A Christmas Keeper

“You wasted nine months of my life, you idiot.”

“Really, Marlie, that’s uncalled for.”

Damon searched behind him for the rising voices. The high-end restaurant didn’t seem one to lend itself to drama, so he wasn’t the only one rubbernecking to look for the source of noise.

Unfortunately, some older woman with big hair blocked his view of the table in the corner, where more insults went back and forth over the pleasant hum of some kind of jazzy holiday tune.

Man, the woman was grinding the guy with her, calling him all sorts of names. She could give lessons to his teammates in how to insult with a creativity they sorely lacked.

Damon smothered a laugh and tuned back in to her scornful tone. “After all we’ve been through, and you still don’t have the nerve to introduce me to your parents. Scared, Ben?”

“I’ve told you about my mother. She can be…difficult.”

“Cut the cord already.” The woman gave a harsh laugh.

Damon cringed, feeling a little for the poor guy. She was eating him alive.

She continued, “You’re nothing but a mama’s boy. I should have seen it. Hell. I did see it. But I thought you had a lot more going for you.”

“Oh, like my money?” Ben shot back.

Ouch.

“Please. The only reason you have more than two nickels to rub together is because your grandpa left your family a fortune. One you’re close to killing. Does Daddy know how much you spent on your recent boy’s trip? You know, the one where no girls were allowed?”

“Marlie, enough.” Ben stood, and Damon noticed a mid-thirties guy dressed in expensive casual. And loafers.

She should totally ditch this jackhole for the shoes alone.

“You’re just jealous because I have more money than you’ll make in a lifetime,” Ben snapped.

Marlie gave an ugly laugh that still managed to sound sexy. And threatening. “At least I earn mine. I work hard, and I make a difference in the community. You do nothing but talk about how rich you are while snubbing everyone outside your little boy’s club.”

“It’s not a boy’s club.” Ben’s jaw tightened. “The Hope’s Turn Social Club is important to this town.”

“You mean to your snobby friends.” She paused then added, “Oh, and speaking of your obnoxious buddies, the hotel called to let you know they found a driver’s license in the room you stayed in. Apparently, your girlfriend left it behind. You know, on that boy’s-only trip.”

Ben coughed. “Um, what—”

“Only problem is, I’m not Darlene McBoob.”

“It’s McBride,” Ben growled, his face red. “And she’s just a friend. I don’t like what you’re implying.”

“I don’t care.”

Ben suddenly realized he and Marlie had become the center of attention. He lowered his voice, but Damon still heard him say, “Can we please take this discussion somewhere else?”

Marlie finally stood. She tossed her napkin on the table and took a step forward.

Seeing her, Damon froze.

She wasn’t the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Not the best dressed, though she wore a pair of jeans and a cropped green sweater nicely enough.

Her hair looked natural, a brown so dark it appeared black that spilled down her back. He couldn’t tell the color of her eyes, but she had height. Maybe half a foot shorter than his own six-five frame.

But there was something about her that captivated him, refusing to let him look away.

She flipped Ben off and sneered. “Take this discussion wherever you want. I’m done. Done trying to make you happy while you walked all over me. Done staying out of the way and volunteering all my time to support you while you were too busy to help me with anything.”

“I’m sure that’s how you see it.” Somehow Ben looked down his nose at her, though he and the woman stood at the same height.

“Yeah, because I like the truth. I live in the real world.” She pinched the bridge of her nose and added, “I’ll dump your crap off at your office.”

“Bring it to my parents’—”

She cut him off. “And don’t even try leaving without paying and tipping well. You owe all the people here for dealing with your bullshit at least.”

Marlie stormed out of the restaurant.

Out of his life.

Damon rushed to his feet and followed, calling out to a nearby server that he’d be right back, and to please let his friend, who had yet to return from the restroom, know.

But in his haste to find the angry Marlie, he nearly tripped as he exited the restaurant. Just what he didn’t need for his healing knee.

He let loose a few expletives that had the older couple waiting to enter blanch.

“Sorry,” Damon muttered and rushed after the woman, who had turned the corner of the main street downtown.

He followed and yelled out, “Hey, Marlie, wait up.”

At her name, the woman turned and blinked at him. Though the evening had turned dark, the sprinkle of white fairy lights in the trees up and down the main drag, in addition to a few lampposts, added to the illumination from an overhead half-moon.

“Do I know you?” she asked, looking leery as she gazed up at him.

He knew he didn’t give off the best first or even second impression. Hell, most people knew Damon as “Demon.” An aptly given nickname since the first time he’d stepped on the ice and punched Danny Benson in the face for stealing his puck.

“You don’t know me,” he told her. “But I couldn’t help overhearing you in the restaurant.”

“And?” She planted a hand on her hip, not seeming to feel the cold.

“Don’t you have a jacket?”

“Don’t you have anything better to do than bother strange women?”

“You’re not that strange.” He grinned.

She didn’t grin back.

“Okay, bad joke.” He cleared his throat. “Seems like you’re single.”

“I guess I am.” She looked more angry than sad about the fact.

“Well, how about going out a date with me? I don’t have a trust fund to ruin or mommy issues.”

Her lips quirked but just as quickly flattened. “Look, buddy—”

“Damon.” Probably better he let her know the real him. The nice him.

“Damon. I appreciate it, but your timing sucks. To be honest, I’m pretty much done with men and dating.” She glanced up as the first snowflake of the evening fell and shivered. “Shoot. I left my jacket in the restaurant.”

“Wait here and I’ll grab it for you.”

“I—”

Before she could reject him again, he hustled back and fetched her coat from her table, nearly running Ben down while the guy squared up with his bill.

“Hey, watch it.”

Damon ignored him and his missing friend, now seated at their table.

“Damon, what the hell? Where are you going?”

“Be right back, Cade.” He left his buddy and hurried back to an irritated Marlie, not sure what he hoped to gain from the interaction.

The woman clearly had issues with her dickhead of an ex. And she’d already told him no to any future dates. She’d been pretty aggressive, not to mention mean, back in the restaurant.

His kryptonite.

“Here you go.” He gave her his best smile.

Not reassured, she eyed him warily as she put on her jacket. “Thanks, ah…”

“Damon.” Not good that he had to tell her his name. Again.

Most women saw him and committed his face and name to memory. Not that he was that handsome, exactly. But he had size and muscle that attracted attention.

From most people.

Marlie just nodded. “Right. Damon.” She frowned. “See ya.”

Then she turned and left him staring after her like a besotted moron.

Just then his knee gave out, and he landed hard on his hip while the snow fell harder.

He swore, long and loud.

“Well, that’s got to be embarrassing. Denied by a woman and by your own body. So sad how far Demon Sinclair has fallen.”

Of course his buddy had followed him out and watched him crash and burn.