Angels at the Table (Angels Everywhere #7)(45)
The other man broke into an instant smile.
Aren dared not look in Josie’s direction. “It seems you and my sister have had a misunderstanding.”
“Excuse me.” The woman with Jack didn’t look the least bit pleased. “I’m not invisible, you know.”
Jack appeared to have completely forgotten the other woman. “Oh, sorry. Pamela, this is the brother of the woman I mentioned earlier.”
“You mean the one you seem to drag into every conversation?”
Jack looked away and didn’t answer.
“It seems I ordered your favorite meal. It’s about to be delivered. Why don’t you join my sister and I’ll introduce myself to Pamela.”
“Now just a minute. Don’t I have a say in this?” Jack’s date demanded.
“Apparently not,” Aren answered. Jack was already halfway across the restaurant.
Aren pulled out the chair and sat down with Pamela. She was pretty enough, he supposed, but two minutes in her company and it was clear she was high maintenance. After a good ten minutes she scooted out of her chair and said, “Tell Jack it would be best if he not contact me again.”
Aren waved her off. “It might be best if you tell him that yourself.”
“Then I will. Gladly.”
Sure enough Pamela pranced across the room to the table where Jack sat with Josie. Their heads were together and whatever their problem had been, it wasn’t in evidence now.
Jack stood as Pamela approached. Aren wasn’t privy to whatever the other woman had to say but apparently she wanted nothing more to do with him. She left in a huff.
Seeing that he’d accomplished his mission, Aren left a generous tip on the table before getting up to leave. He felt more than conspicuous as every eye in the restaurant was on him. He could only imagine that speculation among the diners must be rampant. On his way out the door, Josie caught his eye and blew him a kiss. He returned it with a wave and was off.
His apartment felt cold and dark when he let himself in. He felt good about helping his sister and Jack. He hoped it had just been prewedding jitters that had set them off course. Seeing them together this evening made it clear neither one was happy apart. He hoped they would be able to settle the matter once and for all.
His phone rang close to midnight, waking Aren out of a sound sleep.
“Thank you,” Josie whispered.
“You’re welcome. Can I go back to sleep now?”
“No. Do you want to come over so we can talk?”
“Josie, I’m in bed.”
“Okay, be a party pooper, see if I care.”
“I’m happy for you.” And he was, but at the moment he was too tired and he wanted to get back to his dream … a dream that involved Lucie.
Chapter Sixteen
It was Christmas Eve and Lucie should be excited and happy. She wasn’t. Instead her heart was heavy. It’d been that way from the moment she had last talked to Aren. He hadn’t contacted her and pride wouldn’t allow her to reach out to him. She faithfully read his column and noticed that he wasn’t quite as cutting as he had been, at least in her mind. She hungered for news from him but none came.
Her mother walked into the kitchen where Lucie sat with her morning cup of coffee. Sammy rested by her feet. “Come on, sweetie, smile,” Wendy urged. “It’s Christmas Eve.” Her mother’s happiness brightened the room.
“I am smiling, Mom. I’m grateful for this time off.” They’d decided to close the restaurant for the next two days and Lucie welcomed the break. She hadn’t been in the Christmas spirit much and had put off shopping and wrapping until the last minute.
Wendy reached for the coffeepot and poured her own mug and then sat down and tested her blood sugar. Without a word, she stood and brought out a container of orange juice. “Are you going to contact Aren?” she asked as if it were a little thing.
“No.”
Her mother’s shoulders sagged with disappointment. “Why not?”
“Mom, we’ve been through this a dozen times. It’s over between us.”
“And that’s what you want?” Her mother’s skeptical look said it all.
Lucie didn’t answer because she longed for Aren, she missed him and wished with every part of her being that things could be different. But he was who he was and she couldn’t change that.
“I thought I’d go into the city this morning,” Lucie announced, doing her best to sound excited and upbeat. “I have some shopping left and I need to run a couple of other errands, too.”
“Don’t be late for dinner,” Wendy told her after Lucie reached for her coat and purse.
“I won’t.”
Actually what Lucie wanted most was to escape and forget this was Christmas Eve. What had happened between her and Aren remained fresh in her mind. If she kept herself busy, she might be distracted enough to put Aren out of her thoughts and be able to appreciate the season at least a little bit. That was her hope. A day in the city was bound to help.
“Do you see how miserable Lucie is?” Will asked Mercy.
“I couldn’t help but notice.” Mercy and her two friends stayed close to their young charge as Will followed Lucie onto the subway leading into Manhattan.
Will had been a fast learner, although he was still tempted to intervene in the lives of humans. Mercy recognized that he’d picked up the habit from the three of them. They really did try to walk the straight-and-narrow path, and somehow, to this point, they’d been able to answer the prayers as God intended even if the path made several sharp twists every now and again.