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Her fingers fumbled with the snap of her purse as she opened her wallet Her hands weren’t any more steady as she placed several coins by the coffee cup and scooted out of her seat

Mutely Steve watched Carol walk out of the restaurant and called himself every foul name that he could come up with from his extensive Navy vocabulary He hadn’t s Hadn’t intended to lash out at her But he hadn’t been able to stop hie his pride Lied rather than give her the satisfaction of knowing he’d spent last Christmas Day miserable and alone It had been the worst holiday of his life The pain of the divorce had still ached like a lanced boil, while everyone around hiifts, their happiness like a bail and chain shackling his heart This year didn’t hold much prospect for happiness, either Lindy and Rush would prefer to spend the day alone, although they’d gone out of their way to convince him otherwise But Steve wasn’t stupid and had already made other plans He’d volunteered for watch Christmas Day so that a fellow officer could spend tihts about Carol, Steve experienced a healthy dose of regret about the way he’d behaved toward his ex-wife

She’d looked good, he admitted reluctantly – better than he’d wanted her to look for his own peace of y that radiated from her Thirteen months apart hadn’t diminished that He’d known the minute she walked into Denny’s; he’d felt her presence the instant the door opened She wore her thick blond hair shorter than he reed the sides of her face, the ends curling under slightly, giving her a Dutch-boy look As always, her aze She looked sile, and the desire to protect and love her had coainst his chest He knew differently, but it hadn’t seee the way he felt – Carol needed hi out of the booth, Steve laid a bill on the table and left Outside, the north wind sent a chill racing up his arms and he buried his hands into his pants pockets as he headed toward the parking lot

Surprise halted his progress when he spied Carol leaning against the fender of her car Her shoulders were sluh she were burdened by a terrible weight

Once ret He had never learned the reason she’d phoned He started walking toward her, not knohat he intended to say or do

She didn’t glance up when he joined her

"You never said why you phoned," he said in a wounded voice after a moment of silence

"It isn’t important… I told Lindy that"

"If it wasn’t to let , then it’s because you want so"

She looked up and tried to sh Steve’s resolve to forget he’d ever known or loved her It was useless to try

"I don’t think it’ll work," Carol said sadly

"What?"

She shook her head

"If you need soer as a defensefrom him It must be important for her to contact him now, especially after their divorce

"Christmas Day," she whispered brokenly "I don’t want to spend it alone"

Chapter Two

Until Carol spoke, she hadn’t kno much she wanted Steve to spend Christmas Day with her – and not for the reasons she’d been plotting She sincerely missed Steve He’d been both lover and friend, and noas neither; the sense of loss was nearly overwhelret worked its way across his features The success of her plan hinged on his response and she waited, almost afraid to breathe, for his answer

"Carol, listen…" He paused and ran his hand along the back of his neck, his brow puckered with a condensed frown

Carol knew hihts She was also aware that he was going to refuse her! She knew it as clearly as if he’d spoken the words aloud She sed the hurt, although she couldn’t keep her eyes fro with pain When Steve had presented her with the divorce papers, Carol had proive hi hi her soul

She could feel her heart thuht to control the emotions that swamped her "Is it so much to ask?" she whispered, and the words fell broken froot the watch"

"On Christured it into the scheoing to work Ulti the holiday alone

"I’d do it if I could," Steve told her in a straightforwardthe truth She felt somewhat less disappointed

"Thank you for that," she said, and reached out to touch his hand, in a sly he didn’t draay froave her renewed hope

A reluctant silence stretched between theh to each other, and now there was nothing

"I suppose I’d better get back" Steve spoke first

"Me, too," she answered brightly, perhaps a little too brightly "It was good to see you again… you’re looking well"

"You, too" He took a couple of steps backward, but still hadn’t turned away Sing down her disappointment, Carol retrieved the car keys from the bottom of her purse and turned to climb into her