by Sue Brown
Noel was about to make a snarky remark along the lines of, “That’s what he said.” He was tired, his patience thin, but Angel kicked his foot and beamed back at the receptionist. “That’s right.”
“We heard all about it,” the receptionist assured them. “Mom has got nothing but praise for everyone.”
“May we visit her? We’ve got supplies for her and the baby.” Angel held up the bags.
“That’s very kind. She’s in room 110, through the double doors and along the corridor.”
“Thank you.” Angel’s smile grew even warmer, and the woman almost fluttered.
Noel snorted as they walked away.
“What?” Angel asked.
“You charmer, you.”
“Heh, I’ve met a million receptionists. Going on the offensive never helps.”
“I guess you normally bypass reception,” Noel said.
“I do,” Angel agreed. “Here it is.”
He put the bags down to knock gently on the door. At a weary “Come on in,” he opened it.
Maria’s expression changed from wariness to smiles as she saw who her visitors were. “Oh thank God. I thought they wanted more blood from me. These people are vampires, I’m telling you.”
She was dressed in a hospital gown, but she still looked as she had as she left the chalet. The baby was asleep in a crib beside the bed, looking a lot cleaner and swaddled in a white and blue blanket.
“How’s our baby?” Noel asked.
Her expression softened as she stared at her newborn infant. “He’s perfect. A little small, but everything’s working as it should. He didn’t need any special care, and they say I can go home tomorrow. He’s a real Christmas miracle.”
“Yes, he is. And how’s Mama? Have you eaten?” Angel asked. Then he bent to kiss her cheek.
“No. Wasn’t really in the mood. They promised me Christmas dinner later.”
Noel dumped his bags down on the chair with a sigh of relief and pulled out a box. “So you don’t want the breakfast Charlie packed you? It should be still warm. Don drove us down here.”
Maria’s eyes lit up, and she held out her hands. “Gimme gimme.” She opened the box, and her moan of pleasure was so loud it could probably be heard along the entire floor. “Oh Charlie, if you weren’t gay and I weren’t married, you’d be mine.” She fixed her gaze on Noel. “Don’t you dare say he’s had a lucky escape.”
“He values his life,” Angel assured her.
“What he said,” Noel agreed.
If Maria heard them, she gave no sign, because she was shoveling the bacon, eggs, and hash browns down as fast as they had an hour before. Noel figured, with the amount of work she’d put in, Maria deserved the food. She sighed as she scraped up the last morsel of bacon. “Oh my God, I needed that. I felt empty.”
“You are empty,” Angel pointed to the baby.
She gave the baby a tender smile. “I can’t quite believe he’s outside rather than inside.”
“When he starts yelling, you’ll wish he was back in there,” Angel assured her.
She sighed happily, as though the idea pleased her, and laid back against the pillows. “I lucked out when I picked The Last Pine.”
“We feel the same way,” Angel agreed. “Although technically I didn’t pick it.”
Noel smiled at him. “I’m real glad you took the last place.”
“They could have put me in with Goldie. There’s a cot in his room.”
“He never sleeps in there anyway,” Maria said. “You’d have had the room to yourself.”
They stared at her. “You know about them?” Noel managed.
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not blind, dipshit. I don’t sleep so well, or I didn’t with bubs inside me. I caught Goldie coming out of Marv and Frankie’s room on the first day. Also, they’re noisy.”
Noel and Angel nodded like trained seals. The wise guys were definitely noisy.
“I was in a chalet of gay guys. Joe was so happy. He knew no one was gonna lay a hand on me.”
Noel had never thought of it like that. “Does this happen a lot? You get left on your own?”
Maria grimaced. “More than I like. Joe’s a Fed. If we get through a date night without him being called back to the office, it’s a bonus.”
Angel stared at her wide-eyed. “He’s in the FBI?”
“Oh yeah. Me too. What else has Charlie packed?”
She was busy rummaging through the bags Angel had dropped on the bed and didn’t see the looks Noel and Angel exchanged. No wonder Maria came over as a scary-ass lady.
Angel coughed. “Are we allowed to ask what you do?”
“Nothing exciting. We’re not all Criminal Minds.”
That was the first time Noel felt she’d lied to them. He didn’t know why he got that impression. She wasn’t looking at them, but yeah, something was off. He looked at Angel, who gave a quick nod.
“I’m gonna get washed up and change into something of mine.” Maria went to get out of the bed, but she swayed and sat down heavily. “Whoa, that was a headrush.”
Both men had leaped forward in case she fell. Noel had visions of trying to explain to the nurses why the new mom was on the floor.
“How about we try that again more slowly and I’ll walk you to the bathroom,” Angel suggested.
Maria nodded and looked at Noel. “Would you keep an eye on the bubs for me?”
Noel peered at the baby. He was still asleep, his little mouth shaped in an O, and occasionally he made a sucking noise. “Okay.”
Maria laughed. “He won’t bite.”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
“You were there for the birth,” Angel pointed out.
“And I got to hold mama, not the baby. She’s more solid.”
“If I didn’t feel like I’d been hit by a truck, I’d make you pay for that remark. As it is, retribution can wait. I won’t be long,” she promised.
Angel picked up her clothes and bag of toiletries and put his arm around Maria as she shuffled slowly to the bathroom. He guided her inside and then left the door open a fraction and told her to call him if she needed help. He rejoined Noel, and they sat together on the bed, gazing at the baby. Angel laced his fingers in Noel’s and gave a little sigh.
“We did good today,” he said.
Noel hummed in agreement. “I expected a lazy Christmas Day—a large breakfast, a little skiing, drinks before dinner—you know the sort of thing.”
Angel rested his head on Noel’s shoulder. “Instead we help deliver a baby, which is amazing in itself. I don’t mind so much about the skiing. Do you?”
“No. I think today has been perfect.” Noel stared at the peacefully sleeping baby and didn’t quite believe he’d had a role in bringing a new life into the world.
There was a knock on the door, and without waiting, it opened and a nurse in blue scrubs appeared, holding a large bouquet of flowers. She frowned when she saw them. “Who are you? Where’s Mom?”
Noel didn’t know how he felt about Maria being reduced to Mom. “Mrs. Ricci is in the bathroom.”
“We helped deliver the baby,” Angel said.
Her expression cleared just as the receptionist’s had. “Oh right, of course. We heard all about you. Which one of you delivered the baby?”
“I did,” Angel held up their joined hands. “Noel had the hard work with Maria.”
“I heard that,” Maria yelled from the bathroom.
The nurse clocked their joined hands, but she just smiled. “We’ve had babes arrive early before, but never on Christmas Day, and usually they manage to get here in time.”
“Who are the flowers from?” Noel asked.
“A lady left them at reception. The message was odd. She said she’d heard about the baby’s birth and the men who delivered him, and guessed it was the lady from The Last Pine.”
Angel furrowed his brow. “News travels fast around here. What was her name?”
The nurse looked at t
he card and squinted. “I can’t read the handwriting. Josie? I think it’s Josie.”
Noel grinned at Angel. “That’s kind of her.”
“You know her?” the nurse asked.
“We took her for hot chocolate a few days ago.”
The nurse chuckled. “You boys get around.”
“I could do with a little help here,” Maria called out.
The nurse went to help, but Angel stood up. “Let me. You’re probably run off your feet today.” He went into the bathroom and left Noel smiling awkwardly at the nurse.
“I’ll go and put these in water,” the nurse said.
“Thank you.”
She vanished with the bouquet as Angel and Maria came shuffling out again. Maria looked groomed but exhausted and collapsed into bed with a relieved sigh.
“I need a nap,” she moaned.
Angel smiled and tucked her in. “I think that’s our cue to go.”
She didn’t protest as she closed her eyes. Noel kissed her on the forehead, and they left quietly.
“I hope the baby stays asleep long enough for her to rest,” Noel said as they walked toward the exit.
“It would be a Christmas miracle,” Angel said.
BACK IN the chalet, it was quiet. There was no sign of the wise guys, and they could hear noises from the kitchen, but neither Charlie nor Don appeared.
In their bedroom Angel flopped down onto the bed. Noel used the bathroom and then did the same thing.
“Do you want to go out again?” Angel asked.
“I don’t want to move for the next ten years,” Noel admitted.
“It’s just after three. We could nap for a couple of hours.”
“That sounds amazing.”
Noel knew he should be making the most of the time he had to go skiing, but all he wanted to do was curl up on his bed and sleep.
“Can we snuggle?”
Noel raised his head at the tentative question and stared at Angel, who’d turned on his side to look at him. “You don’t have to ask, Angel. Just come here or ask me to sleep with you.”
“I don’t want to take it for granted. We don’t know each other that well.”
“Just get over here and shut up.”
Noel held out his arm. Angel snuggled against him. Noel grabbed the throw on the bed and awkwardly put it over both of them. Then he closed his eyes, sighed, and soaked in Angel’s warmth.
“What time do we need to get up?” Angel asked.
“No idea,” Noel mumbled. He was on the edge of sleep.
“Charlie will find us,” Angel said.
By then Noel could have stayed asleep through the night and skipped dinner. He was tired and comfortable and had a man in his arms. What more did he need?
Chapter 15—Day 6
Christmas Day afternoon
NOEL THOUGHT they would sleep for a year, but they woke an hour before dinner. Angel pushed Noel out of the bedroom and insisted they go for a walk. Noel would have been content to slob out in front of the roaring fire with the wise guys and a cocktail or three, but Angel forced him, despite his protests.
“You need to make room for dinner,” Angel said as they got dressed.
“We were busy all morning,” Noel pointed out. “I did my exercise then.”
“You were lazing on the bed,” Angel sniped. “I was doing the hard work.”
“You try dealing with a woman determined to break your hand and a father crying in your ear.”
The moment he said the words, Noel wished he could have bitten them back. He remembered what happened last time Angel delivered a baby. But Angel just smiled and told him to quit whining.
Noel tried to pull Angel into his arms and distract him that way, but the man was surprisingly strong and stubborn as hell. Noel was going for a walk whether he liked it or not. So they changed into sweaters, and Noel smirked because Angel’s sweater sported Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer with a bright red bobble nose. It was hideous.
Angel caught his look and sighed. “My nonna bought me this. She expects me to wear it every Christmas.”
Noel thought it was adorable that Angel wore it even when his nonna couldn’t see. “You do that.”
The wise guys waved lazily as they walked past the great room, where Marv leaned against Goldie’s chest as they sat on the couch. Frankie sat on a cushion at their feet playing on his phone while Marv played with Frankie’s curls. Noel noticed that now that Maria had gone, the three men were more open about showing their affection for each other. He felt sorry for them, always having to hide their love, although he was pretty sure Maria wouldn’t have cared. Angel tugged on his hand again and distracted him from his thoughts.
“You’re determined, aren’t you?” Noel sighed.
Angel gave him a wicked smirk.
They wrapped up in warm coats, hats, and scarves. Noel pulled on his gloves, sighed, and looked at Angel. “Come on then.”
As they passed the kitchen, Charlie yelled, “Dinner’s at seven. Don’t be late.”
“We’ll be there,” Angel promised.
Then they were outside, and the cold took Noel’s breath away. Angel smiled at him as he tucked the scarf into the top of his jacket, and Noel’s breath was taken away for a second time. The man was beautiful.
Angel slipped his hand into Noel’s. “Let’s walk.”
They crunched through the snow down the path, the only noise the sound of their feet. Noel put his arm around Angel, and Angel rested his head on Noel’s shoulder. Through the trees, lights glowed from another cabin, and from somewhere, Noel could hear cheesy Christmas tunes. It was just about perfect.
Angel started to sing along, and although he felt like an idiot, Noel couldn’t help but join in. The music died away as they walked farther away from the cabin, but they continued to sing until Noel was more la-la-ing than singing. Angel burst out laughing, and Noel felt a bit embarrassed, but Angel assured him most people only knew the chorus of Christmas songs.
“I bet you know all the words,” Noel said.
Angel nodded sheepishly. “I can’t help it. I love Christmas songs. They make me happy.”
Noel squeezed his gloved hand. “I like your happiness.”
Genuine happiness made a change from Adam’s cynicism and the supercilious attitudes of his co-workers. There was nothing fake about Angel, but Noel couldn’t help but feel guilty about comparing Adam and Angel. They were two different people. He shouldn’t think one was better than the other.
“What’s the matter?”
Angel’s words broke into his thoughts.
Noel forced a smile on his face. “Nothing. Why?”
“Has anyone told you you’re a lousy liar?”
“More than once,” Noel admitted.
“Talk to me.” Angel laid a gloved hand on his arm.
“Is this where we talk about our feelings?” Noel aimed for teasing, but from Angel’s miserable expression, he’d missed by a mile. Noel sighed, took off a glove, and knuckled his eyes. “I’m feeling guilty.”
“About Adam.”
Noel nodded miserably. “I’m so happy when I’m with you. I forget about Adam. Then you say something that makes my heart sing.” He felt like an idiot, so he stopped. Then he took his courage in his hands and spoke the God’s honest truth. “I’ve been the happiest with you that I’ve been in years.”
“Just happy?”
“More than happy,” Noel admitted. “It’s just… we’re so quick.”
“I’m the rebound guy.” Angel sounded resigned.
“Maybe.” Noel bit his lip. “Six days ago, I thought I was going to marry Adam, and now you’re all I can think about—your smile, your kindness, the way you feel in my arms. I want to hold you every night and never let you go.”
“But… there’s always a but.”
“But then I think of Adam.”
“Who dumped you.” There was a harsh edge to Angel’s voice. “Don’t forget that.”
Noel pressed h
is lips together. He didn’t need reminding that Adam had walked away from him.
Angel must have seen the flinch, because he took Noel’s hand. “I’m sorry. That was mean. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“You did,” Noel said, “but it was deserved. I can’t play with your emotions.”
“The last thing I want to do is pressure you, but I need to know where I stand… if there’s a future for you and me when we leave this place.”
“I don’t know,” Noel confessed. “I don’t have any answers. I can’t just forget Adam.”
“He dumped you.”
“I know,” Noel yelled.
Angel nodded, his face drawn. Noel wanted to take him into his arms and kiss away that hurt expression, but something held him back.
“You’re right, of course,” Angel said, his voice barely above a whisper. “You owe it to Adam to sort out your relationship.”
“You really think so?” Noel asked.
The wan smile Angel gave him was like being cut by a knife. “I do. Maybe when you’ve decided what you want, you can call me. I’m going to walk to the viewpoint by myself. You go back.”
Noel didn’t want to leave Angel hurting like this. “We could walk together.”
Angel shook his head. “I need some time by myself. I’ll see you at dinner.”
Without waiting for an answer, he walked off, leaving Noel staring at his retreating back. Noel opened his mouth to ask him not to go, but he stopped and watched Angel walk out of sight.
“What the hell have I just done?” he said out loud. He’d hurt the one man who always had his back.
Noel shivered, shoved his hands in his pockets, and trudged back to the chalet. He heard the Christmas music again, but this time it sounded as though it were mocking him. How could he change from being happy to miserable in the space of five minutes? He stomped his way back up the path and onto the porch and waited outside to see if Angel came back, but he didn’t return, and Noel was faced with going back into the chalet alone.
Luck was on his side, and he didn’t encounter anyone on the way to his room. The main room was empty, and he heard Charlie and Don bickering about the turkey in the kitchen, but it sounded more teasing than angry. As he passed the wise guys’ room, he heard a low moan. Noel closed his eyes. He didn’t need to see them to know what they were up to. Another moan of pleasure just highlighted the gulf between their solid relationship and the fragile one between him and Angel. He opened the door to his bedroom.