Those Christmas Angels (Angels Everywhere #5)(56)

When the elevator reached the lobby, Julie straightened, eager to get away from Fletcher Industries—and Fletcher. When the doors slid open, Jason stood directly in front of her, legs braced apart, hands on his hips.

“Mr. Fletcher would like to see you,” he announced.

“Tell him another time would be better,” Julie said, attempting to get past him.

“He insisted. I’m sorry, Ms. Wilcoff, but I have my orders.”

“Which are what? Shoot me on sight if I refuse to talk to your boss? This is illegal confinement, in case you weren’t aware of it.”

A smile cracked Jason’s tight lips. “Just talk to him, all right?”

“I’m supposed to take the elevator up to his office?”

Jason nodded.

“I won’t do that.”

Jason’s eyes pleaded with her. “As a personal favor to me, would you just do it?”

“Sorry, no.”

“Ms. Wilcoff, he called down here himself and asked me to keep you in the building.”

Despite her anguish, Julie laughed. “That’s quite a contrast to his earlier commands, isn’t it?”

“Can’t help that.” He shrugged. “I will say this—you’ve certainly made my job interesting.”

Julie gave an exasperated sigh. Talking to Roy, especially now, wasn’t going to solve anything. “I’m sorry, I can’t.” When it looked as if Jason was about to detain her, Julie leaped agilely to the right and then just as quickly to the left. To her astonishment, without the least bit of effort, she sprinted past the guard.

Jason appeared stunned. “How’d you do that?” he asked, chasing after her.

She was at the door, pushing it open, when he reached her. He stretched out his arms, lunged forward—and froze in place. “I can’t move,” he cried. “Something’s holding me back.”

“Good try, Jason,” she said as she walked outside, taking a moment to admire Anne’s angel windows. Too bad Roy didn’t understand the spirit of Christmas—or the nature of faith and love—the way his mother did.

“I’m not joking!”

The door closed behind her as she bolted toward the visitor parking lot. She glanced over her shoulder once to find Jason still in that odd position, one leg stretched out as if stepping forward to grab her. When he noticed her watching him, he called out for help. Smiling, Julie simply shook her head. He certainly had an inventive approach to getting her sympathy.

After she drove away from Fletcher Industries, Julie headed toward the school. It was almost dark now, but she needed to vent her frustration, so she changed into running gear and jogged toward the track. After doing a couple of quick laps, she left the field and took one of her usual routes in a friendly neighborhood near the school. Generally she avoided running in the dark, but her gear had reflective tape so she could be seen by oncoming traffic.

Her feet hit the pavement in a rhythm that matched the pounding of her heart. Her thoughts, however, flew at a far greater speed. Anger was soon replaced by sadness. Sadness became regret…and resignation. As she approached the five-mile marker, she became aware of a car driving behind her.

It could only be Roy.

He eased his car alongside her and lowered the passenger window. “You have a hard time following directions, don’t you?”

“Not at all.” She slowed to a clipped walk, her arms swinging. “Why would you say that?”

“What did you do to Jason?”

“I didn’t do a thing to him.”

Roy brought his sedan to a stop, parked it by the curb and then jumped out. Jogging around the front of the vehicle, he joined her. “That’s not what he told me.”

“Believe what you want.” She tried to hide how hard she was breathing—and how pleased she was to see him. Because, in spite of everything, she was. But that wasn’t going to change the situation.

“Come on, Julie, be reasonable. If you want an apology, you’ve got one. I was rude and arrogant.” He paced his walk to hers.

“Yes, you were.”

“Thank you for being so gracious,” he muttered.

“I don’t think we’ve got anything left to discuss. You have my answer.”

“I want you to reconsider.”

“It wouldn’t work,” she said, and she meant it. She stopped walking, and at the risk of letting down her guard, raised her hand to his cheek. “In the beginning, living together would’ve been wonderful—”

“It still can be.”

“But it wouldn’t last.”

“Nothing lasts forever, and we’d be foolish to think otherwise.”

“My parents’ love for each other did.”

“Mine didn’t.”

Julie shrugged. “I’m sorry for you, sorry for them, but I can’t let what happened between your mother and father taint my life. I’m falling in love with you, Roy, and I want it all.”

With an angry sigh of frustration, he threw back his head to stare at the dark sky. “Julie, come on! I’m willing to give you whatever you want.”

“But that’s just the point—you aren’t.”

He placed his hand over hers and brought it to his lips, kissing the tender skin of her palm. “We could have something good. Who cares if it doesn’t last a lifetime?”