Sweet Christmas Kisses (111 page)

She nodded, a pitiful slow bobbing of the head as if she had no energy left. The tears enhanced the beauty of her sky-blue eyes but her cheeks were all smudged with mascara. He guessed she’d come back to the store to return the tickets, but why?

What had the jerk done to upset her so much?

Tony wouldn’t question her yet. “Did you have dinner?” She shook her head. “I have pizza and chocolate bread for dessert.”

“Only pizza.” Her lips pursed and she narrowed her eyes. “I hate chocolate bread.”

“Dinner coming in a minute for m’lady.” He bowed with a flourish and she managed a pitiful smile.

He rushed to the kitchen in the back, took two slices of pizza from the box he ordered an hour ago, and warmed them in the microwave. Then he dropped the tea bags in two cups and ran the boiling water over them.

Afraid to leave her alone for more than a minute, he glanced at her. She had removed her right boot and was examining the broken heel. He set the instant dinner on a tray, brought it through and placed it on the desk with paper plates. “Sugar and milk?”

“Yes, please.”

He handed her the plate of pizza. “What’s wrong with your heel?”

“I must have broken it while running.”

“I see.” He didn’t see anything at all, but wouldn’t ask questions yet. “Give it to me. I know we have glue somewhere in a drawer. I’ll fix it for you. And take off the other one to relax.”

“Oh thank you, Tony,” she said as she un-zipped her left boot and slid her leg out. “You’re an angel.”

“No, that’s my line. When I saw you staring at the Nativity display two hours ago, I really thought I saw an angel.”

“You’re so sweet,” she said with a weak smile.

“I hope not. Sweet is not manly.”

“Oh Tony, you’re very manly, and sweet. I wish Clyde could have been like you.”

He swiped away the strand of hair falling over his eyes. He’d rather be very different from her Clyde. “Are you ready to tell me what happened?”

“Yes.” She exhaled loudly. “But first, you need to return all of this, right away.” She handed him the envelope.

“I will have to write a plausible reason for the return to get a refund.”

She narrowed her eyes. “The wedding is off. There’s no honeymoon,” she said with a firm tone.

“Ah.” Thank God, another Christmas miracle. Julia had realized in the nick of time her fiancé was not worthy. “Did you do some thinking about your feelings?”

“I didn’t have time to ponder my feelings.” Her lower lip pouted and he leaned forward, tempted to catch it between his own lips.

“And?” he gently probed. “Please, tell me. I want to help you.”

Her head spun to the window and the Nativity display, and she took a deep breath. “As I told you I went to surprise my...my miserable ex. I even took a bottle of champagne and the chocolate bread he likes, to celebrate. But...” she paused, obviously sorting the events. “When I opened the door, he was with his receptionist.”

“With his receptionist?” Tony repeated, trying to guess the extent of the damage.

“Yes,” Julia shouted. “Yes, his hands all over her, kissing her, screwing her. Right there. Under my nose. They were so absorbed in each other they didn’t even...even hear me enter.” She hiccupped on the words and covered her face with her hands.

“The scum.” Tony gathered her in his arms and she cried against his shoulder. He gently stroked her hair and back. “He doesn’t deserve you.” He handed her a box of tissue and continued his massage, her flowery perfume teasing his senses better than an aphrodisiac.

She finally stopped crying, pulled away and blew her nose. “So you see. I immediately broke the engagement and told him I’m canceling the wedding. He had the gall to tell me I shouldn’t judge on appearances. That he could explain everything.”

“Oh no, don’t let him sway you into believing it’s a onetime mistake.” Now that he had found his angel, Tony didn’t intend on losing her to a worthless womanizer and a fortune-hunter.

“Trust me, I won’t. Although I’m sure Mom and Dad will try to reconcile us, thinking it may be a lovers’ quarrel. Even David won’t believe my story at first. David is my oldest brother. I met Clyde through him. They both practiced at the same hospital, but David was Head of Surgery.”

Dr. David Dutton
. Tony knew him all right. He had done a rotation years ago with Dr. Dutton. An annoying itch tickled Tony’s neck. He scratched it and tried to smile. “I’m sure David will side with you. An older brother is usually quite protective of his young sister.”

“Don’t I know that? I have three other brothers, all older than me. They drove me crazy while growing up and then turned into watchdogs when I started going out with boys.”

Stunned, Tony frowned. He had a feeling he knew Julia’s siblings. “What do they do in life?” he asked to verify his assumptions.

“Ethan has his own construction company and is doing pretty well,” Julia said with a proud nod.
More than well
. Although he’d never met Ethan Dutton, Tony had seen articles in the newspapers about the self-made millionaire.

“Brian, the youngest is a medical resident in psychiatry.”

Yep, young Brian was training with Tony at the Crisis Center.

“And Josh is a lawyer,” Julia continued while Tony rubbed his throat. He’d often met with Josh Dutton to discuss malpractice lawsuits against the Crisis Center. Tony wouldn’t care to get to know the ruthless attorney more privately.

“So they’ll take care of the scum.” Tony chuckled at the thought of the burly Dutton brothers defending their little sister. Clyde had better watch out.

 “I can take care of myself,” Julia muttered.” My parents sent me to karate classes for years.”

Tony whistled with admiration. Could this pretty young woman really knock a man down? His attraction to Julia increased tenfold.

“Now can we get to business and cancel the tickets?”

Tony hesitated. He had a better idea. If only he could sell it to her.

“Why return your tickets? You were looking forward to the cruise.”

Taken aback by his suggestion, she arched her eyebrows. “You don’t expect me to go on a honeymoon by myself.”

“Not a honeymoon. But a cruise? It’s a fun way to travel and relax. You mentioned you’ve never been on a cruise.”

She frowned and stared at him as if studying the pluses and minuses of his suggestion.

“Listen, Julia, I firmly believe you have to go away for the next few days.” Tony wished he could tell her he was giving her the professional opinion of an experienced psychiatrist. “You can’t sit around listening to your family lament the missed wedding and shower you with good or bad advice.” Damn, he could see the picture. Her well-intended relatives would soon push her into depression with their overprotective concern.

“You’re right, especially now that I don’t have my apartment anymore, therefore no privacy or any way to lock my door to various members of my family. I moved back to my parents’ house. Mom and Dad offered to let us live in the left wing of their mansion. They wanted their only daughter close by. Of course, Clyde was delighted with the arrangement that would save him a bundle and allow him to enjoy the pool, tennis court and other amenities.”

Tony bunched his hands into fists. He knew it. The jerk was an opportunist.

“So you’d go on the cruise?”

“I think your suggestion has merit. If I stay home Mom will spend her days bemoaning the time she spent on the wedding preparations, the cake, the flowers, the music, etc... Dad will tally the expenses every hour and remember more money wasted. Yes, I’d better go away.”

“What about you, Julia? What are you going to regret about the missed wedding?”

“I thought we were in love. How could I have been so wrong?” She leaned her head against the back of the chair and closed her eyes. “I even designed my wedding gown and a lot of lingerie for this trip. I’m going to miss the dreams I had about that special time, my wedding night, my honeymoon. I’m going to miss the arms of a fabulous man around me,” she murmured.

Her words chimed in his ears and trebled with erotic fantasy. Tony’s whole body tensed as he pictured her in one frilly piece after another.
Baby, I will hold you for hours when you’re ready for me
.

Julia blew out her frustration and grimaced. “The fabulous man existed only in my imagination. The real one is a creep, an ambitious doctor who used me and my family’s money to get ahead. I hate doctors. And receptionists.” She hissed between gritted teeth.

“What? Why? They’re not all bad. You mentioned two of your brothers are doctors. Don’t generalize.”

She shrugged. “David almost succumbed to temptation a few years ago. Now his wife keeps him in line. Brian has more adoring females around him than he can count. I’d bet he’s already broken a few hearts. Right now, I’m full of resentment for their kind.”

Damn, in this case, he’d better keep his mouth shut about his other job.

“But I think the cruise will allow me to unwind,” Julia added with a reasonable tone and he wanted to give her a high-five for struggling to maintain a positive attitude. “Also there is a fashion show I was dying to attend in Rome. I’m a fashion designer.”

“No wonder you’re dressed so elegantly, with so much taste.” He sat at the computer. “All right, you’re keeping your own tickets and I’ll return the other one.”

“Wait, Tony.” She jumped from her chair and held his arm. “I have an idea...” She paused and tilted her head. “What would you think if... If I ask you...” Again she let the words die.

“Yes?” He covered her warm hand with his palm. “Go ahead, ask me.”

“How about taking a vacation and coming on the cruise with me?”

He blinked, not able to believe his ears. “What was that again?”

“Come with me, Tony. We can have fun together.” Her smile dazzled him.

“Do you really mean it, Julia? You want me to come along?” She might be spoiled by her parents and used to getting all her capricious desires fulfilled, but that was pushing it too far. He wouldn’t want to be a consolation prize for her to take on her cruise while she tried to relax.

He took both of her hands in his and held her gaze.

“Oh yes. You have been so nice to me.” Her lips curled at the corner in a tempting pout he was dying to kiss.

If he’d met her anywhere other than his mother’s travel agency he’d already have asked her out for dinner. He struggled to keep a cool head on his shoulders. Hadn’t he learned during his medical training never to judge people on first impressions?

“And you’re probably afraid to travel on your own,” he ventured.

“Not at all,” she snapped. “I’ve often traveled alone for business.” Her eyes narrowed, then she lowered her head. “Well, maybe I’m just a little bit scared. Not of the trip itself, but of the loneliness. This trip is starting under bad conditions.” Julia looked straight at him, baring her soul.

A pang of guilt slammed him at the way he was analyzing her without her permission, without her even knowing he was a psychiatrist. That would to be a tough one to explain considering her recent loathing for all doctors. But he wanted to help her and promised himself he’d never take advantage of her vulnerability.

“I understand.”

“I’m afraid of being lonely, of ruminating on my bad luck for long hours and making the wrong decisions. And I really trust you,” she added with a smile that bedazzled him

“Thank you.” He squeezed her fingers and resisted the temptation to wrap his arms around her. “I’m honored and flattered.”

“Then say you’ll come,” she begged.

Oh God, how could he resist when he was dying to go with her?

He nodded and let go of her.

“Do you think your mother would allow you to take a break?”

He stiffened, completely bewildered. “My mother?” For a moment, he lost track of Julia’s meaning. “Ah, I see.” The travel agency. “Let me make a phone call and find a sub.”

He stepped to the front of the store and called the Crisis Center. “Stephanie, check with Greg and Amalia to see if they can sub for me next week.” He arranged for a week’s vacation and went back to the computer. “Okay Julia, it’s all set. I can tag along.”

“Great,” she said with a bright smile. “I’d like to thank you for your support. Please, use the other ticket.”

Wow, she wanted to pay for him. “No way. I’ll return Clyde’s ticket and book my own. I won’t accept that your father pays for me.”

“Not my father. I’m going to pay for your ticket. It may be too expensive for you.”

Dear Julia. He wished he could kiss her now and make her forget her fiancé’s betrayal.
Later, my boy, later.
Tony suppressed a grin. “As a travel agent my mother has fantastic deals. It won’t cost me much.” He sat at the computer to finalize the transactions.

“Tony, I don’t want to be here next Thursday and Friday. These are the rehearsal and wedding days. Can we change the reservations and leave on Tuesday?”

“In three days? Hmm, difficult but not impossible. I’ll make another phone call.”

He called the Crisis Center. “Hi Stephanie, please check if they can start on Tuesday. I’m off anyway on Friday and Saturday.” She gave him a positive answer. “Perfect. Thanks, Steph.” He turned to Julia. “We can leave on Tuesday. Happy?”

She nodded. “Very happy, considering... Tell me, Tony, who is Stephanie?

“The receptionist at the Crisis—” He bit his tongue and averted his eyes. At the moment, Julia hated all receptionists and doctors.

She surveyed the store. “This place has a receptionist?” She raised a dubious eyebrow.

“Not this one. My other place of work. I’m only a substitute here. Well, I can’t believe it’s already nine-thirty,” he said, eager to divert the conversation. He’d tell her about his other job once they started cruising. No need to play with fire.

“Nine-thirty? I’d better rush. My parents might worry because of the weather.” She went to the window.

Tony followed her, turned off the Christmas lights and stared at the night. Her car was buried under two inches of snow and the heavy flakes swirled with the wind. He couldn’t stand the idea to see her brave the bad conditions on her own.

“Julia, the roads are treacherous now. I’ll drive you in my Jeep. You can pick up your little sports car tomorrow.”