Tin Angel (14 page)

“Reminds you of Cinderella, doesn’t it?” Jack asked.

She nodded, breathless from the beauty of it all.

“Care to take a ride?”

She gazed up into his fabulous blue eyes. “I’d love to, but are you sure you don’t mind the wait? It’s pretty cold out.”

“We’ll keep each other warm.” He turned up the collar on her coat and held it closed, then with the other hand brought her closer to him.

She inhaled the rich, earthy scent of his cologne, a tantalizing collection of spices that left her senses reeling. His hard, muscular thigh pressed against her, and a long-repressed need to have a man hold her surfaced. She wrapped her arms around him and let her desire free as she held him in a heart-pounding embrace.

Snow fell around them like cotton, forming a patchwork pattern on his hair. She brushed a shimmering flake from his brow with the back of her gloved fingers. His arm tightened around her waist; then his mouth brushed hers, hardening into a long, lingering kiss. She opened her lips to his probing tongue.

Consumed with a feverish passion, she lost track of time. It wasn’t until the carriage driver tapped Jack on the shoulder that she was brought back to reality.

“I hate to interrupt, but you two are in line, right?”

Jack nodded and, with his arm still around her, led her toward the carriage. He helped her up, then climbed in beside her. The driver handed him a sueded Berber throw, which Jack draped over them, tucking it around her legs.

“Warm enough?” he asked.

She smiled and snuggled closer to him. “I am now.”

He rested his arm around her shoulders and kissed her. A large crowd had gathered by the carriage. All were waiting to ride. She didn’t care if she and Jack looked like a couple of teenagers out on a first date, because that was exactly how she felt.

The driver chirruped to the horses and turned them onto the road. Jack had been right about her feeling like Cinderella, and he certainly fit the image of Prince Charming, right down to the ends of his shiny black hair. If Alice had been given a magic wand, she couldn’t have created a more perfect evening. Only one problem marred her happiness, and it wasn’t being turned into a scullery maid at the end of the night. For her when the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Eve, signaling the start of a new year, she would become an old woman whose life had come to an end.

She tried to fight back the tears and helplessness that threatened to consume her. Not tonight. You mustn’t think about that tonight, she warned herself. Just enjoy the moment. That’s all you have.

“What’s wrong?” Jack asked, concern etched on his face. “What’s made you so sad?”

“I was wishing this night could go on forever.”

“Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll have many more just as memorable, especially if I have anything to do with it.” The sincerity in his voice touched her as much as his words.

After driving through town, the driver pulled the carriage up in front of Gilly’s Tavern and rang a set of brass sleigh bells. “There’s none better than Sally Gilly’s homemade apple cider.”

“What do you think, should we go inside and warm up a bit?” Jack’s nose was red from the cold, as were his cheeks.

Alice knew Sally from way back, but she doubted the old woman would recognize her now, some sixty-five years younger than she should be. She gave Jack her approval, and he pulled some money from his wallet to tip the driver.

He jumped down from the carriage, then held his hand out to help her. When she stepped onto the snow-covered road, Jack let her slide into his arms. He held her a moment, then kissed the top of her head. They entered the tavern hand in hand.

A few old-timers sat at the bar drinking whiskey, smoking cigars, and telling tales of how their wives would be furious when they got home smelling of booze and stale smoke.

“It’s Christmas Eve,” bellowed one old man looking an awful lot like Santa Claus with his puff of white hair and long beard. His potbelly hung over his belt, jiggling when he laughed. “A few pops with my boys here ain’t too much to ask before going home, now is it?”

Jack leaned over and whispered in her ear, “I think he’s had more than a few pops, wouldn’t you say?”

Alice smiled and remembered how her father used to stop here after the theater. It had always been a favorite haunt of the locals.

The hostess, dressed in an elf costume, came over to seat them. They followed her to the back of the tavern, where the flames from a large stone fireplace lent a cozy glow to the room. She led them to a small wooden table in front of the fire. Jack held Alice’s chair while she sat.

Alice pulled off her leather gloves and tucked them into her jacket pocket. “What a lovely time I’m having. I can’t thank you enough for this.” Her lower lip quivered as she spoke, and she tried not to let emotion overcome her.

He moved the holly centerpiece and reached across the table to hold her hands. “You’re a special person, and I’m only now learning just how special.”

Guilt washed over her as she thought of how she’d deceived him. If he knew, would he still feel that way about her? For a moment she considered telling him everything
—
how a tin angel had granted her wish, how she was really Alice
—
but the craziness of it kept her from speaking. She couldn’t risk spoiling this night. No, it was better to remain silent.

He let go of her hands and reached into his pocket, pulling out a red foil box. It was the same wrapping paper the sales clerk at Miller’s had used to wrap the gift she’d purchased for him. He slid it across the table in front of her.

“I know it’s not Christmas yet, but I just couldn’t wait any longer to give it to you. I hope you don’t mind.” His face was illuminated in the flickering firelight, a handsome sculpting of darkness and light. The gleam in his eyes told her this gift was special.

She wanted to trace her fingers along the dark stubble shading his jaw. “Not at all,” she said, ripping open the paper. “It was a tradition in my family to open one gift on Christmas Eve.”

He lifted a brow slightly. “You don’t follow that tradition any longer?”

She paused before opening the black-velvet box in her hands. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what you mean.”

“You spoke in the past tense. You said it
was
a tradition. I wondered what happened. Your family doesn’t do that any longer?”

Now she realized her mistake. She’d spoken as Alice. It had been a very long time since she celebrated the holidays with her family, her parents having been dead for years. But Ally’s father was supposed to be alive and well.

She was becoming too comfortable with Jack. Memories that popped into her head were slipping out of her mouth, and if she wasn’t careful, she might say something she wouldn’t be able to explain away.

“I was thinking of this year. That must be why I said that. We’re not following tradition. I’m here, my family’s not.” Her fingers tightened on the box. She wished he would stop analyzing her words.

“Sorry. Go on, open your gift.”

She flipped open the lid. Inside a beautiful gold piano sparkled. “Oh, Jack,” she said, covering her mouth with her hands. Emotion bubbled up inside her, and her eyes grew misty. “A piano.”

Despite her joy, worry swept through her. This was something she’d have thought he’d give to Alice, not Ally.

As if reading her mind, he smiled and slipped the charm from her hands. He let it dangle from his fingers. “I know what you’re thinking. Why did I choose a piano for you?”

She nodded, and her chest tightened.

“You have an appreciation of music. It was evident the night I played for you. The way you touched the keys… You know, you don’t have to play to have music be a part of your soul.”

“Thank you. I love it. It’s amazing how well you’ve gotten to know me already.”

“I felt our connection the first time I laid eyes on you. You felt it too, didn’t you?”

This was too good to be true. Jack did have feelings for her, and it was becoming clear that they were as strong as the ones she had for him. “Yes,” she said softly, not wanting to break this magical spell.

He dropped the charm back in its box, then lifted her hand and brought it to his mouth. His lips lingered on her skin, and she thought her heart would burst right out of her chest. The waitress came by with their menus just in time to keep her from fainting. Happiness and love weren’t emotions she was familiar with.

“Mr. Billings, how are you?” The young woman was tall, though not as tall as Alice. She had on brown stretch pants and a matching turtleneck. Her long auburn hair was swept back with an antler headband. When she moved, the tiny gold bells dangling from it tinkled. She made a very attractive reindeer.

Jack grinned. “Lena? Is that you?”

She laughed. “Hard to recognize me in this getup, huh?”

“You look great. Love the antlers.”

Alice pulled her hand away from Jack’s embrace and stuck it under the table. She could still feel the sizzle of his kiss on her skin. How did he know the waitress? Was she someone he’d dated? He did sometimes go out on a Saturday night.

From beneath her lashes, Alice studied the pretty young woman. Her coppery hair framed her face, and her vivid green eyes were locked on Jack in open admiration. Alice shifted her gaze to the paneled wall where a row of pictures hung, depicting the town as it had looked long ago. She belonged in that time period, not in this one. She knew nothing of this new world or of women who openly flirted with a man while he was on a date with someone else.

“Al, this is Lena Robbins.”

It took her a moment to realize Jack was speaking to her. She’d thought he’d forgotten her presence. “A pleasure to meet you.” She reached across the table to shake the woman’s hand.

“This is Ally Hart, my landlady’s niece,” Jack said, completing the introduction. “She’s here for the holidays.”

“A beautiful time of year to visit our little town. Have you seen the lights on the green?” Lena asked.

The way she said,
“Our little town,”
made Alice feel like an outsider and sent her pulse racing. “Yes, they’re lovely.”

“We took the sleigh ride,” Jack chimed in. “It was as if we’d gone back a hundred years, right, Ally?”

“Absolutely,” she replied curtly.

He lifted a brow, and she knew he was wondering what was wrong. All her insecurities had resurfaced, and she wished she was home with Jasper curled on her lap.

“Lena works part time at the school’s library,” Jack informed her.

Ah, a librarian by day and a cocktail waitress by night. Alice gave her a tight smile.

“Her son’s one of my music students. He plays the violin.” Jack beamed as he always did when he spoke of his students. “Zack’s got a lot of talent. You should be very proud of him.”

Alice’s pulse had slowed to normal again once she knew Lena was married and wasn’t a threat, but her cheeks burned with shame. Jealousy was a strange new sensation, and she didn’t like the feel of it one bit.

“I’m lucky to have him,” Lena said, her voice full of pride. “Zack’s crazy about you, Mr. Billings. He jumps right out of bed in the morning because he can’t wait to get to your class.”

“I know I’ve done my job when I hear things like that.” His smile lit up his face.

“I’ll give you two some time to look over the menu.”

“We’re here for the hot apple cider.” Jack handed the menus back to her.

She tucked them under her arm and scribbled their order on her pad. “It’s out of this world. Sally keeps the recipe hidden, and she won’t let anyone in the kitchen when she’s preparing it.”