Same Time, Next Year

by Debbie Macomber

  “Julie, I told you he’s got to be forty years old.”

  “You’re sure of this?”

  “No,” she said reluctantly. “But…I don’t know. I picture James sitting in front of a fireplace, smoking a pipe, with his faithful dog sprawled at his side.”

  “A basset hound, no doubt.”

  “No doubt,” Summer agreed with a laugh. James was wonderful—no argument about that—but she could never see herself falling for him. Nor would he be interested in someone like her. The man was a distinguished attorney, while she starred in a musical version of Beauty and the Beast at Disneyland. Working in the theater wasn’t an easy way to make a living, but Summer loved the challenge and the excitement.

  “You might be surprised,” Julie said again. The tone of her voice suggested that great things were going to happen for her friend this New Year’s Eve.

  * * *

  New Year’s Eve

  Summer freely admitted she was nervous about the rendezvous with James. She got to the gazebo nearly fifteen minutes early and was astonished to find him already there. He was sitting on the bench, the one they’d shared a year earlier. In that moment Summer had a chance to study him with fresh eyes.

  The first thing that struck her was that Julie was right.

  He was nothing like she remembered. Dignified and proper to the very back of his teeth, but there was something compelling about him. She recalled how Julie had wanted to know if James was handsome. If Summer were to answer that question now, she’d give an unequivocal yes. But he wasn’t handsome in a Hollywood sense. He certainly wasn’t boyishly good-looking like Brett, with his sun-streaked blond hair. But James Wilkens was appealing in a way that spoke directly to her heart. She knew from his letters that this was a man of conscience, a man of integrity, a man of honor. All at once Summer felt as if the oxygen had flown from her lungs.

  He saw her then and slowly stood. “Summer?” He sounded equally surprised. His eyes widened briefly.

  “Hello, James. I’m early,” she said, feeling guilty at being caught staring so blatantly. “I’m always early…it’s a family trait.”

  “I am, too.” He grinned. “Usually early, I mean.”

  Summer had been looking forward to this evening for weeks. There was so much she wanted to say, so much she had to tell him. All at once she couldn’t think of a single thing. “The streets are crazy,” she said in a hurried effort to make conversation. “I didn’t want to risk being late.”

  “Me, neither,” he said. “I hope you don’t mind, but I made dinner reservations.”

  “Thank you.” She stepped into the gazebo and sat down next to him.

  “So,” he said, as if he wasn’t sure where to start. “How are you?”

  Summer laughed lightly. “A lot better than I was last year at this time. I told you Brett got married, didn’t I?”

  “You wrote about it.”

  Summer rarely felt shy, but she did now. She owed James more than she could possibly repay. “Your letters were a godsend,” she said, “especially during the first few months. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”

  “You would’ve done just fine.” How confident he sounded, as if there was never a doubt that she’d get over her fiancé’s betrayal.

  “The first of every month, I’d run to the mailbox. Your letters were regular as clockwork and I counted on them.” It had become a ritual for her, an important part of her recovery.

  “I enjoyed your letters, too,” he said. Fireworks splashed across the night sky, momentarily diverting their attention. “Do you want to join in the festivities?” he asked.

  Summer shook her head. “Do you mind?”

  He smiled. “Actually I’m just as glad. The crowd got to be a bit much last year.”

  “I’m so glad you were there,” Summer said fervently. “You were like a guardian angel. You helped me so much that night.”

  “You helped me, too.”

  “Me? How?” Summer could hardly believe that.

  “It’s true,” James assured her. “Seeing your pain reminded me how far I’d come in the years since losing Christy.”

  “Was it worse knowing she’d married that sheriff?” Summer asked tentatively. For her, learning about Brett’s wedding hurt the most. Friends, under the guise of being kind, were more than happy to relate the details and what they knew about his bride. Every piece of information had cut like a knife.

  “Yes.”

  “Weren’t you angry?” she asked. How anyone could treat James in such a shabby manner was beyond her. To be engaged to a man as wonderful as James and then to secretly marry someone else was the most underhanded thing Summer had ever heard of.

  “I wasn’t angry at first, so much as depressed,” he said thoughtfully. “Anger came later. It’s the reason I took up squash. I worked out my aggression on the court. It helped.”

  Summer figured that was a sport an attorney would enjoy.

  “It must’ve been hard finding out Brett was married.”

  She lowered her gaze and nodded. “Other than the first few weeks after he broke our engagement, the day of his wedding was the worst. It seemed so completely unfair that he should be happy while I was hurting so terribly. If it was ever in me to hate him, it would’ve been then.”

  “And now?”

  “Now,” she repeated. “I certainly don’t hate Brett, but I don’t love him like I did a year ago. He was a big part of my life, and for a long time my world felt empty without him.”

  “Does it feel empty now?”

  “Not in the least. I’m happy, James, and I didn’t believe that would ever be possible.”

  “Then I was right. It took you a year.”

  She laughed. “I’m over him and happy to be with you tonight.”

  “There isn’t anyone I’d rather be with on New Year’s Eve.” He glanced at his watch and stood. “I hope you haven’t eaten.”

  “I didn’t. I only arrived a little over an hour ago, and I’m starved.” She’d been anxious about their meeting, so her appetite had been nil all day. Her stomach wanted to make up for lost time now.

  James led her into the Four Queens Hotel, weaving through the crowds gathered around slot machines and gaming tables. With several thousand people milling around outside, she’d assumed the casinos would be less crowded, but she was wrong.

  James took her hand then, gripping it firmly in his own. Summer was surprised by how good that felt. By the time they walked down the stairs to Hugo’s Cellar, an elegant, romantically lit restaurant, Summer felt as if she’d survived a riot. So much for all the effort she’d taken with her appearance. She thought she was fortunate to be in one piece.

  After a five-minute wait, they were escorted to a booth and presented with elaborate menus. Candles flickered gently, casting dancing shadows on the walls. The noise and bustle upstairs and on the street outside the casino were blessedly absent.

  They dined in leisure, shared a bottle of white wine and a calorie-rich dessert. They had so much to talk about—books, movies, world events, their families and more. James asked about her job at Disneyland and seemed genuinely interested in her budding career as an actress.

  When she learned he’d recently been appointed a superior court judge to the King County bench, she insisted on ordering champagne to celebrate.

  “You should’ve told me sooner,” she said. “It’s such wonderful news—so well-deserved.”

  “It’s just temporary,” James explained, looking uncomfortable. “I’ve been appointed to serve out the term of Judge Killmar, who had to retire for medical reasons.”

  Summer wasn’t sure he would’ve told her if she hadn’t asked him about his own hopes and dreams. Only then did he mention it was one of his lifetime goals to serve as a superior court judge.

  “You intend on running for the position yourself, don’t you?”

  “Yes,” he said. “But the primary isn’t until September, and the election’s in November. Th
ere’re no guarantees.”

  “You’ll win,” Summer told him with supreme confidence. Wagging her finger at him, she added, “And don’t give me that look. I can’t imagine anyone not voting for you.”

  James’s eyes met hers. “You’re good for my ego,” he said. She thought she heard him mutter “too good” under his breath but decided to ignore that.

  By the time they’d finished dinner, it was close to twelve. As they made their way out of the casino, someone handed Summer a foil crown and a noisemaker. She donned the hat and handed James the whistle.

  The New Year was fast approaching, which meant that her night with James was nearly over. She didn’t want it to be.

  The crowds had thinned out considerably after the fireworks display. They were standing on the sidewalk outside the Golden Nugget casino when a cheer rose from inside.

  “It must be midnight,” James commented and ceremoniously blew the noisemaker. “Happy New Year, Summer,” he said in a voice so low it was almost a whisper.

  “Happy New Year, James.”

  They stood facing each other, and then, as if this were the moment they’d anticipated all evening, slowly moved toward each other. Summer saw how James’s eyes darkened as her own fluttered closed. She wanted this. Needed it.

  She sighed audibly as his mouth settled over hers.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Summer was no novice when it came to kissing, but James left her breathless and clinging to him for support. She hadn’t expected anything like this. She’d expected them to lightly brush lips and then laugh and wish each other a happy New Year.

  It hadn’t happened like that.

  The instant James’s mouth was on hers, she’d gone languid. She was immobile, her arms locked around his neck and her body pressed intimately to his, her lips seeking more.

  Summer would’ve liked James to kiss her again. And again. She didn’t want it to end. But she didn’t know how to ask him to continue.

  Slowly, with what she thought might be reluctance, he released her. She stood there looking at him, arms dangling stiffly at her sides while her face reddened with embarrassment. She considered telling him she wasn’t usually this blatant.

  “Happy New Year,” James said. He didn’t sound like himself at all. He cleared his throat and swallowed visibly.

  “Happy New Year,” she whispered, and stepped away from him.

  James reached for her hand and held it in his own. Summer was grateful for his touch. They started walking, with no destination in mind, or none that Summer was aware of. She looked at James, wondering if he felt as confused and uncertain as she did. Apparently he did, because he grew quiet and introspective.

  “I believe I’ll call it a night,” he announced unexpectedly. He checked his watch and frowned. Summer suspected it had been a year since he’d last stayed up past midnight. He was so proper, so serious and sober. Yet she’d enjoyed every minute of her evening with him. They’d talked and laughed, or at least she’d laughed. James had smiled, and she had the impression he didn’t do that often, either. Every time he’d grinned, Summer had felt rewarded.

  Now she’d ruined everything. She couldn’t bear to know what he thought of her. An apology, words of explanation, stumbled over themselves, but she couldn’t make herself say them—because she wasn’t sorry about their kiss. She’d savored it, relished it, and hoped he had, as well.

  “I’ll call it a night, too,” Summer said. She waited, hoping he’d suggest they meet the following day. He didn’t.

  By the time they returned to the Four Queens, where they were both booked for the week, Summer was miserable.

  “James,” she said as they walked across the lobby. Either she apologized now or regretted saying nothing. “I’m sorry. I…don’t know what came over me. I don’t generally…I can only guess what you must think of me and…”

  “You?” He hesitated in front of the elevator. “I was wondering what you thought of me. I can only beg your indulgence.”

  The security guard asked to see their room keys before calling for the elevator. James easily produced his while Summer sifted through the contents of her oversize purse before finding hers.

  The elevator arrived, and they both entered. There was no one else inside. Still, James didn’t ask to see her again, and Summer’s heart grew heavier as they ascended. Her room was on the tenth floor, and his was on the fifteenth.

  The silence closed in on them. When the elevator stopped at her floor, the doors slid open, and James moved aside.

  Summer glanced at him expectantly. Okay, so he didn’t intend to see her again. It made sense, she supposed. A superior court judge wouldn’t be interested in dating an actress.

  “Good night,” she said brightly as she walked out of the elevator.

  “Good night, Summer,” James said softly.

  She hesitated, hoping he’d ask her at the last minute, but he didn’t. Discouraged, Summer trudged to her room, unlocked the door and went in. She sat on the edge of her bed, trying to sort out her muddled thoughts.

  When Summer had requested a week’s vacation, she hadn’t planned to spend every available second with James. She knew he’d taken the same length of time, and he’d probably been thinking the same thing.

  She slipped off her shoes and wiggled her toes in the thick carpet. If it wasn’t so late, she’d call Julie and tell her friend she was right. One evening with James, and she saw him in a completely different light. The moment she’d seen him in the gazebo that evening, she dismissed the father-figure image she’d had in her mind all these months. More than anything, that kiss convinced her James was more than a friend. What became of their relationship would depend on several factors, the most important of which was James himself.

  The phone on the nightstand rang, and Summer groped for it. “Hello?”

  “Summer, I’m sorry to bother you.”

  Her heart gave a sigh of relief. “Hello, James.”

  “I’ve got a rental car,” he said. “I know it might not be something you’d consider fun, but I thought I’d drive over to Hoover Dam in the morning. Would you care to join me?”

  “Why wouldn’t I consider that fun?” she asked.

  “I’m sure there are friends here your own age you’d prefer to spend time with and—”

  “Friends? I thought you were my friend.”

  “Yes, but I was thinking of friends closer to your own age.”

  His answer irritated her. “I’m not exactly sure what you’re insinuating, but if it is what I think it is, you’re wrong, James.”

  “Listen, Summer, all I want to know is if you’d like to join me in the morning.”

  That might have been his original question, but she wasn’t finished with what she had to say. “I took a week’s vacation, and I know you have several days. I don’t expect you to entertain me, if that’s what you’re worried about, because I can find plenty to do on my own.”

  “I see.”

  “And yes, there are any number of people my age in Vegas. There would be in any city. If you want my company, fine, but if you’d rather not see me again, I can accept that, too.” Not easily, but she’d do it and have a perfectly good week without him.

  He was strangely silent.

  “James? Are you still there?”

  “Yes. Are you always this direct?”

  “No, but I didn’t want there to be any misunderstanding between us. I value your friendship, and I don’t want it ruined because of something silly.”

  “Nor do I.” A short pause followed. “Forgive me for being dense, but I’m not sure I understood your answer. Are you going to Hoover Dam with me or not?”

  Summer had waited all evening for this kind of invitation, and now the words were almost anticlimactic. “Would you like me to come?”

  “Attorneys do this all the time, you know,” he said with a chuckle.

  “Do what?”

  “Answer a question with one of their own. Yes, Summer, I’d very much enjoy
your company.”

  “Great. When do you want to leave in the morning?”

  James told her, and they set a time to meet in the lobby. Summer replaced the receiver and lay back on the bed. She smiled to herself, eager for morning.

  * * *

  James hadn’t thought of himself as all that old, since at thirty-seven he was the youngest superior court judge in Washington State. Being with Summer, however, made him feel downright ancient.

  She was perfectly named. Being with her was like walking along Green Lake in the middle of August, when the air carried the scent of blooming flowers and sunshine warmed the afternoon. She shone with a summery brightness that made him feel content. More than content. Happy.

  James couldn’t remember any time he’d smiled more than during their dinner together. She’d told him about playing her role at Disneyland. Her joy and enthusiasm for her job bubbled over like champagne. He could have listened to her all night.

  She certainly hadn’t done all the talking, however, and to his surprise he’d found himself telling her about the ins and outs of his own position with the court and the upcoming election, which was vital to his career.

  His life was very different from hers. While Summer worked in the delightful world of fantasy, he struggled with the often cruel, unjust world of reality.

  Naturally he couldn’t give her any details about the cases he’d heard, but just talking about his short time on the bench had lifted his spirits considerably. It felt good to share his thoughts with her and he’d enjoyed her opinions and her sometimes unpredictable views.

  Then they’d kissed. Talk about sexual chemistry! For the life of him, James couldn’t explain what had happened when she’d slipped into his arms. He’d never intended the kiss to become that intense, but once he’d started, nothing could have stopped him.

  He’d been afraid his reaction had shocked Summer, but apparently that wasn’t the case. Later she’d apologized to him and James hadn’t known what to say. She seemed to think she’d done something wrong. She hadn’t. The truth was, she’d done everything right.

  The next morning James sat down in the lobby to wait for Summer. He was excited about this outing. He’d decided earlier not to invite her, feeling it would be unfair to dominate her time. She was young and beautiful, and he doubted she wanted to spend her vacation with a staid older guy like him.