Miracles in the Making Page 9

Noel dusted his jacket—the one bought with the few dollars he earned from working at Candy’s shop. After the way they had parted, he knew she would no longer give him a job. The woman wanted nothing to do with him, she firmly enough expressed her feelings on that.

Above him, a clock struck the hour, the heavy sound rumbling through the air. Almost two days had passed since he last spoke to the owner of an ice cream parlor about a job. Now it was the day just prior to Christmas Eve of Christmas and he had yet to hear solid news. If he was going to be stuck here, he’d just as well put himself to good use.

Skidding to a stop before the charmingly detailed parlor, he surveyed the area around him. This time, women with their children, along with the occasional tourist, were the only people to cross his vision. About to step into the parlor, he was distracted by a woman all dressed in pink—from her fuzzy wool sweater down to her dark rosy shoes. She resembled a print from a magazine. Her wave was tall and resilient, making her easily noticeable against her surrounding thickly blanketed in white. Noel sent her a smile, on the brink of turning around.

“Noel! Noel!” Lacy shouted; her delicate female voice raised as loud as it would go.

Noel paused in mid-motion, squinting against the snow. The charmer did strike him as familiar, but not enough that he could be sure.

“Noel!”

This time he didn’t doubt it. Turning on his heel, he headed in the opposite direction. So much for confirming a job. He chuckled as the thought hit. Halfway to where the woman stood, it was easy enough to recognize her unique characteristics. Why would the girl want to see him, much less speak his name? “Lacy, how good to see you. I must say I am a little taken aback.”

Somewhat short on breath, Lacy ceased with the animated flagging of her arm that originally caught his attention. “How are you doing?” Her voice was tempered to a sweet note, and her lips curled ever so gently.

Immediately he became more suspicious; nonetheless, he forced himself to remain. Keeping to a safe distance, he informed her, “I’m getting along.”

“You always were good at that,” Lacy dared.

For some reason, that faintly eased Noel’s tension. “A good thing it is by the look. Have something on your mind then, or were you just hoping for an easy hello?”

Lacy mentally crossed her fingers. “Would it be all that bad if I did?”

“I’d like to know what it is.” The strain that had started to leave him, returned with a terrible internal jolt.

Tiny strands of her golden hair escaped from the band holding them, feathering Lacy’s cheek. She dismissed them in favor of the conversation at hand. Permitting herself a deep gulp of the chilled winter wind, she dove straight in.

Pretending to be moderately oblivious to events around her, she began where she thought best. “I suppose I have no say truly; it all depends on where everything sits with you and my sister. I understand life is not perfect after all, but Marie and I are aware, one had a penchant for the other. Can’t say for certain now with events playing out the way they did. Putting all that aside, Marie and I wonder if you’d like to join us for Christmas. Marie’s the one who suggested it. She works just down the way. I was quick to agree. You were such a wonderful sort the last time we crossed, and we had no idea what you are doing for the holiday. Only a friendly offer; up to you of course.”

Flickers of warning lit inside Noel. Part of him begged to agree, pressed at him to do so, nonetheless past attempts to do so had long since taught him better. “So sorry,” he told her kindly. “I’d love to take part, but I just don’t know if I’ll be able.”

Lacy’s summer-like eyes clouded over. “Well, if you happen to change your mind, the lodge is up along Galena Mountain—a blue house with white trim. Our family’s been there awhile. A few centuries old it is—the locals can tell you where to find us.”

Noel mulled this over. Then, with a fleeting, “Thanks,” returned his attention to his reason for coming here.

* * * *

As fortune would have it, Noel got the job. Pleased with this personal victory, he ambled down the lane. More at ease with himself than he had been in many hours, he let his riotous thoughts stir. Again, he thought of what his Gabriel had told him, and then he thought back to Candy. An ache throbbed in his heart—brutal and relentless. That yearning swirling inside of him slowly grew. What began as a discreet scraping matured into a vicious rip, as if his heart bled. At last, he gave into the yearning, silently admitting to himself that truth he’d tried so hard to avoid. He loved the girl—enough to forsake life all around him, enough to forsake anything more.