Free New Year by Bonnie Dee Page A

felt liberated.
    “Dig in and don’t give up. I know how tenacious you can be. When times get hard, and they will in any marriage, just work the problem. Do you think it’s been a breeze living with your father all these years? Or him being able to stand me? Why do you think he golfs all the time now that he’s retired?”
    “This is supposed to be a pep talk?” I gave a last halfhearted spritz to the carpet and rubbed with the rag.
    “My point is , the initial rush of hormones and hearts and flowers will fade over time, but that’s okay. You’ll find things to tie you together beyond sex or romance. There’s a deep comfort in sharing your life with someone—even when you drive each other crazy. In the end, you’ve got shared memories and a person who knows you like no other. Marriage is complicated but definitely worthwhile. If you believe you’re ready for it with Jason, you have my and your father’s blessing.”
    “Thank you, Mom.” I set aside the cleaning things and leaned forward to hug her, my put-together, no -lint-on-her-slacks mother lounging on the floor with me for the first time in years.
    After I drew away, she asked, “Where is Jason, anyway?”
    “He took the dog out for another walk.”
    “Blowing off steam,” she guessed with typical astuteness. “Patty’s questioning at dinner was a little intense, and it didn’t help that I outed your engagement.”
    I almost told her the truth—I hadn’t given Jason my answer before I’d flung it at her like some sort of grenade, and that was the reason he’d stalked off into the night. But there was no point in stirring the pot.
    I scrambled to my feet. “I’ve gotta go, Mom. Again, I’m sorry about the rug…and the spread and pillow. Baby doesn’t act that way at home. She was probably overexcited."
    She rose too. “Really, don’t worry about it. This room was due for a redesign anyway. Those boys of Chloe’s are little hellions, at least the older one. Please, if you ever give me grandchildren, don’t have ones like that.”
    Grandchildren. The idea of my mother acting like a cozy, cookie-baking grandma was inconceivable. For that matter, so was the idea of me being a mom. But that was a subject for the future. Right then, I needed to go find Jason and tell him how much I loved him and that I was truly ready to spend my life with him.
     
    Outside it was cold enough to make my face tingle, but the earlier breeze had died and soft, fluffy snowflakes drifted lazily through the air. The snow squeaked underfoot as I trudged down my parents’ driveway to the street, the evergreen-trimmed faux gaslights on either side lighting my way.
    I lifted my face to look up at the star-spangled sky and took a deep breath. It was Christmas Eve, a fact I’d nearly forgotten due to my single-minded focus on family tensions. I was visiting my parents with the man I loved, and there was no cause for anything but celebration about that. Now, if I could just get Jason to believe I was fully committed to us.
    I turned onto the street and immediately spotted him about a block away on the sidewalk. He stood in a pool of streetlight, holding Baby’s leash while she snuffled around the edges of an evergreen tree shining with twinkle lights.
    For a moment, I simply gazed at the familiar, beloved pair, both of them mine and right there within my reach. Then I hurried down the sidewalk, calling Jason’s name.
    He looked up. He wasn’t wearing his knit cap, and snow settled on his dark hair like bits of lace. Hearing my voice, Baby abandoned the exciting scent of some small animal and lunged toward me.
    I walked faster, trotted, and finally ran toward them , then came to an abrupt halt in front of Jason.
    “Hi.” I was tongue-tied, unable to find the clever words I’d imagined saying to him. Instead, I threw my arms around him and hugged hard. “I’m sorry,” I mumbled into his wool coat.
    I felt his arms come around me and hug me back. His mouth pressed