Page 93 of All I Want is You this Christmas Final

Son of a bitch.

He got up and jogged down the stairs to find his mother standing in his living room, looking fit to be tied.

“What’s wrong?”

“Why aren’t you answering your phone?” she asked.

Jared rolled his eyes. “Because I worked all night and I needed to get some sleep.”

“Olive said a bunch of people saw you and Anna Beth arguing on the side of the road.”

“We weren’t arguing. She apologized and I said fine, she wanted to jump back in, I need some time. No arguing. Statements about what the other thinks and wants and then acceptance. That’s it.”

“What was she apologizing for?”

“Mom…Do you know what it means to have a personal life? It means things are private and nobody’s business except the two parties involved.”

“I just want to make sure you’re not scared of your feelings and blowing things out of proportion. You do that.”

“No I don’t,” he said through gritted teeth.

“I don’t want to argue. I guess you are going to just have to figure out what you want now that she’s staying.”

“Staying?”

“Oh yeah, Sarah told me yesterday at church. Anna Beth is going to be living in Snowy Springs.” His mom headed for the door and before she shut it, called out, “Sweet dreams, honey.”

Jared kicked the side of his couch. Why were the women in his life hell bent on driving him crazy?

Thirty

Anna Beth banged on Olive’s front door, her body tense with frustration. Not to mention humiliation. She’s laid out her emotions and Jared practically told her “thanks, but no.”

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.”