“Just call us the three Dr. Frankensteins,” Elaine said.

“Scary,” said Tony.

Elaine tried to figure out why her career seemed so trivial as she explained it to him. Maybe it was because she’d had such big dreams back when she had known him. She’d wanted to travel the world, report on matters of international importance, make a difference in people’s lives. Yet now her world consisted of high-end power shopping, over-the-top event planning and puff-piece press releases. Making a difference meant changing the color of her manicure.

“So anyway, we were counting on her tonight,” Melanie was explaining to Tony. “We needed her to land a big account.”

“On Christmas Eve?”

“That’s what’s so great about this job. Work is as much fun as play,” Elaine said with forced brightness. But her comment rang hollow as apprehension clutched at her stomach.

“I have a brilliant idea.” Jenny covered Tony’s hand with hers. “You have to come tonight. It’s a fabulous event put on by Elaine’s family. The—”

“St. James affair,” Tony finished for her, then grinned at her surprised expression. “I live in Brooklyn, not in a cave.” As he slowly and charmingly removed his hand, the message was clear. He would not be condescended to.

“I’m sure Tony has plans,” Elaine felt obligated to say. And why wouldn’t he? Just because he didn’t wear a ring didn’t mean he wasn’t married. She arranged her mouth into a lighthearted smile. “I bet you have some sweet Italian girl waiting for you at home. Toys to put together for your kids.”

He lifted the corner of his mouth in a half grin. “Hey, if I had that, I wouldn’t be out in the cold today.”

“I always figured you’d marry young and have a big family,” she said. Even if he was still single, he was definitely a family man. She’d always known that about him.

“I’m not so old, and I still plan to have kids. You know how much family means to the Fiores.”

She still remembered the warmth in his voice when he’d told her about his family. They were a loud, unwieldy Italian bunch that had lived in the same brownstone neighborhood for generations. She’d never met them, of course, but in her mind she carried a picture of Mama Fiore in a ruffled apron, stirring a kettle of puttanesca sauce on an old-fashioned kitchen range. She was definitely not the sort of woman who would leave her youngest son unaccounted for on Christmas Eve.

“So what do you say, Officer Friendly?” Jenny prodded.

Say yes, Elaine caught herself silently urging. How strange that she could still believe, even after all that had happened, that there was something special about Christmas Eve.

“I guess I could stop by for a while,” he said.