Yuletide Defender

by Sandra Robbins

  His eyes softened. “I’m glad to know you cared whether or not I was hurt.”

  “Here’s your coffee.” The voice of the woman behind the counter kept her from replying. Opening her purse, she pulled some bills from her wallet and handed them across the counter. As she picked up the tray holding her coffee and pastries, her hands trembled. Matt leaned around her and brushed against her arm.

  “Just coffee for me.”

  As they stepped away from the counter, their purchases clutched in their hands, Rachel pointed to Mindy. “Want to join us?”

  Matt hesitated before he responded. “I’d better not. I told the pastor I’d meet him at the church this morning to help with some projects. I should be through by lunch. Don’t forget about our date tonight. I’ll pick you up about seven. If it’s okay with you, we can have a late supper after the ballet.”

  Rachel smiled. “That sounds great. Have a good day.”

  He smiled. “I will.”

  Rachel watched him go before she turned toward the table where Mindy sat, her arms crossed. Rachel eased into the chair across from her and set her pastries and coffee down.

  “What?”

  “You and Matt seemed awfully friendly.”

  Rachel sighed. “Matt’s a friend. You know I can’t get involved with a man.”

  Mindy propped her elbows on the table and held her coffee with both hands. Gazing over the top of the cup, she stared at Rachel. “How many times do I have to tell you that you can’t let Cara’s condition dictate how you live your life?”

  Rachel shook her head. “We’ve been friends since high school, Mindy. You of all people should know how I feel.”

  “I do, but I don’t think you’re being realistic about your situation.”

  Rachel wrapped her fingers around her cup and frowned. Leaning forward, she stared into Mindy’s eyes. “My father left us because he couldn’t deal with Cara’s disabilities, and I’m determined I won’t be like him. When my mother’s gone, I’ll be the only family that Cara has left. You can’t imagine what care for her can cost. In addition to medical costs there’s adult day care and all kinds of therapy—physical, occupational and speech. And who knows what the future holds? The money I’ve saved so far won’t be enough for the things she may need later on.”

  Mindy nodded. “I admire your devotion to your sister. But you can’t give up on your own life. Just because Justin demanded that you had to choose either your family or him doesn’t mean every other man is going to do the same. In your heart I know you want marriage and a family.”

  Rachel shook her head. “I’ve loved two men, my father and Justin, and both of them walked out on me because of Cara. I won’t go through that again. All I can think about is how I’m going to advance my career to make enough money to support Cara as she gets older.” Rachel took a sip of coffee and welcomed the burning heat. “No, I’ll have to leave love and marriage to others. I don’t need them.”

  Even as she voiced the words, her heart cried out that she was wrong. She did need love. In fact, she longed for it, but she had convinced herself years ago what she wanted didn’t matter. Cara was the important one. She had no one to take care of her but Rachel and their mother, and she’d promised her sister she’d always be there for her. If that meant ignoring feelings for Matt Franklin, she could do it. She might not want to but she had to make sure she didn’t become more involved with the man who affected her as none other ever had.

  Hours later Rachel stood in front of the full-length mirror in her bedroom and examined her reflection. The dress she wore had been given to her by her mother to wear to a dinner party her editor had given before Thanksgiving. At the time Rachel had felt self-conscious in the red chiffon with the flowing paneled skirt that fell from a sequined, fitted waist, but Mindy had assured her she looked great.

  Rachel ran her hands down the skirt and wondered if she should change. When she’d worn it before, the cross necklace had looked perfect with the squared neck and filmy sleeves. Now with the necklace gone, the neckline looked empty. She worried that the whole dress looked wrong, especially because of the way the sequins sparkled and the fabric swayed with her every move. Maybe she needed to wear something more conservative. After all, she wasn’t trying to impress Matt.

  She reached for the zipper in the back just as her cell phone rang. The caller ID flashed Mindy’s name.

  “Hello, Mindy.” She accented the name with a long sigh.

  A giggle sounded on the phone. “Don’t get dramatic with me. I know you. And right about now you’re beginning to question whether or not you need to change clothes. Am I right?”

  Rachel couldn’t help but laugh. “You know me too well. I was just about to take off my dress and put on something a little more conservative.”

  “That’s what I was afraid of. What are you wearing?”

  “The red chiffon my mother gave me.”

  “Meeeeeoow!” Mindy purred. “Perfect choice. The way you look in that dress ought to impress Matt.”

  “I’ve told you I’m not out to impress Matt.”

  “Well, whatever, the red dress is perfect for the ballet and dinner. Don’t you dare change. I know you look gorgeous.”

  “Mindy, I really think—” The ringing of the doorbell interrupted her. Rachel’s hand froze on the phone. “Oh, Mindy, he’s here. I don’t have time to put on anything else.”

  Mindy chuckled. “Have a good time, Rachel. And tell me all about it tomorrow.”

  “I will.”

  Rachel disconnected the call and glanced in the mirror once more. Rubbing her lips together, she checked her lipstick, picked up her jacket and headed to the door. When she opened it, Matt stood in the hall. His eyebrows shot up and his gaze traveled over her.

  His smile made her heart leap. “Wow! You look gorgeous.”

  Rachel’s face warmed and she ducked her head. “Thank you, kind sir.”

  He reached for her coat and held it while she slipped it on. As he pushed it on her shoulders, he leaned closer and she could feel his warm breath on her neck. “I’m glad you’re going with me tonight, Rachel.”

  She turned and stared into his eyes. “Thank you for inviting me.”

  He cleared his throat and crooked his arm. “Then let’s go.”

  She slipped her arm in his and they walked down the hallway to the elevator. As they waited, she turned to Matt. “This elevator can be slow at times. I’ve talked to the owner about moving to a first-floor apartment, but for the time being I’m stuck up here on three. What about you? Do you have an apartment or a house?”

  Matt turned his head away from her. “I live in a condo.”

  Rachel’s eyes widened. “A condo? There aren’t many of those in Lake City. Which one do you live in?”

  “Emerald Basin.”

  “Emerald Basin?” she said. “That’s a double-gated condominium community out toward the lake.”

  He reached over and punched the elevator button again. “I know.”

  Matt didn’t turn toward her and his profile appeared impassive. Emerald Basin? She couldn’t believe it. Only the wealthy lived there, not usually people who worked for the police department. She wouldn’t have been more surprised if he had told her he lived in a homeless shelter.

  She swallowed and tried to regain her voice. “Matt, why have you never told me you live in the most expensive area of the city?”

  He turned to her. The icy stare he directed at her chilled her. “I never thought it was important.”

  The elevator arrived and they stepped inside. Neither spoke all the way to the ground level or after they exited the building. Matt took her arm and steered her across the street to his car. She halted, surprised again, at the sleek, black sports car in front of them.

  “I-is this your car?”

  He bit his lip. “Yes.”

  She glanced up at him. “But I’ve never seen you drive this before.”

  “Every time you’ve seen me I’ve been in one of
the department’s cars.”

  He unlocked the door and held it open for her to climb inside. She snuggled into the leather seat as he slammed the door and stared in disbelief at the expensive sound system. The dials and knobs on the dash far outnumbered anything she’d ever seen. How did he ever remember what each one was for?

  As Matt scooted behind the wheel, she pulled her seat belt across her lap. “Nice car.”

  “Thanks. It was a birthday present. The condo was, too.”

  She caressed the smooth leather-padded dash. “Those are some kind of presents.”

  “Yeah, my mother likes to make a statement.”

  Rachel froze at the callous sound of his voice. “Does your mother live near here?”

  He cranked the motor. “No. I grew up in New York, on Long Island. She travels a lot. Haven’t seen her in over a year.”

  “You must miss her.”

  The muscle in his jaw constricted. “Yeah.”

  The sudden chill Matt emitted puzzled Rachel. She started to ask him something more about his mother, but one glance at his rigid facial muscles changed her mind. At a loss as to what had just happened, she glanced out the window at the side view mirror. The taillights of a car parked in a spot on the opposite side of the lot flashed as the driver prepared to back out. A security light nearby illuminated the vehicle. Rachel squinted to get a better view. Something looked familiar.

  Her eyes grew wide and her breath caught in her throat. The sight of a dent in the back fender and chipped paint across the trunk sent goose bumps racing down Rachel’s spine. It was the car the young man had driven away after following her from the Beacon’s lobby.

  Matt backed his car out and headed toward the parking lot entrance. Her puzzlement at Matt’s sudden silence vanished as the car pulled from its spot and followed them onto the main street.

  The car trailed behind with no attempt to pass on the four-lane street. She gripped the sides of her seat and swiveled to glance behind. The car maintained its steady distance.

  A few hundred feet down the road, a red light marked a major intersection. Maybe if the car pulled up beside of them in the adjacent lane she could tell if the driver was the same person she’d spotted at the Beacon.

  Before they reached the junction of the two streets, the light turned green and Matt drove on. Rachel twisted in her seat and glanced behind again. The car turned right and accelerated down the street. She caught a glimpse of the taillights disappearing in the distance and breathed a sigh of relief.

  Matt cast a sideways glance at her. “What’s wrong?”

  Maybe she should tell Matt about the strange young man and the car with the dented fender. One glance at his face told her this wasn’t the time. She could tell him later.

  “Nothing.”

  Had she been imagining it or was the young man in the dented car really following her? He could be a gang member. Perhaps a Ranger who wanted to put an end to her stories. Or he could be the sniper. And if he was, did he have a connection to the Santa who stole her purse?

  She frowned and shook her head. The answers to those questions would have to wait until later. Right now she wanted to concentrate on an evening at the ballet and dinner with Matt. From the moment she’d expressed surprise at where he lived and his car, his attitude had changed. She had no idea what she’d done, but something told her this would probably be their one and only date.

  NINE

  Matt couldn’t believe he was sitting across the table from Rachel in his favorite Italian restaurant. The dining area looked beautiful tonight with the huge Christmas wreaths decorating the walls and the candles on the tables casting a glow about the room. The soft tones of a flute accompanied by a piano vibrated through the room as the musicians performed a medley of Christmas carols. He’d wanted to bring her here for weeks but he’d put off asking her. Now here they were. He hoped she was enjoying the evening as much as he was.

  They’d gotten off to a shaky start at her apartment when he told her about his home and car. In the past when his family’s wealth had been revealed, dollar signs flashed in his date’s eyes and the questions began. Rachel hadn’t reacted that way. He wondered why.

  At the ballet, she’d appeared engrossed in the music and the dancers. When she did take her eyes off the stage, it was only to flash a happy smile in his direction. Now as he watched her, she closed her eyes, swallowed the last bite of her tiramisu and gave a moan of pleasure.

  After a moment she opened her eyes. “That is a delicious dessert.”

  He chuckled and picked up his coffee cup. “Does it rank up there with bear claws and cream cheese Danishes?”

  A scowl crossed her face and she shook a finger at him. “Don’t remind me of how many calories I’ve eaten today. It’s depressing to think of how many hours I’ll have to spend in the gym this week.”

  He laughed and set his cup down. “How did you enjoy the ballet?”

  Her face grew serious and she stared into his eyes. “It was wonderful. Thank you so much for taking me. I’ve never been to a ballet before.”

  His eyebrow arched. “Really? Never?”

  She shook her head. “In my family we never had money for extra things like the ballet or the theater. Sometimes I’d hear girls at school talking about going to see The Nutcracker and I’d wish that someday I would be able to do that.” She reached across the table and squeezed his hand. “Thank you for making my wish come true, Matt.”

  The touch of her hand made his skin tingle. He slipped his fingers from hers. “I’m glad I could be of help.”

  A hurt look flashed in her eyes for a moment before she tucked a strand of her blond hair behind her ear and sat up straighter. “I suppose things like the ballet were common in your family. From the look of your car and now knowing where you live, I’d say you must have had a very privileged childhood.”

  He nodded. “I suppose you could say that. My mother inherited a lot of money from her father, and she intended for her only child to have everything money could buy. She’s still that way.”

  Rachel’s eyes grew wide. “Wow. I can’t imagine how wonderful that would be.”

  He reached for his water glass and circled the top with his finger. “It’s not as good as it sounds. From the furthest time I can remember, my mother was never home. She was too busy with her social life. My father was off chasing the latest young woman who appealed to him. I had many nannies and staff to provide for me but they didn’t really care about me. I was just their job.”

  Her forehead puckered with a frown. “I’m sorry. I understand about someone not caring. My father left us when my sister, Cara, was born. He couldn’t deal with all her disabilities. We never heard from him again.” Tears glistened in the corner of her eyes. “I still can’t understand how he could turn his back on us and walk away like we were nothing. I could never tell you how difficult it was for my mother to provide for Cara and me.”

  His heart hurt at the agony in her words. “Well, your mother did a good job with you. Maybe I’ll get to meet your mother and Cara someday.”

  Her body stiffened and she sat up straighter. “Maybe. My mother is a wonderful person, but I worry about her. She’s getting older. I know that soon I’ll have to take over a lot of the responsibility of Cara. In fact, someday I’ll have the total care of her.”

  “Oh?”

  She took a deep breath. “Yes, and it’s expensive. My focus right now is to get a job that pays better. I need money for the future and I have to figure a way to get lots of it.”

  “Money’s not everything, Rachel.”

  She tilted her head to one side. “Not if you’ve always had it. To those of us who struggle to meet our daily obligations, it’s very important.”

  “I suppose so.”

  He laid his napkin on the table and motioned for the waitress to bring the check. There was no use prolonging this date. As much as he had hoped, there wasn’t a relationship in the future for Rachel and him.

  He tried
to ignore the ache that cut into his heart but it was impossible. From the first time he’d met Rachel, he’d known she was special, but her honesty about wanting to get more money concerned him. He’d been hurt before by women who were only interested in his family’s wealth, and he was determined not to go through that again. Much as he disliked the idea, perhaps it would be better if he and Rachel ended their friendship now before it got more complicated.

  Rachel watched Matt pull a wad of bills from his wallet and stuff them in the bill folder the waitress had left. He didn’t even appear to count out the money. Just stuck it inside as if he couldn’t wait to get it out of his hands fast enough. What was the matter with him? Twice tonight she’d watched his emotions close down. Once in the car and now in the restaurant. And both times they’d been discussing the luxuries that money provides.

  He glanced at her. “Are you ready to go?”

  She nodded and reached for her coat on the back of her chair before she remembered Matt had checked it with a hostess when they entered the restaurant. “I need my coat.”

  “I’ll get it for you if you want to wait in the lobby for me.”

  He turned and strode across the restaurant toward the coat check room. His rigid back and shoulders made her feel like a young child who’d been reprimanded over something she’d done, but she had no idea what it was.

  She walked to the front door and stared outside. Snow had fallen since they’d come in, and the sight of the changed landscape calmed her. As if on cue, the melody of “White Christmas” drifted from the direction of the musicians. A memory of pulling Cara around their yard on a sled on Christmas morning surfaced, and she smiled.

  Matt Franklin’s moods weren’t going to upset her. It was snowing and Christmas would soon be here.

  Matt stopped beside her and glanced out the doors. “Oh, it’s snowing. Why don’t you wait here while I get the car?”

  “Okay.”

  He held the coat for her to put on, but this time he didn’t lean forward as he had earlier. Rachel watched him leave and wondered if she would ever know the whole story about what had happened in Matt’s past to make his mood so changeable.