Be Mine at Christmas(48)
Author: Brenda Novak

That included Maxim.

After parking in her garage and cutting the engine, she sat in her car for a moment, but Maxim didn’t approach. He got out of his vehicle and leaned against it, waiting. She could see the outline of his body in her rearview mirror.

What would she say to him? As humiliating as it was to admit, he’d been right about Mark. Mark wasn’t the man she’d thought he was. But she couldn’t blame Maxim for what Mark had done. Maxim’s only sin was exposing him. Although that stung, she didn’t have the right to be too angry. He’d been her election opponent before he’d been her lover, and any other opponent would’ve done the same thing.

The radio went silent when she pulled the door latch. She liked the new delay feature that let the music stay on after the engine was off, but the sudden silence felt ominous.

“Hey,” he said as she came out of the garage.

“Hi.”

He was wearing a heavy coat, a burgundy sweater and a pair of jeans. Just seeing him made her remember what it was like to be in his arms. She’d felt safer there than anywhere else. But she tried to convince herself that was only because he’d saved her life. What she felt was hero worship. Admiration for a handsome man. It wasn’t love. She didn’t want any part of love, not anymore.

He met her at the walkway leading to the house. “You okay?”

She pushed the button on her key chain that would close the garage door. “I’m fine.”

“I’ve been worried.”

“You shouldn’t be here,” she said. “You’ve got your girls at home.”

“They’re not the only ones who matter to me.”

Ignoring that statement, she turned on her heel and marched to the house. “It’s late and I’m really tired. Would you mind if we talked another time? It’s been a…rough night.”

“I know,” he said. “I should give you some space. But…can I at least apologize?”

“For what? You wanted to win, and I was in the way. I understand.”

“Adelaide—”

Raising a hand to stop him, she donned a polite mask. “Look, I don’t blame you. If I were in your shoes, maybe I would’ve done the same thing. I mean, the object of any campaign is to win. Mark was… Mark was a cheat and a liar, and everything you’ve ever said about him is probably true.”

“I don’t care about that. I didn’t come over here to rub your nose in what he’s done.”

“Why not? Enjoy it while it lasts. This was quite the political coup.” She knew she was being harsher than she had a right to be. But she’d been wrong when they’d talked about the baby—she couldn’t be open to any of the options he’d named. They required too much trust, and trust was something she didn’t have anymore.

A muscle jumped in his jaw. “So you’re blowing me off?”

“It won’t work.”

“What about the baby?”

“You get the senate seat. I get the baby.” Stepping inside, she closed the door behind her.

MAXIM WAS STILL STANDING on Adelaide’s stoop when the porch light went off. He didn’t know whether to bang on the door or leave. Memories of the time they’d spent in the mountains, especially of that second night when they’d said so much without saying a word, made him want to insist she come back and talk to him. But he couldn’t force her to let him into her life if she didn’t want him there. He’d been crazy to think she did. It was Mark she’d always loved, Mark she still loved, even though the stupid son of a bitch had been a complete fraud. Mark had never deserved her.

But maybe Maxim didn’t deserve her, either.

Thinking of his girls waiting patiently for him at home, he released a long sigh and walked back to his car. He’d been so excited about having Megan and Callie meet Adelaide. Then Harvey had ruined it all.

The radio came on as soon as he started his car and Elvis Presley began singing, “I’ll have a blue Christmas without you—”

Quickly changing the station, Maxim backed out of the driveway.

AS SHE WATCHED Maxim’s headlights swing out into the street, Adelaide felt like crying. But she choked back her tears. She’d done the right thing. Despite all the years they’d been acquainted, she didn’t know Maxim, not really. Maybe he was no better than Mark.

“Getting with me was just another way to protect his political aspirations,” she said. But all the things she remembered him saying to her when they were together seemed to dispute that statement. I can’t pretend to be Mark again. If I make love to you, it’ll be because you want me… We’re talking about a baby, Adelaide. Our baby. My career doesn’t come before that… You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on….

Had he meant any of it? It’d felt real. Unlike Mark, Maxim didn’t use flattery. He only said what he meant. That was why she’d been upset enough to run against him. He’d told some reporter that Mark had been worse for the district than if it had gone unrepresented, that he’d been one of the most selfish individuals on the planet.

And, as she’d just told him, he’d been right. Why was she blaming him for being right?

The message light blinked on her answering machine. Seeing it, she realized she’d forgotten to turn her cell phone back on after the church service. Ruby was probably going crazy with worry.

Trying to put Maxim out of her mind, she crossed the room and pressed the play button. Sure enough, her friend had called a number of times. Adelaide was about to stop the playback without listening to the rest. She was one touch of a button away from erasing the whole thing when she heard a voice she hadn’t heard in a long time—the voice of her former mother-in-law.

“Adelaide? Are you okay? What’s going on? Maxim Donahue just called here. Can you believe it? At midnight on Christmas Eve? We don’t even know him. I mean, we’ve met but never really talked. He was looking for you. Only now I’m thinking he must’ve been drunk, because when I asked him why he wanted to find you he said…he said he was in love with you. And then he hung up. That’s it. Isn’t that crazy? He’s the man you’re running against, isn’t he? The one who never liked Mark? Anyway, give us a call. We’d like to see you this Christmas. You haven’t swung by in a while.”

Another message from Ruby came on right afterward. “Damn it, Adelaide, this isn’t fair. Why the hell won’t you pick up?”