“I’d like that,” she said a little coyly. “Six o’clock at Benjy’s? They do a great burger.”
“Well, that sounds just about perfect. I’ll be ready for something good after a hard day in the salt mines,” Brett said, trying to at least pretend to be flirtatious.
“Great,” she said eagerly and disappeared in the direction of the little kitchen to get his coffee.
Brett barely noticed her returning and placing the steaming cup on his desk, he was wrapped up in the columns of numbers, trying to make sense of them. He barely noticed anything but his work for the rest of the day and was surprised to look up and find the office empty, and the clock on the wall telling him it was eight thirty.
“Blast it,” he said vehemently.
He didn’t have Heidi’s number and he was sure she wouldn’t have waited this long for him to show up, but he had to at least try and apologize. He grabbed his suit jacket from the back of his chair, pulling it on as he ran down the stairs and across the street to Benjy’s Bar and Grill. He burst through the door, his eyes scanning the large, open room.
“You looking for someone?” a short, ginger-headed man asked him. Brett was sure he recognized him as one of the cardiologists from the hospital.
“Heidi, from accounts. Have you seen her?”
“She just left. Looked mighty ticked off, if you ask me.”
“I didn’t,” Brett said irritably, feeling strangely out of sorts. He’d not been this unlucky with women before, at least not in such close succession. “I don’t suppose you have her number?”
“No, but Jimmy over by the bar might. He used to go with her,” the man said.
Jimmy was a burly guy in his mid-thirties. He wore a dark biker jacket and was surrounded by other guys who looked just as menacing as he did. Brett could see this wasn’t his kind of place and decided to make a tactical retreat. He’d apologize to Heidi tomorrow. If Jimmy really was the kind of guy she normally went for, he couldn’t quite see why Heidi had always seemed so interested in him. Maybe she’d just wanted to rub it in Jimmy’s face that she was with someone successful and smart. Brett couldn’t help thinking that it may just be a blessing that he’d not been here on time. Jimmy looked like the jealous type, and Brett rather liked the angle of his nose as it was.
The hotel room was soul-less and cold when Brett got back there. He pulled out his cell and flipped it open. No messages. He didn’t know why, but he’d hoped that Kelsey might call. He was about to throw the cellphone down on the bed when it rang, vibrating strongly against his hand. He flipped it open and saw Annie’s name. He let it go to voicemail. He wasn’t in the mood for Annie’s probing, or her knowing tone of voice.
The silence in the room was deafening. He picked up the remote and switched on the television. Flicking through the channels aimlessly he couldn’t find anything to watch. Exasperated, he turned it back off and left the room. He almost ran along the corridor to the elevator. He tapped his feet impatiently as he waited for it to arrive, stabbing at the button over and over. The number above the doors seemed not to budge for hours. But finally, the numbers began to descend steadily, and the doors opened to let him inside.
Once on the first floor, Brett crossed the lobby and burst out of the glass doors onto the street. He could hear carnival drums playing somewhere so he headed in the direction of the sound. It sounded like a street fair and that might be just what he needed. Miami was full of tourists, all laughing and chattering about how great it was to be in the warmth for a change this time of year. From the accents Brett heard around him, he’d guess that many of them were from New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island. People from all the north-eastern states escaping the wintry weather for a bit of holiday sun and fun.
A parade was making its way down the street about a block away. Brett mingled with the watching crowds, trying to forget that he wasn’t really one of them. He watched as pretty girls, clad in mostly feathers, pulled men and women from the crowd and tried to teach them a few steps as the carnival went by. A Miami Christmas was not what any of the tourists were used to, and they threw themselves into the novelty with enthusiasm.
When one of those girls tugged on Brett’s hand, he gladly followed, surprising her with a few moves, pulling her into a samba roll. She grinned up at him. “I’ll get you a costume, you’re better than most of the guys in the parade,” she said flatteringly.
“Thanks, but I’m no professional,” he said, letting her know he’d picked up on her flirtation, but that he wasn’t interested. “I’d best let you go.”
She danced off to catch up with her troupe, and he watched her bouncing headdress as she traversed the fifty yards or so without ever missing the beat. Brett wished he was here with Kelsey. She’d love the festive atmosphere and the joyous music. All he wanted was for her to have the best Christmas, ever. He wanted her to know that though her family and childhood friends were far away, she had people here who loved her just as much. Now, he’d never get the chance.
His cell rang again, this time vibrating against his hip. He pulled it out. Annie again. It wasn’t like her to be so insistent. Reluctantly he accepted the call and put the cellphone to his ear. He prayed that it wasn’t anything serious and that she as just impatient to hear his side of what happened the other night. “Hey,” he said. “What’s up?”
“Kelsey’s snow globe’s gone,” she said.
“Gone?”
“Yeah, gone,” Annie repeated. “You know–missing, not there, absent.”
“And you are calling me about this, why?” he asked with a heavy sigh. It wasn’t as if he could do anything about it from Miami after all.
“It disappeared during the party,” Annie said, her voice tailing off a little towards the end, as though she were concerned about what she had to say next.
Brett saved her the trouble. “And, you think I might have taken it because I was mad?”
“Well, you have to admit that even though it sounds crazy, it is also plausible,” Annie said placatingly.
“No, I didn’t take it. First of all, I’m not that kind of guy, as you both know. And you can tell her I said that,” Brett said feeling aggrieved that his two best friends should even think they needed to ask such a ridiculous question. “Second, I wasn’t mad. You can tell her that, too. The snow globe was a gift, for someone I cared for very much. No matter how upset I was that night I’d never be that petty. That’s more the behavior of an idiot like Abrams.”
There was a brief pause before Annie spoke. “Oh, my goodness! We didn’t even think about him,” she gasped.
“Thanks,” Brett said, even more annoyed now. “The guy you do know, you’re more than happy to accuse of stealing and being a jerk, but the guy you know is a jerk, he gets away with it without a second thought. I really do know how to pick my friends.”
“Brett, don’t be that way. I know you’re hurt that Kelsey rejected you. And you have every right to be ticked that I called you like this. But, that was me, not her. She said you’d never do such a thing in a million years. But, I had to ask. She’s that disappointed that it’s gone. She really loved it.”
“Yeah, just not the guy who really gave it to her,” Brett couldn’t keep the bitterness from his tone.
“Don’t you dare say a word that I told you this, but, she does love you. She’s just a bit confused. She’s got some crazy notion that she’ll mess up the friendship if she gives you guys a go. I think there was someone else, someone in her past that disappointed her. I think it was someone she trusted like she does you. She just doesn’t want to get hurt again, and losing you completely scares her too much.”
“She’d never lose me,” Brett said, the emotion choking his words as a lump formed in his throat.
“I know that. I’ve told her you’re still friends with Marisa and Kat, but she’s stubborn. Just give her time.”
“Sure,” Brett said, wanting to believe what Annie was telling him, but hardly daring to hope. He’d been so hurt by her reaction at the party a
nd had been so sure that Kelsey was falling for Joe Abrams. It would take a great deal to get the image out of his head of her and Joe, his arm possessively draped over her shoulders.
“You’re in Miami, right?” Annie said, her tone suddenly more than a little inquisitive.
“I am.”
“Well, do you think you could go and see Joe? Maybe ask him about the snow globe?”
“Sure, we’re old pals,” Brett said sarcastically. “I’ll just drop by, we’ll talk golf and maybe some football and then he’ll confess everything to me. It’s so easy to bring up the subject of snow globes in male conversation after all.”
“Hey, there’s no need to get snippy. I just figured you’d want to help me find out who took the thing and make Kelsey happy again. But, if you’d rather not, because it might be a bit awkward, then of course. It’s no big deal at all,” Annie said slyly.
Brett groaned, knowing she’d won. Joe Abrams was the last person he ever wanted to have to see again, but Annie was right that Kelsey’s happiness was the most important thing in the world. He’d do anything for that woman, and Annie knew it. “You win,” he said, and flipped his cell shut again, wondering how in the world he’d find Joe Abrams or get the jerk to speak to him.
Brett didn’t have to think about it for too long, because as he turned back to the parade, Brett could make out the unmistakable figure of Joe Abrams, following behind Santa’s sleigh, dressed as an elf. Trying not to laugh at the sight of a full-grown man in tights and a pointy hat, Brett moved to fall in step with Santa’s little helpers. “Well, well, well,” he said. “It must be my lucky night. A samba with a beautiful lady, and now just as I’ve been charged to find you, you turn up looking like an absolute doofus.”
“Careful,” Abrams growled. “The hospital does this every year, and I have no problem decking you, as an elf or not.”
“I’m sure you don’t,” Brett said. “Keep smiling at all the kiddies.” He’d never thought of himself as a malicious man, but Brett couldn’t deny he was getting a lot of satisfaction from Joe’s obvious embarrassment. “Now, I know that things didn’t go too well for you with Kelsey the other night. And I also know that you are the vindictive type. So, I’ll get right to the point.”
“Which is?”
“Did you take her snow globe?” Brett said, not taking his eyes off the other man. If he started trying to lie his way out of this, then Brett was going to be sure to catch him out.
7
“I don’t understand why anyone would take it,” Kelsey said, a single tear running down her cheek. “I trusted everyone who came here. I thought they were my friends.”
Annie hugged her tightly. “Just goes to show that no matter how much we like to think otherwise, some people aren’t who we think they are.”
“But why just the snow globe?” Kelsey thought out loud. She’d pondered it over and over since she’d found the snow globe missing when she got home after her shift the day after her party.
“Are you sure it went missing after the party?” Annie asked, putting her feet up on the cafeteria table. One of the servers frowned at her, but Annie just frowned at her and looked back at Kelsey. “They’ve got to sanitize it after we go anyway. I was in surgery for ten hours and I’d like to see any of them manage that without complaining about their aching feet.”
“Disparaging those who work hard isn’t going to help figure this out, Annie,” Kelsey reminded her.
Annie nodded. “I know, but I’m tired and grumpy and need caffeine and chocolate.” She picked up her coffee and drank deeply. “So, what was I saying?”
“You asked if I was sure that it went missing the night of the party,” Kelsey reminded her. “And, no, I’m not, not one hundred percent sure, anyway. I collapsed into bed after you left and only got about four hours sleep before I had to get up. I had a stinking headache, so I wasn’t exactly looking to see if my friends had robbed me the night before. But, when I got back home that night, the snow globe wasn’t there.”
“And you couldn’t possibly have moved it could you?”
“I don’t think so. You know how small my apartment is. I’d have found it by now if that was the case.”
“Now that certainly is true.” Annie’s dig at her small apartment only showed in her tone. She’d been after Kelsey to get a bigger place, though for the life of her Kelsey couldn’t figure out why she cared since she didn’t live there, too.
“It’s cozy,” Kelsey reminded Annie, pulling her cardigan around her tightly. She shivered a little as she picked up her mug of chamomile tea with both hands and took a deep breath of the scented steam rising off it. The warmth and the comforting fragrance soothed her frazzled nerves, and she took a sip, enjoying the honey and herbal concoction.
“I called Brett,” Annie said.
“No, please tell me you didn’t!” Kelsey exclaimed. “You shouldn’t have. He wouldn’t have taken it and now he probably thinks I think he would. As if our misunderstanding the other night wasn’t enough.”
“You seem awfully reluctant to talk to him, or even talk about him,” Annie said gently. “You guys were, I mean are, so close. I always assumed that you’d work it out one day. That you’d realize he’s crazy about you I mean, and that you’d fall into his arms. You know, like in those cheesy Hallmark movies we can’t get enough of.”
“I never thought of him that way,” Kelsey said sadly. “Maybe I should have paid more attention or been more open minded. Then none of this would be happening. You still think he was the one who got it for me, don’t you?”
Annie gave her an exasperated look, her eyes rolling. “Sure he did. And now you’re sitting her moping over a stupid snow globe, when you should be calling him and telling him how ridiculous you’ve been. But I don’t have all day to sit here and nag at you, so I am going to go and check on my patient before I head home for a few hours sleep. Then I’ll come back and do it all again tomorrow.” She gulped down the last of her coffee and set the cup on the table before jumping to her feet. “And you need to call him, Kelsey.”
Kelsey watched her leave the cafeteria. Annie really was something else. How she managed to make even hospital scrubs look good was beyond Kelsey, but there it was. The way her hips swayed and the way she held herself with such confidence, well, it was a sight to behold. Kelsey shook her head and tapped her fingers against her tea cup, biting her bottom lip.
Annie was right. Of course she was. She almost always was. Kelsey really needed to speak to Brett, to explain herself and to beg him to forgive her. She missed her friend. But it was more than that. She wanted to revisit that almost kiss. She wanted to know what it would feel like to be in his arms, and to feel his lips on hers.
She couldn’t do it, though.
She’d never thought of herself as the cowardly type, but it turned out that she wasn’t only scared of what Brett might react. She also felt like a fool for not realizing what she could have had until it was too late. And she was certain it was too late.
Annie had called him, so he now thought that Kelsey believed he’d taken the globe. She didn’t, and she never would think that of him. Brett was a good man, she had absolutely no doubts about that. She hated that he may be wandering around Miami thinking she thought so little of him.
A phone rang. Kelsey rummaged in her pocket to see if it was hers. It wasn’t, but the ring tone sounded too close to be coming from another table. She stood up and noticed Annie’s cell on the floor where she’d been sitting. Kelsey moved round the table and picked it up, wondering if she should answer the call or not. The number flashing up on the screen was one of the Baptist Health switchboard numbers. What if it was Annie trying to find out where she’d left it? She flicked her finger across the screen and accepted the call. “Hey, Annie. It’s okay, I’ve got it. I’ll bring it up to recovery for you, or you can stop by on your way out,” she said cheerfully. For all Annie’s brilliance, she could be dreadfully forgetful.
“It’s not Annie, Kel
sey,” Brett’s deep, caramel-rich voice said.
Kelsey shivered, but not from the cold this time. She’d never noticed how delicious Brett’s baritone was before. She wondered how she’d ever missed it. “Oh,” she said, feeling a little foolish and a lot nervous. “Well, um, Annie’s just gone upstairs to check on a patient. She forgot her phone. I guess it must have fallen out of her pocket.” Aware that she was babbling and telling Brett details he most likely didn’t care about, she fell silent.
Brett chuckled. “Sounds like Annie,” he said. “She’d lose her head if it wasn’t screwed on. I was just calling to let her know it wasn’t Joe.”
“What wasn’t Joe?” Kelsey asked, then felt foolish, realizing that Annie hadn’t called Brett about the missing snow globe to accuse him, but to get him to check out the disgruntled Joe Abrams. Brett was in Miami and it would have been easy for him to go and check it out.
“He didn’t take your snow globe. He was fairly well ticked off I even asked him about it. He felt the need to tell me how badly he’d been treated the other night. I wish I could say I felt sorry for him, but I’m proud of you for seeing through his too perfect veneer.”
Kelsey could hardly believe how gentle Brett was being with her. She’d hurt his feelings badly, she knew she had. But he was just being himself, kind and sweet and more worried about how she might be feeling than any discomfort he might be experiencing. She prayed it wouldn’t be too late to make it up to him, but it was a conversation she wanted to have with him face to face. Not on a phone call that had originally been meant for someone else.
“You know me, Brett,” she said trying to sound bright and breezy, “always willing to hope that even the worst of humanity is a prince underneath the frog exterior.”
Brett chuckled again. “I’m sorry about the missing snow globe, Kelsey. I really hope we find it. But, hey, I’d better get back to the audit. It’s a real doozy.”
“So, you’re finally having to work for a living?” Kelsey teased him gently.
A Snow Globe Christmas (Ornamental Match Maker Book 5) Page 5