Those Christmas Angels (Angels Everywhere #5)(101)

It was at this gazebo that Beth Fischer would be meeting Peter in a few hours.

Once they were off the train, Heidi, Sam, two-year-old Adam and Beth toured the area. Adam wanted to go sledding, so Sam quickly purchased a round plastic sled. Soon father and son were gliding down the incline while Heidi took photographs.

“I’ll put one of these in our Christmas letter,” she told Beth excitedly.

“Isn’t it a little late to be mailing out cards?” Beth teased. Heidi was always late. In fact, last year’s Christmas cards had arrived in mid-January. Heidi had said that Beth should either consider them very late or exceptionally early.

Beth had been too nervous to eat all day and seeing a vendor selling roasted chestnuts, she purchased a small bag to share with her friend.

Heidi bit into one. “Hey, these aren’t bad. They’re kind of sweet.”

Beth tried one, too, and then another. Now she could say she’d tasted chestnuts roasting on an open fire, just like the Christmas song said.

As they strolled down the street taking in the sights and smells and sounds of Christmas, Beth found herself studying faces. She wondered if Peter’s bus had come in yet. Could that tall, handsome man be him? When a little girl leaped into his arms, Beth decided it probably wasn’t.

“Are you sorry you agreed to meet Peter so late in the day?”

“Yes,” she said tersely.

Soon after that, Sam caught up with them. Adam, bundled from head to foot, was asleep in his father’s arms, exhausted from their outing in the snow.

“We were just talking about Beth’s appointment,” Heidi told her husband.

“I hope you and your WoW partner have a way to connect if something goes wrong,” the ever-practical Sam said. “There must be a thousand people here this afternoon.”

“Peter e-mailed me his cell phone number.”

“Did you give him yours?” Heidi asked.

“No, I didn’t think of it.” That wasn’t completely accurate. “Actually, I meant to, but we started talking and I forgot.”

“That’s not a good sign,” Sam began. “What if—”

“Sam,” Heidi interrupted. “Everything’s going to work out fine.”

Beth hoped her friend was right. “You’ll come with me, won’t you?” she asked Heidi. The time was growing closer. At three o’clock, it started to snow. Clouds obscured the sky as dusk fell over the town; by four-thirty it would be completely dark.

“Come with you?” Heidi repeated. “You’re kidding, aren’t you?”

“Heidi, please. I’m so nervous I’m about to throw up.”

“This should be interesting. All you’ve had to eat is a couple of roasted chestnuts.”

“Don’t joke,” Beth muttered. “I’m serious.”

“Okay,” Heidi said. “I’ll come if you really want me to, but I’m only going to stay long enough for the two of you to meet.”

“What if we don’t like each other?” Beth asked, feeling a sense of dread. She was bringing so many hopes, so much yearning, to this encounter that she was afraid she’d set herself up for failure.

The night before, as they exchanged instant messages, Peter was the one who’d seemed anxious.

They’d tried to reassure each other. That was when he’d given her his phone number. Online they had so much to talk about, and Beth sincerely hoped the chemistry that seemed to spark between them on the screen translated into real life.

At ten minutes to four, Beth and Heidi made their way toward the gazebo, where Peter would be waiting for her. She’d know him by the long-stemmed red rose and his Seahawks hat.

“This is the most romantic date I’ve ever heard about,” Heidi said dreamily.

Beth slipped her arm through Heidi’s. “I’m so grateful you’re here.”

They stood in the background because Beth was feeling shy and a bit shaky, which could’ve been low blood sugar, Heidi told her. In any event, her plan was to wait for him and then casually walk up and introduce herself.

“There he is!” Heidi said, pointing toward a cluster of people near the gazebo.

“Where? Where? I don’t see him.” And then she did.

“Beth, oh my goodness, look at him! He’s gorgeous.”

Beth froze and her heart sank to her knees. Her stomach pitched wildly. “He’s that, all right,” she whispered numbly.

“How did you get so lucky?” Heidi was too excited to notice Beth’s complete lack of enthusiasm.

“I don’t know,” Beth said, her voice low and emotionless.

Heidi turned to stare at her. “What’s the matter with you? Peter looks like he stepped off the pages of a romance novel.”

“He does, doesn’t he?” Beth murmured. Then she covered her face with both hands and turned away. Whipping the red hat off her head, she quickly unwrapped the telltale scarf from around her neck, as well.

“Beth, what’s wrong?” Heidi asked.

“What’s wrong?” Beth repeated. “You want me to tell you what’s wrong? That Peter is an imposter!”

“How can he be an imposter when you’ve never met him before?”

“His name isn’t Peter,” she choked out. “It’s John Nicodemus and he’s my ex-husband.”