Beach Blanket Santa

opened her driver’s side door, leaping from the SUV. “Stop!” she yelled at the stunned ferryman, who stared at her beneath his tartan-plaid tam. “Off! I’ve got to get off,” she continued, a bit breathless. “Off of this boat!”
    “I’m afraid that’s impossible, lady. We’re already halfway loaded.”
    Sarah glanced at the line of nearly a dozen vehicles behind her, then met the ferryman’s gaze. “What if I ask them all to back up?”
    “What?”
    “I’ll do it! I’ll go car to car if I have to!”
    “What is this? Some sort of emergency?”
    It most certainly was. In fact, it was the greatest state of emergency Sarah Anderson had ever had. For the first time in her life, she was falling for the perfect man, a good man, a wonderful man, and she was being foolish enough to let him get away. It was time she learned to fight for her life, work for the future she wanted. Even if it proved painful. Even if she might fail. The hard truth was she’d never forgive herself if she didn’t try. “Yes.”
    The ferryman removed his tam and slowly shook his head before looking up. “What kind of an emergency?”
    “It’s…” Sarah felt her voice warble and pursed her lips a beat to steady herself. “…my heart.”
    His faced creased with concern, and he took a step forward. She held up a hand to stop him.
    “Two hearts, really. There’s a very big risk of someone getting hurt. Of both hearts being broken.”
    The ferryman heaved a sigh, his expression lighting with understanding. “And you think that by getting off this boat, you can fix it?”
    She stared at him, feeling her confidence surge. “I have to try.”

    Back at the cottage, Matt morosely disassembled his makeshift Christmas tree. Sarah had looked just like some delighted kid when she’d happened upon it Christmas morning. He’d really thought he’d done everything right, but apparently his efforts had been a major fail. What a fiasco this trip had been. He’d come to beach to forget about one woman and had been unexpectedly raked over the coals by another one. Maybe what Matt needed to do was take a break from women altogether. A long break.
    He was just coiling up the deck lights when he thought he heard a car in the drive, screeching to a halt. Seconds later, a door popped open, then slammed shut. Could that be Sarah? Coming back to retrieve something she’d forgotten?
    His answer came in the sound of her footfalls racing up the front steps. “Matt!” she said, bursting through the kitchen door. “We have to talk!” She was out of breath, her coat unzipped and her sweatshirt and hair speckled by the light rain that had been falling.
    “I thought you were catching the ferry?”
    “I was,” she said, stepping forward and shutting the door behind her. “But I got off.”
    “Off?” he questioned, trying to imagine that feat, particularly if she’d already been loaded. “Sarah, what’s going on?”
    She crossed to where he stood, and looked up, her brown eyes brimming with moisture. “I haven’t been completely honest. There’s something. Something that I need to tell you.”
    Matt swallowed hard, not knowing what to expect. “And what is that?”
    “I can’t…” She stopped, seeming to gather her nerve.
    “Are you changing your mind? About the two of us?”
    “I’ve never wanted anything but the two of us.”
    “Then why…?”
    “I can’t have children,” she said in a whimper. “A long time ago, I had an infection, and—”
    He brought his fingers to her lips. “Is that why you left? Why you said we couldn’t have a future? Because you believed that was a deal breaker for me?”
    She held his gaze through bleary eyes. “Isn’t it?”
    While he’d never had occasion to consider it, the truth was he wasn’t about to let someone as amazing as Sarah get away due to a medical condition beyond her control. What kind of man would that make him? Not the one he understood himself to be. It must have taken tremendous courage for Sarah to come back and tell him the truth, particularly as she had no guarantee what his reaction might be. “No. It isn’t,” he said, knowing when he said it that answer felt right.
    “But you said… You told me that you want what your parents have.”
    “I meant their relationship . The way they are with each other and are there for one another, even after all these years.” He took her in his arms, damp clothing and all. “Sweetheart, listen to me. I want you .