Be Mine at Christmas (16 page)

I
T HADN’T BEEN EASY
to get Ruby to leave. But Ruby had kids. She couldn’t miss Christmas. And although Ruby invited her, there was no way Adelaide wanted to join the party. She loved the children, but this was the first time the family would be celebrating the holidays together in three years. Adelaide refused to interfere with that. Besides, she’d rather be alone.

Bundled up in a wool coat, scarf and gloves, she sat on a bench in Capitol Park, gazing at the building that sheltered California’s government. Called the People’s Building, it was a domed piece of Greek Revival and Roman–Corinthian architecture resembling the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. Tonight, the Christmas lights that adorned the building and the trees shone through the fog, making Adelaide feel as if she’d just stepped into the scene portrayed on the Christmas cards they sold in nearby gift shops.

Except she felt no warmth of spirit. She was cold inside, and as empty as the building appeared to be.

Mark had always loved it here, she thought. But not because of the beauty. It was the power that drew him.

Was it the same for Maxim?

Probably. He’d done just about everything he could to retain his seat, hadn’t he? And that included making her
believe he cared about her. She wasn’t entirely sure it was an act, but even if he’d received the anonymous tip Ruby had mentioned and gone after Mark before they’d had the chance to get to know each other, did she really want another man obsessed with his own ambition? Could she deal with a second relationship like the one she’d had with Mark? He’d started putting so many things before her—among them, apparently, his interns.

She shuddered as she imagined what must have happened with Phoenix. Mark had hidden his interest in the boy so well. Or had she merely missed the signs? He’d certainly talked about Phoenix. He’d even had him over to the house. After learning that he didn’t have a supportive family, she’d felt sorry for the boy. She certainly knew what being alone was like. But now she saw how effectively she’d been manipulated. It was Mark who’d told her about Phoenix’s family. Who knew if it was even true? Had they been kissing and touching in another room while she was right there in the house?

Maybe. Her presence provided the perfect cover, should anyone ever raise any questions. She never would’ve suspected, hadn’t watched them closely at all.

That must’ve made it pretty darn easy.

But Mark hadn’t expected to die and have someone as tenacious and determined as Maxim take over his seat. Would this have come out if she hadn’t entered the race? She doubted it. Why would Maxim have bothered with Mark otherwise? Ironically, it was her desire to stand up for her husband because of Maxim’s lack of respect for him that’d brought the truth to light.

What did those e-mail messages say? Did she even want to know?

“You’re
such
a liar,” she told Mark. It wasn’t only the
fact that he’d broken their marriage vows that hurt. It was that she’d lost so much self-confidence wondering why she couldn’t interest her own husband. “You bastard.”

Her phone vibrated in her purse. It’d been going off all night. She would’ve cut the power, but Ruby had made her promise not to. She wanted to be able to check in. But it was Maxim again.

Adelaide wasn’t ready to talk to him. Pressing the button that would shut down her phone, she got up and started to walk around the gardens.

An old man with white hair stood near an American Indian monument. He nodded as she passed him. “Merry Christmas,” he said with a smile.

A
DELAIDE WASN’T HOME
. Maxim had been to her place three different times.

Had she gone over to a friend’s? Maybe. But he didn’t know the people who were closest to her, wasn’t sure who to call. He could understand why she might not want to spend the evening with him, but he was worried about her, worried enough that he’d taken to cruising the streets around her house, hoping to spot her car. It wasn’t the best way to give his girls a good Christmas, but he was so preoccupied with this he couldn’t go home. And they’d assured him they were fine, that they understood.

So where was Adelaide? She couldn’t be in any stores or restaurants.

It was so late that even the businesses that stayed open on Christmas Eve were closed.

He remembered her mentioning Mark’s parents and wondered if she’d gone to their home. Maybe they’d heard the news and called her.

After pulling to the side of the road, he used his phone
to check information. Sure enough, the Fairfaxes were listed. But did he dare call them at midnight on Christmas Eve? He was the reason their son’s reputation was ruined….

“This won’t be easy,” he muttered, but he dialed the number, anyway.

After several rings, he heard a woman’s sleepy voice say, “Hello.” Tempted to hang up, he hesitated. He didn’t want to trouble these poor people, especially on Christmas. But he had to know if they’d heard from Adelaide.

“Mrs. Fairfax?”

The sleep cleared from her voice, changing to confusion. “Yes?”

“This is Maxim Donahue.”

He could sense her unwillingness to believe him. “Is this some kind of crank call?” she asked.

“No, it’s not. I’m looking for Adelaide. I was wondering if you’ve heard from her tonight.”

“You’re looking for— Do you know what time it is?” she snapped.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“You have no business waking people in the middle of the night, no matter who you are. And after all you’ve said to discredit my son, why do you think I’d help you?”

Maxim wasn’t sure if Mrs. Fairfax’s words meant she knew the latest or not. Since Mark had changed and begun to go back on so many of his campaign promises, Maxim had been pretty vocal about his lack of admiration for him. She could be referring to that. “I disagree with just about everything your son did, Mrs. Fairfax. I won’t pretend otherwise. But I’m worried about Adelaide. Will you please tell me if you’ve seen her or heard from her? If you know where she’s at?”

“I have no idea. Why?”

Now he was certain they didn’t know about Phoenix. She’d still be raging at him if she did. “I’m afraid you’ll find out soon enough. I apologize for disturbing your sleep.”

“Wait— What do you have to do with Adelaide?”

He told himself to hang up. But Mrs. Fairfax had answered his question. He figured he owed her the same respect. “I’m in love with her,” he said and disconnected before she could rebound from the shock.

C
HRISTMAS CAROLS WERE
the only songs she could find on the radio. Adelaide had heard enough of them for one year, but Christmas carols were better than silence, so she let them play. She’d gone to Midnight Mass at a beautiful church not far from the capitol building. She wasn’t Catholic, but when she’d noticed the crowd gathering at the doors, she’d felt drawn to join them.

She was glad she had. The service had reminded her of the meaning of Christmas and given her a sense of peace. It had also reminded her of the baby she carried and the hope that having a child brought into her life. Did the past really matter? Not if she didn’t let it, she decided.

But the minute she pulled into her driveway and saw Maxim there in his car, waiting for her, she tensed up again. She couldn’t deal with the powerful emotions he evoked—in addition to the disappointment of learning what she had about Mark. She wanted to put Mark behind her and forget once and for all, and she was pretty sure that meant she couldn’t have anything to do with politics.

That included Maxim.

After parking in her garage and cutting the engine, she sat in her car for a moment, but Maxim didn’t approach.
He got out of his vehicle and leaned against it, waiting. She could see the outline of his body in her rearview mirror.

What would she say to him? As humiliating as it was to admit, he’d been right about Mark. Mark wasn’t the man she’d thought he was. But she couldn’t blame Maxim for what Mark had done. Maxim’s only sin was exposing him. Although that stung, she didn’t have the right to be too angry. He’d been her election opponent before he’d been her lover, and any other opponent would’ve done the same thing.

The radio went silent when she pulled the door latch. She liked the new delay feature that let the music stay on after the engine was off, but the sudden silence felt ominous.

“Hey,” he said as she came out of the garage.

“Hi.”

He was wearing a heavy coat, a burgundy sweater and a pair of jeans. Just seeing him made her remember what it was like to be in his arms. She’d felt safer there than anywhere else. But she tried to convince herself that was only because he’d saved her life. What she felt was hero worship. Admiration for a handsome man. It wasn’t love. She didn’t want any part of love, not anymore.

He met her at the walkway leading to the house. “You okay?”

She pushed the button on her key chain that would close the garage door. “I’m fine.”

“I’ve been worried.”

“You shouldn’t be here,” she said. “You’ve got your girls at home.”

“They’re not the only ones who matter to me.”

Ignoring that statement, she turned on her heel and
marched to the house. “It’s late and I’m really tired. Would you mind if we talked another time? It’s been a…rough night.”

“I know,” he said. “I should give you some space. But…can I at least apologize?”

“For what? You wanted to win, and I was in the way. I understand.”

“Adelaide—”

Raising a hand to stop him, she donned a polite mask. “Look, I don’t blame you. If I were in your shoes, maybe I would’ve done the same thing. I mean, the object of any campaign is to win. Mark was… Mark was a cheat and a liar, and everything you’ve ever said about him is probably true.”

“I don’t care about that. I didn’t come over here to rub your nose in what he’s done.”

“Why not? Enjoy it while it lasts. This was quite the political coup.” She knew she was being harsher than she had a right to be. But she’d been wrong when they’d talked about the baby—she couldn’t be open to any of the options he’d named. They required too much trust, and trust was something she didn’t have anymore.

A muscle jumped in his jaw. “So you’re blowing me off?”

“It won’t work.”

“What about the baby?”

“You get the senate seat. I get the baby.” Stepping inside, she closed the door behind her.

M
AXIM WAS STILL STANDING
on Adelaide’s stoop when the porch light went off. He didn’t know whether to bang on the door or leave. Memories of the time they’d spent in the mountains, especially of that second night when
they’d said so much without saying a word, made him want to insist she come back and talk to him. But he couldn’t force her to let him into her life if she didn’t want him there. He’d been crazy to think she did. It was Mark she’d always loved, Mark she
still
loved, even though the stupid son of a bitch had been a complete fraud. Mark had never deserved her.

But maybe Maxim didn’t deserve her, either.

Thinking of his girls waiting patiently for him at home, he released a long sigh and walked back to his car. He’d been so excited about having Megan and Callie meet Adelaide. Then Harvey had ruined it all.

The radio came on as soon as he started his car and Elvis Presley began singing, “I’ll have a blue Christmas without you—”

Quickly changing the station, Maxim backed out of the driveway.

A
S SHE WATCHED
Maxim’s headlights swing out into the street, Adelaide felt like crying. But she choked back her tears. She’d done the right thing. Despite all the years they’d been acquainted, she didn’t know Maxim, not really. Maybe he was no better than Mark.

“Getting with me was just another way to protect his political aspirations,” she said. But all the things she remembered him saying to her when they were together seemed to dispute that statement.
I can’t pretend to be Mark again. If I make love to you, it’ll be because you want
me
… We’re talking about a baby, Adelaide. Our baby. My career doesn’t come before that… You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on….

Had he meant any of it? It’d
felt
real. Unlike Mark,
Maxim didn’t use flattery. He only said what he meant. That was why she’d been upset enough to run against him. He’d told some reporter that Mark had been worse for the district than if it had gone unrepresented, that he’d been one of the most selfish individuals on the planet.

And, as she’d just told him, he’d been right. Why was she blaming him for being right?

The message light blinked on her answering machine. Seeing it, she realized she’d forgotten to turn her cell phone back on after the church service. Ruby was probably going crazy with worry.

Trying to put Maxim out of her mind, she crossed the room and pressed the play button. Sure enough, her friend had called a number of times. Adelaide was about to stop the playback without listening to the rest. She was one touch of a button away from erasing the whole thing when she heard a voice she hadn’t heard in a long time—the voice of her former mother-in-law.

“Adelaide? Are you okay? What’s going on? Maxim Donahue just called here. Can you believe it? At midnight on Christmas Eve? We don’t even know him. I mean, we’ve met but never really talked. He was looking for you. Only now I’m thinking he must’ve been drunk, because when I asked him why he wanted to find you he said…he said he was
in love
with you. And then he hung up. That’s it. Isn’t that crazy? He’s the man you’re running against, isn’t he? The one who never liked Mark? Anyway, give us a call. We’d like to see you this Christmas. You haven’t swung by in a while.”

Another message from Ruby came on right afterward. “Damn it, Adelaide, this isn’t fair. Why the hell won’t you pick up?”

Adelaide scarcely heard it. As she hit the stop button, her mother-in-law’s message was still playing in her mind:
He said he was in love with you.

Was it true? Would Maxim really have come right out and said that to Mark’s
parents?