Home>>read A Merry Little Christmas free online

A Merry Little Christmas(18)

By:Melanie Schuster


"Watch your mouth, man." The words were spoken without heat, but Donnie knew Warren was quite serious.

"So I take it you're a little interested in Miss Lisette Francois,"  Donnie said. "And you know I meant no disrespect to her, it was just an  observation. For a little bitty woman, she's put together quite nicely.  Dang, that makes me sound like a hound, doesn't it?"

"That's because you are a hound, Cochran," Warren said with a wink.  "Anyway, I told you she was the designer we hired to put the house  together, right? And I'm sure I also told you that she was kind of  instrumental in me finding out what my ex-fiancée was all about." The  game forgotten, Warren went over to the bar and sat on a tall stool  while helping himself to a Corona. "Tracy was a first-class actress,  I'll give her that. And it's not because she looks so cute in that  Farmer Jack commercial," he said with a wicked smile.

Tracy's dreams of stardom had evaporated after their aborted engagement  when it became apparent to those that mattered that her talents were  fairly limited outside of some spectacular measurements. She now did  local commercials once in a while, like the one for the Farmer Jack  grocery chain, to supplement her income from selling furniture on  commission at Art Van.

"She always acted like the sweetest thing in the world, so feminine and  adorable. If I hadn't walked up on her and her girls in that gallery  dogging me like I was the biggest geek in the world, I would've actually  tied the knot with that heifer. Lisette saved my life, man." He took a  deep draught from the bottle and stared at it reflectively. "I always  had the feeling that she did it on purpose, you know? Like she set the  whole thing up to head me off at the pass. I always wanted to thank her  for that, but I didn't know how."

Donnie made a few more passes with his cue stick and replaced it in the  rack. Joining his friend at the bar, he also took a beer. "So why don't  you tell her now? It's never too late," he said.

Warren shook his head and went around the bar to get a glass of ice  water from the small refrigerator. "No way. If you could've heard the  things Tracy was saying about me, calling me a fat chump, saying I'd  break the bed down with my big butt, just generally clowning me..." his  voice stopped and his expression turned glum. "It's not the kind of  thing you want to think about, especially when someone as beautiful as  Lisette heard the whole thing. I need a woman who's going to love me and  respect me for me, not someone who feels sorry for me. And that's what  was happening there, Cochran. She obviously felt pity for me and she  didn't want to see my dumb butt get cleaned out by a gold digger. So,  she intervened."

After draining the glass of water, he put it in the small sink behind  the bar. "I still want to thank her in some way," he said thoughtfully.  "And I must agree with you, Cochran, she sure is fine. And she's as  sweet as can be, too. We're going to the Auto Show next week, you should  come."

Donnie looked puzzled. "You're going on a date? You were just acting like you didn't want to ask her out," he said.

"No, I meant we're all going, me and my harem, Paris, Angelique, Lisette  and who knows who else. My sister might come, too. Angelique called me  and asked if I would come with and I said sure. They're all cute and  they're all fun. You need to come, too, so I won't look like Dr.  Pimpenstein with all those pretty women." He gave a deep belly laugh and  pointed his index finger at Donnie. "It'll also give you an opportunity  to keep an eye on Angel since that's all you want to do. 'Cause if you  think I'm scared of Lisette, it's nothing compared to you. That little  woman has you turned out and you just won't admit it," Warren gloated.

Donnie gave Warren a look of disgust "Throw me another lime, they're in  the refrigerator. And give me another Corona. If you're gonna start with  the snaps, I need to be well lubricated" he growled.                       
       
           



       

But what he was really wondering was when Warren had crossed over into  the place where he could call Angelique by the pet name only family and  very close friends called her. What was that hot nasty feeling? Surely  it wasn't jealousy, not over Evilene. A sudden spasm in his stomach made  him change his mind. "Never mind the Corona, doc. Is there a Vernor's  in there?"

Warren gave him another evil grin. Vernor's ginger ale was the Michigan  remedy for all ills from upset stomach to flu to headaches, but as far  as he knew, it wouldn't cure budding passion. He kept this to himself  and merely passed the green and gold can across the counter. "Drink up,  Cochran," was all he said.

***

"So it's settled. We'll have a big Super Bowl party here and invite  Warren and make sure you guys get some quality time," Paris said  happily. She was in her element when she was mating up likely couples.

Angelique was curled up on the end of the sofa and her face was bright  with excitement. "This'll be perfect. We'll make a lot of food and  invite some fun people, and before everyone gets here, we'll make sure  you have a moment or two alone with Warren," she said. "Make sure you  wear something kinda sexy-oh, never mind you could come in a sack and  you'd still look good." She laughed.

Lisette also laughed a little, but out of embarrassment "Oh, please.  That's enough about me and Warren, when are we going to do something  about you two?" she asked archly.

Paris held up her hand "I'm not looking for a serious entanglement. I'm  going to be finishing up my internship here and heading back to Atlanta  for the rest of my management training. My cousins love me to death, but  that doesn't mean they don't want their money's worth. I have too much  on my plate to get serious with anybody right now. I'm having fun with  my friends and that's all I need."

Lisette then glanced at Angelique, who was studying her fingernails.  "Okay, that sounds like a legitimate reason for a fabulous woman like  you to remain casual about your relationships. But that doesn't excuse  your sweet cousin, who is obviously intrigued by Mr. Cochran," Lisette  said mischievously.

Paris had to put her two cents in and cosign Lisette's statement "Well,  Angel, she does have a point," she said cheerily. "I rather think  there's some mutual interest there, don't you, Lisette?"

"Yes, I absolutely do, Paris. I think we might have the makings of a  wonderful couple here," she said with a smile. "What do you think,  Angel?"

To their surprise, Angelique slumped back against the throw pillows  without saying a word. When she spoke, it was with an air of finality  that was most unlike her. "I can admit that Adonis Cochran is not  repulsive in any way. He's very attractive, very smart, he has nice  manners most of the time and he's not boring. He at least has a sense of  humor." She sat up and pulled her hair behind her ears, looking at the  two women observing her every move with great interest "But I'm not  crazy, and there is no way he would ever be interested in me as a  girlfriend I'm not his type," she said quietly.

"Not his type? You're every man's type! You're pretty and funny...."  Lisette's words died off as Angelique held up her hand to silence her.

"Honey, ‘pretty' is not going to get the job done. I'm sure Paris hasn't  told you this, but I'm dumber than a box of rocks, Lisette. I almost  didn't graduate from high school and I couldn't even finish a two-year  program at a community college. I have dyslexia. I can barely read. A  man like Adonis Cochran wouldn't be caught dead with a nitwit like me,"  she said in a dead voice. "I'm going to make some more popcorn." Without  another word, she got up and took the big bowl into the kitchen,  leaving Lisette staring at Paris in disbelief.

Paris looked so sad and distant Lisette didn't dare ask her any questions. Paris, however, began to explain.

"Angelique is not stupid by any means. It's obvious that she's very  intelligent. But she's never been able to accept that. Like most  dyslexics, she's actually very bright, very creative and extremely  talented. Her mind just processes information differently than other  people. She does an amazing job of coping with it, though, and she has a  very severe form of dyslexia. And whatever you do, please don't start  rattling off a list of famous people who've overcome dyslexia, it drives  her crazy.

"She's had a hard time all of her life because of the way she learns.  Like a lot of dyslexics, it wasn't diagnosed for some time. By the time  they figured out what was wrong, she was in middle school and was so  traumatized by school in general that she had all kinds of behavioral  problems. She ended up having to go to boarding school, and it was  supposed to help her, but it almost killed her. For her it was like  being sent into exile. It was like the ultimate punishment, being away  from her family. I don't think Aunt Lillian realizes to this day what it  did to Angel to be sent away. But her family really thought it was for  the best. They just didn't know what else to do," Paris said softly.