he challenge you in the ways you need to be challenged?”
Impotent fury boiled in my veins. My mother was a master of eliciting exactly the answers she expected to her questions. She’d made a career of manipulating witnesses to receive the appropriate response , and she was still able to twist my head around.
I swallowed . “Mother, I don’t wish to discuss my relationship with Jason with you. If you look at it with strict logic, of course it doesn’t make much sense, but you have no idea what I feel or how we are together.”
She nodded. “Oh yes. I think I do. I watched you play in the snow earlier. He’s fun. A good diversion. He makes you relax and not take yourself so seriously , which is refreshing. Maybe he’s just what you need for right now.” She smiled and adjusted the clasp on her bracelet. “I’m not completely oblivious to his charms, Anna. But I know you and I don’t believe that long term he will supply what you need.”
A slurry of hurt and disappointment and anger swirled in me. She’d done exactly what I feared—lulled me into a false sense of security , then pounced. She’d pushed all the hot buttons I worried at on a daily basis and made me doubt myself, my love, my commitment to Jason.
I stood up. “Well, you’re wrong, Mother, and it doesn’t matter what you believe anyway. Jason and I are already engaged. We were waiting to tell you until Christmas day, but it’s already done. So you can keep your opinions to yourself and offer me your congratulations.”
Her eyebrows rose nearly to her hairline, which was so satisfying I almost didn’t care what I’d blurted.
“In that case, Anna , I hope you’ll be happy and never regret your choice.”
As I stalked away, I already knew I’d made a big mistake—not in saying yes to the engagement, which I knew had been only a matter of time before I did—but in the way I’d gone about it. Instead of a loving acceptance of Jason, it had been a challenge thrown down to my mother. Wrong. All wrong. But the words were out of my mouth now, and there was no way to fix it.
I would have to talk to Jason before my mom said something. I hurried toward the garage to try to get him away from my dad so we could talk privately.
Chapter Six
Jason
“That’s a…really nice birdhouse, sir.” I couldn’t think of anything else to add , no matter how hard I tried. I’d already used up my stock of words during lunch, and now I was really ready for some quiet time to regroup and reorganize my scattered brain.
I picked up a chisel and set it down again, breathed in the scent of fresh wood , and wished I could stay out here alone and do some woodworking myself.
Baby jumped against my leg, begging me to pick her up. I obeyed and found her warm , squirmy body comforting in my arms. I scratched between her ears and continued to examine the elaborate Victorian house Mr. Stevens had created for bluebirds.
“It’s all right, Jason. I’m not much for talking either. Pretty ironic for a former lawyer, I guess.”
“You enjoying your retirement?” I asked.
It was his turn to pick up a tool and examine it as if he’d never seen it before. “My wife will tell you I’ve gotten a little obsessed with golf. Truth is, at first I didn’t know what to do with myself without a case to prepare for, but now I’m pretty content.” He set down the screwdriver. “I’m afraid I wasn’t around much when Anna was growing up. I worked all the time. Wish I’d been aware enough to make time for what was important, but it’s too late now.”
I didn’t know if I was supposed to say I was sorry or what, so I kept quiet and held on to the wriggling dog.
“She grew into a woman , and I missed it. All I can do now is hope she makes good decisions and has a happy life.”
I nodded. This was the part where he’d tell me I wasn’t the guy who could give her that. But before Stan could say anything more, the door opened and Anna came into the
Impotent fury boiled in my veins. My mother was a master of eliciting exactly the answers she expected to her questions. She’d made a career of manipulating witnesses to receive the appropriate response , and she was still able to twist my head around.
I swallowed . “Mother, I don’t wish to discuss my relationship with Jason with you. If you look at it with strict logic, of course it doesn’t make much sense, but you have no idea what I feel or how we are together.”
She nodded. “Oh yes. I think I do. I watched you play in the snow earlier. He’s fun. A good diversion. He makes you relax and not take yourself so seriously , which is refreshing. Maybe he’s just what you need for right now.” She smiled and adjusted the clasp on her bracelet. “I’m not completely oblivious to his charms, Anna. But I know you and I don’t believe that long term he will supply what you need.”
A slurry of hurt and disappointment and anger swirled in me. She’d done exactly what I feared—lulled me into a false sense of security , then pounced. She’d pushed all the hot buttons I worried at on a daily basis and made me doubt myself, my love, my commitment to Jason.
I stood up. “Well, you’re wrong, Mother, and it doesn’t matter what you believe anyway. Jason and I are already engaged. We were waiting to tell you until Christmas day, but it’s already done. So you can keep your opinions to yourself and offer me your congratulations.”
Her eyebrows rose nearly to her hairline, which was so satisfying I almost didn’t care what I’d blurted.
“In that case, Anna , I hope you’ll be happy and never regret your choice.”
As I stalked away, I already knew I’d made a big mistake—not in saying yes to the engagement, which I knew had been only a matter of time before I did—but in the way I’d gone about it. Instead of a loving acceptance of Jason, it had been a challenge thrown down to my mother. Wrong. All wrong. But the words were out of my mouth now, and there was no way to fix it.
I would have to talk to Jason before my mom said something. I hurried toward the garage to try to get him away from my dad so we could talk privately.
Chapter Six
Jason
“That’s a…really nice birdhouse, sir.” I couldn’t think of anything else to add , no matter how hard I tried. I’d already used up my stock of words during lunch, and now I was really ready for some quiet time to regroup and reorganize my scattered brain.
I picked up a chisel and set it down again, breathed in the scent of fresh wood , and wished I could stay out here alone and do some woodworking myself.
Baby jumped against my leg, begging me to pick her up. I obeyed and found her warm , squirmy body comforting in my arms. I scratched between her ears and continued to examine the elaborate Victorian house Mr. Stevens had created for bluebirds.
“It’s all right, Jason. I’m not much for talking either. Pretty ironic for a former lawyer, I guess.”
“You enjoying your retirement?” I asked.
It was his turn to pick up a tool and examine it as if he’d never seen it before. “My wife will tell you I’ve gotten a little obsessed with golf. Truth is, at first I didn’t know what to do with myself without a case to prepare for, but now I’m pretty content.” He set down the screwdriver. “I’m afraid I wasn’t around much when Anna was growing up. I worked all the time. Wish I’d been aware enough to make time for what was important, but it’s too late now.”
I didn’t know if I was supposed to say I was sorry or what, so I kept quiet and held on to the wriggling dog.
“She grew into a woman , and I missed it. All I can do now is hope she makes good decisions and has a happy life.”
I nodded. This was the part where he’d tell me I wasn’t the guy who could give her that. But before Stan could say anything more, the door opened and Anna came into the
Similar Books
