Angel Kisses

by Verna Clay

  Lucinda faked laughter. "He wanted a shave."

  Angel paused in stirring and grinned. "Yeah, right. What he wanted was time alone with you. He's completely smitten by you. I've seen him date a lot of women, but never become focused on just one, like he has with you. He's a wonderful man."

  Lucinda chanced a personal question. "What about you? You and Harris seem like a perfect match."

  Angel's gaze never wavered when she answered. "At one time, I thought the same thing, but–" her gaze strayed away, "I don't think that now." She returned to stirring.

  Lucinda decided not to pry. She had a feeling Eli was the man Angel loved, but she wasn't about to open that can of worms since there was still tension between them.

  Angel said, "Homemade chicken noodle soup in five minutes. Do you want some?"

  "Sure. I just need to check my emails. I'll be right back." She escaped to her room, closed the door, leaned against it, and shut her eyes against tear pricks. She also made a decision to leave the next morning while Eli, Angel, and Harris met with one of his sponsors in the other motorhome. She would leave without saying goodbye and write a note making up an excuse for her hasty departure. Of course, they wouldn't believe her, but at least she could get away without facing Harris. Besides, it was doubtful she'd ever see any of them again. It was time to move on to another assignment.

  As planned, she called an Uber driver the next morning as soon as Angel left for her meeting. She instructed the driver to wait at the entrance to the park and then placed her note on the table. With a final sad glance at the RV that had been her home for weeks, she slipped out the driver's door and stealthily made her way to the front entrance. Her ride arrived within minutes and she said, "Airport, please."

  Chapter 28: Departure

  Angel, with Eli beside her, broke the news of Lucinda's departure to Harris and handed him the note she'd left behind. He read it, crumpled it, and said, "Family emergency, my ass! I moved too fast! I knew she was skittish, but I ignored my gut instinct to slow down. She didn't leave because of some emergency; she left because of me!" He tossed the ball of paper toward his trash can and made a perfect basket. "As soon as I'm back on my feet, I'm going after her." He closed his eyes and Angel glanced at Eli. He was glaring at her. She ignored Eli and said, "Harris, do you want me to call her or anything?"

  "No, but thanks. I'm the only one who can straighten this out."

  She glanced again at Eli's angry expression before saying, "I'll see ya'll tomorrow."

  She was halfway to her RV when she heard Eli call out. "Angel, wait up."

  She turned to see him striding toward her and her heart started pounding. Did he want to make amends? His question, however, quashed any hope of reconciliation. She could see he was still angry when he stopped in front of her. He said, "Looks like you've been given the perfect opportunity to comfort Harris. Lucinda's questionable retreat may turn out in your favor."

  Angel couldn't believe his outrageous remark and reacted instinctively by thrusting her hand out and slapping him. "You're such an ass!" She whirled around and ran to her RV and he did nothing to stop her. Safely inside her bedroom, she peeked out the window to see he was still standing outside staring after her. She glanced at her stinging palm and burst into tears.

  Two days after striking Eli, Angel delivered lunch to Harris. She knocked on his door and waited for him to call her inside. As soon as she walked in he said, "Don't move. I want to guess what's under that warmer" He inhaled long and deep and said, "Meatloaf and potatoes, green beans simmered with pork chunks, and cornbread."

  She laughed. "That's amazing. How did you know?"

  "I have a nose for food. Besides, you've cooked it before and I memorized the smells."

  "Well, you're almost right; its collards with ham hocks."

  "That sounds just as delicious. Bring it on."

  While Angel settled the tray on the bedside table, she felt Harris studying her. Before she could say goodbye, he motioned to the end of his bed. "Have a seat. I want to ask you something important."

  "O-kay," she said slowly.

  He reached for his cornbread and chomped a bite. Chewing, he said, "Tell me what's going on between you and Eli. Whenever you're in the same room I could cut the tension with a knife." He chomped another bite. "And don't hold out on me, you're no good at lying."

  Angel remained mute and stared at the floor.

  Harris cut into his meatloaf but didn't put the bite in his mouth. "Well?" he prompted.

  She said, "You really don't want to know."

  "Yes, I really do. Spill the beans, Angel. Were you and Eli having an affair?"

  She jerked her eyes to his and he exclaimed, "Aha, I knew it."

  She moved her gaze past him to the window and finally said, "You might as well know the truth because you're part of the problem." She again met his gaze.

  He paused in lifting his bite of meatloaf. "I'm listening."

  Angel swallowed and took a deep breath. "Since I was a child, I fancied myself in love with you. When I drove to the rodeo in Houston it was to tell you how I felt and ask if you thought we had a chance…" she paused, "…a chance to become more than friends."

  Harris merely said, "Hmm."

  "But when I arrived, Eli asked if I wanted to join your team. Of course, I jumped at the chance because it would give us time together. My hope was that you and I…" Her voice trailed. "Well, you get the picture."

  Harris placed his fork on his plate, leaving his food untouched. He mused, "But it didn't work out that way because you fell in love with Eli."

  "That's right. In the beginning I had hoped that you would see me in a different light, but the truth is I saw Eli differently."

  "So what put you at odds with each other?"

  Angel blinked rapidly to forestall tears. "The day after Eli and I drove your mom home we went to his cabin to relax and, well, we ended up spending the night together." She studied a crease in her jeans and smoothed it out, not looking at Harris. "I was so happy that Eli and I had finally connected and when he said he'd always loved me, it was like all the dots in my life finally connected." She became silent.

  Harris gently prodded, "So what changed everything?"

  "I had a dream." She smiled sadly, still smoothing the crease in her Levis. "In the dream I was about to tell you I loved Eli and that my feelings for you had been a girlish crush carried over into adulthood. But I guess in my sleep I called out your name and Eli heard it. He thought I wanted him to be you." She sniffed and used her finger to brush away a tear. "He was so angry that he wouldn't let me explain. And then I got angry, too. And that's how things have been since then." She exhaled and blinked rapidly. "And, well, last night he made me so mad that I slapped him. I've never slapped anyone in my life and I feel awful."

  She glanced up to see Harris studying her. Finally, he said with a slight smile. "I'm sure he deserved it. So what do you plan to do now?"

  "Nothing. As soon as you're back on your feet, I'm going home. I received a great job offer from a manufacturing firm in Dallas that specializes in solar products, and I'm thinking about taking it." She reached and placed her hand on Harris' knee. "Promise you won't say anything about this conversation to Eli, please," she begged.

  Harris remained silent.

  "Promise me!"

  Grudgingly, he said, "Okay. I promise. But if you tell him what you just told me, he'll be ecstatic and the two of you can live happily-ever-after."

  "No. I don’t want to be with a man who forms erroneous conclusions because he won't listen to me." She stood to leave but at the door turned and asked, "Why are you so happy since you were so down in the dumps after Lucinda left?"

  Harris grinned. "She only ran because she's falling for me, and when I'm back on my feet, I'm going after her." He thumped his chest. "Harris Brightman doesn't give up without a fight."

  Chapter 29: Sorry

  Lucinda was surprised that Harris didn't try to contact her after her secretive
departure. She'd expected him to call and scold her, but now, three weeks later, more than surprised, she was hurt. Obviously, he'd been playing her for a fool. She'd just been another conquest to add to his groupies. However, in her heart, she knew that wasn't true. Harris didn't do the "groupie" thing. He was a man of character and honesty—qualities she was lacking.

  Flipping through the Sunday newspaper while waiting for her morning coffee to brew, she came to the section that would carry her piece on Harris the next Sunday. She shivered with dread. She was about to do something that would catapult her career, but leave Harris and his family vulnerable. She hadn't slept well in weeks, worrying about the outcome.

  She heard the coffeepot sputter as the last of the water filled the carafe and went to pour a cup of the extra strong brew. Taking her cup to the deck off the bedroom in her third floor apartment, she sank into a plastic chair overlooking a block of apartments. Her ideal location would have been any place with a view of Puget Sound, but those residences were way over her budget. She barely made ends meet now, which was another reason she needed the article on Harris and his family to be published. Her raise was contingent on the article.

  Opening the book she'd grabbed from her bedside table on the way outside, she flipped to the back and scanned some original quotes from a diary that had been reproduced by the author, Harris' mother. The book was The Gift, written under Tooty's pen name of Anna Belle.

  Monday, March 27, 1865

  Each day has been a battle to keep the soldier alive. Sometimes, I can't seem to feel his heartbeat and I fear he has gone to heaven, for surely heaven will be his home after suffering so much in this life. We've had to pour liquor on his wounds several times because of the infection. Although he tries not to yell, the pain is too much and he does. Tears fall from his eyes and he brushes them quickly away. Afterward, I run outside and cry until my eyes hurt, then I return to sit beside him and stroke his face and hair with a cool cloth. Sometimes he opens his eyes and I'm blessed to see their blueness.

  She closed the book and tears gathered. Harris, like his ancestors, was honorable and principled, and he truly cared about others. She couldn't betray him or his family. Not even for her career. Not even for money. First thing in the morning, she would beg her editor to scrub the piece as it was written and tell him to forget the raise. She would rewrite the article today and give him the new version tomorrow.

  Harris pulled on his Levis. His forearm was still in a cast, but it no longer hurt so he could use it for most tasks. As for his ribs, they still hurt if he turned a certain way, but his lung had healed and he felt great. He hummed as he dressed because he was about to catch a flight to Seattle to confront Lucinda. He was going to reprimand her and then kiss her senseless.

  There was a knock on his door and Eli entered without waiting for a reply. Harris was about to pull on his T-shirt when he saw Eli's ashen face. Concerned, he said, "You okay, bro? You look like hell."

  His brother handed him a newspaper. "Before you leave for Seattle you better read this." He laid the paper on Harris' bed and left the room without explanation. Harris glanced at the paper as foreboding skated up his spine. Under the section LIFE AND STYLE from the Seattle Daily was written, The Secret Life of Rodeo Star Harris Brightman. Harris searched for the byline, already knowing what he'd find: Lucinda Bergamot. He sat on his bed to read.

  Halfway through the article he wanted to puke. Lucinda had exposed everything about his mother's illegitimate pregnancy at sixteen, his birthfather, his famous adopted father, and even the unexpected meeting between his mother and birthfather.

  He read the entire article and then dropped the paper to the floor. His family's "dirty laundry," so to speak, had been aired before the world. His throat closed up and tears pricked his eyes. Lucinda had betrayed him, and in the process, he'd betrayed his family.

  Eli stepped back into the doorway and Harris lifted teary eyes to his brother's concerned expression. "She betrayed us," he said flatly. Then his emotions took over and he slammed the fist of his casted arm into the headboard. The pain made him gasp, but he didn't care. He started to do it again, but Eli rushed forward to grab his arm. "No!" he shouted. "That won't help anything." He sat beside Harris.

  Harris hung his head in misery. After a minute he reached for his cell phone and speed dialed his father. Miles answered on the first ring. "If you're calling about the article, I've already read it. I got a call from my agent and he sent me a link to the story online."

  Harris could barely speak, but he managed to choke out, "I'm so sorry, Dad. I had no idea she was such a snake. I don't know how she discovered all this, but I should never have let a reporter travel with us. My ego is to blame." Then he released a sob.

  "Harris…Harris…Harris!"

  Catching his breath, Harris said, "I'll make her pay for this, I'll ruin her career–"

  Miles interrupted, "You'll do no such thing, son. Your mother and I always knew that someone might dig this up, so we're not devastated. In fact, for many years we got used to being tabloid fodder, so this is just a little bump in the road. We'll weather it just fine. And you shouldn't feel guilty because…just a minute." He paused. "Your mother is about to grab the phone from me if I don't hand it over." Harris heard his father say, "Okay, Tooty, here, talk to our son." A moment later his mother said, "Harris, the last thing we want is for you to blame yourself. You're a good man and, frankly, it's almost a relief not to wonder if someone's going to discover our past and print it. In fact, Lucinda did a rather nice job in her piece."

  Harris couldn't believe his mother's words and gaped at Eli.

  "What?" Eli asked.

  He just shook his head. His tears had dried and he reiterated to his mother how sorry he was, but she'd have none of it. Before returning the phone back to his father she said, "Son, we've gone through a lot in our lives and this is just a minor hitch. Eventually, it will pass like everything else."

  Harris spoke to his father a minute longer before hanging up. After relaying the gist of the call to Eli, he promised, "I'll never forgive Lucinda."

  There was a knock on his open door and he glanced up to see Larry smiling at him. "Hey, how're you feelin'?" Larry's smile disappeared when he saw the brothers' expressions. He frowned when he saw the newspaper on the floor. "What's happened?"

  Harris patted the bed beside him. "Have a seat, Larry. You're not going to believe this." Larry tentatively sat and Harris reached for the paper, handing it to him. Throughout the reading Larry often spewed cuss words, and when he finished, he let loose with a string of creative profanities. Finally, he said to Harris and Eli, "What do we do now?"

  Harris replied, "We weather the storm."

  Lucinda stared at Sunday's LIFE AND TIMES spread across her kitchen table. All her cajoling and begging had been for naught. The original article had been printed anyway. She picked up her cell phone several times to call Harris and apologize, but couldn't bring herself to do so. She was a coward—a lowlife coward—and now Harris and his family were suffering. She hated herself and she hated the newspaper she worked for. She was going to quit even though she had little savings and would probably end up living out of her car. She stared at the picture of Harris smiling so charmingly at the end of a bronc ride and whispered, "I'm so sorry."

  Chapter 30: Home

  The newspaper write-up took a toll on Angel, Harris, Eli, and Larry when the phone started ringing the day of its release, and never stopped. And when a tabloid reporter showed up at the RV park, Harris suggested it was time to head out. Angel agreed, and so she, Harris, and Eli returned to Paxtonville, while Larry headed back to his apartment above the bar and his old job. He said he would work early mornings to avoid people, and if he got recognized from his photos in the paper, one from his rodeo days and the other a current one, he'd take to the road for awhile.

  After being home a week, Angel rarely ventured outside. The article on Harris had been picked up by the tabloids, as well as reputable newspapers, i
nternet sites, radio, and was even aired on some television stations. She was often recognized from her picture in the article and approached by curiosity seekers. Reporters coming to Paxtonville invariably ended up at the local coffee house, Dixie's Cuppa Joe, so Angel stopped going there. Most of the locals, however, refused to sling dirt on the Brightman family and when Tooty's parents, the Townsends, were approached, Mr. Townsend called the police saying he was being harassed.

  Now, taking solace in her father's barn, she sat on a hay bale and thought about the letter she'd penned to Hannah the day before in which she'd poured her heart out.

  Dearest Hannah,

  You won't believe what's happened. As you know, things took a crazy turn when I arrived at the Houston Rodeo to confront Harris with my feelings for him, and ended up being hired as Eli's assistant in the management of Harris' career and the many sponsorships and charities they're involved in. And, believe me, it's quite a task. But something unbelievable has happened. Something that held promise for the future, but ended in sadness.

  I guess I should backtrack and fill you in. Over the course of the past few months I have worked closely with Eli. And during that time I gradually fell in love with him. Believe it or not, Harris took a backseat in my heart, because it wasn't him I looked forward to seeing each day. It was Eli. He's a wonderful man! I've always known that, and, frankly, took him for granted.

  Anyway, to make a long story short, he purchased a cabin that sits atop a mountain and I've been there a couple of times with him. This last time, early one morning before daylight, I heard him walk onto the deck and for the longest time debated about whether to join him. Finally, I did, and in a moment of clarity, I realized how much he meant to me. I realized that I had been infatuated with Harris, but I truly loved Eli.