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Grandma brings pies and we eat till we're sick."
"Sounds great." Amused, he looked over as Faith scooped eggs onto a
plate. "I had
Christmas dinner with your grandparents a couple of times."
"Yeah?" Interested, Clara studied him. "I guess I heard somewhere that
you used to be
Mom's boyfriend. How come you didn't get married?"
"Here's your hot chocolate, Clara." Faith set it down. "You'd better
hurry, Marcie's waiting."
"Are you coming out?"
"Soon." Grateful that her daughter was easily distracted, she set the
platter of bacon and eggs on the table. Ignoring the half-amused lift of
brow from Jason, she took her seat.
"We need carrots and scarves and stuff." "I'll take care of it."
With a grin Clara gulped down chocolate. "And hats?" "And hats."
A snowball hit the kitchen window. Clara was up like a shot. "There she
is. Gotta go. Come soon, Mom, you make the best."
"Soon as I'm dressed. Don't forget your top button."
Clara hesitated at the back door. "I've got a little plastic tree in my room.
You can have it if you want."
Moved, he only stared at her. Just like her mother, he thought, and fell in
love a second time. "Thanks."
'"S'okay. Bye."
"She's quite a kid," Jason commented as the door slammed behind her. "I
like her."
"I'll give her a hand with the snowman." "You don't have to, Jason."
"I want to, then I've got some things to take care of." He checked his
watch. It was only Christmas Eve for so long. When a man was being
offered a second chance, it wasn't wise to waste time. "Can I get an
invitation for tonight?"
Faith smiled but simply pushed the food around on her plate. "You've
never needed one." "Don't cook, I'll bring something."
"It's okay, I "
"Don't cook," he repeated, rising. He bent to kiss her, then lingered over
it. "I'll be back."
He took his coat from the hook where it had hung beside Clara's. When
he was gone, Faith looked down at the toast she'd crumbled in her hand.
Hong Kong. At least this time she knew where he was going.
The snow people in the side yard grinned at him as he struggled past.
Boxes balanced, Jason knocked on the back door with the toe of his
boot. The snow hadn't let up a whit.
"Jason." Speechless, Faith stepped back as he teetered inside. "Where's
Clara?"
"Clara?" Still staring, she pushed back her hair. "She's upstairs getting
ready for the hayride."
"Good. Take the top box."
"Jason, what in the world have you got here?"
"Just take the top box unless you want pizza all over the floor."
"All right, but..." As the enormous box in his arms shifted, she laughed.
"Jason, what have you done?"
"Wait a minute."
Holding the pizza, she watched him drag the box into the living room.
"Jason, what is that thing?"
"It's a present." He started to set it under the tree then discovered there
wasn't enough room. With a bit of rearranging, he managed to lean the
box against the wall beside the tree. He was grinning when he turned to
her. If he'd ever felt better in his life, he couldn't remember it. "Merry
Christmas."
"Same to you. Jason, what is that box?"
"Damn, it's cold out there." Though he rubbed his hands together now,
he hadn't even noticed the biting wind. "Got any coffee?"
"Jason."
"It's for Clara." He discovered that feeling a bit foolish didn't dim the
warmth.
"You didn't have to get her a present," Faith began, but her curiosity
got the better of her. "What is it?"
"This?" Jason patted the six-foot box. "Oh, it's nothing."
"If you don't tell me you don't get any coffee." She smiled. "And I
keep the pizza." "Spoilsport. It's a toboggan." He took Faith's arm to
lead her out of the room. "She
happened to mention when we were building the snowman that some
kid had this toboggan and it went down Red Hill like a spitfire."
"Spitfire," Faith murmured.
"And snow like this is just made for going down Red Hill like a
spitfire, so..." "Sucker," Faith accused and kissed him hard.
"Put that pizza down and call me that again." She laughed and kept it
between them. "Wow!"
Faith raised a brow at the noise from the living room. "I think she saw
the box."
At full speed, Clara barreled into the kitchen. "Did you see? I knew
there'd be one more, I just knew. It's as tall as you are," she told Jason.
"Did you see?" She grabbed his hand to drag him back. "It has my
name on it."
"Imagine that." Jason picked her up and kissed both cheeks. "Merry
Christmas."
"I can't wait." She threw her arms around his neck and squeezed. "I
just can't wait." Watching them, Faith felt her emotions tangle and
knot until her bones ached with it.
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