Angels at Christmas

by Debbie Macomber

  “Julie,” he said, “we’re adults.”

  Slowly she raised her eyes to meet his, and he read her indecision. Hoping to persuade her, he stood up and crossed to the sofa, sitting beside her. Clasping Julie’s hands, he brushed his mouth over hers. “We’d be good together,” he whispered.

  “I think so, too.”

  “Then why the hesitation?”

  She shook her head.

  “Come on,” he urged. “Tell me.”

  “I’d hate to disappoint my father—I don’t know how he’d feel about this.”

  Roy wanted to remind her that she was thirty years old and fully capable of making decisions without consulting her father. In any event, based on what he knew of Dean Wilcoff, the man wouldn’t stand in their way.

  “I’m afraid he’d do something rash,” Julie said.

  “Like what?” Roy couldn’t imagine him doing any such thing. Dean was a sensible man. He wouldn’t intrude on his daughter’s life. He’d accept whatever Julie wanted and keep his mouth shut—as he should.

  “He wouldn’t approve.”

  “So?”

  “So,” she continued, “I suspect he’d quit his job.”

  “That decision is his, don’t you think?”

  “Yes,” she agreed after a lengthy pause. “But he needs this job and for more than the money. It’s been wonderful for him, Roy. I’m so grateful you gave Dad a chance to feel productive again. It’s been exactly what he needed.”

  “Leave your father to me,” he told her. Roy would square the situation with Dean and make sure he had no objections.

  Still Julie hesitated.

  “You don’t need to decide right this minute. Take a few days, think it over. I’m not going to withdraw the offer.”

  A tremulous smile lifted the corners of her mouth. Roy was disappointed by her lack of excitement, although he wouldn’t admit it. He’d hoped Julie would show as much enthusiasm for his idea as he felt himself.

  Then it hit him. Naturally she was hesitant. She wanted it all, especially that ring on her finger, before she moved in with him.

  “You want me to marry you first, don’t you?”

  “That’s the way it’s generally done,” she said. “So…yes, I guess I do.”

  He appreciated her honesty and felt he couldn’t be any less honest with her. “Sorry, Julie, it isn’t going to happen. I’m not interested in marriage.”

  She took the news easily enough.

  “Fine,” she said, her voice just a bit unsteady. “But what are you offering me?”

  Roy shrugged. “I’m offering you a place in my life and in my home. I’ll be generous and attentive.” He couldn’t think of anything else she’d want. Although he hadn’t spelled it out, he intended to give her all the things women craved. She could buy whatever she wanted: jewels, clothes, cars. It was up to her.

  “I don’t doubt that you’d be good to me.”

  “Then what’s the problem?”

  “For how long?”

  His patience was slipping. “You want guarantees?”

  “Six weeks? Three months? A year?”

  “How am I supposed to know? For however long the two of us last.” That should satisfy her. The way he felt just then, it could be a very long time, but she was right—maybe it wouldn’t. Who could tell?

  “You’ve done contracts with other businesses, haven’t you?”

  Roy had the feeling she was thinking out loud. “Yes—”

  “You were ready to make a commitment to them, weren’t you?”

  “Yes—”

  “But you aren’t willing to make a commitment to me.”

  Ah, he was beginning to understand. “I can break a contract for a price. Is that what you’re talking about?”

  “Are you suggesting payment?”

  He should have wised up by now, but she’d had him fooled. Still, he didn’t care. He was a man accustomed to paying for what he wanted. At the moment that was Julie, and he wanted her badly.

  “Fine,” he said. “We can draw up a financial agreement.”

  She pulled her hands free of his. “That wasn’t what I meant. I don’t think you realize how insulting that is, Roy.”

  “Insulting? I thought it was what you wanted. Okay,” he said, doing his best to figure her out. “Just tell me what it would take—other than marrying you—to get you to move in with me.” He couldn’t make it any plainer than that. Aimee had moved in without a moment’s hesitation. He couldn’t understand why Julie needed all this discussion.

  “I don’t know…I want to think this through.” As if in a daze, she stood and walked slowly back to the kitchen.

  Roy followed her. This night wasn’t going the way he’d anticipated. He’d never been much good with relationships, and his experience with Aimee hadn’t helped.

  “What about love?” she asked, suddenly turning around.

  Roy had come to detest the word. He didn’t know what it was anymore. “Julie, you’re searching for an excuse, and I’m not going to give it to you. You’re looking for ways to talk yourself out of something we both want. This would be an agreement between two mature people who are strongly attracted to each other. Nothing more and nothing less.”

  “What about your mother?”

  “What about her? She’d be thrilled. She’s been saying for a long time that I work too hard, and she’s right. Knowing her, she’ll kiss you on both cheeks and thank you.”

  Julie didn’t seem to believe him.

  “If it’s any consolation, you should know I’ve only had one other woman live with me.” Aimee. And whatever happened with Julie, it couldn’t possibly end as badly as that relationship.

  Taking two bowls and two wineglasses from the cupboard, Julie set them on the counter. “I want to think this through,” she said again. She gave him a weak smile. “Like you said, this offer is good for more than twenty-four hours.”

  “Take all the time you need.” But he wanted her in his home and in his bed. The sooner the better.

  Twenty

  “I don’t know about anyone else,” Goodness said, still in a huff, pacing inside Roy’s office. “But I’m outraged.” She fluttered her wings so her friends would know she wasn’t kidding.

  Papers slid off Roy’s desk and he looked up, clearly puzzled by the sudden draft.

  “Roy’s a man,” Mercy chided her, far too willing to overlook his weaknesses. “What do you expect?”

  “And I’m an angel,” Goodness said right back. “What do you expect?”

  “These are human matters,” Shirley insisted, lurking behind Roy’s chair. “We can’t interfere.”

  “Julie knows better. Mark my words—she’ll refuse to do it.”

  Mercy sighed and sat on the corner of Roy’s fancy desk, protecting his files from further disruption. “I wouldn’t be so sure if I were you. She’s tempted.”

  “Then we’ll untempt her.”

  Shirley shook her head. “That’s not our department. They send in the Warrior Angels to deal with temptations.”

  True, but Goodness had intense feelings when it came to the humans involved in her prayer requests. Shirley, Goodness and Mercy had worked hard to bring these two together. She no longer felt any uncertainty about their choice; Julie was the woman Anne had prayed for. After all their efforts, the least Roy could do was marry her! Time was running out. They had to think of something quickly if he was going to propose by Christmas Eve. After that, they were off the case. Oh, dear, this could turn into a real disaster and of course Gabriel would blame the three of them.

  “We’ve got to make Julie see sense,” Goodness said urgently. If Mercy was right, then Julie might indeed give in to temptation. The prayer request was ambiguous; Anne hadn’t stated that Roy needed to marry this woman, although it was implied.

  “He hasn’t heard from her in two days.” Mercy flipped the pages of Roy’s desktop calendar.

  “Don’t do that,” Goodness cried, slapping Mercy’s han
d. “He might see you.”

  Mercy tilted her head and stared at Roy Fletcher. “He’s deep in thought.”

  “He’s wondering how long it’ll take to hear from Julie,” Shirley suggested. “He’s growing impatient.”

  Goodness had noticed that, but she also knew he’d made no effort to get in touch with Julie. She suspected this was a ploy on his part—his way of telling Julie that if she chose to reject his offer, she wouldn’t be hearing from him again. That was just plain wrong! Goodness intended to do everything within her power to make sure Roy’s head was filled with thoughts of Julie every minute of every day. The man would be sorry he’d messed with the angels’ plans to answer his mother’s prayer.

  “You know how cold he can be,” Shirley commented, studying Roy intently. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself.

  “That’s all an act,” Goodness told them. “He loves his mother and Julie, only he’s too stubborn to admit it.”

  “I say we get in there and do something,” Mercy proclaimed.

  “Like what?” Goodness was almost afraid to ask.

  “What we always do.” Mercy folded her hands prayerfully and fluttered her long, curly eyelashes.

  “Heaven help us,” Goodness muttered.

  “No, you’ve got it all wrong,” Mercy said. “We’re the ones helping Heaven. Gabriel needs us. Otherwise, we’d be long gone by now. I for one feel that drastic times call for drastic measures.”

  “Drastic measures,” Goodness repeated. “What—”

  “Stand back everyone.” Mercy threw open her wings.

  “What’s she going to do?” Goodness asked Shirley. “Toss a fish at him?”

  Shirley giggled.

  Just when Mercy was getting ready to make her move, Ms. Johnson entered Roy’s office. The three angels glided out of the way as his assistant handed him a sheaf of papers that required his signature.

  “Ms. Johnson,” he said as the woman was about to leave, “would you mind if I asked you a couple of questions?”

  “Are they personal questions?”

  “Not exactly personal. Didn’t you tell me you have a daughter in her twenties?”

  “I do. Janice. She recently turned twenty-three. What makes you ask?”

  “I was just wondering if—” He was interrupted by someone knocking on the partially opened door.

  Shirley gasped.

  “Who’s that?” Goodness wanted to know.

  “I think it might be Aimee,” Mercy told her in a hushed whisper.

  Indeed it was. The woman who’d dumped Roy for his father. She stepped into the office wearing a full-length mink coat and high-heel shoes. She was sleek, petite and very blond. They didn’t call it platinum blond for nothing, Goodness thought spitefully.

  “What’s she doing here?” No one answered, and Goodness suspected her friends were as surprised as Roy obviously was.

  He slowly stood. “That will be all, Ms. Johnson.”

  “Yes, sir.” His assistant hurried out of the room.

  “Hello, Roy.” Aimee smiled seductively and walked up to his desk. “It’s good to see you.”

  “How did you get into the building?”

  “Oh, I have my ways.”

  Roy snickered. “I’ll just bet you do.” He made a mental note to talk to Dean Wilcoff about this.

  “I think it’s time we talked, don’t you?” Without waiting for an invitation, she sat down and crossed her shapely legs.

  Roy remained standing. “Actually, I think it’s time you left.”

  Aimee sighed. “There’s no need to be nasty.”

  “I mean it, Aimee.”

  She shook her head, her long, blond hair swinging softly from side to side. “Roy, this is ridiculous! You refuse to have anything to do with your father—”

  “I have nothing to say to him or to you.”

  “That’s sad, because we both want to reconcile with you.”

  His gaze narrowed. “I don’t think I can bring myself to call you Mother.”

  She laughed, shrugging off his sarcasm. “I don’t think you should. Tell me, how are you?”

  “Fine. Now leave.”

  “I’ve come all this way, and I’m not going until you talk to me.”

  Roy lowered himself stiffly into his chair. “What do you want?”

  Aimee’s expression became petulant. “I always hated it when you used that tone of voice with me.” As if she suddenly felt hot, she unfastened the buttons of her coat and slipped her arms free.

  Roy stared at the mink and at the silk suit beneath, set off by a stunning emerald brooch. “I see Daddy’s buying you lots of gifts.”

  Aimee raised one elegant shoulder. “You might not believe this, but I happen to love your father.”

  Roy raised his eyes to the ceiling. “Yeah, and I’ll bet you love his bank balance even more.” He’d understood long ago that Aimee had set her sights on his father from the beginning of their so-called relationship. He’d been used, and it wasn’t going to happen again.

  Her lips thinned. “You can insult me all you want, but I will not take offense. I came because I want to build a bridge between you and your father.”

  Roy laughed outright. “The woman who blew up the bridge now wants to build one? I find that interesting.”

  “It’s true, Roy. It’s been five years. Your father and I have a very good life, but he misses you.” She pouted ever so slightly.

  “Why am I having trouble believing that?”

  “It’s true,” Aimee said a second time, even more insistently. “Talk to your father, okay? It’s what he wants. Me, too. I’d like us all to be friends.”

  “I’d like world peace myself.”

  “Burton’s your father!”

  “He made his choice and I’ve made mine.”

  Aimee reached for her purse and removed a gold cigarette case. “Do you mind if I smoke?”

  “I thought you quit.”

  “I am quitting.”

  “You were quitting five years ago.”

  She tapped the cigarette against the case, then inserted it between her lips. “It isn’t easy,” she muttered.

  “Sorry, there’s a no-smoking law.”

  “Whatever.” She returned the cigarette to the case, which she thrust back in her purse.

  “Just finish saying what you came to say and get out.”

  She looked hurt. “Burton wants to see you.”

  Roy didn’t consider the request. “What for?” he asked scornfully.

  “You’re his son. He loves you.”

  Roy frowned. “He has a unique way of showing his love. Let me see…I love my son. I wonder how I can best show him that love? I know! I’ll divorce my wife, destroy my family and steal his fiancée. That should do the trick. Well, guess what, it didn’t work.”

  “Roy, don’t you understand that what happened between me and your father just happened? Neither of us asked to fall in love with the other.”

  Roy’s hand shot up. “Spare me. I don’t buy that for a second. You no more love my father than you loved me. When I think of what a fool I was, I get sick to my stomach. It was never me you wanted. I see that now. You were always interested in my father and you used me to get to him.”

  Aimee flew to her feet. “That’s where you’re wrong. I do love Burton and he loves me. I love him enough to swallow my pride and approach you. Just talk to him, that’s all I ask.”

  “Sorry, but I’m not interested.”

  “I’d hoped your mother—”

  “Leave my mother out of this!”

  “I sent her a Christmas card,” Aimee said. “I thought the best way to reach you was through her.”

  Roy stood up and leaned against his desk. “You sent my mother a Christmas card? Why would you do such a thing? How was she supposed to take that?”

  “I didn’t write anything in it. I just wanted her to know I don’t bear her any ill will.”

  Roy stared at Aimee, completely stupefied
. “Did it ever occur to you that she might be the one who bears ill will?”

  Aimee bit her pouting lower lip. Collagen injections? he wondered indifferently. “Not really.”

  “Thank God you never wanted to be her friend. I’d hate to think what you might have done if you’d actually liked her.”

  Aimee gave a little cry of dismay. “I didn’t do anything to her!”

  Despite his effort not to reveal his emotions, Roy felt himself clenching his jaw. “You stole her husband.”

  “I didn’t,” Aimee insisted. “Burton hadn’t been happy in years.”

  Roy ignored that. “Then my father cheated my mother in the divorce settlement. He took what should’ve been hers by hiding the money in offshore accounts.”

  “Burton would never do that,” Aimee said, shaking her head. The shimmering pale blond hair swung gently. Roy figured she was well aware of the effect.

  “Stay married to him,” he advised. “Now you know what he’ll do if a younger, sexier replacement comes along.”

  “Burton and I are deeply in love,” Aimee said. “Do you think it was easy coming here today? Well, it wasn’t. I thought—I hoped you’d at least listen to me, but I can see I was wrong.”

  “You can tell my father one thing,” Roy said angrily. “Tell him to—”

  “I don’t want to listen,” Shirley cried, and covered both her ears.

  “Me, neither.” Goodness followed suit. She hummed a special hymn to blot out the terse, angry words. When she felt it was safe, she lifted her hands from her ears.

  Mercy’s eyes were wide. “That boy has quite the vocabulary.”

  “You listened?”

  “Sure, why not? Aimee had it coming. That woman has some nerve, arriving out of the blue like that.”

  Shirley walked over to the door and peered out. “She’s gone now.”

  “Good riddance.”

  “What a mess,” Goodness said with a sigh. “I think she must genuinely love Roy’s father, otherwise she’d never have shown up at the office.”

  “She lacks discretion,” Shirley said sadly. “How could she possibly think that mailing Anne a Christmas card would help her cause?”

  “She’s feeling guilty.”

  “As well she should.”