Snowbound with the Soldier

A step back allowed Kara’s eyes to adjust and focus on the highly decorated paper. She noticed the green cutout of a Christmas tree and the shape of an angel at the top, reminiscent of the tree topper Jason had given them. Kara’s bottom lip started to tremble at the thought of never having him drop by their house with little gifts for Samantha, or just to share a cup of hot cider and discuss his day with her.

“Do you like it?” Samantha asked, jarring Kara back to the present.

“It’s lovely. You did a great job. But didn’t we have a long talk about you not using the glue without asking?”

“Uh-huh. But it was a surprise.”

“I understand, but don’t do it again.” She didn’t have the heart to be more assertive. “You’re quite the artist. I like how you used glitter to make the garland on the tree.”

Her daughter ducked her head and shrugged. “I wanted it to look just like the tree Jason gave us.”

Kara swallowed the lump that formed in her throat at the mention of his name. She had yet to tell Samantha that he wouldn’t be coming to visit anymore. She knew it must be done sooner rather than later, but she also knew how attached her daughter was to him. How in the world was Kara supposed to break her heart?

“I have another picture I have to finish.” Samantha turned and started out of the room.

“Wait,” Kara called. “Don’t you want me to put your card on the fridge?”

“Uh-uh. I made it for Jason.”

Kara picked up the card and opened it. “Merry Christmas, Jason. We miss you. XOXOXO Samantha.”

This was the moment she’d been dreading. Kara backed against the counter for support. “But honey, he’s really busy with the resort. I don’t know if he’ll have time to visit again.”

Samantha pressed her hands onto her hips. “Then you can give it to him at work.”

“I’ll try.”

“You have to. Promise?”

Unable to deny helping her daughter with this gesture of kindness, Kara said, “I promise.”

“Don’t forget.”

She wouldn’t forget the card or Jason. Although she couldn’t wait around for something that obviously wasn’t meant to be. She’d been down this road before, but this time she knew she had to move on—to do what was best for her and Samantha. No matter how much it hurt.

* * *

Jason leaned back in his office chair late Thursday morning. He ran a hand through his hair, not caring if he messed it up. He didn’t have any appointments, just a huge stack of mail, files to review and invoices to sign. He’d spent most of the week working on the lift on the double-diamond run. It’d taken three tries to get the right parts for such an old piece of equipment, but at last they’d done it. Things were finally on track for the grand reopening in two more days.

He’d spent months working toward this moment, and now that it was almost here, he should be excited, bursting with happiness. But without Kara and Samantha around to share his accomplishment, he was empty inside. They’d provided him with the driving force to overcome unforeseen problems and the strength to push through the long hours.

He picked up the phone to dial Kara’s extension, but then slammed it back down. He had no idea what to say to her. Now that he’d had time to calm down and think everything through, he realiz

ed how poorly he’d reacted to her admission. What had he expected? For her to be a saint, and loyal, after the horrible way he’d ended their engagement and left town without even an explanation?

He had only himself to blame for everything that had happened. His heart pounded with unrelenting exasperation. How could he have handled this situation so horribly? Maybe he was more like the man who raised him than he’d ever imagined—unreliable. Jason found it strange how he found himself in such a similar position to the one his dad had been in years ago, both of them loving a woman who had a child by another man.

Jason’s head hung low and shame washed over him at the way he’d failed while his father had succeeded. His dad had moved past the fact that Jason’s mom was pregnant with another man’s child. He’d married her and raised her baby as his own. Jason had to give the man credit; he’d tried to be a good father.

Jason shook his head. He hadn’t even stepped up to the plate and welcomed the woman he loved and the daughter of his heart into his life. His hands clenched. Instead, he had lived up to Kara’s worst nightmares and walked away from her. Again. She’d predicted that this was how he’d react when things got to be too much for him, and he’d proven her right.

There’d be no going back this time.

He ran his hands over his face. He’d really screwed up. Anger over his knee-jerk reaction balled up in his gut. After she’d forgiven him for leaving her, and accepted him, screwed-up genes and all, he’d overreacted to something she’d done years ago in a moment of confusion and pain.

A deep, guttural groan grew in the back of his throat. He’d ruined everything. His eyes closed as he tried to block it all out. Kara’s image refused to fade away. The anguished look in her green eyes ripped at his gut. He clenched his hand and slammed it down on the desktop, making everything shake. The desk calendar fell over, a pen rolled off the edge and the stack of paperwork requiring his attention teetered over, spilling onto the floor.

With a frustrated sigh, he rose to his feet, surveying the mess of files and correspondence. He placed everything in a haphazard stack on his desk. Maybe some work would take his mind off the chaos he’d made of everyone’s lives.