Page 9 of All I Want is You this Christmas Final

Jared sighed. It’s not shaping up to be a good week.

“Alrighty then.”

He backed out of the parking spot and watched Anna Beth’s Chrysler disappear in his rearview mirror. Of all the ways for their reunion to go, it could have been worse.

Or so he told himself.

Four

Ma’am? Five years without so much of a "hey, how you doing," and that’s all you get?

“Anna Beth?”

She glanced up at her aunt. “Huh?”

The morning light streamed into the kitchen through the French doors, gleaming off the clean dining room table. Anna Beth had come down a few minutes ago, exhausted and grouchy. Her aunt set a plate of food in front of her and started chatting away, but Anna Beth couldn’t stop dwelling on her brief encounter with Jared.

“Is there something wrong with the eggs?”

She poked the scrambled eggs with her fork. “No. They’re great.”

Her aunt sat down across from her, sliding a gorgeous coffee cup toward her. “Then please stop stabbing them. You’re going to scratch my plate.”

Anna Beth set the fork down next to her plate and picked up the cup of creamy coffee with a sheepish grin. “Sorry, Sarah. I was lost in thought.”

“So it would seem. What’s on your mind?”

“Just a little writer’s block. It'll pass.”

“I’m sure it will.” Sarah scooped up a bite of eggs with her fork, holding it in front of her as she asked, “Did you sleep well?”

“Like the dead.” Being back in her old room hadn’t been as weird as she’d thought it would be. If only her brain had shut up long enough for her to enjoy the soft mattress and cozy bedding. “You know how I love flannel sheets. I haven’t used any in years. It doesn’t get cold enough in LA.”

“I imagine it doesn’t.” Her aunt took a sip of her green tea. Sarah wasn’t a fan of coffee and vehemently disapproved when Anna Beth started drinking it junior year of high school.

“I’m surprised you still keep coffee in the house.”

Sarah’s cheeks reddened. “I have a friend who takes it the same way you do?”

“Which friend?”

“Just a friend."

Anna Beth quirked a brow. Did her aunt have a boyfriend? Preposterous as it may seem, she was being cagey.

"What are your plans for today?” Sarah asked, changing the subject.

“I’m going to take a shower and get dressed. Work a bit. Then I’m not sure.”

“Well, I’m headed to work for a few hours this morning and then I’ll be making stockings at the community center this afternoon if you want to help out. I am sure everyone would like to see you.”

Back to a large room full of middle-aged women and the hum of sewing machines?

“I’ll see where the day takes me.”

“Alright.” Sarah stood up and poured her tea into a silver travel cup. “I’m heading out. We will be at the community center until five and then we’re going out for dinner.”