A Christmas Date

by L. C. Zingera

  A Christmas Date

  By

  L.C. Zingera

  Copyright 2012 by L.C. Zingera

  No part of this book may be reproduced without

  the written consent of the copyright owner.

  This is a work of fiction.

  Any resemblance to persons living or dead

  is purely coincidental.

  Chapter One

  Catching sight of himself in the mirrored elevator, Lucas Hart knew he didn’t appear to be in the Christmas spirit at all, in fact he realized, he was almost foreboding looking in his long grey winter wool coat and black boots, with a long burgundy scarf hung around his neck. He’d been too busy getting settled back into his native New York City after years away in Europe to think about the holiday season. He sighed, he’d returned home only a month ago, and had agreed to attend dinner this evening at his friend Sean’s house.

  Sean had gone from being a confirmed bachelor like him, to head over heels in love and married within the space of a few months. He and Lillian had married while he’d been away and Lucas had been unable to take the time off work to fly home to attend their wedding. The least he could do was to show up for dinner at their new home.

  He’d been warned that they had an unfortunate habit of wanting all their friends to be as happy as they were, and setting up blind dates for everyone they knew. It was unwise, he was told, to show up at Sean and Lillian’s home without a date on one’s arm. He just hadn’t been home long enough to meet anyone yet. Christmas was looming on the horizon and he’d brought a bottle of Christmas spiced wine and a set of crystal glasses in lieu of a housewarming present for them.

  He rang the doorbell and Sean threw it open, grasping his hand with a cheerful grin he shook it heartily. Lillian hurried forward to take his coat, a warm fire raged in the stone fireplace, the homey atmosphere shutting out the winter chill. He looked around and sighed in relief. Thank God he’d been wrong, no set up, no blind date.

  Angelina Makepeace pushed the button for the elevator in the plush lobby of her friends’ apartment building. They’d invited her over for dinner, she knew there would be another surprise visitor sprung on her tonight, and sighed. They had an irresistible need to continually set her up on blind date after blind date. She crossed her fingers as she exited the elevator on their floor and prayed he wasn’t another jackass. She’d tried hard to politely tell them that just because their friends and acquaintances acted like good guys around them, the way they behaved when on a date with her, was often a different matter entirely. Some guys had a tendency to think if she was willing to be set up, she must be desperate, therefore easy pickings. Even though she hadn’t consented to the set up in the first place! Sean and Lillian just shrugged it off and kept on setting her up. She should have cried off, she knew it, she thought with a groan. She’d been so busy the past couple of years setting up her own business, she hadn’t had time to get out and meet anyone. Sean and Lillian were newlyweds, and so happy, they wanted everyone they knew to feel the same. It was pure torture. Hopefully in time they’d quit making her their pet project and realize their matchmaking skills left a lot to be desired. They were her best friends, she was trying her best to be patient and tough it out, but it wasn’t easy. She crossed her fingers and prayed as she rang the doorbell. Please God, no more blind dates!

  Lucas was just beginning to relax, standing in front of the warm winter fire enjoying the twinkling colorful lights of the Christmas tree, the soft background music, and the aroma of the warm glass of mulled wine he’d been handed, when the doorbell rang. Oh, hell! Here we go. He groaned and barely pushed aside the urge to grab his coat and make a run for it.

  Sean hurried to answer it. A small round looking female hurried in out of the winter chill, bundled up from head to toe in a warm wooly coat and scarf, her head covered in a soft knit cap, her cheeks were a rosy vibrant red and so was her nose. A cold blast of air came in with her, even the hallway of the building was ice cold now, and the temperature was dropping rapidly. Lucas looked her up and down with a disdainful eye. If they even thought he would give this odd little round woman a second glance they were wrong. How could they possibly think she was his type?

  Angelina’s gaze connected instantly with the tall dark stranger as she warmly greeted Lillian and Sean and hurried toward the fire, noting not only the quick dismissive up and down glance he threw her way, but also the roll of his ice blue eyes. Annoyed at his rudeness, and stung by his attitude, Angelina decided to spend the evening baiting him.

  Lillian took Angelina’s coat and scarf, and she removed the woolly hat allowing a cascade of riotous chestnut curls to tumble out as Sean handed her a warm glass of mulled wine.

  “Hi! I’m Angelina, you must be Adam?” Her big green eyes assessed him coldly.

  “Lucas,” he said gruffly.

  “Oh sorry, you look just like the description of Adam. Tall, dark, moody looking, hook nose…”

  Sean almost choked on his wine and hurried into the kitchen to help Lillian. “You stay here, keep Lucas company, and get warm,” Sean called as he went. “We’ll have dinner ready in a jiffy!”

  “I do not have a hook nose!” Lucas retorted, turning to glare at her as their host left the room.

  “Sorry? Oh, no, you’re right, I don’t suppose you do. Roman maybe, not quite hook, but close.” Angelina, her pride still stinging from the cold reception his unkind gaze had thrown her way as she entered her friend’s home, simply shrugged. “It hardly matters anyway, does it? At least not to me.”

  “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” he ground out.

  “I saw that disdainful look when I walked in here Mister. I’m not interested in you either by the way,” she informed him under her breath. She knew she was no great beauty, but did he have to make her feel like he’d been handed the proverbial Christmas lump of coal instead of a gift?

  Lucas stared at her, rolled his ice blues heavenward again and sat down opposite her on the couch. “Truce?” he asked suddenly, “For our hosts’ sake?”

  “Sure.”

  Sean and Lillian walked into the room to find their two best friends seated in silence. Not good. They shared a worried glance but Sean didn’t expect anything else, knowing the pair, but they were far better suited than either of them could ever guess. They were two very headstrong and volatile personalities, sooner or later tonight there might be a fireworks display. Sean rubbed his hands in front of the fire and winked at his wife. She rolled her twinkling eyes heavenward.

  ***

  Dinner was good, crisp salad with homemade garlic bread sticks, and lasagna, followed by warm caramel cake drizzled with melted chocolate and topped with whipped cream for dessert. Lillian was the very best cook she knew and Angelina said so, she always complimented her cooking. Lillian just smiled her thanks. Mr. Cranky was watching her out of the corner of his eye, she wanted to kick him under the table, the very least he could do was thank his host, the ungrateful grouch. The man looked like he’d just stepped off the front page of a fashion magazine, tall and broad shouldered but wearing an impeccably tailored dark blue suit, she’d bet it was Armani. And with his jet black hair, icy blue eyes and cold arrogant attitude, he was obviously aware of his own good looks and quite fond of himself. How on earth did someone as warm as Sean know such a stuck up pencil pusher? That epithet was probably way out of date she knew, but it suited him nevertheless. He looked like he had a giant stick up his...well, she’d wasted enough time on him already.

  When Angelina drew her gaze away from their snooty guest to look at him questioningly, Sean’s lips twitched and he was apparently having such a hard time keeping his amusement to himself, she watched him fake a cough, then hurry off into the kitchen to hide his lau
ghter and choke down another drink. He’d pay for this later.

  The evening was still young, despite the fact they’d had dinner, dessert and coffee. Angelina caught Lucas surreptitiously looking at his watch, about to make his excuses, she beat him to it.

  “It’s still early!” Lillian complained, looking from one to the other in disappointment, though why, it was hard to imagine, as far as Angelina knew, none of her matchmaking had ever worked out well.

  “I’d better be going too, I have a ton of work to catch up on,” Lucas added, not wanting to miss an opportunity to get the hell out of there.

  “Then maybe you could give Angelina a ride home?” Lillian suggested.

  Lucas shot an uncomfortable glance in Angelina’s direction, and she did her best not to roll her eyes. He nodded curtly. Though it was obviously for their hosts’ sake that he’d agreed, Angelina fully intended to tell him it wasn’t necessary the instant they were outside and out of ear shot.

  Sean pulled back the curtain as Lillian went to retrieve their coats from the other room where she’d laid them out to dry, after the minor snow flurries they’d encountered on their way over here.

  “Wow!” Sean exclaimed. “We may as well put those coats away. It’s a winter wonderland out there. You two aren’t going anywhere!”

  Angelina and Lucas almost knocked each other over in their haste to dash to the window to ensure it really wasn’t true, snowed in here, together? Hell no.

  Sean and Lillian grinned knowingly at each other. This date had been a long time coming. They’d known from the start that the one who best suited their friend Angelina was Lucas, even if he didn’t know it yet, and they had gleefully awaited news of his return from Europe to set them up. Despite his newly polished European style, he was still the same old Lucas on the inside.

  Chapter Two

  Angelina and Lucas gazed down in dismay on the source of their imprisonment. The snow was almost to the top of Lucas’s car.

  “Snowball fight!” Sean and Lillian exclaimed in unison.

  Lucas was looking at them like they’d lost their minds and for that reason alone Angelina was looking forward to hurling a snowball or two at his perfect pouty kisser. He was as cold as a picture perfect mannequin and she couldn’t wait to ruffle his haughty feathers a little. They all donned their coats and gloves and traipsed outside. Lucas looking like he was going to the guillotine in Armani style.

  Samson Dinsdale, the building super gave them a cheerful wave as he pushed the snow blower down the courtyard path creating perfect banks of light fluffy snow at the perimeter, despite the fact the flakes were still falling in an ongoing blanket of white.

  They’d barely made it to the partially cleared courtyard when Lucas felt a softball sized chunk of wet snow hit him in the back of the head. He swiveled around and nearly slipped, arms windmilling. Angelina wrapped her arms around his middle to keep him from falling. He steadied himself and tried to peel himself away from her, and nearly slipped again. These boots weren’t made for walking, let alone traipsing through the snow. Milan had all been about style. As a marketing executive in the fashion industry it had been important for him to look the part. Here, he needed to be practical, speaking of which, despite his uncharacteristic rudeness, Angelina hadn’t let him fall. He cleared his throat as she slowly stepped back, certain now that he had his balance. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.” Another snow ball hit him in the shoulder, this time it was Sean who was the culprit. Giving in, he scooped up one of his own and tossed it back at Sean. Angelina and Lillian were exchanging hastily made snowballs and giggling like schoolgirls. Lucas and Sean grinned and pelted the girls in rapid succession. Lucas found himself laughing at Angelina’s outraged expression at his rapid fire volleys as she struggled to return fire. When they finally made it upstairs they were all cold, wet, shivering, red-cheeked and happy. Lillian went into the kitchen to start the hot chocolate and Angelina peeled off her soaking wet coat.

  Sean hurried into the kitchen with a towel and was lovingly rubbing Lillian’s hair dry for her, while Lucas quickly stacked another log on the fire and Angelina hurried over to warm up beside him. As the fire crackled back to life he peeled off his coat, a snowball fell out, his eyes met hers and he grinned. It was the very last one she’d tossed at him as they ran for the stairs to reenter the warmth of the apartment building.

  “Good shot,” he allowed.

  “Thanks. You were an easy target,” she chuckled merrily.

  Lucas snorted, holding his hands out to the heat. Standing side by side with her, closer than they had been all evening, the damp and heat from the fire caused her perfume to waft in his direction, she smelled soft. Well, not soft exactly, nobody smelled soft! She wore a delicate fragrance, it was nice, pleasant. Not chokingly harsh and expensive like the perfumes worn by the women he’d been around for the past few years in Europe.

  “You’d better get out of that wet sweater Angie,” Lillian said joining them and brushing off the last of the snow that lingered on her friend’s shoulders.

  Angelina shivered. “I am a little cold.” She followed Lillian into her bedroom to change. Sean barely restrained his laughter at the expression on Lucas’s face when Angie walked out in one of Lillian’s sweaters, it was obviously too small, it pulled tight over her breasts and unlike the large bulky sweater she’d worn earlier, it emphasized her curves. She wasn’t thin, not by any means, but she was shapely, not round at all. She had a great hour glass figure.

  Very Marilyn-esque.

  “Do you want to change too, Luke?” Sean finally reverted back to using Lucas’s childhood nickname, it suited him better now that he was finally starting to relax. Luke had had a tough couple of years of all work and no play. Sean was pretty sure eventually they’d see the old Luke reappear.

  Luke and Sean were similar in size if not temperament, Luke returned to the living room without his expensive attire, clad in a jolly St Nick Christmas sweater and a pair of jeans. Angelina’s eyebrows shot up, he almost looked human. Except for those glacial blue eyes. Sean and Lillian sat down next to each other on the sofa, leaving the two to share the loveseat. They sat, each trying hard not to lean too close to the other.

  “All we need now is a game of twister!” Lillian joked. Sean made as if to get up to fetch it.

  “No!” all three chorused at the same time. He sat down laughing.

  “The roads should be cleared by morning, but for tonight, why don’t you both curl up here on the couches and get comfortable? It’s not worth the risk of getting stranded, even if it does begin to clear a little tonight,” Lillian said smiling sweetly, and producing a pile of soft warm blankets and pillows. How could they refuse? Angie thought. That was the problem, it was hard to refuse Lillian anything, she was such a sweetheart, that’s how they’d ended up in this mess. She hadn’t wanted to come here tonight knowing there was probably going to be a set up, and neither had Lucas. Or Luke as they now seemed to be calling him.

  They stared at each other for a moment after their hosts had retreated for the night.

  “I’ll sleep on the floor you can take the couch,” Luke said, rising to his feet.

  “No, I’m fine right here on the loveseat, thanks anyway, go ahead and keep the couch.”

  “Are you always this difficult?”

  “I’m not being difficult. I’m trying to make sure we both get a good night’s sleep! I was trying to be nice,” she replied indignantly.

  “So was I! So, I guess we’re not such a bad pair after all?”

  “Pair?” she exclaimed.

  “Figure of speech,” he qualified, with a straight face, but he was finally beginning to unwind and finding this whole scenario kind of amusing. “Even so, don’t say it around the two notorious matchmakers in there.” He nodded toward the closed door of Sean and Lillian’s bedroom.

  Angie groaned as she settled back onto the small loveseat and covered herself with a soft warm blanket and plumped up her pillow.
Maybe he wasn’t so bad after all, there might even be a hint of humor under that glacial façade. The lights were out, and only the glow of the fire remained. “Do you want to chat?” she asked.

  “Sure.”

  Silence.

  “Well?” she prompted.

  “You first.”

  “Fine,” she sighed. He couldn’t even make this easy on her, they’d spent the whole evening sparring and barely shared more than a few words over dinner. “I’m twenty-eight.”

  “Wow, a glut of information, watch out I might steal your identity!”

  Angie snorted and tossed a pillow at him. “Thanks!” he said and tucked it behind his head.

  “Hey, that’s mine!”

  “So come and get it.”

  “What is this, a teenage sleepover?”

  “Feels like it. In that case,” he said, hands folded across his middle, stark jet black hair contrasting against the white of the pillow, and blue eyes glittering in the firelight. “I’m going to need a forfeit.”

  Angie hopped up from the loveseat and starred distrustfully down at the man who had gone from cold and austere to warm and…almost playful. Then abruptly turned around and jumped back into her makeshift bed.

  “Chicken,” he laughed.

  “How much did you drink tonight?”

  “Half a glass of mulled wine. It was terrible stuff!” he groaned. “It smelled great, but tasted like cough syrup, or worse.”

  “Tell me about it!” she exclaimed.

  “Want a glass of brandy?” he offered. “I know where they keep it.”

  “Sure.”

  Luke rose and padded barefoot into the kitchen and grabbed two small glasses, he poured them each a hefty shot and when he returned to the living room she was seated on the rug by the fire. He handed her the glass, and clinked his own to hers.

  “To our well-meaning friends?”

  “Our well-meaning friends!” she agreed.