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One
“Jared! Whoohoo! Do you mind helping me?”
Jared Cross turned to find Rachel Walsh, standing next to a six-foot Christmas tree secured in bright white mesh, flagging him down. Her short silver hair was brushed back from her face, revealing a wide smile and large sunglasses. Rachel’s bejeweled hand waved like a flapping bird, her rings twinkling in the afternoon sunlight.
“Sure thing.”
Jared walked across the garden center, passing the holiday wreaths and rows of snow-covered Christmas trees. The outdoor garden center didn’t offer much cover from the weather and if there was one thing Montana had in early December, it was snow.
“You’re a sweetheart.” Rachel let him push the cart, walking alongside him. He slowed his pace so she could keep up, avoiding the lingering patches of ice on the asphalt parking lot. “They are slammed today and I’ve got to get home to Dave. He’s been a bear since he broke his leg and he still has another month to go in his cast. I swear, he’s going to drive me to drink with all that griping he’s doing.”
Jared chuckled. “Dave’s an active guy. I’d be cranky if I had to sit around, too.” He leaned over and whispered, “But I’m sure no one would blame you for pouring an extra bit of brandy in your eggnog.”
She laughed. “Probably not. After twenty-five years of marriage, my patience is wearing a little thin. You’ll understand when you find The One. They may be your soulmate, but they’ll still get on your one last nerve.”
“I bet.” Even though he loved his Labrador, Rip, his rambunctious dog was irritating enough. He couldn’t imagine sharing his house with another human. His foster parents' home had been a loud, lovable, chaotic mess and it’d been fun, but as an adult, he relished his solitude.
Jared stopped the cart next to Rachel’s F-250 and hefted her Christmas tree onto his shoulder.
“Oh, by the way, did you hear who's back?”
Jared grunted in response as he set the Douglas Fir in the back of Rachel’s truck. “Nope. Who’s back?”
Rachel put her hand over the front of her purple peacoat, her eyes twinkling with excitement. “Anna Beth Howard! Can you believe it? I thought she was bound for bigger and better things when she married that tech tycoon but, apparently, he died. Poor thing. Widowed so young.”
Jared kept his expression benign, even as his heart galloped in his chest. Anna Beth was back in Snowy Springs?
“You used to be friends, right?” Rachel asked.
“Yeah, when we were kids. We haven’t spoken since she moved to California years back.”
Not since her wedding day, when he’d made an ass of himself.
“Oh, well, maybe the two of you will catch up.” She opened the door of her truck and climbed inside. “Thanks for your help with the tree. You probably have better things to do than assist an old lady.”
“It was my pleasure, Rachel. Tell Dave I said, hello.”
“I will. Bye.”
She closed the door and Jared headed back into the garden center, barely acknowledging the bustling crowd around him. As he loaded his cart with Ice Melt, his mind wandered.
Anna Beth was back. What could she be doing here? The last Jared heard about Anna Beth was when he’d overheard a conversation between her aunt and the station dispatcher. He hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but the minute her name was mentioned, he couldn’t help himself. He and Anna Beth hadn’t exactly parted on the best of terms.
“Apparently, she’s doing well for herself. Writing for some sitcom. She sends me cards on holidays, but otherwise, I don’t hear from her much.”
Jared wasn’t surprised by the statement, as Anna Beth had never been close to her aunt. Having her come back here after five years when it sounded like things were going well for her in LA left him shook. What happened?
Not that it was any of his business. He lost touch with Anna Beth and had no right wondering anything about her.
He paid for the supplies and headed out to his truck. As he filled up the bed of his Dodge Ram, memories surfaced unbidden. Memories he’d rather stayed buried.
Anna Beth standing in the middle of an empty bridal suite at Snowy Springs Church, the same one her parents had been married in. The white off the shoulder gown molding her curves. Her blond hair loose under a white veil that skimmed past her shoulders like a lace waterfall. Her green eyes filled with tears as he confessed everything, he’d been holding back from her for so long.
Obviously, it hadn’t gone well for him.
Jared returned the cart to the store front and climbed up into his truck. He’d barely gotten the door shut when someone tapped on his driver side window. He jumped in his seat, and seeing his friend, Vance Shepard, standing there, rolled down his window and held his hand out to him.
“Hey, man. What’s going on?”
Vance took his hand in a firm shake. “Nothing much, brother.” He pushed back his Broncos hat, his gray eyes meeting Jared’s. “I just saw your truck and ran over to check on you.”
“Check on me? Why?”
Vance shrugged. “I heard Anna Beth is back in town.”
“And?”
“And I thought you might not be taking the news so well.”
“I’m cool. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Come on, man. You can’t play dumb with me. You forget I was your drinking buddy that whole year after she left. It being Friday…I just wanted to make sure I didn’t need to keep my eye on you.”
Jared ran a hand through his short hair. “It was a long time ago. I’m over it. Besides, I’m working tonight.”
“Good. Cause we’re too old to go on a weekend bender.”
“Speak for yourself,” Jared said, attempting to lighten the mood. “I’m younger than you.”
“Only by a couple months. You’re no spring chicken.”
“Twenty-seven is not too old to bar hop, but I have no in
terest in that. I haven’t thought about Anna Beth in years. The sight of her is not going to send me into a bottle of Fireball. Cross my heart.”
“Fireball? Fuck, you are such a girl-drunk. Drink some real whiskey, ya sissy.”
“Screw you! I didn’t hear you complaining.”
“That’s because you were too distraught to handle any razzing. Since you’re over it, I can tell you to man up.”
“Eat me.”
“Not today, my friend. I gotta run. Mom asked me to put up their Christmas lights this year so Dad doesn’t have to get up on a ladder.”
