Free Holiday Wishes by Nora Roberts Page B

makes this big turkey and Grandma and Grandpa come over. Grandma brings pies and we eat till we’re sick.”
    â€œSounds great.” Amused, he looked over as Faith scooped eggs onto a plate. “I had Christmas dinner with your grandparents a couple of times.”
    â€œYeah?” Interested, Clara studied him. “I guess I heard somewhere that you used to be Mom’s boyfriend. How come you didn’t get married?”
    â€œHere’s your hot chocolate, Clara.” Faith set it down. “You’d better hurry. Marcie’s waiting.”
    â€œAre you coming out?”
    â€œSoon.” Grateful that her daughter was easily distracted, she set the platter of bacon and eggs on the table. Ignoring the half-amused lift of brow from Jason, she took her seat.
    â€œWe need carrots and scarves and stuff.”
    â€œI’ll take care of it.”
    With a grin Clara gulped down chocolate. “And hats?”
    â€œAnd hats.”
    A snowball hit the kitchen window. Clara was up like a shot. “There she is. Gotta go. Come soon, Mom. You make the best.”
    â€œSoon as I’m dressed. Don’t forget your top button.”
    Clara hesitated at the back door. “I’ve got a little plastic tree in my room. You can have it if you want.”
    Moved, he only stared at her. Just like her mother, he thought, and fell in love a second time. “Thanks.”
    â€œâ€™Sokay. Bye.”
    â€œShe’s quite a kid,” Jason commented as the door slammed behind her.
    â€œI like her.”
    â€œI’ll give her a hand with the snowman.”
    â€œYou don’t have to, Jason.”
    â€œI want to, then I’ve got some things to take care of.” He checked his watch. It was only Christmas Eve for so long. When a man was being offered a second chance, it wasn’t wise to waste time. “Can I get an invitation for tonight?”
    Faith smiled but simply pushed the food around on her plate. “You’ve never needed one.”
    â€œDon’t cook, I’ll bring something.”
    â€œIt’s okay, I—”
    â€œDon’t cook,” he repeated, rising. He bent to kiss her, then lingered over it. “I’ll be back.”
    He took his coat from the hook where it had hung beside Clara’s. When he was gone, Faith looked down at the toast she’d crumbled in her hand. Hong Kong. At least this time she knew where he was going.
    The snow people in the side yard grinned at him as he struggled past. Boxes balanced, Jason knocked on the back door with the toe of his boot. The snow hadn’t let up a whit.
    â€œJason.” Speechless, Faith stepped back as he teetered inside.
    â€œWhere’s Clara?”
    â€œClara?” Still staring, she pushed back her hair. “She’s upstairs getting ready for the hayride.”
    â€œGood. Take the top box.”
    â€œJason, what in the world have you got here?”
    â€œJust take the top box unless you want pizza all over the floor.”
    â€œAll right, but . . .” As the enormous box in his arms shifted, she laughed. “Jason, what have you done?”
    â€œWait a minute.”
    Holding the pizza, she watched him drag the box into the living room. “Jason, what is that thing?”
    â€œIt’s a present.” He started to set it under the tree, then discovered there wasn’t enough room. With a bit of rearranging, he managed to lean the box against the wall beside the tree. He was grinning when he turned to her. If he’d ever felt better in his life, he couldn’t remember it. “Merry Christmas.”
    â€œSame to you. Jason, what is that box?”
    â€œDamn, it’s cold out there.” Though he rubbed his hands together now, he hadn’t even noticed the biting wind. “Got any coffee?”
    â€œJason.”
    â€œIt’s for Clara.” He discovered that feeling a bit foolish didn’t dim the