Sweet Christmas Kisses (113 page)

He jolted forward, but she blocked him with her open palm.

“Julia, you can’t be serious.”

She stood ending the discussion. “I know I made the right decision.” Her phone vibrated against her hip. The name on the digital display glittered with promise and bolstered her resolve. Tony was checking on her. Yes, she’d made the right decision.

“Wrong number,” she mumbled to answer Clyde’s suspicious look.

“You are throwing away two years of serious commitment. For what, Julia? For the unknown?”

“Stop it, Clyde.” Feeling her self-control slipping, she strode to the door, eager to get away from her ex.

“You may be carrying my child for all you know.”

“What? I can assure you I’m not carrying your child,” she spat and spun to leave the room. Of all the low blows.

His arms encircled her waist. The smell of his Old Spice robbed her of breath and a swell of dread weighted her chest. “Darling, I love you,” he whispered as he nuzzled her neck. Slowly, his fingers sneaked up to close on her breast.

She shoved back her elbow in his ribs and freed herself. “Don’t touch me, you jerk.”

“Ouch, you spiteful witch.” He rubbed his side and cast her a nasty look. “You wonder why I cheated on you? You’re such a cold fish. Any healthy man would seek warm arms to forget your freezing treatment.”

 Her poise deserted her. A surge of tears threatened to engulf her eyes. “Go to hell, Clyde. I don’t want to ever see you again.”

“I’m trying to understand.” Clyde cursed. “You left my office desperate and hysterical. Three hours later, you’re so calm and indifferent. What happened during this time? Where were you? And with whom?” His voice rose, more menacing with each question.

“You bastard, I’ve had it with your insinuations. The wedding is off. Get it into your thick skull, once and for all.” She opened the door, stepped into the hallway and banged the door behind her.

Josh jumped off the bench and came to her side. “Obviously, the discussion didn’t help,” her brother stated as Clyde appeared next to her.

“You sister is stubborn, but I have the feeling someone is setting her against me. You’re a lawyer. Do me and your parents a favor. Find out who’s been brainwashing her. I’m going home now.”

“Enough,” she shouted. “Stop insulting me. I’m not a ninny to be brainwashed by you or my family.” She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of having a slip of the tongue.

“Clyde,” Josh said with a conciliatory tone. “The storm is getting worse. My parents said you should sleep here tonight.”

Clyde glanced at her and straightened. If he thought his staying over would change anything, he was wrong.

“I’ll show you to David’s room,” Josh added. “Meanwhile, Julia, go see Mom and Dad. They are waiting for you in their room. Then I’ll come and talk to you.”

Would this night ever end?

The next morning, Julia sat cross-legged on her bed. She’d hardly slept last night. Bypassing breakfast and coffee, she’d holed up in her room to type a long list of things to do today and start working on the wedding’s cancellation. With her laptop, smartphone and a bunch of paper piled around her, she’d called, texted or emailed at least three hundred people. After three hours of hard labor interrupted with many huffs, curses, and sighs, she studied the inventory of wedding guests and added an X next to another name.

A knock on her door announced a visitor. She braced herself, not sure if Clyde had left or not. “Who is it?”

“It’s Mom, sweetie.” Her mother walked in carrying a tray with a steaming cup of coffee and two muffins. “I assumed you were determined not to come downstairs.”

“Thank you, Mom. Smells good.” She placed the tray on her night table and sipped a much welcomed coffee. “Have a seat. I think I’m done, except for sixty guests I couldn’t reach. Mom, you’ll have to call them later. They are the ladies from your charity organization.”

“No problem.” Mom nodded with a resigned air. “I already notified Father O’Brien. He said he still wants you to go to confession on Thursday.”

Julia grimaced. “Why? I don’t need a lecture.” Besides, on Thursday she’d be in Barcelona, hopefully forgetting the Clyde nightmare with Tony, but so far, she’d kept her new cruise plans a secret. No need to open a can of worms. “I’ll tell you what, Mom, I’ll go to confession, in three or four weeks. Give me time to commit a few sins,” she added with a chuckle.

Mom didn’t laugh. “Honey, you should have told us you didn’t love him.”

Julia felt sorry for her mother’s guilty look. “Oh Mom, I thought I did love him,” she said with a big sigh. “Here is the ring. Do what you want with it.” She reached for the box and handed it to her mother.

Sadness filled her mother’s eyes. “I’ll put it in the safe for the time being.”

A strong knock on the door was immediately followed by Dad entering. “How is my little girl today?”

“Much better, Daddy. I’m sorry about this mess.”

“Not your fault, sweetheart. Clyde left and will not come back again. I caught him standing in front of your door, his hand on the doorknob, at six-thirty in the morning. I almost broke his fingers.”

“Oh my God.” Clyde wanted to sneak into her room, and probably in her bed, while she was still asleep.
Bastard!
The man didn’t have any scruples.

“He claimed he just wanted to say good morning before going to work. I told him I wanted him to leave you in peace,” Dad said with a threatening tone. “I also warned him I’d better not hear my daughter’s name mixed up with gossip or else...” Dad didn’t finish his sentence but Julia knew Senator Howard didn’t make idle threats when his reputation and his family’s were involved.

“Thank you, Daddy. I’m really grateful for your support.”

“I had a statement run in the papers saying that
Dr. Clifford and Ms. Dutton announce that their wedding will be postponed for a few months
.”

“What do you mean a few months? You don’t hope—”

“Honey, I just want to spare you being questioned by overzealous reporters. I’m in the middle of my next senatorial campaign. We don’t need a scandal now. A wedding canceled a week before the ceremony is always juicy news and causes a stir. Let the news die a natural death.” When it came to politics Dad was an expert.

 “I think you should go away, take a secret vacation somewhere to relax,” Mom suggested.

Julia’s head snapped up. “I guess it’s a good idea, Mom.”

It had been Josh’s suggestions last night. He’d even invited her to tag along on his next business trip to England.

As if she’d mentally summoned him, her brother walked in through the open door. “Hi Julia, are you feeling better? You didn’t show up for breakfast and your door was closed. I assumed you slept late.”

“I was busy announcing my news to the whole wide world. Honestly, Mom, you’ve invited way too many people.”

Her mother shrugged. “Your dad’s a senator. We can’t afford to offend our many acquaintances by ignoring some.”

“Anyway, Dad, my fashion designing business is doing well. I will repay you the wedding expenses.”

“As if I’d let you repay me a penny.” Dad shook his head. “After what the jerk did, maybe I should send Clyde a bill.”

Julia paled. She’d rather not hear of Clyde anymore.

“No need to,” Josh declared with an appeasing gesture. “I had a teleconference with our brothers to inform them you called off your wedding. They came up with great ideas. Ethan is reserving the banquet room for his company convention in two months. That’s the biggest expense. Brian suggested you have the flowers sent to the Boston Memorial Hospital where Clyde works and Brian is an intern. Have small vases put in every patient’s room and in the nurses’ stations and offices. They’ll be delighted and no one will badmouth you.”

“You guys are amazing. I’ll get dressed right away and join you downstairs. Josh, don’t leave the house yet. I have something to ask you.” After her parents left the room, she added. “Can you give me a ride to retrieve my car?”

“You car?” Her lawyer brother crossed his arms and his eyes promised a full inquisition.

Her phone rang. She glanced at the display. Tony again. It was the fourth time that he’d called and she hadn’t been able to talk to him since he’d dropped her home last night.

Josh arched an eyebrow. “Take your call, Julia. I’m leaving.”

“I’ll see you in the garage in half an hour. I still have to shower and get dressed.” She raced to the bathroom her phone in hand and banged the door behind her.

“Hi there...”

****

Two days later at Logan Airport, Julia checked her watch for the hundredth time. Where was Tony? Only ten minutes left before boarding. He’d texted that he’d be a bit late. Not that he’d miss the flight.

“We’ll now board the passengers requiring special help,” an airline officer announced.

Unable to stay put, Julia tucked her Vogue magazine into her tote handbag and collected her suede car coat. Dragging her purple carry-on out of the gate waiting area, she strode to the center of the concourse and surveyed the incoming passengers. If he missed the plane, he could always come to Spain tomorrow, but she really didn’t like to start her relaxation trip by being so nervous.

“Now boarding first-class passengers.”

Oh dear, she couldn’t wait at the gate forever. With a sigh, she craned her neck one last time and huffed in relief. Tony was running the marathon down the alley. She laughed and waved. He’d made it.

“Miss, are you in line?” someone asked behind her.

“Yes, yes I’m going in.” She handed her ticket to the airline ground staff and showed her passport.

A flight attendant directed her to her seat and stowed her carry-on and coat in the overhead cabinet. “Can I get you a drink? Orange juice, mimosa, or champagne?”

Julia settled in the window seat. “In a moment, please.”

Ten minutes later, Tony dropped his backpack on the seat next to her. “Sorry, I’m so late,” he puffed, his hands still encumbered with his two-piece luggage. He shoved a carry-on under his seat and the other in the overhead bin. “Last minute emergency with a pa...with a client. I’m coming straight from work.” He removed his winter coat to reveal an impeccable suit.

Julia swallowed and watched him with interest as he loosened his tie, folded it and hid it in the pocket of his jacket. He gave his jacket and coat to the flight attendant to hang. Did he always dress up for his
other
work?

After unfastening a couple of buttons at the neck, he rolled his shirt sleeves up to his elbows.

Darn, he was gorgeous. Julia trailed an appreciative gaze from the dark curls at the V of his neck to those adorning his muscled arms. Sharing a cabin, even a big suite, but staying away from her roommate, was going to be a test of willpower.

“Miss, please,” Tony called. “What will you have, Julia? A mimosa or champagne to celebrate our trip?”

She remembered the bottle of champagne she’d forgotten in front of Clyde’s office. “Mimosa.”

“Two mimosas, please.”

Tony raised his flute and clanked it against hers. “To a fun cruise, Julia.”

“To a fun cruise,” she repeated. “I can’t believe it’s really happening. And no one knows about it.” She chuckled like a kid getting away with mischief.

“I’m glad your family immediately helped you solve the practical problems about the reception hall, flowers and announcement. At least you had an easy time after that.” Unlike his past two days in hell, working around the clock to make up ahead of time for the shifts he’d be missing as well as coping with the emergency calls of two colleagues in addition to his own. He could hardly keep his eyes open.

“Easy? Are you kidding?” she snapped and almost knocked her glass down. The stewardess managed to grab it in time and collected his glass as well.

The captain announced they were next in line for takeoff. Julia grasped the arms of her seat and closed her eyes. Tony stifled a grin when he saw her lips moving. He’d bet she was saying a prayer for a safe trip. A moment later the airplane ran down the runway and slowly rose above Boston and broke through the clouds.

Julia opened her eyes.

“So what did you do during the last two days? I didn’t have time to call, and you didn’t say much in your few texts.” Tony hid a yawn behind his hand.

“It’s been hectic. Clyde called ten times a day to swear his everlasting love and ask me to reconsider my decision.”

“You took his calls?”

“Every one of them, and I rebuked him with my sweetest voice. Remember,
calm
and
smile
?”

Tony burst out laughing. “Good for you.”

“On the other hand, my family overwhelmed me with kindness. Too much,” she added with a sigh. “Dad invested a big sum in my fashion designing company to assure me he trusted my business skills. ‘You don’t need any man. You’re smarter than all of them,’ he kept repeating as if to make amends for doubting me at the beginning.”

“You didn’t like it?”

“I just wanted to be left alone. Mom was even worse. She asked me how I was feeling every hour. You could hear her sigh all the way to your travel agency.”

Tony stroked her hand. “And your brothers?”

“Oh them. David sent me vitamins, and Brian suggested I visit a psychiatrist clinic to avoid a nervous breakdown.”

“Oh darn.” Not his Crisis Center, Tony hoped.

“Even Ethan who never has time to call managed to text. He promised to introduce me to a bright engineer he’s newly hired, as soon as I return from my trip.”

Tony grimaced, definitely not liking her brothers’ suggestions.

“As for Josh.”

This was the brother Tony would rather avoid rubbing the wrong way at all cost.

“He agreed to tell the family and friends he was taking me to London with him. But only after he grilled me with questions. I told him everything except that I’d have a traveling companion. I wouldn’t have heard the end of it.” She exhaled her exasperation. “Josh already mistrusted my dates before I got engaged. I think that now he shares my opinion about these doctors who seem so respectable but behave like untrustworthy jerks.”