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She liked him and instead of denying herself as she’d been doing, she was going to take his hand and see where the evening led them. Max had arched one eyebrow at her as she’d taken off her suit jacket but then he did the same and even went so far as to take off his tie and undo the top button.
“I hate to disappoint Roxanne but I’m really not feeling very Scroogey tonight,” she said as Jax started playing one of his classic hits. A hard-rocking country song about good times and no regrets.
“I’m glad to hear it,” he said, as he took her hand in his and led her to the dance floor.
Cosima and Reg joined them a minute later and soon they were part of a larger group of Whiskey River partygoers who were enjoying the music. Angelica felt someone dancing close behind her and glanced over her shoulder to see that it was Roxanne. The other woman met her gaze and then looked away and for a moment Angelica was tempted to keep the dance circle closed and not let the other woman in. But that felt mean and didn’t suit her.
She reached out her hand and touched Roxanne’s wrist as she moved to make space for her. Roxanne seemed surprised but then smiled and joined their group. Angelica knew that gesture was something that she’d been afraid to make until tonight. She’d been so closed to everything, so afraid of rejection that she stopped being the woman she was. The woman who tried to include everyone.
When the song ended J.T. stepped up to the mic.
“This song was written for my wife Zara Mitchell. So grab someone special as we slow things down.”
Angelica looked around for Cosima but her cousin was already in the arms of a man that Angelica didn’t know. She sort of turned to make her way off the dance floor when Max stopped her. “Want to dance with me?”
“Yes,” she said. This was one of those awkward party moments that happened when you were with a stranger and had been hanging out but weren’t really special friends.
The song was sweet and sensual, describing how J.T. had met his wife on the side of the road when her car broke down and how they’d fallen in love. She’d heard the story before because he was married to Angelica’s sister-in-law’s best friend. But the song made her teary-eyed and wish that she could find a man who would love her like that.
It didn’t matter that she wasn’t looking for and didn’t need a man. Just to hear someone cared that deeply…that’s what she wanted. Cosima might have said they needed a miracle but the truth was it wasn’t the two of them or the store that needed it. It was Angelica. She needed to feel worthy again.
“That song. Damn. I don’t know that I ever want to need someone as much as J.T. needs his wife,” Max said as the song ended. He had his arms around her and she could smell his expensive cologne.
The heat of his hand on the small of her back made her wonder what his touch would feel like on her naked skin. She tipped her head back so that their eyes met. “I don’t know, I think it must be very special to have someone in your life like that.”
“Do you believe in love?” he asked.
“About as much as I believe in miracles,” she retorted.
He gave a shout of laughter and sort of hugged her closer for a second. “You keep surprising me, Ms. Not Scrooge.”
“That’s the plan. Keep you off your guard.”
“Really? Then what?”
She had no idea. Out of nowhere she realized that she wanted more than this dance. She’d thought she’d see where things went but she wanted to know if the passion that had stirred in her from talking to him and dancing with him had legs. Could it go any further? Or was it just a bit of flirtation? Either way she wasn’t going to question it.
“You’ll have to wait and find out.”
He narrowed his eyes as he looked down at her, his mouth held tight, she thought, to keep from smiling. “You’re teasing me.”
“I am,” she admitted. “I don’t think enough people do.”
“Why?”
“Probably because you could make or break them and they are too intimidated,” she said.
“But you’re not?”
She shook her head and a bit of reality crept into her. “I’m already broken.”
“Not broken, just bent, and I think you’re finding your way back.”
She wished she had his confidence, but the truth was tonight had restored a bit of it. “I’m trying…maybe I am looking for that miracle Cosima talked about and maybe…well, you might be the one to deliver it.”
“Miracles aren’t my specialty but second chances are,” he said. “I think you’re worth taking a chance on.”
*
