He blew out a breath. “All right. Get in and I’ll drive you home.”
She huddled in the corner and kept her silence all the way to her boardinghouse. Once the motorcar stopped, she jumped from it and hurried up the stairs, not looking back as she closed the door.
Max slumped in his seat, rubbing his temple and forehead with thumb and index finger. What a mess. It was his job to straighten it out, and straighten it out he would.
Christmas Day, usually the favorite day of the year for Ellie. Not this year. It’d been two days since the School Board Christmas Party. Two days of misery. Max had come to the door more than once each day, and every day she’d refused to see him. Mrs. Beamers kept sniffing disapproval every time Ellie came her way.
She couldn’t face him. To think all those clabberheaded idiots he’d dragged along each time they met was for the sole purpose of palming her off so she could get “out of his hair!” Oh, the humiliation of it all. And the heartbreak. It would be so much easier if she could hate him, but unfortunately, it didn’t work that way. She loved Max Colbert and everything about him, from his stubborn streak to his caring and compassionate side. And making love with him had shaken her world. That’s what made his deception so much more painful.
Uncle Jesse had come to pick her up, unusually quiet during the ride to his house. “Everything going all right with you, Ellie?” His warm eyes and familiar smile had her on the brink of tears. Many times as a child and young girl, he would pull her into his arms and comfort her when life had handed her the short end of the stick. If only he could do that now. This time there was no comfort from her heartache.
As always, most of the family had gathered at Tori and Jesse’s house for Christmas. The last to arrive, Ellie spent the first few minutes hugging and being hugged by the large group. Her big brother Michael and his wife Heidi were there with their baby, Madeline, her sister, Rachel, and her husband, Rusty, his daughter, Amelia, and Rachel’s son, Zander as well. Rachel and Heidi both sported full bellies. Two more little ones on the way. Hunter, her brother only a year older, left a hole in the happy gathering, since, as a Federal Marshal, he spent all his time on the road. They hadn’t seen him in over two years.
And, of course, the four Cochran cousins added to the chaos. She smiled as Jesse’s gaze roamed around the room with pride at his clan. Her uncle cherished his family, and everyone knew it. Ellie sighed as he put his arm around Tori’s shoulders, and then dragged her to the doorway where the mistletoe hung and gave her a rounding kiss.
Exchange of gifts always the first order of business, soon the room filled with the sounds of laughter and exclamations of thanks and appreciation. Large scraps of wrapping paper and ribbons adorned the floor. Madeline crawled among the discards, laughing her baby giggle at the excitement in the air.
Jesse stood, wearing the new sweater Tori had given him. “All right everyone, we have only about another half hour until dinner, so let’s get this place cleaned up.”
The Cochran cousins bagged up the wrapping paper, and Rachel, Ellie, and Heidi refilled the apple cider bowl and arranged the opened gifts neatly under the tree. Ellie never heard the doorbell or knew another person had entered the house until she felt the cold air rush in from outside.
“Merry Christmas.” Jesse’s voice boomed down the hallway.
“Merry Christmas to you, too, sir.”
Ellie stilled, her heart in her throat. The voice she couldn’t get out of her head, no matter how hard she’d tried. Still on her knees in front of the Christmas tree, she turned. Max stood next to Jesse, a tenuous smile on his face as he looked at her.
“Glad you could join us, Max.” Jesse slapped him on the shoulder.
“Thank you. I appreciate the invitation.” He continued to stare at Ellie as he spoke.
She rose from her place on the floor and approached the two men. “Why are you here?”
“Merry Christmas, Ellie.”
“No you don’t. This isn’t going to work.” She backed away. “Excuse me.” She turned and fled to the kitchen, and threw herself into Tori’
s arms. “I don’t want him here. Make him leave.”
Why was he here? Didn’t she make it plain she didn’t want to see him? If he came to apologize and be “friends,” he could forget it. Her heart couldn’t take it. She needed to stay as far away from Max as she could. Maybe she should quit her job and move far away.
Tori eased away from her. “Now, Ellie. Max is a guest in our home. I’m not going to ask him to leave.” She smoothed her hair back. “Whatever problems exist must be worked out between the two of you. Since when does Ellie Henderson run away?”
Ellie wiped her eyes and nose on the handkerchief Rachel handed her and took a deep breath. “You’re right. I don’t run,” she said with an indigent sniff and left the kitchen. She would deal with him once and for all. Then continue on with her life plan. If only she could remember it.
Jesse and Max were in Jesse’s office with the door closed. She wandered back into the parlor and took Madeline from Heidi and settled herself on the couch with the baby. Could this Christmas get much worse? She kissed the top of the baby’s head and then rubbed her cheek over the soft silky hair.
Slowly the others drifted into the room, as if waiting for something. She caught a definite gleam in Tori’s eyes when she looked at her, and Heidi and Rachel exchanged mirthful glances.
Uncle Jesse and Max entered the room together. Ellie’s heart sped up, and her stomach clenched. Max stared at her from the moment he entered the room. Slowly he walked across the room. Heidi reached for the baby and sat on the chair next to the fireplace, leaving a wide-open space for Max.
He sat next to her and took her hand. She pulled it back. He took it again. She pulled it back again. Rachel giggled.
Max cleared his throat, forcing her to look at him. “Ellie, I have something to say, and I want your whole family to hear it.”
“I have nothing to say to you, Mr. Colbert.”
Max glanced at Jesse, who nodded encouragement.