Be Mine at Christmas(6)
Author: Brenda Novak

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

Angela nodded politely. “It was tough to lose her. She was a nice woman.”

There was a respectful pause, then Matt said, “We’d better get back to work.”

“See what a slave driver he is?” Lewis teased.

Angela smiled. “It was great to see you again,” she told him and meant it. But she wasn’t sure she felt the same about Matt.

“Would you and your daughter like to join me and my family for dinner tomorrow night?” Lewis asked. “Matt will be there, too, right, Matt?”

Matt blinked, as if Lewis had caught him off guard and he didn’t know how to escape.

“I wouldn’t want to impose,” Angela said.

“It’s no trouble,” Lewis insisted. “You might remember my wife. Peggy Sutherland?”

“Was she my age?”

“She’s four years younger.”

“I can’t quite place her,” Angela admitted.

“Maybe you’ll recognize her when you see her. Anyway, I know she’d love to have you over. She likes to entertain.”

By now Angela could see a muscle flexing in Matt’s cheek, but if Lewis bothered to notice, he completely disregarded his friend’s less than eager response. And, with the goal of getting to know Matt better, Angela chose to do the same. She’d come for a reason, after all. “If you’re sure…”

“I’m positive,” he said and Angela gave him her cell number so they could make the arrangements.

CHAPTER THREE

AS SOON AS THEY were inside the fire station, Matt pulled Lewis to a stop. “What the hell were you doing back there?”

“When?” His friend’s eyes widened as if he really was as innocent as he pretended to be.

“At the restaurant!”

“I was doing you a favor, buddy. Didn’t you see how beautiful she is?”

He’d been reluctant to acknowledge it. She and Stephanie must have slipped him something that night when they were juniors. He knew it. He’d never wanted Stephanie before. So how had he wound up in bed with her? And at a party, no less? “I’m not coming to dinner.”

“Why not?” Lewis said. “I know you’re thinking about…what happened. I was there that night, too, remember? At least I was there later on, when Danielle walked in and caught you. But that was thirteen years ago. It’s time to forgive and forget. Danielle’s married and has two kids. And you heard Angela. She’s not attached.”

“She said she’s not married. That doesn’t mean she’s not attached.”

“I got the impression she’s not seeing anyone.”

Matt stomped into his office. “She doesn’t even live here!”

“You might not be living here either, right?” Lewis called to him. “Maybe you’ll want to move to Denver instead of Arizona.”

Matt cursed under his breath.

“What did you say?”

“Now I’m really tempted to fire you.”

Lewis stood in the doorway. “You don’t want to do that.”

“Why not?”

“Because I have your best interests at heart.”

Matt slumped into his chair. “Yeah? Even my mother isn’t as meddlesome as you are.”

“It’s time for you to settle down. Being a father is awesome. You’re missing out, my friend.”

Matt said nothing. He wanted a family. He’d just never cared about anyone the way he’d cared about Danielle.

“Besides, wouldn’t you like to know what happened that night?” Lewis went on. “You’ve always said you don’t remember how you ended up in that room with Stephanie.”

“I remember bits and pieces, but mostly it’s a blur.”

“Well, Angela might be able to explain it.”

Matt shoved a hand through his hair. Even if she could provide the answers he’d long craved, what was done was done. They couldn’t go back and change anything.

Lewis came into the room and leaned on the desk. “So, what do you say?”

Matt still felt a little resentful despite the passing years. But maybe he was overreacting. Angela seemed nice enough as an adult. And there was a slight chance she hadn’t been a party to his downfall. Stephanie had certainly never needed her help to try and corner him before.

But every other time, he’d managed to get away. That was the difference!

“Something about Stephanie chilled me to the bone,” he said, recalling her overeager smile, the way she brushed up against him at every opportunity, her attention-hungry eyes.

“Angela isn’t Stephanie.” Lewis bent lower to peer questioningly into his face. “You’re not going to back out on me, are you?”

Matt sighed. What the hell. He could survive one dinner. And, as Lewis said, maybe she’d be able to tell him what had really happened so he could finally understand why he’d let Danielle down so badly.

ANGELA SHIFTED NERVOUSLY as she waited next to Kayla on the doorstep of Lewis’s wooden A-frame. Set a couple of blocks off C Street, the main business district, it looked like so many of the other homes and businesses in Virginia City—as if it had been built in the late 1800s. It probably had been. But it was recently painted, a muted yellow with white trim, and obviously well-maintained.

She wondered where Matt lived. While they were growing up, his parents had owned a jewelry store called Comstock Silver and Turquoise. She’d watched for it when she and Kayla had driven through the slushy streets—the weather had warmed enough to melt some of the snow that had fallen the day before—but if his parents still had the store, they’d changed the name and the location. An old-fashioned soda shop now resided where the jewelry store had been.

The door opened and a child of about five, with bright red hair and a few freckles, gazed out at her.

“Hello,” Angela said.

He continued to stare, but Lewis’s voice rose from behind him. “Derek, those are our dinner guests. Invite them in, okay?”

The boy stepped back and opened the door wider just as Lewis crossed the room, obviously intent on making sure his son followed orders. “Hi,” he said when he saw them. “I’m glad you could make it.”

Dinner smelled like roast turkey. “Thanks for inviting us.” She handed Lewis the bottle of wine she’d bought.

He checked the label, smiled as if it met with his approval and asked to take their coats.