Quickly, Angie caught herself. Nick was a kind and handsome man, but staying home was only temporary. What if a job opportunity came from a different state? It was similar to how she had felt about working at the mall. What was the point in starting a new job as she hoped for another one? Though, no one had called her back about any job other than the mall. Comparing Nick to a job seemed strange, but could she be as open to something new with him as well?
Nick placed the box on the front seat, and she snuggled the cookie plate next to it.
‘Which one of these is your favorite?’ he asked.
Angie glanced at the house. The curtain moved again. ‘Those. Butterballs. I always leave those to Mom to make.’
‘Which ones did you make?’
‘The sugar cookies with red and green sprinkles.’
He lifted the plastic and picked one of the sugar cookies, biting into it. ‘This is good.’
Angie pressed her lips, holding back a smile. ‘Two cookies in one morning? You’re going to be on a sugar high all day.’
Nick chuckled. A warm sound. ‘Probably.’
‘I want to see the tree when it’s finished,’ Angie said, then realized she was inviting herself over to his place. ‘I mean, you can text me a picture.’
‘I’ll text you regardless,’ Nick said.
Angie couldn’t think of anything else to say. The logical response would be to tell him goodbye so that they could get on with their day. But the silence between them stretched on.
‘I don’t want you to be late for work,’ he said after a beat.
Angie snapped to the present. ‘Right. See you later.’
‘Definitely,’ he said.
As he drove down the street, Angie held onto that promise tight against her as if it would disappear into the wintry morning air.
***
That afternoon at lunch, Angie’s fingers trembled as she twirled the lo mein around her fork. During her shift, she had cut out almost fifty present silhouettes. She couldn’t wait for that task to be over.
Edward, one of the other security guards, offered to help her. But she didn’t think that was part of his job. Angie didn’t want Stuart to think she was slacking off. Besides, she wasn’t sure she appreciated the older gentleman’s wandering gaze each time they had a conversation.
Angie lifted another forkful of food into her mouth as she scanned the area. Nick knew she had work today, but would he come to the mall on his day off? She doubted it. They’d seen each other that morning, and he had a tree to decorate. There was no reason to think about him anyway. They were just friends.
With her fork, she stabbed a piece of chicken and shoved it into her mouth. She wished she didn’t think about Nick as much as she did. Next to Brett, Nick was such a breath of fresh air. He didn’t mind being in public with her for a start. Though, she wasn’t sure why she never thought that was a problem. When she and Brett were together, he had refused to allow her to post pictures of them together, claiming he was camera shy. Another red flag she had completely ignored.
With Nick, she hadn’t found anything suspicious. He was honest with her from the start and even agreed to be friends with her. Guys didn’t do that. Well, not the guys she dated. It was all in or nothing for them. It was nice not to have pressure with Nick, but she couldn’t help imagining spending Christmas dinner together. Her family already liked him, and that was a good sign.
‘Hey!’ Edward called out across the way. He charged over to a woman digging through the trash can. ‘You can’t be here.’ He spoke loud enough for people in the immediate area to turn to watch the confrontation.
The woman wore stained clothes with several holes and patches stitched into them. Her gray-streaked hair frizzed out under her hat, framing her pale, thin face.
Angie watched the exchange and had no idea why she slipped out of her chair and walked over to them.
‘I’m just looking for something I dropped,’ the woman said, avoiding his eyes. She shied away from his scowl.
‘You can’t hang around here unless you’re shopping,’ he said. ‘No loitering.’
‘She’s not loitering,’ Angie said, hearing the echo of her voice in her head.
‘Angie, let me handle this,’ he said.
‘No, Edward. I, uh, asked her to meet me here.’
He eyed the woman and then Angie. ‘You know her?’
‘Yes.’ The word came out before she could stop it. She had no business butting into the conversation, but a more protective side of her took over.
The woman tilted her head with as much confusion as Edward.
‘We’re having lunch together. I told her I dropped my, um, bracelet in the garbage. She was helping.’
‘I don’t know what’s happening here,’ Edward said, his gaze darting between the two of them.
‘Let’s go …’ Angie said, hoping the woman would help her out.
‘Hazel,’ the woman said to Angie, catching on.
Angie clapped her hands together. ‘Hazel. It’s fine. I came over to tell you it was attached to my coat. Silly me.’
‘Where is the bracelet?’ Edward asked.
‘The clasp broke,’ Angie said, unwilling to let Edward win this argument. ‘It’s in my purse.’
Edward chewed on his lip, considering her story. ‘Be sure to stop by Hayes Jewelry. They’re good. I got my wife’s ring from there. On discount.’
‘She’s a lucky woman,’ Hazel said flatly.
‘Well, I only have ten minutes left,’ Angie said. ‘See you later, Edward. Come on, Hazel. Let’s finish our conversation.’
Hazel limped behind Angie to the table.
When Angie sat, she waved at Edward who continued to stare after her.
‘You’re an angel,’ Hazel said, glancing at Angie’s food.
Angie handed over her extra egg roll. ‘Are you hungry? I’m stuffed and I haven’t touched it.’
Hazel snatched it from Angie and took a massive bite, the insides spilling from her mouth. ‘I appreciate you stepping in. I normally don’t come here on Sundays.’
‘No problem. But what’s wrong with the mall on Sundays?’
‘The friendly guy from the corporate office doesn’t mind me coming in here when I need a clean place to wash up, but he’s not usually here on Sundays. I’ll head back to the shelter when it opens around five.’
Angie shook her head. ‘You stay in a shelter?’
‘Don’t you fret over me, child,’ she said. ‘I’m tougher than I look.’
‘I don’t doubt that,’ Angie said.
‘You said you had to get back to work,’ Hazel said, licking the remains of the egg roll from her lips.
‘I do.’ Angie didn’t want to be anywhere but with Hazel.
‘You should head back then.’
Angie reached into her bag and pulled out a twenty-dollar bill. ‘Take this.’
Hazel nodded. ‘Thank you, child. I appreciate it.’
‘It’s all I have. I’m sorry …’
‘Don’t apologize to me. You’re truly kind. Like that young manager who normally keeps those mall cops away from me. Well, most of the time.’
‘I’m in the informational booth if you want to come by,’ Angie said.
‘I would like that, but I try and steer clear of security.’
‘I understand. Maybe I’ll see you around here again?’
‘You will.’ Hazel smiled, and Angie tried to. She ended up with a forced smile. Nothing about Hazel’s situation was ideal, but the woman seemed to be accustomed to it.
Angie lifted her tray and walked toward the garbage. The remains of lo mein on her plate glared at her as her stomach twisted. She was wasting food while Hazel didn’t look as if she had much. She turned around to bring it to her, but Hazel was gone.
The thought of Hazel rummaging around in the trash for food plagued Angie’s thoughts for the rest of the day. The conversation hadn’t gone on long, but she connected with the woman more than she would have
predicted. In the few minutes they spoke, Angie couldn’t help but feel her heart extend out to the woman and her situation.
Angie wondered about the corporate manager who helped Hazel by allowing her into the mall. That was someone Angie wanted to thank.
The twenty dollars wouldn’t buy Hazel much, and Angie wanted to do more for the woman. She decided that she was going to make it her business to keep an eye out for her and the other security guards. It wasn’t Edward’s fault about whatever loitering rules they had at the mall, but didn’t he see she needed help?
For the rest of her shift, she helped customers while searching on her phone for local homeless shelters. Angie wasn’t sure which one Hazel stayed at, but she wanted to donate time or resources. With no idea what they needed, she saved the phone number, unsure of what to do with it. Edward had already given her dirty looks when he came in for his water breaks. She doubted he liked her contradicting him while working.
He would have to deal with it. There were more important things in the world.
***
That night at the dinner table, Angie never felt as much gratitude for her life as she did sitting with a feast in front of her.
‘What’s on your mind, Angie? Are you thinking about Nick?’ her mom asked with a smirk.
‘Did he call you today?’ Emilia asked.
‘It’s not about Nick. I met this homeless woman today at the mall.’
Mom tutted. ‘I can’t imagine being out there in this weather.’
‘We were almost homeless,’ Donato said.
Maria put her utensils on the table. ‘When?’
‘So long ago,’ Emilia said. ‘Not even worth mentioning.’
‘It was before you and Gianni were born,’ Donato said looking at Maria. Uncle Gianni moved back to Italy years ago with Angie’s three cousins after his divorce. Other than Christmas cards and the gossip from her mother, Angie hadn’t heard about him for a while. ‘We didn’t have much money, and our landlord threatened to kick us out. It was a good thing he liked Emilia’s cooking.’
Emilia preened. ‘I made gravy for him for almost two months until Donato got another job at the factory.’
Maria scowled. ‘How did I not know this?’
‘Don’t get huffy with me,’ Emilia said. ‘It was a part of our lives we wanted to forget. Aren’t you happy you have this house?’
Maria and Emilia spoke over each other until they were a cacophony of frantic speech: her mother in English and Emilia with intermittent Italian.
Donato touched Angie’s hand with his thick one. ‘It’s not easy for those in shelters. I have several veteran friends from the club who were homeless one or more times. God help them.’
Help them.
Those words stuck with Angie as they finished dinner and cleaned up. Emilia and Donato went to their room to change for bed while Angie filled the dishwasher.
‘I wish there were something I could do,’ Angie said, thinking of her nonni homeless. She put Emilia in Hazel’s position, and a sadness swooped through her.
‘What are you thinking?’
‘I have no idea. I gave her money, but I don’t know how long that can last. She needs help, long-term.’
Angie’s phone pinged, and a text came through.
‘Is that Nick? Maybe he can convince you to stick around longer.’
‘Ma, we’re friends.’
‘It’s him,’ she said. ‘I have a sense about these things.’
In the body of the text, a beautiful tree stared back at her. The white lights looked like miniature stars with the dark windows in the background. A familiar dog sat in front of the tree with her tongue lolling out.
Where are the ornaments?
I thought you could come by and help. I’m afraid of breaking them.
She started to type, ‘Don’t be’ and then hesitated. Nick had offered her the opportunity to see him again. While a part of her didn’t want to encourage anything with him, Angie couldn’t force her finger to press SEND.
‘Looks good,’ Maria said over Angie’s shoulder.
‘It does,’ Angie said, tilting her phone toward her so Mom couldn’t read his invite.
‘You know I tease you about Nick, but I want you to be happy.’
‘I’m happy here,’ Angie said, though she couldn’t imagine Hazel feeling the same way as she shared a room with strangers.
‘Let us be grateful for what we have,’ Maria said, squeezing Angie’s hand. ‘You’re a good person, Angie. That’s why you deserve the world. If you’re supposed to help this woman, the answer will come.’
Angie hugged her mother. ‘I hope so.’
Maria turned to wash her hands at the sink when Angie looked at her phone again. This time, she didn’t hesitate with her response.
Tomorrow night works. Send me your address.
Chapter 10
Before starting work the next morning, Nick stopped at his father’s office. Quinn had his tie undone and his glasses on the edge of his nose as he peered at the computer screen.
Quinn glanced at Nick then back to his computer. ‘Come in, son. How was your date the other night?’
Nick leaned against the door frame. He wanted the conversation to be quick and to the point. ‘The date you tricked us into?’
‘You didn’t enjoy it?’
‘She’s nice, but I wish you didn’t do it that way.’
‘I know you. You wouldn’t have gone.’
‘Since when have you cared about my love life? Didn’t you call Molly a “distraction”?’
Quinn sat back in his chair, crossing his arms. ‘Ivy is a smart and successful woman. I thought it would be a positive change for you.’
‘It’s a little weird to be set up by your dad.’
‘It’s better than those ridiculous apps.’
‘Next time just be honest.’
‘Next time? I thought you said you liked her.’
‘We’re not interested in each other.’
‘You can’t even give it more than one date?’
‘This is a little weird, Dad.’
‘Don’t miss out on something good because you’re scared.’
‘I’m not scared. It’s our busy season, Dad. You know that.’ Nick hated to use work as an excuse, but it was the only language Quinn would understand. It might even make him see that it wasn’t going to work out the way he wanted.
‘She understands busy. Just give it a shot.’
Nick was done with the conversation. ‘Is there anything else?’
‘I’m sending over the reports for this week. I need you to review them.’
‘Now?’
Quinn eyed him over the rim of his glasses. ‘Unless you have somewhere else to be? I want these in by the end of the day.’
Nick turned, knowing the conversation was over, but only for a little while. He trudged to his office and took his jacket off, preparing to dive into work.
From the detailed notes on the reports, Quinn had put in late hours over the weekend. Nick’s email went off every few minutes with more to-do’s. It was as if he didn’t want Nick to have an opportunity for distraction.
But the scheduled lunch with his dad in the conference room loomed over him. After the conversation from that morning, he hoped Quinn wouldn’t push the issue with Ivy.
With that in mind, Nick didn’t go until the last possible second, not caring if he was late. Nick waited for the opportunity to mention the workload he had after just one weekend.
Each year, his father obsessed more about the company, but this was by far the worst. A widening pit of dread expanded in Nick’s stomach. What was he not telling Nick?
When he reached the conference room, Quinn was already digging into his salad. He barely looked up as Nick walked in.
‘Shut the door,’ he said, not looking up from his laptop.
‘Is this a working lunch?’ Nick asked as he shut the door.
‘There’s no time for downtime.’
; ‘Is everything all right?’ Nick said, flipping the plastic top off his salad. There wasn’t as much chicken as Nick had wanted, but he supposed after binging on Mrs Martinelli’s cookies his stomach could use some greens.
‘Nothing is ever all right. We have to strive for better.’
‘There isn’t anyone else in the room other than me,’ Nick said. ‘You don’t have to be “on”.’
‘What are you talking about?’
‘Never mind.’
Quinn sighed and closed his laptop. ‘Did you talk to Ivy today?’
Apparently, his idea of small talk was pushing his agenda with Ivy. ‘No, Dad. Why do you care so much?’
‘Because you two are compatible. Aren’t you looking for someone to spend the holidays with?’
‘I’d like to spend Christmas with my family.’
‘You’re coming to our house. Feel free to invite her. I can have your mother reach out to Jared.’
‘My family, Dad.’
Quinn blinked as if not catching on to his meaning.
‘David, Theresa, your two grandkids.’
Dad shook his head, stabbing the vegetables in front of him with his fork. ‘I don’t want to talk about that.’
‘Because it makes you uncomfortable. How do you think David feels that you’re taking away the opportunity for his family to know you?’
‘He betrayed my trust, Nick.’
‘By following his heart. You can’t fault someone for that.’
Dad’s attention snapped to Nick. ‘That’s enough. I don’t want to discuss this.’
‘Fine, Dad. But I’m not just going out with Ivy because you want me to. I’m a grown man with my own life.’
‘Are you seeing someone else? Is that the problem? Who is she?’
Nick was usually on his game. He could have reacted quicker. Angie didn’t want anything more. But the possibility of it made him answer seconds too late. ‘No.’
‘Who is she?’ Quinn pressed.
‘You don’t know her.’ In a way, he wanted to pull back a little from his father and show him up.
Quinn rarely showed an interest in Nick’s love life other than to criticize. Nick wanted to keep Angie in a little bubble for as long as possible before his father barged in and burst it.
‘Why not?’
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