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“Hey, Anna Beth, it’s Jared. I wanted to thank you for the gift and wish you a Merry Christmas. And…” I miss you? I love you? I’m stubborn? Forgive me?
Jared didn’t want his second time telling her he loved her to happen over the phone.
“That’s it. Bye.”
Lame, man. Very lame.
Jared backed out of his parent’s driveway, thinking about Anna Beth’s list. It had taken a lot of balls for her to give his mother that gift. To have him open it in front of his family.
He made the turn towards town instead of home. There was no way he’d sleep tonight without talking to her.
Jared parked in front of her house, sitting there for a moment with his engine running. He didn’t see her car but Ernie’s truck was in the driveway.
He turned off the truck and loped up the walkway, knocking on the door. Sarah answered in a red plaid dress with Ernie right behind her.
“Hello, Jared.”
“Hi, Sarah. Do you know where Anna Beth is tonight?”
“I believe, she’s at Olive’s.” She picked up a gift from the table in the entryway. “This is for you.”
Jared took the box, shooting Sarah a questioning glance.
“Merry Christmas, Jared.”
“Merry Christmas to you both.”
Jared climbed back into his truck and opened it. Inside was another ornament. Two coffee cups sitting on a couch holding hands, smiling. You’re the cream...To my Coffee was written in red across the base. Jared held the cheesy ornament carefully, the urgent need to see Anna Beth intensifying.
He pulled out his phone and shot Vance a text.
You with Olive?
Yeah. Why?
Trying to find Anna Beth.
She’s at Fire and Ice. Come by.
But when Jared walked into the pub, there was no sign of Anna Beth. Olive and Vance waved at him, sitting at a table along the edge of the dancefloor.
“Hey, I thought you said she was here?”
“You just missed her,” Vance said.
“She left you these though.” Olive handed him two giftwrapped boxes.
Jared took the boxes, glancing between them. “What the hell is going on?”
“Open them and find out,” Olive said.
Jared lifted the lid on the first one and found a chocolate lab ornament, wearing a Santa hat and chewing a candy cane.
“Hey, look, it’s a festive Rip,” Vance said.
Olive clapped. “Open the next one.”
“I don’t understand what all of this is about, but…”
