Ria and Jacob are with their new baby, and I don’t have any other family.” Belinda suddenly felt nervous in addition to the bubbling elation. Was she really alone with Fitz in her kitchen at almost ten o’clock at night? She distracted herself by stirring up the hot chocolate for him.
“I guess I thought you might be...” He trailed off, looking suddenly confused as he leaned against one of the counters. “Don’t you have something going with Charles Kensington?”
That surprised her enough to divert her from her nerves. “No! I don’t have something going with him. Why would you think that?”
“Wasn’t that what your whole makeover thing was for? Because you were into him?” His expression was strange. Like he was trying to act with his normal leisurely nonchalance, but real urgency was practically jumping out of his skin.
“I’m not into him,” she replied with a little sniff, stirring the hot chocolate more vigorously than was required. “I barely know him.”
“Aren’t you going out with him now?”
“No! Did someone say we were?”
“Nobody did. I just assumed... Did you change your mind about him?” His voice had grown almost thick.
It made Belinda want to shiver, so she resolutely avoided his gaze. “I haven’t changed my mind about anything. He seems like a perfectly nice guy. But I can hardly start dating someone who hasn’t even asked me out.”
“He hasn’t asked you out? Why not?”
The astonishment in his voice was strangely comforting. Belinda found enough courage to turn back around and meet his eyes. “I have no idea. I have to assume he’s not interested in me, so my whole makeover thing, as you so eloquently put it, was a total waste.”
“You never needed it, but if you liked how you looked, then why would it be a waste?”
Belinda thought about that. Then she gave a firm nod. “You’re right. It wasn’t a waste. I actually feel strange with a lot of makeup on and with some of the stylish clothes. But I guess it’s nice to feel a little bit pretty. Sometimes.” She lowered her eyes as she felt her cheeks warm.
“You’re a lot pretty,” he murmured, sticking his hands in his pockets with an odd, abrupt move. “All the time.”
She’d darted up a quick glance. Saw something deep and tender and shocking in his expression. She was hot and breathless as she held the mug of hot chocolate with both hands so she wouldn’t slop it from trembling too much.
The silence stretched out a little too long. She had no idea what Fitz was thinking, and she was too scared to check his expression again.
Finally he asked softly, “Is that hot chocolate for me?”
“Oh. Yes.” She blinked and swallowed and smiled sheepishly as she handed it to him. “Sorry. Here you go. And I’ve got a plate of cookies in the other room if you want any. Not to brag, but they’re pretty darn good.”
“I’m sure they are. I’ll have to try them out.” He was chuckling as he carried his mug into the living room.
Belinda followed him, relieved (and maybe a little disappointed) that the delicious tension from the moment before had dissipated.
“How did you even happen to see the fallen tree branch?” she asked as she took her place on the couch.
Fitz stood undecided for a few seconds, glancing between the other side of the couch and the chair across the room.
Belinda wasn’t sure what it said about her, but she didn’t want him all the way across the room. She gestured toward the couch. “The cookies are here, if you want them.”
He relaxed and sat down on the other end of the couch. Then reached over and took his time in choosing his first cookie. As he did, he answered her earlier question, “I’d stayed for a while talking to folks at church and was just walking back home when I happened to see it. I knew it would bother you, so I thought I’d check.”
“Why did you walk in weather like this? Is something wrong with your car?”
“No. It’s fine. I like to walk. It takes up more time and sometimes I see people to say hi to.”
“Do you get lonely?” she asked, thinking about what he said and what it might mean. He liked to walk because it took up more time. He wouldn’t be back at home so quickly.
“Everyone does sometimes,” he said lightly.
He was putting her off. Not really answering. She said, “It’s Christmas Eve. Being alone is a little harder on nights