“I look forward to it.” And to learning more about Annie by seeing her with her folks. And in the house she grew up in. She still had that tie to her childhood. She was one of the lucky ones.
“Different, I expect, from your family traditions,” she said.
Nick nodded. “I haven’t had Christmas with family in almost fifteen years. It was never the same after my mother died. That first Christmas we felt so lost. By the next Christmas, my dad had remarried and began making new traditions.”
Annie felt a wave of sadness. She couldn’t imagine not spending holidays with her family. Didn’t he get lonely?
That was one question she wasn’t going to ask.
They ordered a to-go meal for Roger when they were almost finished. By the time it was ready, they were ready to leave.
It was snowing lightly when they left.
“I’ll take you home and then get Roger his dinner,” Nick said as he backed out of the parking slot.
Annie had hoped to spend more time with him tonight, but with the snow, who knew how the roads would be later.
“I enjoyed the dinner, both the food and the company,” she said. It was a night she’d cherish in her memories down the road. She was falling more and more in love with the man who would be leaving soon. She should know better. Hadn’t Jack’s leaving left a big hole in her heart?
But she didn’t seem to have any control over this. She could cut all ties now, instead had invited him to share Christmas Day with her. Never seeing him again would be hard enough in January, she was not going to rush the end of their time together.
Ironic, all the men in Lamberton she could fall for and she was a two time loser in the romance department. Why was she attracted to men who wanted more than this small town could offer?
They swung by the apartment to pick up the dog. When they reached the apartment building, Nick walked her to her door making a short detour for Lucky.
“Are you going to the potluck Christmas Eve?” he asked as she retrieved her key from her purse.
“Of course. Did you want to go?” she asked, slightly surprised.
“I want to see everything Lamberton has to offer. Since it’s a potluck, I thought I’d bring deviled eggs. It’s one thing I know how to make.”
“Sounds yummy. It starts at six, but people start arriving by five-thirty to set up the tables. Plus the early birds get the best tables.”
“There are best tables?”
“Near the doors. It gets hot when that room is full and being near the door allows us to open it from time to time to cool things down.”
“There’s more to this than I expected. Can I give you a lift?”
“Sure. Thanks again for tonight.” Annie didn’t know whether to just enter her apartment and close the door or tilt her face as if inviting a kiss.
She didn’t have to make that decision. Nick drew her into her arms and kissed her as if it were the most natural thing. She cherished every single second. Her emotions were spinning. Her imagination ran wild. What would it be like to see him every day? To kiss him whenever she wanted?
“I better get those ribs home to Roger,” Nick said when he ended the kiss. But he still held her, as if reluctant to let her go.
“He can reheat them,” she murmured, smiling up at him. Her heart raced. Blood pounded in her veins. She loved this amazing man. She didn’t want him to leave ever.
And for once Lucky seemed content to sit at their feet and watch them.
“Good night.”
She watched him walk down the hall before letting herself into her apartment.
As she was getting ready for bed a short time later, she wondered if she was destined to remain alone for her life.
Or maybe it was time to give thought to leaving.
She sat on the edge of the bed in stunned reaction. Leave Lamberton? She loved it here.
But did she love Nick more?
Where had that come from? She loved Nick. But she hadn’t a clue how he felt. Was he just glad to have someone to spend time with while here? Or was he coming to care for her?
Or just waiting until he could return to work?
She sighed. She hadn’t loved Jack enough to go to Chicago. What made her even think she could leave Montana and move to Africa? And not just a house in a village, but one disaster area after another.
Did doctors in D.B. have families that traveled with them?
She shook her head, rose and went to brush her teeth. She was crazy in the head to even think about it. Nick had done nothing to show her he’d ever ask her to go with him.
A few kisses didn’t mean a life-long commitment.
But her heart didn’t know that. It longed for more time with Nick. More involvement. Intimacy.
Once in bed, sleep was hard to come by. Between reliving the kisses they’d shared and fretting over the future, Annie tossed and turned well into the small hours of the morning.
Christmas Eve was a cold day. The snow that had fallen earlier in the week had been cleared from the roads, but clung to everything else. The temperatures never rose above zero and the wind chill made it almost impossible for anyone to remain outside for very long.
Nick had curtailed his walks, staying close to the condo for a quick return. He was starting to feel antsy with the inactivity, but it was so cold outside, there wasn’t much to do.
He took Roger to the hospital on the fourth day to get the walking cane. It’d make things a lot easier for them both.
Lamberton had a small hospital. Any major needs were handled by the larger facility in Missoula. But this one had the basics. While Roger was being treated, Nick asked for a tour. Giving his credentials, he was ushered to the director’s office. After chatting with the man for a few minutes, Nick was given a behind the scenes tour of the facility. He was impressed with all the equipment and procedures in place. What he wouldn’t have given to have something like this for some of the assignments he’d been on.
The people he met, nurses, technicians and physicians, were friendly and obviously liked their jobs. He and his escort ended up back in the waiting room for orthopedics where Roger was waiting.
“Sorry, I asked for a tour,” Nick said. “Have you been here long?”
“No, but I still am on crutches because the cast needs to harden before walking on it. Bummer, I thought I’d walk out of here.
“It’ll harden soon enough. Come on, I’ll buy you lunch.”
“Anything to get out of here and not go home right away. Do you mind driving down Main Street so I can see what it looks like this year. Most years I spend in the tropics, but I might as well see what it has to offer in case I decide to stay home another Christmas. Not that I decided to stay home for this one. That was decided for me.”
Nick laughed. “Maybe it’ll do you good.”
“Just drive,” Roger grumbled.
After seeing all the decorations and commenting on them, Roger said he was hungry. They went to the café Nick knew. When they entered several customers called greetings to Roger. He returned them, stopping at a table or two to catch up with friends, explaining the cast.
Nick sat at a table and watched his cousin interact with friends. A pang of envy hit him. Roger had it all. Friends, a job he loved, a community to share his life with.
What did he have? Another assignment pending, colleagues whom he’d know for a short time and then they’d go their separate ways. Sometime reconnecting in another locale, sometimes never seeing them again.
It has been exciting when he started. Heck, even five years ago.
But now?
For a moment he looked into the future. How many more years could he give constantly traveling. Constantly putting his life at risk with disease and catastrophe?
“Hey, did you zone out?” Roger sat down opposite him.
“What?”
“I said Phil and I are going to go back to his place after lunch. That okay with you? Do you want to hang out with us?” Roger asked.
“Okay. Let’s order. By the time we finish lunch the cast should be solid and I can walk out of here without crutches.”
“You know when you do start walking on it, your leg is going to hurt even more as it heals,” Nick said.
Roger nodded. “So I was told. I want the Reuben, what are you going to get?”
The cousins soon had their orders. Phil joined them before they finished. He’d finished his lunch already and was waiting for Roger.
Introductions were made and Phil asked Nick about his work. Nick explained briefly, which satisfied the other man.
The afternoon stretched out before him when Roger and Phil took off. Giving in to impulse, Nick drove to Annie’s nursery.
It was bitterly cold when he climbed out of the car. Walking into the nursery, he looked around but didn’t see anyone. Going back to the office, he knocked and then entered. Lucky immediately jumped up and ran over to him, tail wagging furiously.
“Hi,” Annie said, smiling up at him from behind her desk. “I didn’t know you were coming over. Did you need something?”
“Just a puppy fix, I think. I miss the little guy. He doing okay at your place?”
“It’s hard these last couple of days because it’s so cold outside. I can’t just let him out like you can at the condo, so I’m constantly telling him to hurry up. But we’re managing.”
“Roger got a walking cast. We could try Lucky at his place again.”
Annie nodded. “I love having him, but it would be easier not to have that last walk at night before bed.”
“Roger’s decided to attend the town potluck,” Nick said, taking a seat on one of the visitor chairs.
“Then don’t come pick me up. I’ll meet you two there.”
“Okay.”
Is he bringing something?” she asked. “I don’t picture him cooking. But then, I don’t picture you cooking either.”
“Why, is that a slur on men in the kitchen?” he asked teasing her.
“Somehow you two seem too busy to work in a kitchen.”
“Not lately,” Nick murmured. “Anyway, he’s not bringing anything, but I’m still bringing the deviled eggs. We’ll be there at five thirty as you suggested. Save us seats if you get there first.”
“Okay, will do.”
“And there’s dancing, you said?”
Annie nodded. “One spot of the room is left open after nine. There’s a DJ who plays music for those who want to dance. It’s fun. And passes the time to midnight. The music stops around eleven thirty and everyone packs up and heads for the church of their choice or for home. My folks aren’t coming this year. My dad says he’s getting too old to drive in snow at one in the morning. But I’m not, so I’ll be attending the midnight service.”
“Short night if you get up early the next morning.”
“Yes, but I’ll tell you a secret. We watch a movie after lunch on Christmas day and mostly doze off.”
Nick smiled. He was looking forward to meeting her parents, seeing where Annie grew up.
The day of the potluck Annie arrived at the center before five thirty. She placed her casserole on the table of hot foods.
Her friend Marilyn had already laid claim to a table for eight near the front door and Annie went to join her.
“Hi, are all these seats spoken for?” she asked.
“Not so far, but I know others will be looking for a place,” Marilyn said, placing napkins on the back of the chairs.
“I want three,” Annie said, putting her purse on one of the chairs.
“You, Nick and who else?”
“What makes you think Nick is one of them?” Annie asked.
Marilyn laughed. “Honey, I’ve seen you two together. I can’t imagine you wanting to spend the evening with anyone else.”
Annie looked toward the door to see if he’d arrived yet.
“You know he’s coming,” Marilyn said with a grin. “Just be patient.”
Annie sighed. “Am I making a fool of myself?”
“No, I think it’s cute. And I bet no one else suspects a thing.”
“What could they suspect?”
“That you’ve fallen for the guy. You have, haven’t you?”
Annie nodded. She took a breath and looked at her friend. “So much that if he asks me to go with him, I would.”
Marilyn was startled. “Wow, I didn’t see that coming. You always said Lamberton was your forever home. When Jack–”
“This is different. Nick is different. I can’t believe I said it out loud, but I’ve been thinking about it for days. I’m crazy in love with him and haven’t a clue how he might feel.”
“You must have some inkling.”
“He likes to spend time with me, but is that only because he doesn’t know anyone else? He seems content to explore all the different activities we have going on, but is that because it’s so different from what he knows in Africa?”
“He seeks you out, right?”
Annie nodded.
“His cousin’s home, right?”
Annie nodded again.
“He’s a grown man, he could make as many friends as he wants. I know he’s spent a couple of nights at the bar with Brad and his cronies. With his cousin home, he has alternatives. I’d say he’s as smitten with you as you are with him. He watches you all the time. And I’d say his expression is between total awe and total longing.”
“Really?”
For a moment hope flared. Then Annie shrugged. “Maybe. But maybe you’re seeing something that’s not there.”
“Well, I’ll study on it,” Marilyn said, nodding toward the doors. “He just walked in. And with Roger.”
“You know him from church, right?”
“Yeah, but not well.”
““Make sure he sits next to you tonight.”
Marilyn nodded watching as the two men walked over to the tables that were almost full with food offerings.
It was obvious that Roger was well known and well liked from the people walking over to him. Several pounded him on the back. Laughter seemed to surround them.
“Probably being teased for his leg break,” Annie murmured, obviously watching the two as well.
“He’s an avid skier and hasn’t taken a fall in years. Yet subway stairs got the best of him,” she related.
“Hard to live down. Nick’s looking for you,” Marilyn said as they watched him scan the gathering. When he saw Annie he smiled.
“Wow, no wonder you’re considering Africa,” Marilyn said fanning her face with her hand. “He’s hot!”
The two men made their way to the table and the seats Annie saved for them.
“When do we eat?” Roger asked after greeting them.
“One of the pastors offers the blessing and then the committee chair starts releasing tables one at a time. Last year this table was first so I don’t think we’ll be so fortunate again,” Marilyn said.
Two other couples joined them. After introductions were made, Annie stood. “What does everyone want to drink?”
“I’ll help,” Nick said.
They walked to the beverage bar and asked for all the drinks, mostly water, but two coffees.
They were given the drinks on a small tray with the instructions to bring the tray back so someone else could use it.
The conversation was pleasant as they waited for their table’s turn to get in line for the food.
“I don’t see a dance floor,” Nick said at one point.
“It’s filled with tables right now. After dinner, enough people leave that we can remove those tables for a dance floor,” Annie said.
“Dancing?” Roger asked.
Marilyn explained the tradition.
Roger looked at Nick. “Are you planning to stay and then attend the midnight services?”
Nick nodded. “But I can run you home first if you want.”
“No, I want to see it all. I may have been missing a lot
by taking off every Christmas.”
Chapter Nine
The evening passed quickly. The food choices were still amazing even as far down the line as they were. Plates were loaded with a wide variety.
As they walked back to their table, Annie commented on the fact there were no deviled eggs.
“I brought three dozen. Obviously far below the number needed,” Nick said.
“They probably went first. People really love deviled eggs, and usually don’t take the time to make them except for special occasions.”
By the time nine o’clock rolled around, families with young children and several older people left and the dance floor was cleared of tables and chairs. The DJ had set up his position and the music started.
“Annie?” Nick asked in invitation.
“Yes.” She jumped up and grinned at Marilyn.
“I’d offer, but am a bit handicapped,” Roger said to Marilyn.
“No worries. I’m not expecting you to,” she said. “I’ll sit this out and keep you company.”
The first tune was a fast song and most of the people knew the words and sang as they danced. Annie sang with the rest of them, but Nick shook his head. “I don’t know this song,” he said at one point.
She laughed. “Hasn’t made it to Africa yet, huh?”
He shook his head.
Two more dances and Annie was getting a bit out of breath. Then the DJ segued into a slow, dreamy tune and Nick pulled her close as they began swaying to the music.
“This is more like it,” he murmured in her ear.
She nodded, totally agreeing. She could stay like this forever. Her heart pounded. Her breathing was still coming fast, but not because of activity now, but because of her closeness to Nick.
They moved around the small dance floor, occasionally bumping into another couple. Neither minded.
It seemed the time flew by until the DJ announced it was the last song. Another slow one. Annie wished the evening wasn’t ending so soon. Would she ever have another opportunity to dance with Nick? Maybe he’d make Lamberton his Christmas destination another year.
A Teaspoon of Mistletoe Page 8