Charlotte broke past the door and onto the pavement outside in a flat run. She looked left and right to see a foot disappear around the corner.

“Andrew!” She bolted towards the corner, hoping that she wasn’t too late for forgiveness. In fact, that was the most she should be asking for.

She rounded the edge of the building onto the busy street, nearly colliding with shoppers with their arms full of gifts.

“Sorry. Sorry.” She yelled as she pushed through startled strangers. There he was, walking ahead, his broad shoulders taller than most people. She pressed forward in a burst and reached for his shoulder. “Andrew!”

He turned, startled and as he saw her, an unreadable expression crossed his face. “Charlotte.” He choked her name.

“Andrew. I’m so…” So what? Sorry? It was much more than that. Sorry couldn’t make up for what she’d done, how she’d treated him and what now hinged on his forgiveness. She didn’t know what to say. How to say it. Instead she said the only thing she could say. “Please forgive me.”

With a choked sound he gathered her into his strong arms and held her to his chest. His heart pounded like a jackhammer, beating as hard and fast as hers was. His lips pressed on her forehead. His palms pressed onto her cheeks as he tilted her head up so that he could look at her. “There’s nothing to forgive, Charlotte.”

Tears clouded her vision and she blinked rapidly to clear them. “You brought everyone over for me. My family. My parents. And I’ve treated you so badly. I can’t expect you to even want to speak to me.”

“I didn’t do it all by myself. Gabe and Lisa helped. As did your mother and father. They are lovely people. They care deeply for you,” he said.

She nodded. She knew they did. “I love them more than anything.” She blew out a deep breath. Admitting what she was going to tell him took everything she had. She hadn’t even truly admitted it to herself until right now, but Andrew was worth it. He was worth baring her soul. “I just want to help them so much. I thought if I could work hard enough, I could set things straight back home. They did so much for me. I thought losing their business, losing everything, was my fault and it’s turned out it has nothing to do with me. I wanted to give something back to them, you know. And then Mum got sick. It’s all just a big mess. I thought… I just thought…” She stared up at Andrew miserably.

His thumbs stroked her face gently. “You just thought you could set things straight all by yourself.”

She nodded. “That’s why I’m trying so hard to learn everything I can. Do everything I can. The sooner I learn the sooner I can…”

“Go back home?” Andrew said.

Charlotte nodded. “That was the plan.”

“That’s a good plan.”

“It is? Yes, it is… Only I didn’t expect to… to fall in love.” She swallowed. Hard. But she didn’t take her eyes from his face. Wanted him to know she meant everything she said. Long moments passed and she waited for the, thank-you-but. His polite acknowledgement and a quick embarrassed retreat.

To her surprise he smiled. “You didn’t?”

She shook her head and scrunched the lapels of his jacket in her fists. “No. You see. It’s put a kink in my plans.”

“A kink?”

“Yes. I find that I want more than just starting up a business in another country. I want… I want you... Andrew. I… I love you. I’ve been so stupid, trying to neglect my feelings. Trying to ignore what I feel. But now I can’t… can’t deny myself. I just want you to know, even if you don’t feel the same way.”

He brushed her hair behind her ear, “Don’t feel the same way? Charlotte… I’m so in love with you I can’t think straight! I could only hope that you felt the same way! Bringing your family here was my way of thanking you.”

“Thanking me?” She was truly confused.

“Yes. You showed me how important family is. If you hadn’t told me about yours, how important they are to you, I would never have contacted Mandy. Never be getting to know my niece and nephew and brother in law. It’s a gift that has changed my life.”

Charlotte smiled. “That’s wonderful, Andrew. I’m glad you’re getting to know them after all this time. Despite what happened in your childhood.”

“It also made me think that I want a family of my own. Made me think of the woman I love. Show her what the really important things in life are, just like she showed me. Charlotte, I love you. I want you in my life. It doesn’t bother me that you want to go back to Australia. There is such a thing as the internet and telephone lines and planes. People work remotely all over the world. We’ll make this work. The important thing is that I’m with you. I’d follow you to the end of the earth to be with you. You have to know that.”

Tears choked her words. “Oh, Andrew. I love you so much. Can you forgive me?”

“There’s nothing to forgive.”

“Then kiss me. Kiss me now. Please,” Charlotte said.

“With pleasure.” His lips touched hers so gently, so reverently that her heart blossomed and happiness so great she couldn’t put words to it bloomed inside her. She wound her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him. His arms tightened around her waist, locking them together. Two halves of a whole. Yes, that was what she felt.

Complete. Happy. Loved. In love.

Applause broke through the haze in her mind. She looked around to see they stood in the middle of a cheering crowd, faces beaming with smiles. She couldn’t help but laugh herself, albeit a little embarrassed.

She threaded her fingers through Andrews. “Ready to come and meet my family?”

“I’d love nothing better. Except kissing you again. And more. Much more.” His voice turned low, the vibrato sizzled through her full of temptation and promise.

“Well. I can kiss you again right now. And later, after the party, perhaps I can help you with your request,” Charlotte said.

She sighed as he kissed her long and deep and just the way she wanted. This was the Christmas of a lifetime. She had her family back. She wasn’t guilty for ruining her parents’ business. Andrew was the man that understood and loved her despite all her faults and misconceptions. She had found a lifetime of love to look forward to. The future was no longer a black and white plan. It was filled with colour, light, love, an ever-changing myriad of possibilities.

This was the Christmas she was gifted with everything that truly mattered.