Aren stood patiently in line at the Starbucks, dreading having to face his sister. He didn’t need to wait long before Josie sashayed into the coffeehouse no more than five minutes after he arrived.
He purchased both their coffees.
“Hey, to what do I owe this?” she asked when he handed her the disposable cup.
Aren didn’t have an answer. He knew she was waiting to hear about his evening with Lucie, and it had been wonderful, better than he’d hoped. What troubled him was how angry Lucie was at Eaton Well and that original review. She hardly took into account the second review in which he’d praised her and highly recommended Heavenly Delights. It was almost as if the favorable review hadn’t counted.
They started walking toward the subway, their steps perfectly in tune with each other’s. “Well, don’t keep me in suspense,” she said, “tell me how it went with Lucie last night.”
“Great.”
“You don’t sound like it was great. Oh, Aren, don’t tell me, did she guess who you are?” Josie abruptly stopped, causing the people behind her to come to a halt and forcing them to walk around Josie and Aren, muttering as they passed by.
Aren was forced to stop, too. “No, but she talked plenty about the jerk who nearly destroyed their reputation with a bad review.”
“You didn’t tell her it was you, did you?” Josie demanded.
“I couldn’t.” He didn’t know how many times he needed to remind his sister he was under contract.
Josie tilted back her head and looked at the darkening sky as though the frustration was too much for her. “Oh, Aren, this isn’t good.”
He’d thought about nothing else all night. Lucie needed to know, and the longer he kept it a secret, the more difficult it would become for him once the truth came out.
They started walking again, fast approaching the subway station.
“What did Lucie say?” Josie pressed.
Aren shrugged as if he didn’t remember, although he did, almost every word. “She talked about Eaton Well and how mean and unfair he was. At one point she even said she’d like to meet him just so she could tell him off.”
“Oh boy.”
“Even if I could tell her I wouldn’t … not with everything going so well. She’s still so angry.”
“But you wrote a wonderful review later.”
“I mentioned that, but she brushed it off, discounting the article. She couldn’t talk about anything but the first review.”
“But Aren, you’ve got to find a way to let her know sooner or later.”
Aren didn’t need his sister to tell him that. He knew. “I agree.”
“You of all people know what it’s like to be deceived. I know it’s a risk, but it’s one you have to take.”
In theory Aren couldn’t fault her logic. “I know what needs to be done, it’s just that … I don’t know how to do it and not break my agreement with the newspaper. Have you ever met someone you instantly clicked with? Lucie is smart and funny and intensely loyal and kind. She loves her family and her dog and you should see the way everyone at the restaurant feels about her and her mother. I don’t know when I’ve ever met a better group of people.”
“You’ve only been there twice.”
“I know, and it isn’t what they say, it’s how they all work together and support one another. That kind of camaraderie starts with management and works its way down. Lucie and her mother are destined to make Heavenly Delights a success. I can already see it.”
“All I can say is that you need to find a way to tell Lucie before this whole situation blows up in your face.”
Aren couldn’t put up a single argument. “She invited me to dinner at her apartment on Sunday.”
Josie took a swig of coffee and shook her head. “You’ve got to find a way before then.”
“But …”
“It’ll only get harder, the longer you put it off.”
Aren’s breath came out in foggy bursts in the cold. Snow had started to fall and while the signs of Christmas were all around him, he barely noticed.
“I’ll think of something,” he murmured, and he would.
Josie was right. He stood to lose both his job and Lucie, but it was a risk he had to take. “I’ll think of something.” It wouldn’t be easy but it simply had to be done.
“Call me when you come up with an idea.”
He promised he would even as the dread settled over him.
“Okay, now that that’s over with,” Josie continued as if she were glad to set aside the subject. “Tell me what happened at the play last night.”
Aren smiled at the memory. “Angels at Christmas was great, better than expected.”
“It’s been all over the news this morning, didn’t you hear?”
“Hear what?”
“Aren, good grief, you were there! You must have seen it.”
He felt totally perplexed; he didn’t have a clue what his sister was talking about.
“The actors were interviewed and they told this unbelievable story about how they were lifted two and three feet off the ground. They were reciting their lines the way they do every performance, and all of a sudden they were lifted off their feet and suspended in the air for several minutes.”
Of course Aren remembered. Lucie and he had talked about not being able to see the wires. “You mean that wasn’t part of the play?”
“No, and then another group of performers insisted someone else was singing with them. Actually more than one person.”
“The music was out of this world,” Aren agreed.
“Critics are saying it’s a publicity stunt and the actors insist it wasn’t. Everyone is talking about it on the radio this morning. And you know, I tend to agree with those critics. It sounds like some sort of publicity prank. I mean, how else do you explain that camel wandering down Broadway with trainers chasing after it?”
“The camel got loose?” Aren hadn’t heard a word about any of this.
“Honestly, Aren, you’ve got to get your head out of the clouds. This thing with Lucie is muddling up your brain.”
His brain was more than messed up. All he could think about was Lucie and how afraid he was of losing her again so soon after they’d found each other. That morning he’d turned on the radio but his thoughts had been wrapped around Lucie, and apparently he hadn’t been listening.
They parted soon afterward. Josie went in one direction and he took off in another.
Aren spent the better part of the day writing the review on his experience at the restaurant. Then, because he’d been at the play the night before, he was asked to write a short piece about what he saw and his own interpretation of the strange events from the night before, which was scheduled to run in that evening’s issue. The restaurant review took more time. He deliberately placed Lucie’s comments from the dinner as part of the piece. Once she read the article written by Eaton Well she’d know who he was and then they could talk freely. If she hated him, well, it would be a clean break before his heart was even more heavily involved. When he handed in his article, the feedback was positive.
From the office he caught the subway to Brooklyn. The sky was dark; snow had fallen intermittently all day so that a soft layer of white covered the landscape. Schoolchildren were out and about and Aren counted several snowmen as he walked to Heavenly Delights. Under normal circumstances he would have taken a cab, but he wanted to clear his head.
The restaurant had been open only a few minutes when he arrived. Wendy Ferrara’s face broke into a brilliant smile the instant Aren stepped into the restaurant.
“Aren, how good to see you.” She greeted him like family with a kiss on the cheek. “Lucie had such a wonderful time last evening; it was all she could talk about this morning.”
“I had a great time myself.”
“Here, sit down. I’ll get you a hot cup of coffee. It’s freezing out there and you’re half frozen.” She led the way to a table.
Before Aren could protest, Wendy was off to the kitchen.
Having no choice, Aren sat down and looked around. The restaurant had been decorated for the holidays since his last visit. Each table held a sprig of holly around the base of a thick round candle and was set with green and red linen napkins. A swag of silver tinsel surrounded the hostess desk and two glass ornaments dangled across the front with Wendy and Lucie’s names printed on them. Another glittery swag was draped across the length of windows with identical ornaments with the employees’ names written for all to read.
Wendy returned a moment later, carrying a steaming cup of coffee. Aren would gladly have gone without it, but she was right, he was cold.
“I hope you don’t mind but Lucie had to step out for a quick errand. She should only be a few minutes. I apologize, she must have forgotten you were stopping by.”
“She didn’t know … it was a spur-of-the-moment decision.”
“Ah, that explains it. She’s quite taken with you, you know,” Wendy told him.
Hearing that was like listening to those incredible singing voices at the play all over again. His sister was right. What happened at the show was all over the news. Once word got out that he’d attended, Aren lost count of the number of people who stopped by his cubicle to ask about it. He wished he’d paid more attention. At the time, the antics of the angels had all seemed so natural, as if it was intentional. People get elevated on stage all the time. Good grief, Spider-Man darted all over the audience from one side of the theater to the other and no one had made much of a fuss about that. But then the wires were clearly visible.
“I think the world of Lucie, too.”
“Can I get you anything to eat?” Wendy asked.
“No thanks. I stopped by to have a quick word with Lucie and then I need to go.”
“Then I’ll pack up a dinner for you to take with you.”
Aren raised his hand in protest. “Please, Mrs. Ferrara, that won’t be necessary.”
“Nonsense. I won’t take no for an answer.”
Before he could protest further, Wendy disappeared inside the kitchen. When she returned she brought out a large paper bag. If the size of the container was any indication, he’d have enough food for a week.
“I phoned Lucie and she’s on her way. She asked me to keep you here no matter what.”
Aren had no real reason for his visit other than the need to see Lucie again and the fear he was about to lose her.
“What’s going to happen?” Will asked. He frowned with concern almost as if he knew in advance what was about to take place. “When Lucie learns Aren wrote the negative review, she’s going to be terribly upset.”
“I’d be upset, too,” Shirley agreed. “There simply must be something we can do to help. I don’t understand why Aren insists on ruining such a promising relationship.”
“We can’t interfere,” Goodness insisted, regarding the others. “Gabriel wouldn’t like it.”
“He wouldn’t like you absconding with a camel either, but that didn’t stop you from pilfering it right off the stage,” Mercy reminded her dearest friend.
Goodness had the good grace to look more than a little chagrined. “That was a momentary slip in judgment. Has … anyone heard from Gabriel yet?”
“No, and kindly lower your voice before he does hear.”
Mercy did a rapid three-sixty, certain Gabriel would appear at any moment and banish them from Earth forever.
“I say we keep our shenanigans to ourselves for now.”
“If we can,” Goodness whispered, and glanced over her shoulder.
“What about Aren and Lucie?” Will persisted, sitting impatiently in a corner of the restaurant. “What’s going to happen?” He flittered about the room, revealing his nervousness.
“We won’t know until later when she reads the article,” Mercy explained. She worried about the young couple as much as Will, but the future was held in God’s hands.
The three of them plus Will hovered above the restaurant, waiting for Lucie to arrive. Mercy noticed that the tables filled up fast. When Lucie rushed into the kitchen, she was immediately inundated with meal orders.
“Is Aren going to talk to her?” Will asked.
“It looks like he wants to try,” Mercy said, closely watching the scene as it unfolded with Aren in the kitchen with Lucie.
——
Aren followed Lucie all around the busy kitchen. He had trouble keeping up with her. He found it amazing she could accomplish as much as she did in such a compressed space, especially with two other workers darting this way and that.
“It’s so good to see you,” she said, swirling fresh sliced mushrooms around a pan over the gas-fired stove. She paused just long enough to smile over at him. “I loved every minute of our night. Thank you again for everything.”
Dismissing her gratitude, he drew in a deep breath and said, “I know this isn’t the best time.” The words were barely out of his mouth when Lucie abruptly turned and opened the refrigerator. He jerked out of her way as she grabbed what she needed and returned to the stove. “I hoped we might have a few minutes to chat.” He intended to mention the piece he wrote and ask her not to read it until they’d had a chance to be together.
“Oh, Aren, I’d like nothing better, but as you can see I’ve got my hands full at the moment.”
Speaking of hands, Aren was forced to back into the sink and raise his arms above his head as Lucie flew past him. Clearly this wasn’t working.
“Can’t we talk Sunday?” she asked.
“Ah … sure.” The review was scheduled to be printed in the Saturday edition.
“Great.”
“I apologize for stopping off without calling first.… I should have realized. Sunday, then.”
“Sunday,” Lucie echoed. “Then I’ll be able to give you my full attention.”
“Okay.” Aren’s shoulders sagged with frustration and discouragement as he started out of the kitchen.
“Aren, hold up a minute,” Lucie called out, stopping him.
Just before he walked away, Lucie came to him, placed her hands on his shoulders, and then gently pressed her lips to his. Aren felt that kiss all the way to the bottom of his feet, his nerve endings sizzling, and when she stepped back it was all he could do to remain standing.
“Will that hold you until Sunday?” she asked with a saucy grin.
Aren needed to clear his throat before he was able to speak. “It should.”
“Good.”
The kiss held him all the way back to Manhattan. By then his head had cleared and the buzz on his phone told him he had a text. Even without looking Aren knew it was from Josie.
Well? No doubt she’d been waiting all day to hear how he intended to handle this difficult situation.
I wrote my piece and used her quotes. She’ll recognize who I am the minute she picks up the newspaper. He needed to wait only a few seconds for her reply.
That’ll do it all right. Are you at peace with whatever happens?
Aren hated waiting; it made everything worse.
I think so.
Not two seconds after he sent his message, he received an answer back.
Fingers crossed.
He wanted to mention the article to Lucie, but it had been impossible to hold any kind of conversation while she was cooking. He’d done his best but it seemed as if the forces of nature were against him.
He texted back. Have dinner with me. Meet me in 15 and I’ll explain. Lucie’s mother gave me a to-go box.
Josie’s response was fast in coming. This better be good.
Aren grinned and quickly typed: Dinner or my excuse?
Both.
Saturday afternoon, Lucie reached for her cell and went to her contact list. She pushed Aren’s name and number. After three rings, he answered. “Aren, here.”
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Lucie?”
He sounded both pleased and surprised to hear from her, which boosted her confidence. “Yup, it’s me.”
“What am I doing? Nothing much. I just finished my laundry and cleaning my apartment. I save everything for the weekend. We’re still meeting tomorrow for dinner, aren’t we?”
“I’m planning on it.”
“What’s up?”
“Would you like to work for your dinner?”
“Ah, sure. What do you have in mind?”
“Meet me in half an hour,” she said and gave him the address.
“You aren’t at the restaurant?”
“Not now, but I will be later. This is something special.”
“Special. Do you want to give me a hint?”
“Nope. It’s a surprise. You showed me such a wonderful time I thought I would return the favor.”
“I thought dinner on Sunday was that.”
“This is something … extra. Mom is with me so don’t be late.”
Aren chuckled. “I’m on my way.”
Lucie ended the call.
“You got ahold of him?” Wendy asked, tying the apron around her middle. The meal was almost ready to serve. Two hundred fifty meals, to be exact. Roast beef, mashed potatoes with gravy, fresh green beans, a homemade roll still warm from the oven, and chocolate cake.
“Aren’s on his way.”
“Did you tell him this is a soup kitchen?”
Lucie did her best to hide a smile. “I might have forgotten to mention that.” She returned to the Salvation Army kitchen and put the finishing touches on the gravy. Within a few minutes the doors would open and the homeless men and women would pour into the dining hall. After reaching for trays and plates, Wendy, Lucie, and Aren would serve the homeless as they went through the line. Wendy would dish up the meat and potatoes, Aren was assigned the vegetables and gravy, and Lucie planned to finish up with the roll and cake. Drinks were on the sideboard and the paid staff would see to keeping the coffee, tea, milk, and water replenished.
As long as Lucie could remember, she and her mother had volunteered at the shelter in December. She’d have just enough time to serve dinner here before heading out to cook at Heavenly Delights. Her day had been jam-packed from early morning, starting with the baking and menu planning. Her head was buzzing with everything she had to do when Jazmine phoned to say she’d come down with the flu. That meant Lucie and her mom would be short one person for serving dinner. Lucie had immediately thought of Aren.
“I’ll finish up here,” her mother told her. “If you didn’t explain what this is all about, Aren will assume he has the wrong address.”
“You think I should go outside and wait for him?”
“Yes, sweetie, otherwise he’ll be confused.”
Lucie knew her mother was right. Grabbing her coat, she stepped into the wind and cold of the late afternoon. The gloomy skies threatened more snow, which she didn’t mind. Snowfall made the holiday season all the more festive.
As she paced the area she thought about the men and women without anyplace warm to sleep. Well, for tonight they would have a hot, nutritious meal to fill their stomachs.
A taxi pulled up across the street and Aren climbed out, frowning. He glanced down at a slip of paper in his hand. Her mother was right. He was confused.
“Aren,” Lucie called, waving her arm above her head in order to get his attention, while clenching her coat closed at her neck. She marveled that he’d been so willing to come even without any details.
His face relaxed when he saw her and after looking both ways, he raced across the street.
“What is this?”
“A homeless shelter. Mom and I volunteer and we’re short one person. Can you help?”
“I’d love to … only can we talk afterward?”
Her shoulders sagged with disappointment. “Oh, Aren, I can’t. I’m so sorry. I have to leave as soon as we’re finished to get to the restaurant.”
He expelled his breath. “Did you read the paper this morning?”
“No,” she admitted. There simply hadn’t been time. But there could be only one reason he’d asked. “Did the paper print one of your articles? Did you get a byline? Finally! Oh, Aren, you must be so pleased. I’ll get a newspaper as soon as I can.”
He didn’t answer right away. “Actually, I’d prefer that you wait. Let’s talk before you read my piece, okay?”
——
“What’s in the newspaper?” Will asked, following the couple into the homeless shelter.
“I don’t know.” Shirley went in with him. Goodness and Mercy were already inside. Goodness stood in the back of the room, with the newspaper spread open on one of the tabletops.
“Oh, no,” she wailed and then slapped her hand over her mouth. Her eyes widened as she read the Lifestyle section.
“What is it?” Will asked, joining Goodness.
“It’s Aren’s restaurant review,” Goodness explained. “The one for the place where he and Lucie dined Thursday night after the play.”
“And …”
“Oh dear.”
“What? What?” Mercy zoomed across the room. She tried to get a look herself but with Goodness, Shirley, and Will hovering over the newspaper she couldn’t see a thing.
“What did Aren do, carry a recorder in his pocket?”
“What did he say?” Mercy demanded.
“He practically quoted every word Lucie said over dinner. The minute she reads this she’ll know he’s the food critic Eaton Well.”
“Which is why he wants to talk to her before she reads the newspaper. Good heavens, why would he do such a thing?”
“Don’t ask me.”
A stunned silence followed. This was worse than bad. It would be disastrous to their budding relationship.
“Then it’s our duty to make sure Lucie doesn’t read that article.”
“What can we do?” Shirley said, her wings sagging. “We’ve given Gabriel our word that we wouldn’t interfere in their romance. The minute we do he’ll know about it.”
Mercy didn’t know what the problem was, seeing that they’d already crossed the boundary line the night of the play. In fact, she was amazed they hadn’t been called to task before now.
“Don’t you think we’re beyond worry about that now … after what happened at the play?” Mercy asked.
“Okay, okay, I know everyone is still upset with me about that camel. I’ll admit I let matters get out of hand, but I did not, and I repeat, I did not, do anything to influence Aren and Lucie’s feelings for each other.”
“Me neither,” Shirley reminded them. “Everything I did was on stage.”
“That’s right,” Mercy said, and was cheered by the thought. While they had caused something of an Earthly sensation, it had been in innocent fun. For whatever reason, Gabriel hadn’t mentioned the incident, and for that she counted her blessings. Her many blessings.
“Still, we must proceed with caution,” Shirley said. “We don’t want to cross the line but we need to keep Lucie in the dark until Aren has a chance to explain.”
“Which means she can’t read that article.”
“It would be devastating to her,” Will agreed.
“So we’re all in agreement. We will take whatever measures necessary to keep the article out of Lucie’s hands.”
“But only the newspaper,” Shirley said. “We won’t involve ourselves in anything beyond that.”
“Yes,” each one said in turn.
“That will give Aren a chance to talk to her on Sunday, but if Lucie is upset with him after that, then what?” Will asked.
“Then she’s upset.”
“But what if …”
“We can’t involve ourselves in happenstance,” Mercy explained. “We’ll deal with her reaction when the time comes.”
“Seeing how I already botched up the timing,” Will murmured, berating himself.
Shirley placed a gentle hand on his forearm. “It was a rookie mistake, don’t be so hard on yourself. You should have witnessed some of the stunts Goodness and Mercy pulled when they first started work as Prayer Ambassadors.”
“We all make mistakes,” Mercy added. “Even Shirley.”
“Oh, yes, I’ve made a few of my own,” the former Guardian Angel admitted. “But with the help of my friends everything turned out fine.”
“We’ll set matters straight,” Goodness assured him, and they would. With God there were no accidents.
“Thank you so much for helping out,” Lucie told Aren as they finished with the kitchen cleanup. Wendy washed dishes, Aren dried, and Lucie put everything back in its proper place.
The homeless had come and gone. Several commented that this was the best dinner they’d ever tasted.
“You do this on a regular basis?” Aren asked.
He sounded impressed, which pleased her, but actually she felt like the one who received after volunteering. “Our family has done this ever since I was a kid. Dad would join in, too. It just wouldn’t be Christmas without doing something to help others. My parents were big on teaching my brother and me to give back.”
“Did we wear you out?” Wendy asked, joining them.
Aren shook his head. “No. In fact I feel great. I should be exhausted but I’m not.”
“I find it that way, too,” Lucie told him. Seeing the faces of the men and women who came through the line had inspired her to do more, to be more, to invest more of herself in others. She thought about the staff at the restaurant and her friends with renewed appreciation. She thought about Aren, too, and how much she liked him and how grateful she was that he was back in her life.
“Lucie, you’d better leave now, sweetie, or you’ll be late. I’ll be right behind you once I finish up here.”
Her mother was right. Impulsively she hugged Aren. Automatically his arms came around her and he held her close for the briefest of moments before reluctantly releasing her.
“Thank you again,” she whispered close to his ear. “I’ll always be grateful I met you.”
“Always?” he asked, his eyes pleading with her.
The question seemed to hold within it another. One she didn’t fully understand. “Yes,” she assured him. If they were never to see each other again she would have no regrets. Although she was only beginning to know him, she felt strongly linked to him. Their relationship held such promise and the attraction remained strong and seemed to grow every time they were together.
Lucie looked into his eyes and saw doubt and regret. It shocked her, but unfortunately she didn’t have time to ask or to figure it out.
Wendy brought Lucie her hat, coat, and scarf. The scarf was one of her favorites, mainly because her mother had knit it for her the Christmas before last. What made it special was that her mom had turned to knitting to help her grieve after the death of Lucie’s father. This was the first piece Wendy had completed following her husband’s death.
“I’ll walk you outside,” Aren offered.
“Oh, please do,” Wendy added. “It’s sometimes difficult getting a cab in this part of town.”
“Mom, I’ll be fine.”
“Yes, you will, especially if Aren is with you. Now shoo.”
Shaking her head, Lucie reached for her gloves and got her purse before joining Aren. She wasn’t fooled. Her mother had used this as an excuse to give her more time with Aren, not that Lucie was complaining. She welcomed the opportunity.
Dusk had settled over the city. The streetlights had just come on. Because she’d been so busy with the demands of the restaurant Lucie hadn’t taken much time to appreciate the season. Everything seemed so rushed. Her mother had set out a few Christmas decorations but their tree wasn’t up and she had yet to start her shopping.
“I wish I had more time to spend with you,” she told Aren as they walked to the closest intersection.
“It’s fine, Lucie, don’t stress over it.”
“There’s so much more I want to know about you.”
He stepped halfway into the street and waved down a taxi. The first one sped past, but the second stopped.
Aren opened the door for her and Lucie climbed inside.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he told her, and leaning into the car, he gave her a quick kiss.
“I’ll make a dinner you won’t soon forget.”
“You don’t need to go to any trouble. What’s important is being with you.”
Lucie felt the same way. They would have the entire evening together, and the promise of that filled her with happy anticipation.
Aren closed the door and stepped back. She waved to him and, as was her custom, she placed her hand to her lips and then to the window.
After she gave the driver the address of Heavenly Delights, the taxi drove away, and Lucie settled into the seat. It was then that she noticed a copy of the New York Gazette on the seat next to her.