Page 38 of One Night at Christmas

A sound at the door brought her head up. She squinted. Earlier, she had turned off all the lights and let the fireplace and the Christmas tree lights illuminate the room. Sure enough, something jingled at the front door.

“Santa?” she joked quietly.

A key slipped into the lock, and her heart went nuts. Gretchen was back with the building’s super. She was letting herself in with the police. She must have decided she wouldn’t wait until morning.

Charon surged to her feet. The tears that wouldn’t come earlier flooded her eyes. She slapped a hand over her mouth and started to cry in earnest. This couldn’t be happening. How did everything go wrong? Maybe she was meant to stay with Morris and let him bully her with his accusations of cheating.

The door opened a bit and stopped because of the swing loop guard. A man swore under his breath. Charon recognized him and ran to the door.

“Bryson!”

“Damn, I was going to surprise you. I hope I didn’t frighten you. Can you take the lock off?”

She shut the door with shaking hands and released the guard then opened the door again. He stepped into the apartment, and before she could say a word, he drew her into his arms and kissed her lips. Right away, he sprang back and stared into her face with surprise.

“You taste like tears. Baby, what’s going on?” He flicked the switch next to the door, and she shielded her eyes. “Charon, you’ve been crying!”

For an answer, she started to cry again. Now the stupid emotions refused to stop. They overwhelmed her and made it impossible to speak. He tugged her over to the couch and sat her down then dropped beside her.

Love for him flowed through her veins, but she resisted them. She had to tell him what happened and to know if he still wanted to be with her. “Your wife is what happened.”

The shock in his expression said he hadn’t sent Gretchen to deal with Charon. Not that she believed it in the first place. “What do you mean Gretchen happened? You didn’t see her?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Jeez, I thought New York was big enough. Where did you two run into each other? Downtown?”

“Here.”

“Here in Brooklyn?”

“Here, Bryson! Here! In this apartment.”

He paled, and then his eyebrows crashed low over his expressive eyes. “She didn’t come here to harass you. Tell me she didn’t do that, Charon.”

She knew he wasn’t mad at her, but the fury in his tone almost made her feel sorry for Gretchen. Not quite though.

“She did more than harass us. She threatened us.” Charon explained everything that was said. “Her lawyer came with her, acting like it was official. I’m not stupid. I should get thirty days to move out, but that’s not the point. I was scared, Bryson—am scared. I can’t have my baby on the street in this weather, or any weather!”

Bryson jumped to his feet.

“Where are you going?”

“To deal with her. She’ll never come near you again. I promise you, and that attorney will be disbarred just as soon as I can make a few phone calls.”

He started to move away, but she grabbed his hand and held on. Her insides churned. Fresh tears fell. When she spoke, her voice came out low and hoarse. “I need to know if you changed your mind about us.”

He drew her to his chest. She luxuriated in his warmth and the comfort he supplied to her wounded soul. More tears fell, and she didn’t fight them. He wasn’t saying anything, and she knew what was coming.

“You’re not going to like what I’m going to say.”

A sob escaped her.

He drew back to look into her eyes. “Part of what Gretchen said was true.”

“B-bryson.” She felt sick and devastated.

“I’m letting go of everything.”

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