“I didn’t think so.”
Thom released her hand. “Just a minute,” he said as she turned from him.
Noelle hesitated.
“I was there. I stood there for two hours and waited. You were the one who never showed.”
“That’s not true!”
They stood glowering at each other, both refusing to give in. Noelle wasn’t going to let him lie his way out of this, though—not after what his deception had cost her.
“Hey, you two, this is Christmas,” someone called out.
The voice ended Noelle’s resolve. Whatever had happened in the past didn’t matter anymore. Certainly not after all these years.
“If you find comfort in believing a lie, then do so,” he said, “but don’t involve me.” He walked away, his face hard and impassive.
Left alone in the middle of the dance floor, Noelle stared at him in amazement. Of all the nerve! He’d stopped her from leaving and now he’d taken off!
Picking up her skirt, she raced after him. “All right! You want to talk this out, then we will.”
“When?” He continued walking, tossing the question over his shoulder.
With Christmas so close, her time was booked solid. “I…soon.”
“Tonight.”
“All right.” She swallowed hard. “When and where?”
“After the dance. In the park, same place as before.”
That seemed fitting, since it was where they were originally going to meet the day they’d planned to elope.
“What time is the dance over?”
“Midnight.” He glanced at his watch. “So make it one.”
“I’ll be there.”
He shot her a look. “That was what you said the last time.”
NOELLE McDOWELL’S JOURNAL
December 21
5:00 p.m.
Everyone’s getting ready for the big dance, but my head’s still spinning and I’ve learned that it helps me sort through my emotions if I write everything down. I ran into Thom again. It’s as though we’re being drawn together, as though we’re trapped in some magnetic field and are being pulled toward each other from opposite directions. I can tell he doesn’t like it any better than I do.
It happened yesterday when I met Kristen for lunch at The Rose Garden. No sooner had our order arrived when in walked Thom and his mother.
Try as I might, I couldn’t keep my eyes off him. He apparently suffered from the same malady. Every time I glanced up, he was staring at me—and frowning. His mother was with him and I could see that he was trying to keep her distracted so she wouldn’t notice Kristen and me. I didn’t completely understand why until we arrived home and discovered that Mom and Mrs. Sutton had had another run-in while shopping for the Christmas baskets. That must have been something to see, although I’m grateful I didn’t!
After we left the restaurant, Kristen and I had a long talk about Thom. I told her far more than I meant to. I don’t think I’ve thought or talked this much about Thom in years, and I found myself experiencing all those pathetic emotions all over again. Kristen confessed that she’s been hurt and upset with me for staying away, and now that I’m home, I can understand her disappointment. It’s ironic, because after I told her how devastated I was when Thom and I broke up, she said she could understand why I’d stayed away. She even said she’d probably have done the same thing.
When I got back to the house, Mom was in quite a state. For a moment I thought she might have talked herself out of attending the dance, but our hopes were quickly dashed. Dad and I should’ve realized Mom has far too much pride to let Mary Sutton get the upper hand.
This Christmas-basket project is driving her nuts, but Mom’s determined to make Kristen’s wedding one this town will long remember, and she’s willing to make whatever sacrifice is necessary. I do admire her determination.
It’s time to get ready for the dance. Wouldn’t you know it? Mom came up with a dress, and just as Carley predicted, it’s pink. Pepto-Bismol pink. I can only hope Thom doesn’t show up, but at the rate my luck is running…
The rest of the Christmas dance passed in a blur for Noelle. She danced with a constant stream of attractive men. She greeted longtime family friends and socialized the evening away, but not once did she stop thinking about Thom. They were finally going to settle this. Only she wasn’t a naive eighteen-year-old anymore and she wouldn’t allow his lies to go unchallenged. Thom claimed he’d been waiting for her in the park, but she knew otherwise.
At the end of the evening, the families trooped down the wide sweeping staircase. Noelle, Carley and their mother waited while Jake stood in line to collect their coats. No more than three feet away from them was Mary Sutton, who also appeared to be waiting for her coat. Noelle had to hand it to the woman; she did a marvelous job of pretending not to see them.
“Good evening, Mrs. Sutton,” Noelle greeted her, refusing to ignore Thom’s mother.
Sarah’s onetime friend opened and then closed her mouth, as if she didn’t know how to respond.
“Noelle.” Her mother elbowed her sharply in the ribs. “What’s the matter with you?”
“Nothing. I’m greeting an old family friend.”
“Former friend,” her mother insisted. “We haven’t been friends in almost twenty years.”
“But you once were.”
Her mother sighed wearily. “I was younger then, and I didn’t have the discretion I have now. You see, back then I took friendship at face value. I trusted in goodwill and forgiveness.”
“Hello, Noelle,” Mary Sutton said, moving closer. “I, too, was once young and I, too, believed in the power of friendship. But I was taught a painful lesson when the woman I assumed was my dearest friend lied and deceived me and entrusted a priceless family heirloom to another. But that was a very long time ago. Tell me,” she said, turning a cold shoulder to Noelle’s mother. “How are you?”
“Very well, thank you.”
Her mother clasped Carley’s arm and stepped back as though to protect her youngest daughter.
“You’re looking lovely,” Thom’s mother said, and her eyes were kind.
“Thank you,” Noelle said, although she could feel her mother’s gaze burning into her back.
Mary Sutton lowered her voice. “I couldn’t help overhearing your mother’s comments just now about friendship. I probably should’ve stayed out of it—but I couldn’t.”
“It’s so sad that the two of you have allowed this nonsense to go on for all these years.”
“Let me assure you, my grandmother’s tea service is not nonsense. It was all I had to remind me of her. Your mother lied to me about using it, and then lost it forever.” Her downcast eyes clearly said that the loss of her grandmother’s legacy still caused her pain. “You’re right, though. It’s unfortunate this has dragged on as long as it has.”
That sounded encouraging, and Noelle was ready to leap on what she considered a gesture of peace.
“However,”