Yule Tidings (23 page)

             
Merle took Anne’s coat as she stepped inside.  He was glad she’d stopped by, he’d hoped she would.  Her hair was in some kind of braid again, he thought his daughter called it a French braid, but he wasn’t certain.  A few stray wisps curled around her face and down her neck.  She wore snug blue jeans and a beige knit sweater.  Her face seemed fixed with a permanent smile, her eyes bright and expressive.  “I take it they liked the gift?” he asked gesturing for Anne to have a seat on his couch. 

             
“I don’t know exactly.  Donna, Franklin’s new wife, seemed to think they loved it.  Apparently Alex was almost in tears.  I haven’t heard from them yet.”  Suddenly Anne wasn’t concerned with Jason and Alex.  Merle was cooking something in a large pot on the stove and it smelled quite delectable.  She watched him as he walked into the kitchen, admiring his broad back and slim waist as he turned the burner down slightly. 

             
“I hope you’ll stay for dinner.”  Merle smiled at Anne from the kitchen.  He wasn’t a great cook, but he’d learned a few things in the last four years.  Martha made him learn when she got sick.  Merle turned on the gas fireplace.  It seemed silly, but he wanted to sit in front of the fire with Anne.  He sat on the opposite side of the couch, not sure what to do.  He wanted to hold her in his arms and watch the fire as dinner simmered for the next thirty minutes or so, but he didn’t know how.  He hadn’t dated in years.

             
Anne touched Merle’s hand.  She looked at him closely, her eyes showing her appreciation and Merle couldn’t help himself.  He pulled her into his arms without a second thought.  For once he didn’t think about Martha.  He thought only of Anne.  He held her close against him, her head resting on his chest.  When she started to ask him a question Merle put his finger on her lips, “shhh,” he murmured before kissing her, gently.  He didn’t deepen the kiss immediately, as a younger man might have.  He simply enjoyed the feel of her lips against his.  When she finally relaxed against his chest he deepened the kiss, taking control of her mouth by slow degrees.  He wasn’t a man to rush things.  He wouldn’t rush this.  He knew enough about the woman in his arms to be aware that she hadn’t been with a man in a long time.  Much more than just six years, if he’d understood her correctly.  He’d take his time with her, the way she deserved.

             
Anne awoke as if from a dream.  She was still on Merle’s couch, the fireplace flickering merrily in front of her. 
Wow
she thought.  She hadn’t felt like this in a long time.  Merle only kissed her and her senses had been set on fire.  He didn’t try to push her into anything, or pull her into his bedroom.  He kissed her until she felt woozy, nibbling on her lip, making love to her throat and hands with his mouth before turning her away from him and giving her a massage.  She must have fallen asleep on him during his ministrations.  She felt a little guilty.  She hadn’t been really kissed in at least ten or eleven years and it had scared her.  Before the divorce Franklin would touch her lips if the kids were present, but that was about it.  Merle’s kisses were so much more than that.  She felt giddy and like a young woman again.

             
Anne stretched lazily.  She stepped up into the kitchen.  A small note caught her eye on the counter. 

             
Sweet Anne,

             
I had to run to town for a bit.  Jim and Jennifer had their baby last week and I offered to take their dog for a few days while they were at the hospital.  Jim asked if I could bring the pooch back and meet their little boy.  I’ll be back soon.

             
             
             
             
             
             
Merle

Anne smiled.  Jim had a baby now?  She wished she’d known so she could have gotten them a gift.  Oh well, he’d need clothes for the next few months; she’d have plenty of opportunities to pick something up. 
Sweet Anne
she read, smiling.  Anne looked at the clock above the stove.  It was six pm.  Jason and Alex!  Anne had to get home and check her messages.  What if they called and she hadn’t answered?  Anne took the pen Merle left next to his note, scribbled a quick message in response, and hurried out the door.

             
The light on Anne’s answering machine blinked merrily as she hurried into the living room.  “Mom, it’s Rose, just calling to chat.  Nothing important.  Call me when you get a few.”  Rose hadn’t sounded so happy in a while.  Anne really had brought everyone down with her, she thought.  The next message was from Kelly saying the shower went well and to give her a call when she got the chance.  The next message was from Franklin, commending her on the card and gifts; apparently Donna told him everything, too.  Jason’s message was the last one.  “Hey Mom, it’s Jason.  We got your card at the shower.  I was hoping to actually talk to you…umm…yeah.  Give me a call when you get this, please.”

             
Anne called Jason’s number first.  It rang three times before Alex answered with a rather breathless, “hello?” 

             
“Alex?  It’s Anne.”

             
“Hi.”  Alex paused to catch her breath.  “Sorry, I was making the bed, but I keep running out of oxygen.”

             
“Oh.  Are you alright? You should make Jason help you.”  Anne thought she was on bed rest.

             
“I’m fine, just weak.  Jason made me stay in bed the entire last week and now my body doesn’t think it should work.  I need to regain my strength.”  Alex sat down on the bed.  “Thank you for the bedroom set; I know it was expensive.  Your apology meant more to us than any gift could have, though.”  Alex smiled into the phone.  She described Jason’s surprise at the apology and how he didn’t seem to believe it at first.  He didn’t know what Anne’s gift was until Alex showed him after they got home.  “He really likes the bedroom set too.”

             
“I’m glad.  How are you doing?  I heard you were on bed rest.”

             
“I was, but the doctor seems to think I was just doing too much and overly stressed.  The bleeding stopped on Monday, but Jason was still uptight and worried so I took a few days off and stayed in bed.”

             
“Well, he’s right.  You can’t be too careful.”  Anne scolded gently.  She didn’t want anything to happen to Alex or the baby.  “Where is Jason?”

             
“He wanted pizza.”  Alex said, as if that explained everything.  Alex laughed at herself.  Anne probably didn’t realize that Jason was crazy about the pizza place three blocks away.  She explained that Jason went to the pizza parlor to order pizza and watch the guys cook it.  He’d be gone until it was done.  He loved talking to the guys at the shop as they worked.  Anne smiled.  That sounded like Jason.

             
Anne stayed on the phone with Alex for a good twenty minutes until Jason arrived.  There was no denying that Alex was a sweet girl.  Anne enjoyed talking to her.  She was bright and intelligent.  She wanted to keep working and going to school as long as she could.  She might even be able to graduate before the baby was born if she worked really hard and took an extra class.  She’d be able to start teaching at the beginning of the next school year.  The baby would be four or five months old by that time.  Rose and Kelly had even offered to take turns watching the baby, so he or she wouldn’t have to be in daycare.  Anne was surprised that Jason and Alex were both going to work.  Jason made plenty of money for them to live comfortably.  It occurred to her that Alex wasn’t lazy, and she didn’t want to sit at home doing nothing.  Even if she stayed at home with the baby, she’d go to work once the child went to school. Anne asked her all sorts of questions about her family and her future plans, wanting to get to know something about the girl Jason was going to marry.  Alex answered all her questions willingly, touched that Anne was taking time to get to know more about her.

             
Jason was surprised to find Alex on the phone, pacing from room to room as she talked.  He’d only seen her pace when she was terribly upset or extremely happy.  Alex mouthed the words ‘your mother’ as she handed him the phone.  She gave him a reassuring smile as she took the pizza box from him and put it on the counter, starting to separate the slices. 

             
Jason didn’t stay on the phone long.  He wasn’t exactly sure what to say.  He thanked her for the gifts, and told her how much he appreciated the apology.  He didn’t know what else to tell her.  It occurred to him that he should probably ask about the gentleman she mentioned in the card, and he was surprised when his mother became quiet.  She didn’t have too much to say about the man except that he’d helped her to see just how terrible her behavior had been.  She never said his name or how she’d met him, though she let it slip that she’d been having lunch with him for the last week, but that was all.  The more questions he asked the quieter she became, and it was actually his mother who ended the conversation, seemingly wanting it to be over with.  As Jason hung up the phone he wondered if the gentleman was more than just a friend, but he still couldn’t see his mother with anyone but his father.

Chapter Twenty-Five

             
Merle was disappointed to see that Anne’s car was gone as he pulled into his driveway.  He’d left the house at five, expecting to be back in less than an hour, but here it was, almost seven thirty, and he was just pulling into the driveway.  Merle sighed.  He’d scared Anne earlier with his kisses, though he wasn’t sure how.  She was a mature woman with children, but he could feel her trembling the more he kissed her, so he’d started to give her a back massage, hoping to relax her and help her calm down.  But she’d fled.  Oh well, it was probably better this way.   He couldn’t start over again.  Martha would only be gone two years in January.  She’d lived through the holiday season for him.  He’d begged her not to go before Christmas.  Merle let Sherlock outside.  He’d put him in the basement while Anne was sleeping, afraid the dog would hop on her while she slept.  It looked as though he’d scared Anne away.  The range was off; his stew was cool.  He’d warm it for a bit, but it would be good soon.  He was turning away when he noticed a short note sitting next to the stove.

             
Merle,

             
I have to run home to check messages and call Jason.  I’ll try to hurry back if I can.  Thank you so much for everything.

             
             
             
             
Anne

He couldn’t explain why his heart soared at the thought that she’d be back soon.  If he’d had her phone number he would have called her and insisted she hurry back to his house to have dinner with him.  Merle took a deep breath.  That was crazy talk.  Merle sat down on the couch.  Was he falling for Anne?  It was starting to feel that way.  He didn’t know how or why, but he couldn’t imagine not talking to her, not seeing her.  He heard a car in the driveway before he was able to give it much thought.  He smiled as he heard Anne’s footfalls on the porch and her soft knock on his door.  He opened the door, smiling as she scurried inside.  He took her jacket as she stepped out of her boots.  She faced him, smiling, telling him about her phone conversation with Alex and Jason.  Merle listened to her with relish.  Her every word was a melody to him.  Happiness and life radiated from her.  Yep, he was falling in love.  He was in deep shit.

             
Anne wanted Merle to kiss her again, to hold her in his arms, but he stood by the door watching her intently.  She had an irresistible urge to put her arms around his neck and pull him close.  Before she realized what she was doing, she was in his arms, kissing him with an intensity she hadn’t known she was capable of.  His arms wrapped around her, squeezing her against him as kissed her.  Merle pulled back, looking into her eyes in question.  He wouldn’t force her to follow him to his bedroom, but he hoped she’d come with him.  “Is this what you want?” his voice was rough, like sandpaper against her skin.  Anne nodded, kissing his hand gently before letting him lead her to his bedroom.

             
Merle’s bedroom was dark.  The carpet was a deep green, the walls a light shade of sage.  His bed was a huge rustic pine log bed.  Anne thought it must be at least a King size.  It suited Merle.  He was a large man, it only made sense he’d have a big bed.  His dresser and nightstand matched the bed, also in the light pine.  Merle led her to the bed, easing her onto the firm mattress carefully, almost as though she might break.  He kissed her slowly, lingeringly.  He was determined to take his time with her, to let her enjoy his every touch and caress until she was calling out his name.  He wasn’t new to the art of love, just a little rusty.