Moonlight over Manhattan (From Manhattan with Love 6)

“Someone once told me that they always do the one thing they don’t want to do. I thought it sounded like a good idea.”

“So this is Challenge Ethan?”

“Maybe. And I kept the costume on, because no one can turn away Santa, right?”

“Manipulative,” Susan muttered and Ethan reached into the sack he was carrying and handed her a gift.

“This seems to have your name on it.”

“Bribery is not going to work.” But Susan took the gift from his hands. “Or maybe it will. Possibly.”

Harriet was too busy thinking through the implications. He’d agreed to be Santa. Whatever part of him had thought he was too cynical to be Santa, he’d put it aside. Buried it. “Were they thrilled? Or were they too sick to be happy?” She hated thinking about the kids in hospital on Christmas Day. But at least they’d had a visit from Santa.

“They were all pretty happy to see me, you were right about that.”

“Do you want to come in?” Her mind was racing with a thousand questions. Why are you here? How have you been?

He stepped inside and peeled off his beard. “Ouch.”

Susan covered her eyes. “Carry on like this and you’ll have me thinking that Santa isn’t real.”

“He’s real, but right now he’s overheated.” He smiled at Glenys. “I’m interrupting your game. I apologize.”

Without the beard, Harriet was able to take a closer look at him and realized he looked exhausted. As if he hadn’t slept in days.

“Don’t apologize. Harriet just thrashed us both and Susan and I were about to leave, weren’t we, Susan?” Glenys was on her feet and whistling for Harvey.

“I was about to leave, but now I think it might be more entertaining to stay.” Susan sent Ethan a look. “You’d better be about to say something worth hearing.”

“I’m not going to be saying anything while you’re standing there.”

Susan grumbled and picked up her coat. “Make her cry and I’ll hunt you down and fillet you.”

“I’ve missed you at work. No one abuses me the way you do. Please come back soon.”

Susan hesitated and then stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. “I plan to.”

Glenys took Susan’s arm. “Share a cab, Doctor?”

“Sounds good to me.”

“Wait. You’re both leaving?” Harriet felt a lurch of anxiety. She had no idea why Ethan was here, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to be left alone.

“Thank you for a wonderful Christmas.” Susan hugged her and so did Glenys.

“Best Christmas ever, although I may never forgive you for getting FESTIVE on a triple word score.” They left, and suddenly she was alone with Ethan.

She wondered how it was, after all the intimacies they’d shared, she could feel awkward and uncomfortable being in the same room as him. “Have you eaten? Can I fetch you something?” She wanted to ask why he was so tired, but knew she shouldn’t be asking questions that personal.

“Later. First there are things I need to say to you.” He took her hands and pulled her against him. “That night in the cabin when you told me you loved me, you scared me.”

“I know. You felt a responsibility to love me back, but—”

“I do love you back, and it has nothing to do with responsibility.”

She stared at him, wondering if she’d heard him correctly. “But you said—”