Sweet Christmas Kisses (168 page)

“He has?” Alicia went from bemused to amused.
“He has.”

Noelle stood frozen as if she didn’t know whether to cry or scream in frustration.

“I bet Noelle wouldn’t give you the time of day if she knew the truth about our wedding,” Doug said.

Michael’s blood congealed. “Don’t…”

“You haven’t told her,” Doug said, managing a snide grin despite not being able to move half of his face.

Noelle finally came back to life. “Told me what?” she asked, looking from one to the other with suspicion.

“Doug, leave it be,” Alicia said, warning in her tone.

“Oh no, we’re not leaving out anything,” Noelle said. “What are you talking about?”

“Michael was the one who told me to run. He told me not to marry you.”

Noelle’s cry filled the store as if he’d shot her. She stumbled back. Then her eyes closed her, and when they opened again, her expression had closed off.

“I am such an idiot,” she said. “Now I know why you’ve been so
helpful
.”

He stepped toward her. “Noelle, it’s not what you think.”

“Don’t touch me.” She held up both hands. “You’re a liar and a fake, Michael Campbell. I should have known better than to trust anyone in your family. Between the two of you — well three, if we count Alicia — you’ve managed to destroy my life twice.”

“If you’d let me explain.”

“I’m not interested in your explanations,” she said. “In fact, I’d love it if I never had to see any of you again.” She looked at Doug, contempt in her eyes. “As usual, you know how to mess up everything. Coming along when I might have finally been happy. Congratulations on your new baby, by the way.”

Michael couldn’t believe he was going to lose Noelle now. After everything they’d been through. “So I don’t even get a chance to defend myself?”

She smiled, but the gesture appeared grim. “No. I’m done with all of you. I’m done with this town, and I’m done with Christmas.”

With one last furious glare at the room in general, she spun on her heel and stormed out the door.

The little bell over the door seemed to be a death knell in Michael’s ears.

“You’re not going to let her get away, are you?” Alicia said after a stunned moment of silence.

“What?” he asked, still staring at the empty doorway.

“What?” his brother echoed.

“Stay out of this,” she said, pointing an accusing finger at her husband. “You’ve done enough damage for one day.”

“Me?” Doug’s brows drew together in a frown. “He was
kissing
Noelle. Taking advantage of her when she was vulnerable.”

“You’re a little late to be her champion,” she said in a droll voice. “Besides, Michael isn’t taking advantage of Noelle. He loves her.”

“That’s crazy,” Doug said.

Michael ignored his idiot brother. “How do you know that?”

“Because I saw the way you looked at her just now. She looked the same, so however angry she might be, I think she loves you, too.”

“He’s my brother,” Doug shouted to the room at large. “I almost married Noelle.”

“But you didn’t,” Alicia said. Her eyes narrowed, pinning him with a
how-shall-I-destroy-him
stare. “Or do you regret that decision?”

Doug heard the unspoken threat and swallowed. “Of course not, honey bear.”

She tossed her hair. “Don’t
honey bear
me, Doug Campbell. You’d better fix this or so help me—”

“What do you want me to do?”

“First, talk to your brother. Then you apologize to Noelle. Get on your knees, beg for absolution, whatever it takes.”

“Good luck getting my brother to own up to anything he’s done,” Michael said.

“Oh please.” Alicia spun toward him. “Let’s not forget your boneheaded advice set us all on this course.”

“I did
not
tell Doug to run away!” he shouted. Maybe if he said it enough times, someone would believe him.

“No, you contributed to the situation, and that’s what you’re going to tell Noelle when
you
beg for absolution.”

“I’m not sure she’ll speak to me.”

“Then make her. Don’t give up.”

“Why are you so concerned anyway?” Michael asked. “You’re not blameless here. You were her best friend.”

“Which is why I will do anything to help Noelle find her happy ending now. I betrayed her because I was too scared to tell the truth.” Her hands went to her stomach. “Doug and I have a son or daughter to protect, and the only way I can ensure my baby’s happiness is by making things right for my best friend and my brother-in-law.” She pointed at both of them. “You two get to work. I’ll go see if I can find Noelle and convince her to talk to Michael.”

Once more the bell sounded as Alicia hurried out in search of Noelle.

“She’s actually very good for you,” Michael told his brother after a moment. “She may be the only female who doesn’t let your pretty-boy looks distract her into thinking you’re a perfect angel.”

“Alicia is amazing, and she knows I’m not perfect. I think that’s why we fit together so well. She’s the only woman who has ever seen me, you know?”

His brother had a deep calm and contentment Michael had never seen before. “So you’re happy?”

Despite the swollen eyes and bruised lip, his brother smiled. “I am.”

“When is the baby due?”

“This summer.”

“I’m going to be a uncle.” Michael vowed then and there he would be there for his niece or nephew. No matter what had happened with his brother, an innocent baby shouldn’t pay for their crimes.

“Are you really in love with Noelle?” Doug asked, his nose scrunching. He winced as if he’d forgotten his face had been rearranged. Twice.

Michael grinned and then did some wincing of his own. He touched a finger to his eye. “It’s not like we’re in an incestuous relationship.”

“But I almost married her,” Doug pointed out again. “She might have been your sister-in-law.”

“Thank God, you didn’t,” Michael said. “When you left it was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.”

His eyes narrowed. “Is that why you told me not to marry her? Get me to run so you can have Noelle for yourself? Did you want her then?”

“No, and once again I did not tell you to run. I told you not to marry someone you didn’t love with your whole heart because it would be disastrous for everyone.” His voice rose along with his frustration. “You were the one who cast us all into a soap opera, leave-her-at-the-altar situation. You made that decision all on your own, and now you may have ruined any chance Noelle and I had. She was already skittish because of what happened, and being our brother didn’t help. I’m a constant reminder of what you did.”

By now he was shouting again, tension vibrating through his body.

“I’m sorry,” Doug said.

A dark laugh escaped. “Sorry won’t help me earn her trust back.”

Doug stared for a long time. “You really do love her?”

“Yes. I’m not sure when it happened, but I don’t think I can live without her anymore.”

“So go after her,” Doug said.

Michael gazed at his brother in astonishment. “A few minutes ago, you tried to beat the crap out of me for kissing Noelle.”

“I want Noelle to be happy,” Doug said. “I hurt her in the worst way possible, and I can’t think of anyone who would take better care of her than you. And after the way things went down with your ex-wife I can’t think of anyone who deserves a good woman more than you.”

“You mean that?”

“Yes, and I also meant it when I said go after her,” Doug said. “You’re wasting time.”

“I’m going,” he said, already rushing toward the door.

“Good luck,” Doug called after him.

“I’m going to need more than luck. I need a miracle.”

Michael ran out onto the sidewalk, craning his neck for a glimpse of Noelle’s blond hair. He didn’t see her or Alicia.

He did spot Noelle’s cousin, Millie, waving frantically from behind the picture window of St. Nick’s Closet. He sprinted across the street, dodging cars and puddles of melting snow. He hit the door and ran inside.

“Is Noelle here?” he asked.

“She ran through a minute ago,” Millie said. “She went into the office and locked the door. What did you do?”  

“I’ll explain later, but right now I have to get the woman I love back.”

He strode off toward the back hallway before Millie could stop him and pounded on the door. “Noelle, open up!”

“Go away, Michael.”

“If you don’t open this door, I’ll break it down.”

“I don’t want to talk to you.”

“Tough.” He reared back and slammed his body into the wood surface. Nothing happened except nearly dislocating his shoulder. Breaking down doors looked much easier on television. He didn’t succeed in stifling a pained curse.

He heard a cry of alarm from inside, and a moment later the door opened. “Are you crazy?” Noelle asked, eyes wide with alarm, and, yes, a whole lot of fury. “Did you hurt yourself?”

“Do you care?”

“Don’t try to be cute right now,” she said on a low growl. “I’m not about to drive you to the emergency room because you’re trying to play super spy. I told you to go away.”

“Too bad.” He stepped closer. “I need to explain what happened.”

“I’m not interested in your excuses, and if you won’t go, I will.”

She tried to push past him, but he caught her by the shoulders. “I’m not letting you go without a fight, Noelle. Whatever happened with Doug, you have to know what I feel for you is real, and it has nothing to do with guilt.”

“Do you really expect me to believe you volunteered to help run Christmas because you
loved
me this whole time? I’m not an idiot. Everything you’ve done has been because you felt guilty for ruining my life.”

“No… yes… I mean—” He let out a groan. “I’m screwing this up so badly.”

“I know it’s hard to keep all the lies straight.”

“The truth is more complicated.”

“You’ve done nothing but lie since the day you told Doug not to marry me!”

He heard a gasp behind him and spun to face her cousin. “Could you leave us alone?” he ground out.

“I’ll only hear the gossip later. Better to learn the truth from the source.” Millie’s eyes narrowed to furious slits. “Plus, I’d love to know the story behind you ruining my cousin’s wedding.”

Michael glowered right back, before pushing Noelle further into the office and slamming the door closed.

“Noelle, my brother came to me a few days before the wedding and told me he had feelings for Alicia.”

“So you told him to run away.”

“No!” He cursed again. “I wish people would stop saying that. It was their boneheaded decision to leave. All I did was tell Doug not to marry anyone if he wasn’t completely sure.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes.” He sighed. “Look, you have to understand. The ink was barely dry on my divorce papers. The whole experience about killed me. It was ugly and it tore me apart emotionally and spiritually. If Doug married you but loved someone else, it would have led to divorce eventually. I didn’t want him to go through that. I didn’t want you to, either. I told him if he didn’t love you to the depths of his soul, he should back out. But I never imagined he’d back out so dramatically.”

“He didn’t tell you his plans?”

“No. He didn’t say anything else, so I figured he’d come to terms with his feelings and decided he loved you after all. When I got out of the shower the morning of the wedding and saw the note, I wanted to kill him.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because I felt horrible, thinking I’d caused him to bolt. How do you confess something like that?”

“So you did agree to help me out of guilt,” Noelle said, her mouth thinning as her anger returned. “This whole time has been some sort of penance.”

“It may have started out that way, but my feelings for you are real, and they have nothing to do with guilt.” He took another step closer and pulled her close. She remained rigid in his arms. “Noelle, I love you. I don’t know exactly when it happened, but it’s true. These past few weeks have been the happiest of my life.”

“Yet you continued to lie to me,” Noelle said, tears filling her eyes. “You let Doug be the one to tell the truth.”

“I was too scared. You were already so wary of a relationship, and I didn’t want to risk what we had. I should have told you.” He lowered his head, nuzzling the soft skin behind her ear. “I love you. You have to believe me.”

She pushed against his chest and squirmed away. “That’s the problem. How do I believe anything you say now?”

“You could trust me,” he said, his hope starting to fade. Trust was something Noelle had in short supply. Not to mention her lingering heartache over Doug. Noelle’s tearful rant earlier over Doug and Alicia’s baby rang in Michael’s ears.

“I can’t,” Noelle said, her face reflecting misery. “I’m leaving the day after Christmas. I called the law firm in Atlanta and told them to expect me.”

His lungs seized. “Noelle, don’t give up on us.”

“You should go now,” she said, not meeting his eyes. “Holly and I will handle the Christmas festivities on our own.”

She wouldn’t give him a chance. “You won’t even try. You’re so wrapped up in your own misery that you won’t let yourself be happy.”

“Please, Michael… just go.”

“If you ever find the courage to follow your heart, you know where to find me.”

The sun rose the morning before Christmas Eve… somewhat. The pale light barely managed to penetrate the metal gray shield of storm clouds, which seemed to cover every inch of the earth. The weather forecast predicted snow again tonight. Perfect conditions to go with the ice encased around Noelle’s heart.

She’d thought seeing Doug and Alicia and hearing about their baby had been difficult, but the pain was miniscule compared to knowing the real reason behind Michael’s knight-errant act. 

Now, everything made sense.

Michael’s insistence on helping her. All the favors he’d called in to their neighbors and friends. She’d thought him selfless and heroic, when the whole time he’d only been trying to square his conscience. Every word he’d said to her over the last year and a half. Their entire friendship, even his claim yesterday to love her… had been built on a lie.