when he and Allie had delivered the wildflower bouquet to her desk. But in the almost six months she had lived in the house, it did not feel like much of a home. A twinge of sadness found its way of sweeping into Nathan. Charlotte really did have to leave so much of her past life behind when she ran away from Beck.

The only personal item Nathan's eyes landed on, was that of an old, well-worn, guitar leaned against a wall in the corner. Like a magnet he was pulled towards it.

"That was my dad's." Charlotte said from behind Nathan. She had followed his path across the room. "It was his most treasured possession, and I couldn't leave it behind. Thankfully, it fit in my trunk with some of my favorite books."

"That's why your trunk was so heavy." Nathan joked, remembering how Charlotte's trunk was what brought them together on the day of her arrival in Hope Valley.

Charlotte giggled in response and nodded her head in agreement. "Yes, I suppose so. Dad would play that guitar anywhere; on summer cattle drives, sitting on the front porch of our house, singing me a lullaby at the foot of my bed in his rich baritone voice. He knew any song. Old Irish music, hymns, or cowboy tunes the newest ranch hand taught him. He could play them all."

"Do you know how to play?"

"No. One of my biggest regrets is never having dad teach me. How about you? Have you ever played?"

"No. I always thought it would be fun to learn. Can't say I have the best voice for it, but there is something relaxing about listening to music at the end of a long day."

"You don't think you have the best voice? Nathan. You forget I sit beside you at church on Sundays. You have a great voice."

Nathan blushed as he smiled in Charlotte's direction. The flickering light of the stove cast a glow around her, soft and intimate. He wished he could reach for Charlotte then and tuck the wisp of hair that had fallen out of place behind her ear, before cupping her cheek and placing a gentle kiss on her lips. Thanking her for being so open with him today. It did not go without notice on his part that she was trying to move forward with him. For him.

They stared at each other a moment longer, lost in the mutual moment, before Allie's voice cut through, "I could use some help here. This tree isn't going to decorate itself!"

A smirk crossed both Nathan and Charlotte's face before they turned and walked towards the tree to help Allie.

"Wow." Astonishment carried in Charlotte's voice as she stepped back to admire their finished work on her tree. "I think that is the most beautiful tree I have ever seen."

It was a stunning Christmas tree. Lush and green. The perfect height and size for the room. Allie and Charlotte's decorations were rustic, but beautiful. The red of the cranberries and the orange of the dried fruit popped against the more muted and subtle colors of the popcorn string and cinnamon cut out ornaments.

"Wait!" Allie exclaimed. "There isn't a star on top or a Christmas angel!"

"My dad had carved a Christmas angel the year he and my mom were married. That was what always topped our tree growing up." Charlotte reminisced.

"Thank you for convincing me to do this." Charlotte added as she took hold of Allie's hand beside her. "I had forgotten how special this time of year could be."

Allie took Nathan's hand then. Completing the picture of them in front of their very first family Christmas tree.

A few days later brought the first snowfall of the winter to Hope Valley. Charlotte's coat had collected a thick layer of flakes in her short walk to the Grant home for their weekly Sunday dinner. When she entered their house, a white box with Charlotte's name written in large block letters was waiting for her on the kitchen table.

"What's this?" Charlotte questioned, as she picked up the package.

Nathan and Allie sheepishly looked at each other, before Nathan said, "Why don't you open it and find out?"

Charlotte quizzically raised her eyebrow, but decided to do as instructed, lifting the lid off the box to reveal an angel tree topper. The angel was full of intricate details, hand-carved into the wood. She wore a porcelain white colored dress, with dark coffee brown hair that framed the gentle features of her face. In the angel's outstretched hands, she held a gold glittering star beam that encircled her like a heavenly halo.

"Uncle Nathan carved that for you." Allie stated proudly.

"Nathan…" Charlotte's voice caught; tears springing to her eyes as she traced over the details in front of her.

"The other night when you told us about…" Nathan started shyly. "I know this could never replace the one your father made, but I hope you like it."

"Nathan. I don't like it." Charlotte shook her head. "I love it. It is more stunning than I could ever imagine. You have a talent Nathan Grant for making beautiful works of art."

"I'm glad you love it," Nathan smiled.

"Should we take it over and put it on my tree before eating dinner?" Charlotte offered.

"Yes!" Allie answered for them all.

"Will you do the honors?" Charlotte asked, handing the carved angel to Nathan.

"Of course." Nathan replied, taking the angel he had spent hours carving and painting from his muse's hands to place upon Charlotte's tree.

"There. Now it is perfect," commented Allie as all three took a step back to admire their handy work.

Allie was right. With the angel on top, the tree really was perfect. They trio stood in its splendor for a few more minutes, before the idea of their Sunday dinner drew them back to the Grant home. Allie took off ahead of Nathan and Charlotte as they closed the back door to Charlotte's house behind them.

When Allie disappeared into her and Nathan's house, Charlotte reached for Nathan's arm, turning him gently to face her for a moment. Her eyes twinkled with playfulness as she raised her arms above her head and fell back into a pile of fresh fluffy snow.

"Are you alright?" Nathan inquired, a small hint of worry carrying in his voice.

"Yes." Charlotte smiled up at him.

"Then what are you doing down in the snow?"

"I'm making a snow angel. Don't you remember how to make snow angels?"

"I remember." Nathan smiled as he fell back into the soft snow beside Charlotte. He and Charlotte moving their arms and legs in sync, back and forth, forming angels in the powder behind them.

"Do you believe in angels?" Nathan asked, leaning up on his elbow to look over at Charlotte.

"I think they are all around us." Charlotte answered, slowing her movements in the snow and turning her head to meet Nathan's gaze. "You've got to look hard sometimes, but they're here. Whenever anything good happens to us."

Nathan smiled as he reached over to brush a snowflake from Charlotte's cheek, "I think I see one."