A Christmas Getaway by Jen Talty

Author:Jen Talty [Talty, Jen]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi
Publisher: Jupiter Press
Published: 2018-11-30T16:00:00+00:00

“Mom?” Noah stood two feet from the kitchen only seconds after Ryder stormed off. She’d heard Ryder’s final exchange with Noah, so points to Ryder for being polite, but in all likelihood, Ryder would avoid them as much as possible over the next few days. She let out a long breath.

As if that were going to be possible.

Ryder pushed her to take lessons with her son, and she was glad she’d taken the challenge. She’d also listened to how her son went on and on about the traditions, using the exact same language she had used telling him, making him sound like a grown up, not a little boy. While she could tell he was certainly excited, it wasn’t about the traditions, but about sharing them with someone other than his mother.

And his rambling on about them had been for her.

She hated to admit it, but Ryder had a point about what she’d been doing all these years.

“Yes, Noah?”

“Please don’t get mad at me, but I don’t think you should have yelled at Ryder like that. He wasn’t mean or rude. He just doesn’t want to be around anyone. Don’t you always tell me not to take certain things personally?”

Out of the mouths of babes. She pulled Noah in for a hug. Soon, he’d be pushing her away, telling her he was too big and old to hug his mother.

She dreaded that day.

“You’re right. It’s just that I could tell you were disappointed.” She stroked her son’s wavy hair.

“I was more sad. But not for me. For Ryder. I think he misses someone like we miss Dad.”

That stopped her breath. When she thought of what his demons might be, she figured it had to do with the job. Being a SEAL. Her husband, as a pilot, brought home his fair share of death and destruction and not being able to talk about half of it with her made Jason often uptight and edgy. But it was part of being a military family, so she could understand if a mission had gone bad, Ryder could be dealing with the repercussions of his career choice.

Or maybe the loss of someone he cared for.

Whatever it was, she’d sure been insanely insensitive.

“Why don’t you finish putting the popcorn string on the tree and then go upstairs and go to bed. We’ve got another exhausting day tomorrow, and I want to heat this up for Ryder and apologize to him, and that’s a grown-up conversation.”

“Sure thing.”

She kissed the top of Noah’s head and then went about heating up the lasagna and warming a piece of bread. It wasn’t homemade, but it was still pretty good. She set it all on a tray, along with a tall glass of water and headed down the hallway. She paused, seeing Ryder’s door open.

“Ryder? she called, peeking her head in.

Hearing the water run in the bathroom, she decided to bring the food in and set it on the bed. She was about call for him again when she saw a picture of a beautiful woman with a little boy.

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