Fire and Midnight

by Sandra Renee Appet

  Their waiter appeared, carrying a chocolate cake on a silver platter, bearing a single lit candle. The other wait staff soon joined and began to sing “Happy Birthday”.

  As Jane blew out the candle to a round of applause, it seemed to Ryan that she had never looked more beautiful.

  When their time together finally drew to a close, Ryan and Jane walked Beverly to the waiting cab.

  The valet opened the cab door for Beverly. “Thank you for a lovely evening, Ryan.” She gave him a light hug before cupping his cheek in her palm and offering him a slight nod.

  “It was wonderful to meet you, Beverly. I hope to see you again soon.”

  “Take care of your bundle, Jane. Remember, love has a way of working itself out. Don’t fret so much. Just let it be,” Beverly ordered, and hugged her daughter.

  “Okay, Mom. I’ll call you soon.”

  They watched the taillights of the cab as it turned toward the park exit.

  Clop, clop, clop.

  Ryan’s ears perked as the sound came closer. “What’s that?” he asked innocently.

  Jane turned toward the sound of the hooves and pointed to the horse and buggy meandering its way up the restaurant’s driveway. It came to a stop just short of where they stood, and Jane stepped forward to pet the horse’s nose. “How sweet. Someone ordered a carriage ride.”

  The driver swung his legs over the carriage and jumped to the ground. “Are you the Zeigler party?”

  “Yes, sir,” Ryan said, and winked at Jane.

  “Me? This is for me?” Jane asked, her voice becoming practically a squeal in her excitement. “I’ve always wanted to take a carriage ride through the park. How did you know?”

  “Just a guess,” he said, leaving out the fact that Charlotte had called him, a few weeks earlier, and given him the tip, all the while swearing him to secrecy.

  “I’m Max,” the driver said, “and this is Daisy. We’ll be your hosts for a stroll through the park. Your carriage awaits.”

  Jane clapped like a little girl and hopped aboard. Ryan followed her into the seating area of the carriage. A neat pile of pillows and blankets was perched on the padded bench. Ryan wedged a pillow behind Jane’s back before unfolding the throw blanket and spreading it over her legs.

  “The hot chocolate is there in the basket, just like you asked.” The driver pointed to a wicker basket on the floor of the carriage that contained two travel mugs.

  “Thank you, Max.” He pulled one from the basket, twisted the top and handed it to Jane. “I figured hot chocolate was a good substitute for that champagne you had to pass up.”

  Jane took a sip. “A girl could get used to this treatment, Mr. Zeigler. This is hands-down the best birthday I’ve ever had.”

  He slipped his arm around her, and she rested her head on his shoulder as the carriage began its descent into the park. The slow rhythm of Daisy’s hooves and the gentle rocking of the carriage calmed his nerves enough to make his decision. He’d had every intention of proposing tonight. It had been his plan for weeks. But his decision had wavered after Jane’s reaction to telling him about the baby. However, Beverly’s words at the restaurant had set him back to his original course. He only hoped like hell that he wasn’t about to ruin the best birthday Jane had ever had.

  Ryan scanned the path ahead, and spotted a place where it widened under a tree lit with small white lights, which reminded him of their patio oasis. “Max, would you stop up there near that tree?”

  “Of course, Mr. Zeigler.”

  Jane gave him a curious look as he took a swig of hot chocolate. He wished he’d also had a shot of whiskey.

  “Whoa, Daisy,” Max called and brought the carriage to an easy stop. Jumping down, he walked forward to attend to the horse.

  “What’s going on?” Jane asked, then drew an audible breath as Ryan slid from the bench and got down on one knee in front of her. “Oh, Ryan, you’re not going to do what I think you are, are you?”

  He couldn’t read her half-smile. All he could do was hope for the best. There was no turning back. He pulled the box from his jacket and fumbled with the top.

  “Jane, I love you with all my heart, and my only wish is for you to be my wife.” He flipped open the box and she gasped.

  Her gaze bounced from the ring to him, and she began to shake her head slowly, back and forth. “Is this about the baby? Because, if it is—”

  “Jane, look. Look at the box. I bought this ring more than a month ago, at a jewelry store in San Antonio.” He pointed to the print on the small box. “I’ve been planning this for weeks. It has nothing to do with the baby. I was already planning to propose.”

  Jane squinted at the ring box. “You wanted to marry me, even when you thought I couldn’t have kids? You’d have given up having children, just to marry me?”

  “Honestly, I’d hoped we might try to adopt a child one day, but yes, absolutely, I wanted to marry you, with or without kids. Jane, my knee is frozen to the floor. Would you please say you’ll marry me, so I can get up?”

  Her lower lip trembled. “Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you,” she said, and threw her arms around him.

  Ryan stood up, taking her with him, lifting her body against his chest. He kissed the tears from her cheeks, then brushed his lips over hers. “You’ve made me the happiest man in New York.” He set her down and turned to the path below. “She said yes, Max! Did you hear that? She said yes!”

  Max climbed aboard. “Of course she did. No one ever says no on my carriage. Daisy brings good luck.”

  “We’ll take all the good luck we can get,” Ryan said.

  Ryan heard laughter and a few congratulatory cheers from passersby. Setting Jane down and sitting beside her, he plucked the ring from its case. “Give me your hand,” he said taking her left hand in his, and slipping the ring on her finger.

  “It fits perfectly. How did you know my size?” When he just smiled, she nodded. “Charlotte,” they said in unison.

  Jane held her hand away from her face and stared at the diamond. “It’s so beautiful. My mother always says you can tell a lot about a man by his taste in jewelry.”

  “I know. She told me,” Ryan said, and grinned.

  “So, now we have two bombshells to drop on our loved ones during the holidays,” Jane said, smiling.

  “So we do.” Ryan picked up the mugs of hot chocolate and handed one to Jane, then tipped the edge of his mug against hers with a little clang. “Happy Birthday, Querida. And get ready for a Merry Christmas.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Jane slid the scalloped potatoes into the oven as the doorbell rang. “Coming,” she called in a sing-song voice, then pulled her oven mitts off and dashed to the front door. Tyler was late, as usual, but she couldn’t wait to see his goofy smile, and she still hoped he would arrive before Ryan returned with Beverly.

  She smiled recalling Ryan taking the phone from her hand when she’d been in the middle of arguing with her mother about her mode of transportation. Beverly’s fierce independence had her set on taking a cab to and from Jane’s apartment, because she didn’t want Jane driving. Jane almost regretted telling her mother about the baby so early in the pregnancy, and yet she couldn’t imagine keeping that kind of news from her mother. As she tried to explain it was perfectly healthy for pregnant women to drive, Ryan solved the problem by announcing he’d drive in and pick Beverly up. Her mother seemed pleased with the new plan, because she’d stopped protesting immediately, although she’d continued to wax on about how driving could cause stress to an unborn baby.

  It was going to be a long pregnancy.

  She pulled the door open, ready to wrap Tyler in a hug, and instead her eyes widened in shocked surprise. “Nick?” She couldn’t have been more surprised if Santa Claus himself appeared on her doorstep in his red suit and hat.

  “Merry Christmas,” Nick said sheepishly, and held out a bouquet of flowers she was sure he’d picked up at one of the gas stations near the bridge.

  Ja
ne didn’t budge from her spot on the door’s threshold. “What are you doing here?”

  “Tyler invited me. Didn’t he tell you?” When she still didn’t move, he sighed. “Aw, come on. Give me a break, Jane. No one should be alone on Christmas, right?”

  She blew out a long-suffering breath, just as the kitchen timer sounded from inside. “Okay,” she said, shaking her head in disbelief of her rotten luck. “Fine. There’s plenty of food.”

  “It’ll be like old times,” he said as he stepped into the small entry.

  “I promise you it won’t be anything like old times, Nick.” She huffed out a sarcastic laugh. He had no idea what he was in for that evening. She almost felt bad for him. Almost.

  Nick followed her into the kitchen. “Nice place,” he said, looking around. Then she saw his gaze shift to her small Christmas tree. Over the years, she’d saved all of Tyler’s handmade ornaments, hanging them on the tree each Christmas, and this year was no exception. “A lot of memories there,” Nick said softly, then coughed and said, “You always do a nice job of decorating for the holidays.”

  “Thanks. You can hang your coat over there.” She pointed to the closet door.

  On his way back from the coat closet, he slowed down at her small dining alcove to scan the place settings on the table. “Is Charlotte coming?”

  “Nope, Char’s in Aruba with her new friend,” Jane said. Lucky Charlotte. Jane would give her eyeteeth to be lounging on a tropical beach, instead of breaking the news she’d have to break.

  “Of course she is. So, you gonna tell me who the extra setting is for, since you clearly weren’t expecting me, or should I just keep guessing?”

  His tone grated at her last nerve. She set the knife on the cutting board and twirled around. “Ryan. It’s for Ryan.”

  Nick cleared his throat. “Ryan? The guy from your business trip? Tyler didn’t mention he was going to be here.”

  “I imagine Tyler didn’t mention it because he didn’t actually invite you, did he? Jeez, Nick. Why do you feel like you have an invitation to just waltz into my life whenever you please?”

  He huffed out a breath. “You want me to leave so your little boy toy won’t be offended,” he spat and started toward the closet.

  “Wait.” Jane pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and index finger, and closed her eyes. Nick had to hear the news sometime, and the present moment was as good as any. “Stay. Sit down for a second. I have something to tell you, before everyone gets here.”

  Nick furrowed his brows, but he pulled a stool from under the kitchen island. Then, with another huff, he rested his folded arms on the counter. “What is it?”

  She studied his condescending expression, wondering why she’d stayed with him as long as she had. She’d been wrapped in a cocoon of the life of Nick Keegan for so long, she’d truly had no idea what she was missing until she finally broke free. “Ryan and I are engaged.”

  Nick’s eyes and mouth flew open, and Jane had to stifle a laugh, because he bore an uncanny resemblance to a striped bass. She held up her palm and remembered Charlotte’s advice: the Band-Aid approach. “Before you say anything, that’s not all. I’m also pregnant.”

  An insolent laugh erupted from Nick’s throat. “You’re kidding me, right? This whole thing is some kind of warped joke. Remember, this is Christmas, not April Fool’s Day.”

  Jane straightened her spine and folded her arms. “It’s no joke.”

  Nick stood so fast, the stool made a loud scraping noise on the tiled floor. “Wow, Jane. How fucking stupid could you be?” He threw up his hands. “Can’t you see it? He’s going to leave you broke and with a kid to take care of.” He narrowed his eyes. “You’re forty years old. What do you think a guy like that wants from you?”

  A seething heat rolled up Jane’s neck to her cheeks as a flurry of emotions hit her, each one feeling like a blow to her stomach. Anger, hurt, and disappointment all vied for her attention.

  She was trying to formulate a coherent reply when the door slammed and two sets of footsteps started down the hallway. Ryan appeared with Beverly’s hand tucked in the crook of his elbow. His gaze sought Jane’s before he turned to help Beverly with her coat.

  “Nick, dear,” Beverly said. “What a surprise—although not an altogether pleasant one, by the looks of things. Still, on the bright side, now I have a date!” she said, as her gaze toggled between Nick and Jane.

  Nick walked over to Beverly and hugged her. “You’re looking well as always, Bev.” He turned toward Ryan and extended his hand. “I’m Nick, Jane’s hus—ex-husband. You must be Ryan.”

  Jane watched the muscles in Ryan’s jaw clench. “Yes. As you may recall, you and I spoke on the phone, a couple months ago,” Ryan said, meeting Nick’s palm with his own, and raising one eyebrow.

  “Right. About that … it was a misunderstanding. I apologize.”

  “Misunderstanding? No, I believe I understood you completely.” Ryan’s voice was calm and even as he moved to Jane’s side and slipped his hand around her waist. “I also overheard the questions you were firing at my fiancée when I came in. I don’t need to explain my intentions to you, Nick, but let’s get something straight. If you ever speak to Jane that way again, least of all in her own home, you won’t be using your mouth for anything else for quite a long time afterward. Are we clear?”

  Nick nodded once, and Jane caught the nervous bob of his Adam’s apple as his gaze followed Ryan’s fingers stroking up and down her side.

  “Tyler’s on his way in,” Ryan said, “so if your presence is going to ruin the holiday for Jane, I suggest you leave now. If you choose to stay, I expect you to treat her with respect.”

  Jane turned to Ryan. “Tyler’s here?”

  “Outside.” His hand trailed up her back, and he lightly kneaded her neck with his fingers before his lips touched hers. “He had to park on one of the side streets. He’ll be here in a second. Are you okay?”

  She nodded and turned her gaze to Nick. “Tyler doesn’t know about any of our news yet, Nick. I want him to hear it from me.”

  “Understood.” Nick backed out into the hall. “I’ll go see if he needs any help.” He grabbed his coat and shuffled to the door.

  As the door closed, Jane asked, “You met Tyler?”

  Ryan nodded. “He gave me his parking spot when he saw Beverly. He’s a good kid. You sure you’re okay?” He grazed her cheek with the back of his hand.

  “I’ll be fine. Nick just gets me so mad. He showed up out of the blue, claiming Tyler had invited him. I should’ve sent him away, but I felt sorry for him, alone at the holidays. And he is Tyler’s father.” She managed a smile. “Besides, I figured I’d have to tell him, sooner or later. It wouldn’t be fair to ask Tyler to keep the news from his father. I just regret that you had to hear his venom.”

  “What he said about me doesn’t bother me. He’s just jealous. But it took every ounce of self-control I had, not to throw him through the wall for what he said to you. As far as I’m concerned, he’s used up his one free pass. Next time, I won’t be so nice.” Ryan kissed her again. “Now, go sit down with your mom. I’m serving dinner.”

  A minute later, Tyler bounded into the apartment and gave Jane a bear hug. “Sorry I’m late. Lots of traffic.” He hugged Jane and Beverly then turned to Nick. “I didn’t know you were going to be here, Dad,” he said giving him a hug.

  “It’s quite a surprise,” Jane said surveying her son. She could’ve sworn he’d grown taller since the last time she saw him. Or possibly it was the way he carried himself, with confidence and maturity. She cupped his cheeks in her hands. “I’m so happy you’re here. Grab something to drink and tell me what’s going on at school.”

  Jane and Ryan shared stolen glances as she listened to Tyler’s stories about school, while Ryan kept busy in the kitchen. He rearranged the table to fit their extra guest, who seemed to be following Ryan’s directions to the letter. Nick was so quiet, Jane almost forgot he was there
.

  “Dinner is served,” Ryan announced at last. Taking Jane’s hand, he led her to the head of the table, his actions an unspoken but unmistakable statement.

  Between Tyler’s humor and the amazing food, the mood lightened. Soon, everyone was eating, drinking and being merry.

  “Wow, Ma. Either you really outdid yourself or I’ve eaten too many bad meals on campus. This dinner is delicious.”

  “Probably a little of both. But I can’t take all the credit. Ryan did most of the cooking.”

  “Mom told me you own a restaurant in San Antonio,” Tyler said.

  Ryan nodded. “It’s called Vine, and it’s a restaurant and wine bar on the River Walk.”

  “I hear the River Walk gets pretty rowdy,” Nick said.

  “That’s one reason I chose the location as the perfect venue for my restaurant. Vine’s quiet atmosphere gives people a calm alternative to some of the more rambunctious spots.”

  “Is that where you two met?” Tyler asked, looking from Ryan to Jane.

  Jane glanced at Ryan, and the circumstances of their introduction flashed through her mind.

  But Ryan answered calmly. “Yes. Your mom stopped in for dinner, one night. It was late. I think she had just arrived in San Antonio.” He squeezed her hand under the table.

  Tyler laughed. “I can just picture my mom, shying away from the party spots.”

  “Oh, come on,” Jane teased. “I can party with the best of them.” She looked around the table. “How about dessert?” she asked, and stood, reaching to gather the dinner plates.

  “Leave them, Ma,” Tyler urged. “I’ll clean up.”

  “This was wonderful, but I’m beginning to feel tired,” Beverly said. “Nick, you’re heading back to the city. I’m sure you wouldn’t mind going a little out of your way to drop an old broad home on Christmas.”

  “I wouldn’t mind at all,” Nick said, and smiled at Beverly. “I’ll get your coat,” he said, and left the table.

  “Thanks, Mom,” Jane mouthed. Slipping into the kitchen, she packed two slices of Ryan’s pecan pie, and brought them out as Beverly and Nick said their good-byes.