Chapter 9: Chapter 9

NASH

The night of the Christmas dance rolled around, and Nash waited in the kitchen in his new jeans and white shirt for Angel to come down.

Despite the water he was drinking, his throat went dry when she walked in wearing a short black dress that sparkled. Her hair hung down, and she was carrying a pair of high heel shoes.

She flipped her hair back over her shoulders. “Is this too much for a dance? Am I overdressed?”

He swallowed and cleared his throat. “No, you’re perfect. I mean, the dress is perfect. You look amazing in it.”

“It’s one of the dresses that Sherry gave me. I thought, since it is a Christmas dance, and the dress has some sparkles, it is sort of festive. Are you sure the other women will be dressed up?”

“Yes, they will be,” he said, keeping his words short to avoid stumbling over them.

Nash helped her with her coat, and once she had her boots on, they walked out to his truck, waving goodbye to Moe, who was wagging his tail in the window.

“I hope your shoes are comfortable,” he said when they were in the truck and on their way.

“Why do you say that?”

“Once the men get a look at you, they will all be wanting to dance with you all night.” He winked at her. “I’ll try to keep the wolves away as best as I can.”

Angel batted her eyes at him. “My hero.”

The trip was short, and they parked in front of the hall.

Half the town was already there, his parents included, so Nash led Angel to their table, where Abby, Sherry, and Gordon also sat.

“Oh, honey, you look so beautiful in that dress,” Sherry said, giving her an approving look. “It fits you perfectly.”

“Thank you, your daughter had lovely taste. I can’t thank you enough for giving me these beautiful clothes. I’ll be forever grateful.”

“Don’t mention it, sweetheart.”

“They really did a nice job decorating the hall,” Angel said, looking around.

The place was decorated floor to ceiling with lights, and there was a Christmas tree in the corner with gift-wrapped boxes underneath.

Most of the color in the room came from the tablecloths, each one different from the next, but all of them decked with bowls of peanuts, chips, and pretzels.

Angel had barely removed her coat when the live band began playing, and Nash’s parents, along with Sherry and her husband, got up to dance.

A young man came and asked Abby for a dance, leaving the two of them alone.

Nash held out his hand. “Would you like to dance?”

She winked. “It’s about time you asked me.”

Angel liked the way his hand felt on the small of her back as they walked over to the dance floor, and she smiled when he pulled her into his arms, moving one arm around her waist.

“Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?”

“Yes, you did, and you look incredibly handsome. But is this top button on your shirt not cutting off the circulation at your neck?” Angel reached up and undid two of the buttons. “Better?”

His breath hitched in his throat. He pictured her undoing all the buttons and running her hands over his chest. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder when he drew her in closer. Their bodies touching, the soft thud of her heartbeat, sent a tingling through his body.

After the song ended, Nash took Angel back to their table, only for Eddie to intercept and ask her to dance.

She accepted, but Nash wasn’t left alone for long; his friend Mike came over with Charlotte, his ex-girlfriend.

“It’s good to see you both,” Nash said, getting to his feet again to shake Mike’s hand and hug Charlotte. “How’s the baby doing?”

Mike slipped his arm around Charlotte. “He’s great, growing like a weed. You should drop by sometime and see him.”

When Eddie and Angel came back, Nash introduced her to them before they went back to their own table.

“So that was your ex? She’s very pretty.”

“Not as pretty as you.” Nash looked deep into her eyes.

He felt excited when she blushed.

Nash’s parents returned, as did Sherry and Gordon, and everyone ordered more drinks as they talked. His mother paid special attention to Angel and invited her to their place for Christmas dinner.

“Evening, Nash, Angel.”

Nash followed the voice behind him to see a man pulling up an empty seat.

“Hey, Sheriff. Do you have any news on who Angel is and where she’s from?”

“Not yet, but we have your face all over the internet. It’s just a matter of time before someone recognizes you. Don’t worry, miss, we’ll find your family. Have you remembered anything at all?”

“Just little things: my favorite color, the words of a Christmas song.”

He nodded and tipped his hat. “Well, that’s a start. I’ll leave you both to enjoy the dance. Better get back to the wife, or she’ll kill me.”

Nash thought about asking Angel to dance again, but Eddie beat him to it, sending feelings of irritation through his arms and legs.

Still, he bit his tongue and said nothing when she left the table again.

“You really like her, don’t you?” Abby said, smirking at him.

“What?”

“I said, you really like her.”

“Is it that noticeable?”

“Hell, yeah, you can’t take your eyes off her. If I were you, I’d tell her. I have a feeling she feels the same way about you.”

“It’s not that simple, Abby. She might belong to another.”

“A woman doesn’t belong to anyone; we aren’t property. Maybe there is another man, but if that were true, why was she traveling alone?

“You two have chemistry; we all can see the sparks between you. I think it’s time you explore them.”

ANGEL

“I like you, Angel,” Eddie said, holding her in his arms as they swayed to the music. “I’d like to take you out sometime.”

Angel gave him a clenched half smile. “I’m sorry, Eddie. I can’t.”

He held his smile, but she could hear the hurt in his voice.

“Can’t or won’t? It’s because of Nash, right? Is there something going on with you two?”

“No,” she said. ~I wish there was~. “You should ask Abby out. I know she likes you, and she’s so pretty.”

Eddie looked over at Abby, who was dancing with Nash. “I didn’t think she liked me. She never looks at me when I talk to her.”

“That’s because she’s shy.”

“Abby? Shy?”

Angel giggled. “Well, she is around you. Ask her to dance and maybe buy her a drink. I think you will be surprised to find out how much you two have in common.”

His eyes lit up. “Thank you, I’ll do that.”

Eddie wasted no time rushing over to Abby when the song changed, and Angel laughed at the confused expression on Nash’s face as Eddie relieved him of yet another dance partner.

On her way to the lady’s room, a man whistled at Angel. She ignored him, but when she came back out, he blocked the way.

“Hey good-looking, how about a dance?” He grabbed her arm.

The man was obviously drunk, but when she tried to get loose, he tightened his grip on her.

“I don’t want to dance with you, so let go of me.”

“I’ve been watching you all night, doll, dancing and swaying your hips. You’ve danced with half of the men in here already. Am I not good enough for you?”

Nash suddenly appeared, putting his hand on the man’s chest and nudging him, which caused him to let go of her.

“The lady says she doesn’t want to dance with you, so back the hell off.” Nash positioned himself between Angel and the drunk.

“I just want to dance.”

The drunk clenched his fist and threw a punch at Nash, which he dodged before pushing the stumbling fool away. While some hollered for the fight to continue, the sheriff soon pulled them apart.

“A night’s sleep behind bars will do you a world of good, Carl. You need to sober up.”

“I didn’t do anything,” Carl replied, slurring his words and looking like he didn’t notice the sheriff putting cuffs on him. “What about, Nash? Why aren’t you taking him in too?”

“I’ve been watching you all night, boy, pestering women, getting drunk. Then you have the nerve to grab a young lady to force her to dance with you. Did your parents not teach you that no means no?”

The sheriff led Carl out of the hall. “Show’s over, folks. Go back to having fun.”

Nash, who had been shielding Angel throughout the ordeal, turned to look at her. “I’m so sorry about that. Did he hurt you?”

She shook her head. “No, just scared me a little. I didn’t mean to be the cause of a fight between you and that man.”

“Hey, don’t blame yourself. Carl is usually a nice guy when he’s not drinking. He was looking for a fight, I think. It really had nothing to do with you.”

She looked at his lips. “You have some blood on your mouth.” She took his hand and led him across the dance floor.

“Where are we going?”

“To clean you up,” Angel replied.

Once they were in the kitchen, she sat Nash down and wet a paper towel in the sink. Standing between his legs, she tilted his head up and gently wiped the blood from his lip.

“It isn’t that bad. Hasn’t spoiled your good looks one bit.”

“So, you think I’m good-looking?” Nash placed his hands on her waist and pulled her in a little closer. “I think you are beautiful and sweet, and I love your smile. What do you like about me?”

Her body was an inferno, but she wasn’t sure if it was due to the heat in the kitchen or how he held her.

“I like that you are a gentleman. I like your eyes, they’re so blue.” Angel ran her fingers down Nash’s arms. “And I like your biceps and muscular body.”

“You’ve been checking me out, huh?”

Her heart raced when he got to his feet. She didn’t step away, and their bodies touched. She closed her eyes when he lowered his head to kiss her.

They quickly stepped away from each other when some chatting women burst through the door to start the coffee machine and take the sandwiches out of the fridge.

Feeling her face must be flushed, Angel edged closer to their group and asked if she could help set out the food and beverages.

Before she disappeared through the door, carrying a tray of cheese sandwiches, Angel looked over her shoulder to see Nash smiling back at her.

NASH

Leaning against the railing, Nash watched as the snow fell outside the hall and thought about how close he’d come to kissing Angel again.

He’d barely thought about anything other than her warm, moist lips since that night in the park, underneath the mistletoe.

“Come inside, son.”

Nash turned to see his mother shivering in the open doorway.

“I’m coming,” he said, walking over to her. “I just needed some air.”

“Are you going to tell her how you feel?”

“Mom, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, yes, you do. You’re falling for her. Anyone with eyes can see it.”

He lowered his head. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before, and it scares me.”

“Why does it scare you?”

“Because when she remembers who she is there’s a chance she’ll leave. And there could be someone else in her life. I would never want to get between two people. You raised me right.”

She touched his cheek. “My son, no one can help who they fall in love with. Who knows, maybe she feels the same way about you?!”

The thought of her falling in love with him filled him with joy.

But the idea of opening his heart to her before being forced to watch her leave made it shatter into a thousand pieces.