Page 37 of All I Want is You this Christmas Final

“Good morning, Jared.”

“Hi, Sarah. Is Anna Beth ready?”

“She’s just getting her boots on, but there’s a complication.”

“Why is that?”

“Come in and see for yourself.”

Jared stepped inside and into the living room. Anna Beth sat on the couch tying her boots as a rambunctious gray tabby attacked the laces. When Anna Beth finally managed to get them secured, the kitten went after her dangling ponytail.

“Dang it, Mitts! You’re being a pain.” Anna Beth straightened and picked the kitten up in her hands, holding her in front of her face. “Don’t I play with you enough?” She kissed the top of the creature’s head and cuddled her close. “You’re too cute to be mad at.”

“Let me be the judge of that,” he said.

Anna Beth looked up as he crossed the room, a broad smile on her face. “Look at you right on time.”

“I would have been here sooner, but I needed to stop for nourishment.” He held out the paper bag to her. “I’ll trade you two breakfast sandwiches for one spunky kitten.”

“I’m not sure how she is around men,” Anna Beth warned.

“She’s fine,” Sarah said.

Anna Beth shot her aunt a puzzled glance.

“How do you know?”

Sarh’s face flamed. “Look at her. She isn’t shying away from him, is she?”

“No, she is not.” He took the kitten from her with one hand while she cradled the bag. The tiny tabby sniffed the front of his shirt and stiffened. She leaned away from him, hissing at his shirt as though it would come alive at any moment.

“Oh, you smell Rip. Not a fan of dogs, huh?” Jared held her against his chest and rubbed her ears and chin until she purred for him. “There, see? I’m not so bad, even if I am a dog person.”

“You’re just the kind of man it takes a few minutes to warm up to,” Sarah said from the doorway. “Or years, in some cases.”

Anna Beth laughed.

Jared grinned at Anna Beth’s aunt. “I’m offended, Sarah. Are you saying you weren’t my number one fan from our first meeting?”

“I think you know the answer to that.”

Sarah’s tone was teasing, but Jared knew Sarah hadn’t liked or understood his friendship with Anna Beth when they were younger. After years of working together at the police station, his relationship with Sarah grew friendlier.

Mittens rubbed her face against his chin and then climbed up onto his shoulder. She sat with her butt next to his cheek and her tail curled over his upper lip.

Anna Beth bent over laughing until Sarah came around to see what was so funny. She covered her mouth and coughed.

“I mustache you a question,” Jared said. “Does this cat make me look dashing?”

Sarah closed the distance with her hands out. “Oh my goodness, give me the kitten. You two, get going. I’ll pull the ornaments down from the attic while you’re gone.”

“Do you know, are my parent’s ornaments up there?”

“I think so. I’ll get those too.”

“I can help when we get back.”

“No, it’s fine. I have a friend coming over and he can get them for me.”