Page 32 of All I Want is You this Christmas Final

Best,

Ian Crawford

Jared slipped the folded letter back into the envelope and picked Anna Beth’s letter off the floor. He stared at it, wondering what Ian had written and why he’d entrusted it to Jared.

None of his questions would be answered until Anna Beth finished her list, so speculating would only drive him crazy. He placed both letters back into the envelope and slid it in the drawer, reaching for a pair of socks. Clad in jeans, a t-shirt, and hoodie, Jared went downstairs with socks in his hands, Rip tearing past him down the stairs.

“Hey! If you trip me and I break my neck, you don’t get whipped cream, bud.”

Rip went to the door and sat, his tail slapping impatiently against the wood flooring. Jared sat on his leather couch and put on his socks. He’d just slipped on his tennis shoes when he realized he left his phone upstairs.

“If only you were like Lassie and could get my phone.”

Rip barked at him as Jared ran back up the stairs. When he picked up his phone, he noticed the blinking light and opened it up to find a message from Anna Beth.

Morning.

Jared grinned at the sleepy emoji she’d tagged on the end of her text. He was feeling the exact same way.

Morning, A.B. How’d you sleep?

Alright. The kitten liked the crook of my neck, so I’m a little stiff. You?

I slept okay until my dog woke me up.

Jared attached a picture of Rip from camping a few months ago.

I guess he didn’t get the memo that Sundays are a day of rest.

Awww, he’s so handsome.

Yeah, he gets that from me.

Anna Beth sent back a gif of Ryan Reynolds rolling his eyes. Jared countered with Jim Carey’s grinning Grinch.

You are still such a goober. I’m heading to Foam Capped to work on my screenplay.

I was going to take Rip there for a pup-cup. Mind if we say hi?

Not at all. I’m leaving now. See you in a few.

Jared whistled the whole way down the stairs and when he jumped the last two, he caught Rip watching him, his head tilted curiously.

“You, my friend, are about to meet someone mighty special.”

He grabbed his coat and Rip’s leash, latching the latter onto his red collar. He didn’t bother to lock his front door because he didn’t plan on being gone that long and besides, if someone found something inside worth stealing, they obviously needed it more than he did.

Jared opened the passenger door and clicked his tongue. “Rip, up.”

Rip jumped onto the floorboard then the seat. Jared tossed in his leash and shut the door.

“You ready, bud?” he asked as he slid into the driver’s seat.

Rip’s head bounced, as though nodding. It had been just them for more than two years and, at times, Jared felt sure his dog actually understood him.

Ten minutes later, Jared parked in front of Foam Capped Java next to Anna Beth’s car. He helped Rip out of the truck and led him toward the entrance. Anna Beth sat at a table in the corner, her laptop covering half of the surface. Chopsticks held her hair piled on top of her head. Several curls escaped and hung down along the nape of her neck. She looked up from her laptop screen and spotted him. A wide smile spread across her face and she waved enthusiastically. It was downright enchanting.

Enchanting? What the fuck, man? You need a guy’s night with Vance. What’s next? Lifting your pinky when you drink?