Yule Tidings Read Online Free PDF Page B

that she’d eaten quickly.  In fact, she ate very slowly, but she still finished the same amount of food he’d eaten.
    “Sometimes, but right now I think I’m just hungry,” Alex smiled.  “What are we going to do?” she asked suddenly, disparity clear in her voice. 
    “Finish eating I imagine,” Jason said evasively.
    “About your mother,” Alex said, her tone clearly evincing that she wasn’t falling for his charm, “don’t try to change the topic.  This is a big problem.”
    “Alex, I honestly don’t know what to do.  I know you want to tell her about the engagement and everything, and I understand, really I do, but I don’t think you’re going to like her response.  You’ve met her now;  she isn’t an easy woman to deal with.”
    “Maybe not, but doesn’t it seem wrong to be here and not tell her?  I mean, she’ll be even angrier if we tell her later, over the phone.”  Alex knew it would be easier to just leave town and have Jason call Anne in the morning to tell her the news, but it was wrong.  No parent should have to hear about their child’s upcoming marriage thru a phone call when it was completely unnecessary. 
    “True, but if it’s over the phone I won’t have to deal with her…”
    “Jason, that’s mean.”
    “It’s true.”
    “It’s mean,” Alex said shaking her head.  “She’s your mother.  There must be something good about her.  You turned out well.”
    “She used to be different, before the divorce,” he said slowly as he considered his childhood.  “Now she’s miserable and bitter.”
    “Well, maybe that will get better.  Maybe she’ll meet someone and fall in love and be the happiest woman in the world.”  Alex’s voice was wistful and Jason had to look at her in some curiosity.
    “Maybe,” he said, doubtfully.  “I think you’re just a romantic, but let’s not worry about it.  We’ll see what happens in the morning and go from there, okay?  I’m tired; you look exhausted, let’s just go get some sleep, by the time we get there she’ll be in bed.” Jason looked at Alex closely.  She was pale, and her eyes had dark circles around them, a clear indication of her fatigue.  “You’ve been working too much.  You should slow down, at least a little.”  Alex started putting the food away, not commenting.  Jason touched her hand gently.  “Lexi, please, tell me you’ll slow down.”  He pleaded with his eyes and the gentle stroke of his thumb along the top of her hand.
    Alex looked at Jason.  He’d spoken so tenderly, so gently, so full of concern.  The look in his eyes, that mixture of pleading and concern, stole her heart.  “I’ll slow down,” she said, giving in.  She rarely denied him when he called her ‘Lexi’.  She loved his pet name for her; so different from anything her family or friends ever called her. 
    “Thank you,” he said, kissing her cheek.  “Let’s go.”  Alex carried the leftovers out to the car.  “I love you,” Jason said, opening the door for her.
    “Love you too.”  Alex planned on talking to Jason about the next morning on the drive home, but she was so tired she couldn’t seem to keep her eyes open.  She tried to fight the fatigue, but resting with a full stomach wore away her resistance and she was asleep before they were out of town.  Jason smiled at her sleeping form.  She was such a trooper, and had an intense sense of honor and morality.  She wasn’t like his sister Trisha, always concerned about her looks; she was always pretty and presentable, but she refused to spend more than a few minutes on her hair.  She rarely bothered with make-up, and she absolutely refused to spend a lot of money on her wardrobe. 
    “Honey, we’re here,” Jason whispered.  He smiled when Alex didn’t even stir.  He climbed out of the car, grabbed the bags from the back seat and carried them to his room.  Alex was still asleep when he got back, so he opened the car door, unbuckled