Chapter 15

ANGEL

Outside the ranch, the freshly fallen snow sparkled.

“This is breathtaking.” Angel opened the passenger door and exited the truck, feeling guilty when her boots imprinted on the blank canvas around her. “I think winter has got to be my favorite season.”

“I agree. It’s tough to keep on top of everything around the ranch, but it’s worth it for this beauty. Let’s get the groceries inside.”

While Nash put the bags in the kitchen, Angel put the gifts for his parents under the tree after turning the lights on.

She stood back to admire the tree; it looked so pretty that it brought tears to her eyes.

She tried so hard to remember what any of her past Christmases had been like, who she had been with, but her mind was blank.

Her picture had been online for days now, and her name had been broadcast all over the radio; yet, still, no one had come forth to claim her as their family.

Maybe no one would.

Hearing the door opening behind her, she wiped her tears away as Nash placed his hands gently on her shoulders.

“You’ve been crying.”

“It’s nothing.”

Taking her chin in his hand, he lifted her head up, making sure she looked right at him. “When a woman cries, there’s always a reason. Tell me what has upset my woman. Maybe I can help.”

Angel smiled. “I’m your woman?”

“I’d like to think you are.”

“I was just sad because I’m beginning to think there’s no one in my life. No family, no friends…no one looking for me.

“I can’t remember anything about myself except the little things. What if we never find out who I am?”

“When the ice on the river thaws, we’ll pull your vehicle out and use the license plate to track you down. And we may find more clues about you inside if any documents haven’t been too damaged.”

Nash cupped her cheeks in his hands. “Chances are you’ll remember before that.”

“If I don’t, and we have to wait till spring, what do I do till then? I can’t live off you forever. It’s not right.”

“You’re not living off me. You cook and clean, you help me with the ranch and Moe. It would cost me more to pay someone to come in and do that stuff.

“Anyway, you are welcome to stay here for as long as you want. Plus, I want you to stay.”

He put his arms around her, holding her tight and stroking her hair. “Think of this as your home. And for the record, you do have someone in your life who loves you.”

Angel snuggled into his strong arms as deep as she could go.

“You always know the right thing to say to make me feel better.” She felt so protected in his strong arms and couldn’t imagine him not being in her life.

***

Nash and Angel arrived at the church concert to a commotion.

As they were seated next to Nash’s parents and Sherry and Gordon Griffin, Angel glanced up to see a small group of adults gathered in front of the children.

“The children look so adorable.” She looked at Nash, then rested her head on his shoulder as he held her hand. “I don’t think I’ve ever been to something like this. It’s so lovely.”

Nash squeezed her fingers, but when the adults speaking at the front of the room didn’t move aside after a few minutes, he got up to speak with them, taking Angel with him.

“Cindy was supposed to sing ‘Silent Night’ at the end but she’s lost her voice,” the director said, sounding panicked. “Who am I going to find to replace her at the last minute? The show is ruined.”

Nash grinned. “I know someone who sings like an angel and knows every word of the song.”

“Who?”

Nash gazed at Angel, giving her one of his sexy smiles.

She glanced back at him in shock and shook her head. “No, not me, I can’t do it.”

“But you have a beautiful voice.” Nash took hold of both of her hands.

“But I’ve never sung in front of a group of people before. Alone or around you, sure, but never in front of strangers.”

“Oh, please, will you do this for me?” the director said, clasping her hands together. “I’ll be forever grateful. It has to be that song; it’s the perfect end to the show.”

She looked at Nash and the woman. “Oh, erm, all right. I guess I’ll do it.”

The director hugged her. “Thank you, thank you! Follow me. I’ll bring you backstage to get you ready.” She gave a thumbs-up to the children, then ran off.

“What have you got me into, Nash?” Angel’s voice was shaking.

Nash took her hands in his. “You’ll do great.” He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’d better get back to my seat. You’ll do great. Break a leg.”

Her heart was pounding as Nash turned away, and with every step he took away from her, Angel’s knees felt weaker and weaker, as if they were going to give out from under her at any moment.

NASH

The director started the show by announcing that Cindy was ill and unable to perform tonight, which the crowd met with moans and groans, but she assured everyone a special surprise awaited them.

She then welcomed the children on the stage to begin.

The story of the nativity was full of jokes for the families, although the biggest laughs came from the younger children breaking character every few seconds.

By the end of it, Nash was wiping tears of laughter from his cheeks.

After the children bowed and left the stage, the lights went out, Nash heard the usual shuffling that accompanies a stage scene change, and then a single spotlight lit up Angel.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to Angel.” The director motioned for her to step forward.

Even from his chair, Nash could see Angel’s hands were shaking when she took the mic.

The music kicked in—and Angel didn’t sing.

The music stopped, the director pulled at her hair from the side while moving her gaze back and forth between Angel and Nash, and then the music started up again.

Angel swallowed the lump that was lodged in her throat and parted her lips. The first couple of words of the song left her mouth so quietly that Nash struggled to hear them.

She froze, her eyes closed, no doubt to keep her from looking at the audience staring back at her in shock.

“She looks so petrified, that poor girl,” Nash’s mother said. “We have to do something to help her.”

Nash rubbed his chin, and a wave of guilt for having volunteered her overcame him. “Don’t worry, Mom, I’ll take care of it.”

He jogged down the side aisle and climbed the steps to the stage where he motioned for the band to start the music again.

At first, Nash positioned himself between her and the crowd, so all she’d be able to see was him. When he put his hand on top of hers, she opened her eyes, and he smiled at her.

Then, little by little, he moved the mic between them as he slowly edged around to her side.

He gazed into Angel’s eyes and began singing, nodding at her to join in.

After the first couple of lines, she started to relax. She sang a shaky line, then another, all the time her voice getting louder and stronger.

Watching her find her confidence, Nash slipped his hand away from hers and slowly backed away, going behind the curtain.

By the time she was halfway through the song, her voice reached new heights that even he’d never heard from her before.

She looked and sounded like a pro, holding the mic closer and further from her mouth almost intuitively, amplifying her incredible voice.

Nash was mesmerized, hardly able to take his eyes off her, but when he did, he saw the crowd was silent as they listened.

Angel sang so beautifully that Nash could see the lights in the church reflecting off the tears in the eyes of his friends and neighbors.

One of the children from the play even whispered, “She has the voice of an angel.”

When the song ended, the crowd clapped and got to their feet. Angel opened her eyes and seemed surprised, as if she were coming out of a trance.

She turned her head and found Nash, and he saw the tension fall away from her shoulders. Angel smiled at the crowd, took a bow, then ran over to him, flinging herself into his arms.

“You were fantastic out there!”

“I was so scared. Thank you for coming up on stage with me.” She pulled back just a little to look at him. “That was so much fun. I can’t believe I actually did it.”

ANGEL

After the show, the audience was ushered into an adjoining hall for coffee and snacks.

Despite how close it was, it took Angel and Nash ten minutes to walk the short distance on account of everyone stopping them to talk to Angel.

All the adults told her how great she was, while some of the children asked if she might be a famous singer. The parents laughed at this, but Angel noticed how they all leaned in to hear her answer.

Of course, she just snickered and shook her head.

Nash handed her a cup of coffee, then put his arm around her waist. “Well, if she isn’t already, she could be one day. She has talent.”

Angel blushed. It felt so good hearing all these nice compliments from everyone, but it felt even better hearing him say it.

“I have to admit, I had a lot of fun. After Nash gave me the courage to go on, that is.”

Eddie was standing with his arm around Abby, and Angel felt a small amount of pride in helping bring them together.

“Yes, we loved you,” Eddie said, “but the clapping was for Nash when he stopped singing.”

Nash gave Eddie a playful smack on the arm. “Very funny.”

“You were amazing up there, dear.”

Angel turned around to see Sherry and Gordon waiting to speak to her. When she recognized them, she took Sherry in her arms in a hug.

“Nash chose the perfect temporary name for you, sweetheart,” she said with tears in her eyes. “And you have the voice of one.”

And so, the night went on, and as the parents with young children disappeared to put their families to bed, it became easier for Angel to move around the hall.

After saying goodnight to Mildred and Wade, thanking them for their support, Angel noticed she hadn’t seen Nash for a short while.

“Eddie,” she said, pulling him aside, “have either of you seen where Nash has gotten to?”

“I saw him heading into the back not long ago,” Eddie said, pointing the way. “Maybe he went to use the little boys’ room. Before you go, I just want to thank you again for setting me and Abby up.”

“You really like her, don’t you?” Angel wrinkled her nose at the couple in delight.

“She’s amazing. I can’t understand why we never got together before. Don’t tell her I said this, but I think I’m falling in love with her. I owe it all to you. Nash is very lucky to have found you.”

Angel smiled at him. “I think she feels the same way about you. Just be good to her; she’s such a sweet girl. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to find Nash. It’s time we headed home.”

After being stopped several more times by people heading home for the night, Angel at last reached the back room.

Getting closer, she heard voices, whispers, too quiet to make out what was being said or by whom.

The door was ajar, open just enough that she could see inside.

Nash was in there, holding Charlotte in his arms, cradling her against his chest.

Angel covered her mouth with her hands to stop from crying out, and tears sprung from her eyes. She couldn’t believe he would do this to her, not after declaring his love for her.

With her heart feeling like it was twisting inside her chest, Angel slipped away. She had to get as far from the two of them as she could.

On her way to the cloakroom at the front of the hall, she bumped into several people in her haste, barely able to see straight through her tearful eyes.

“Angel, what’s wrong?” Abby said when Angel bumped into her shoulder.

Angel lowered her head and kept walking. “I-I just have to get out of here.”

Reaching the coat room, Angel flung her heels into the corner, replacing them with her boots before slipping on her coat.

She stumbled outside, and with no idea where to go or what to do next, she started toward the Christmas tree lights coming from the park.

She was glad to find that no one was there and so she sat down on the bench. Her tears fell as she looked up at the twinkling lights on the tree.

~How could he?~ she thought, over and over again, her heart breaking into a million pieces each time she pictured Nash with his ex.

Never in a thousand years did she think that he’d be the kind of man who could cheat, let alone be with a married woman with a family.

She wanted to hate him, but she loved him, which made the pain so much worse.

~What do I do now? If he’s getting back with her, I’ll be kicked off the ranch. I have no one…~