by Codi Gary
No, he’d said he needed time. Again.
Isn’t that what you asked for just two days ago?
Anna Beth cursed the little voice and pounded on the wood again.
“Olive? Hey, I really need to talk.”
Finally, she heard feet slapping against the floor inside and the door opened. Olive leaned against it, out of breath.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“Can I come in?”
“Yeah sure, it’s just...I’m not alone.”
Anna Beth shrugged. “Is it Vance?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s fine, maybe he can weigh in.”
Olive stepped back and let her pass. “Let me guess. Officer Cross screwed the pooch?”
“No, well a little, but I’m the one who really messed up and he needs time to process. Again.”
“What did you do?”
“Jared’s had a letter from Ian in his drawer for two years.”
“Whoa, wait. This sounds intense. I’m going to need coffee. Want some?”
“Sure, thanks.”
“Vance? You want coffee?” Olive yelled loudly.
“Yes. Hi, Anna Beth,” he hollered back.
“Hi, Vance. Your friend is making me nuts.”
“Okay.”
Anna Beth shook her head as she trailed behind Olive into the kitchen. “I just couldn’t believe it, you know? I sat there, wondering what they’d been saying, how long were they corresponding...I guess, I lost my mind a little.”
“What did it say?”
“To help me when I came back to Snowy Springs in any way he could.”
Olive snickered as she pressed the button on the one cup coffee machine. “I bet he didn’t mean to help you out in bed.”
“Can we not joke about this? I haven’t even gotten to the craziest part.”
“Go on.”
“There was another letter for me with Jared’s. It wasn’t opened, so I know he didn’t read it, but it was basically Ian giving me his blessing to be with Jared.”
Olive clapped her hands, stalling when Anna Beth grimaced. “That’s good, right? I know you were a little nervous about moving on and I know you loved Ian, but you can love more than one person.”
“That’s what Ian said. He thought my falling out with Jared had to do with him and that I’d always loved Jared.”
“Whoa, that is some heavy intuition.”
“But it’s not…”
“Don’t lie to yourself. You love-loved Jared since we were kids. It might not have been fully fleshed out, but can you say you didn’t have feelings for him?”
“No, I can’t,” Anna Beth grudgingly admitted.
“So, you found letters, you read them, and then…”
“I went off on him for keeping secrets and told him I needed time to process.”
“Wait, you pulled a Jared?”
Anna Beth made a face. “Shut up.”
“Ian sending a letter and Jared hanging onto it doesn’t seem so bad.”
“I think I may have been running on some pretty heavy emotions, since we’d just slept together.”
“Girl, you let him sneak in them jeans and you didn’t tell me!” Olive squealed.
Anna Beth’s cheeks burned. “Because I found the letter right after. God, Olive, it was so bad. He drove me home in complete silence.”
“So, you acted like a douche. Just tell him you’re sorry, give him a happy, and all good.”
“No, not all good. I caught Jared while he was at work and apologized, but he said he needed time to think.”
“Oh, come on. Clearly you were just overly emotional and jealous.”
“What? No. Why would I be jealous?”
“You were jealous because your dead husband sent a letter to someone you cared about but were afraid to face. He took the step for you and you feel manipulated.
Anna Beth frowned. Olive wasn’t wrong. “I wouldn’t call it jealousy. I just didn’t like that he kept this from me.”
“Would it have changed anything if he’d told you sooner? From what it sounds like, he was just doing what Ian asked. If he’d told you about the letters sooner, would it have brought you closer to Jared? Or maybe pushed you further away?”
“I don’t know. I think it would have been fine.”
“Really? You would have let yourself fall for Jared if you got a letter from Ian not just telling you he knew you always had feelings for Jared, but that he was okay with you being together? That wouldn’t have freaked you out and send you running out of Snowy Springs for good?”
Anna Beth considered Olive’s opinion. In the beginning, she’d tried fighting against her attraction to Jared. There had definitely been guilt attached to it. But if she’d read Ian’s letter before it would have felt...weird to date Jared.
“Fine, my husband hand picking my next boyfriend may have sent me running the other way. But that’s not the point. I know I want Jared. How can I get him to forgive me?”
Olive pulled three cups from the cupboard and set them on the counter. “Vance, coffee.”
“Can you bring it to me?”
“I’m not your mother, nor your girlfriend. Get your ass out here and get it yourself.”
Vance came around the corner in a pair of jeans and no shirt, looking rumpled.
“I was just asking,” he grumbled.
She poured him a cup and handed it to him. “Black, like your soul. Now that you’re here, how does Anna Beth get back into Jared’s good graces?”
“Nope.” He tried to leave the room, but Olive grabbed him by the back of the boxers. Anna Beth covered her eyes before she got a flash of Vance butt.
“Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing?” he shouted.
“Get back here and help us brainstorm.”
“Jared is my friend.”
“And I do that thing you like, so sit.”
Vance mumbled something about evil, but sat next to Anna Beth. “What did you do?” he asked.
“Questioned his integrity.”
“Ouch.”
Olive set Anna Beth’s coffee mug in front of her and the half-and-half in the center of the table.
“What you need is something that shows him how you really feel,” Vance said sarcastically.
“I told him how I felt.”
“Yes, but men are very visual,” Olive said. “What would be something you could do to prove to Jared you care?”
“I’ll think about it,” Anna Beth said.
“Oh, before I forget,” Olive said to Vance. “I need you to help me get my Christmas ornaments out of the attic before you leave.”
“I’m not your boyfriend or your father,” Vance said.
Olive smiled sweetly at him, then took her fist, making a suggestive motion toward her mouth. “Please.”
Anna Beth thought about her box of childhood ornaments. She hadn’t opened the box yet, but…
Suddenly, she jumped to her feet. “I have it!”
“You have what?” Olive asked.
“I know how to show Jared I care. But I need help.”
Vance started to get up again and Olive grabbed his arm. “No.” He sat. “What kind of help?”
“Ornaments. Specific ornaments. And a Christmas tree.”
“By when?”
“Christmas Eve.”
“All the trees at the market are sold,” Vance said.
“That’s okay. I know how to work a chainsaw.”
Thirty-One
Jared sat on the couch at his parent’s house on Christmas Eve, watching the twinkling lights of the tree and wishing he’d gone into work. He wasn’t exactly feeling the holiday cheer at the moment. His brothers and sisters were laughing in the other room as they finished dinner. Jared hadn’t eat much or felt like visiting.
“Hey.” Karen nudged him with her foot. “What are you doing? You’ve been a grump all night.”
“I’m just tired.”
Karen sat down next to him, patting his knee. “Why don’t we d
o presents so you can go home and rest?”
“But we haven’t cleaned up or had dessert yet.”
“It’s Christmas. The dinner mess can wait. We’ll mix things up this year.” She leaned away from him and hollered, “Everyone get in here for the gifts.”
The Jeffries filed in, taking seats around the room. To his surprise, Isa waddled straight for the tree and picked up a small square box wrapped in white paper and tied together with a shiny red ribbon. She held it out to him.
“Usually mom picks the gifts,” Jared said.
Karen smiled. “That’s okay, just open it.”
He read the tag. To Jared. Love, Santa.
Jared didn’t recognize the handwriting. Carefully, he slid off the ribbon and tore the paper. He pulled up the lid on the little white box and inside was an ornament, wrapped in red tissue. Jared picked it up by the hook, noting how heavy it was. The wooden base was a sled. White, glittery puff paint covered the bottom like snow and holly leaves and berries decorated the front. When he held it up to get a better look, he saw that someone had glued a small, red photo frame on top of the sled. Inside was the selfie he’d taken with Anna Beth on top of Slaughter Hill.
“This is from Anna Beth?” he whispered.
“Yes, and there’s something else inside.”
Jared pulled out a piece of white paper tucked to one side. He unfolded it slowly, his stomach twisting in knots.
Jared,
Since I’ve almost finished my list, I thought maybe I should make one for the new year. Let me know what you think…
Convince Jared to forgive me.
Kiss Jared five times a day.
Try to control my temper.
Take a vacation with Jared.
Slow dance with Jared.
Take a cooking class.
Ask Sarah to teach me to knit.
Knit Jared beanies for next winter.
Make sure Mittens and Rip become best friends.
Tell Jared I love him every minute of every day until he believes me.
Jared sucked in a breath. Anna Beth loved him?
“Was it something good?” Forrest asked.
“Yes.” Jared held up the ornament and his sisters all complimented it.
Savannah stood and leaned over the coffee table. “What did the letter say?”
“None of your business,” he answered.
Grayson went for the tree. “I’m next.”
“Get your butt back,” Dad growled. “Only your mom says who is next.”
Several arguments broke out between the siblings, but Jared wasn’t really listening as he stared down at the picture of him and Anna Beth smiling. Anna Beth loved him. She’d gifted him a picture of the two of them as though they were together. Even though he’d been keeping his distance, she still went out on a limb to show him how she felt.
“If you’re not feeling great, honey, why don’t you go home and rest?” his mom said.
“Are you sure?”
“I insist, but I want you back here bright and early with your smile in place.”
Jared rolled his eyes. “Yes, ma’am.”
He got up and said his goodbyes. Once he’d slipped into his coat, he went out onto the porch and took his phone from his pocket. There were no missed calls from Anna Beth.
The door opened behind him and he stopped, expecting his mother to lure him back inside. But, when he turned around, he found Casey, his hands shoved in his pockets, acting nervous.
“I just wanted to say, I ran into Lane. He told me what you visited and what a cool guy you were. I wanted to say thanks. He was really cool to me and I know it’s because of you.”
Jared nodded. “Your welcome, Case. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Jared held out his arms. “Hug?”
“Yeah, right,” Casey laughed, ducking back inside.
Jared chuckled. Someday the kid would come around.
When he climbed into his truck, Jared pulled out his phone. Nothing from Anna Beth. Why would she go to the trouble of giving him a gift, but not call? He ran his thumb over her contact picture. Maybe he’d just wish her a Merry Christmas. That wouldn’t be weird. Get a conversation going, mention he loved her too.
Jared hit the button and dialed Anna Beth, putting it on speaker phone. After two rings, it went to voicemail. She’d sent him there, but he left a message anyway.
“Hey, Anna Beth, it’s Jared. I wanted to thank you for the gift and wish you a Merry Christmas. And…” I miss you? I love you? I’m stubborn? Forgive me?
Jared didn’t want his second time telling her he loved her to happen over the phone.
“That’s it. Bye.”
Lame, man. Very lame.
Jared backed out of his parent’s driveway, thinking about Anna Beth’s list. It had taken a lot of balls for her to give his mother that gift. To have him open it in front of his family.
He made the turn towards town instead of home. There was no way he’d sleep tonight without talking to her.
Jared parked in front of her house, sitting there for a moment with his engine running. He didn’t see her car but Ernie’s truck was in the driveway.
He turned off the truck and loped up the walkway, knocking on the door. Sarah answered in a red plaid dress with Ernie right behind her.
“Hello, Jared.”
“Hi, Sarah. Do you know where Anna Beth is tonight?”
“I believe, she’s at Olive’s.” She picked up a gift from the table in the entryway. “This is for you.”
Jared took the box, shooting Sarah a questioning glance.
“Merry Christmas, Jared.”
“Merry Christmas to you both.”
Jared climbed back into his truck and opened it. Inside was another ornament. Two coffee cups sitting on a couch holding hands, smiling. You’re the cream...To my Coffee was written in red across the base. Jared held the cheesy ornament carefully, the urgent need to see Anna Beth intensifying.
He pulled out his phone and shot Vance a text.
You with Olive?
Yeah. Why?
Trying to find Anna Beth.
She’s at Fire and Ice. Come by.
But when Jared walked into the pub, there was no sign of Anna Beth. Olive and Vance waved at him, sitting at a table along the edge of the dancefloor.
“Hey, I thought you said she was here?”
“You just missed her,” Vance said.
“She left you these though.” Olive handed him two giftwrapped boxes.
Jared took the boxes, glancing between them. “What the hell is going on?”
“Open them and find out,” Olive said.
Jared lifted the lid on the first one and found a chocolate lab ornament, wearing a Santa hat and chewing a candy cane.
“Hey, look, it’s a festive Rip,” Vance said.
Olive clapped. “Open the next one.”
“I don’t understand what all of this is about, but…”
He trailed off when he pulled out the second ornament. It looked exactly like his house, only decorated with Christmas lights.
Jared glanced up at both of them, an eyebrow quirked. “I guess I know where I’m heading next.”
Olive pointed her finger at him and winked. “Don’t fuck it up.”
“I don’t plan to.”
On the drive back to his house, Jared found himself pushing the speed limit. He couldn’t get to Anna Beth fast enough, needing to hear her say the words he’d been waiting for.
Jared pulled into the driveway and climbed out, staring at the multicolored lights twinkling along the trim of his house and wrapping around his porch. A shadow hung by the door. He hustled up the walkway to thank Anna Beth properly.
“Santa Claus is coming to town!”
The flashing blue eyes of his mother’s possessed Santa sent him jumping backward, nearly tripping down the step.
“Damn it!”
Jared clutched his chest, glaring at his mechanical nemesis. He’d noticed the prop was missing
from his parent’s porch earlier, but figured she’d removed it after too many complaints.
He unlocked the door and flipped the switch on the wall. The living room light kicked on, revealing a fully decorated, six-foot-tall Noble fir in the corner.
“What do you think?” Anna Beth asked from behind him.
Jared spun around and she stood just inside his kitchen, Rip by her side. She wore a red sweater dress and Santa leggings, her hair styled in loose waves down her back.
“What do I think about the tree, or your breaking and entering?”
Anna Beth smiled sheepishly. “Both.”
“I don’t fear for my life at the moment, so we’ll put the breaking and entering on the back burner. As to the tree, it’s great, but why? And how did you know I would go to your house tonight?
“I had a feeling.”
Jared’s eyes narrowed. “You’re in cahoots with my mother.”
“Of course, I am,” Anna Beth laughed. “Your sisters and brothers, too. You dad just kind of went along for the ride.”
“And sending me all over town looking for you?”
“I needed time to get things perfect.”
“Perfect for…”
“You.”
Jared’s stomach flipped. “Anna Beth, why the big show with the ornaments and the tree?”
She crossed the room and stood next to the tree. “Because Christmas trees tell stories about the people who decorate them. How families change and grow.” She touched one of the green branches lovingly. “This tree is us. What our life could look like together.”
At a loss for words, Jared stared as she pointed out a couple of ornaments, including a Scooby-Doo one he’d had as a kid.
“Your mom let me have these for the tree. And these are some of mine, when I was a kid.” She took an ornament of a dark blue jacket off one branch and held it out so he could see clearly. “This represents the day we met, when I mended your coat. I even drew little stitches, see?” She put the coat back and pointed to a black long horned cow ornament. “And this? Remember when we cut school because Tyler Hicks broke up with me and I didn’t want to face him? You took me over to Garrett Ranch to see the calves and we didn’t know the bull was out there. We ran so fast.”
His heart raced, dazzled by her excitement as she showed him every special decoration.
“Here are the two from the White Elephant, and this sled, chainsaw, and pine tree? I guess you can imagine what day those represent. There are so many more I want to show you but this...this is my favorite box. I just didn’t have time to hang them.”