A Marine for Christmas (Hearts Ablaze: Men in Uniform) by Makenna Jameison Page B

had won whatever custody battle he’d been fighting with his ex-wife since his son was visiting.  It’s not like she was about to move away, so she’d just have to get used to it.
    In the meantime, she only had a couple of hours to get ready for her friends to arrive.   She was throwing a tree-trimming party this afternoon, and she still hadn’t even gotten her tree up yet.  Although picking out a fresh tree sounded appealing, she had an artificial one in the basement that would just have to do for this year.  On second thought, maybe she could turn her tree-trimming party into a tree- assembling party as well.  Since the guys would be here with her friends, she figured Nick and Aaron could help her lug it upstairs to the living room.  She still needed to shower and change and then get snacks and drinks ready for her friends.  Maybe putting on a little Christmas music would get me more in the mood , she thought.
    She walked over to her iPod and turned it on, hearing the strains of a Christmas tune just ending.  She’d had her playlist set to holiday music all week, attempting to cheer herself up.  It wasn’t the same though without Christmas decorations filling her home.  This afternoon with friends was just what she needed.  A few decorations, some music, drinks, and the scent of spiced cider filling her home might be just what she needed to get back in the holiday spirit.
     
    ***
     
    “Hey!” A male voice called out as Melissa got out of her car later that afternoon.  The wind nipped at her, and she wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to stay warm.  “Hey, Red!”
    Puzzled, she turned in the direction of the voice.  She’d been called “Red” a few times over the years by friends thanks to her flaming locks, but it wasn’t often by strangers on the street.  Or ever, really.  Her eyes narrowed and she put both hands on her hips as she saw Amy’s neighbor Jason jogging across the street toward her.  His front door was open, and standing on the other side of the glass storm door was a little boy.  Well, that was new, she thought.  She knew some of what had happened between Amy and Jason, but Amy had seemed determined not to delve into all the details.
    “Red?” she asked accusingly as he got closer.  He was tall, much taller than she’d thought when he’d jogged by her that day over a month ago.  His dark hair was cropped short, his blue eyes intense, and his muscular frame clad in a Henley shirt and khaki cargo pants that hung perfectly from his hips.  He was probably cold standing out here like that in this weather, but she wasn’t about to rush this along.
    “Yeah, sorry,” he said as he came to a stop in front of her.  “I don’t know your name; that’s just how I think of you.”
    “So you think about me and not…say…Amy?”
    Jason smiled, shaking his head.  Obviously Amy had told her friends what had happened, and they weren’t going to make it easy for him.  “Not in the way you’re thinking of, Honey.”
    She laughed, caught up for a moment by his charm, and then remembered that she was angry with him.  “So why are you running across the street to see me?  Amy lives right there.”
    “I need your help,” he admitted.
    “And I would help you because…?”
    “Because I hurt Amy.   I didn’t mean to, and I just need to talk to her to apologize and explain myself.  Even if she doesn’t want to see me again, don’t I at least owe her that?”
    Melissa tilted her head to the side as she appraised him, trying to decide what to do.  Yes, her friend had been hurt by him.  But would helping Jason talk to her really make any difference?  What’s done was done.   “Look, I don’t know if it would make any difference.  As far as I know, she thinks you’re a total jack-ass.”
    Jason winced at that, knowing that Amy had every right to be angry with him.  Melissa seemed to take pleasure in passing on that particular bit of news to him, but he