softly, as she hurriedly clasped it around her neck and lovingly fingered the delicately stamped silver chain.
Logan was gazing at her with undisguised tenderness and admiration. 'The Navajo Indians believe that happiness and good fortune come to all who wear the turquoise stone. I hope you'll wear it as a symbol of all the things I wish for you.'
Embarrassed to be unwillingly listening to Logan's declaration, Jennifer turned frustratedly to his mother, hoping to relieve the pain that was now gnawing at her breast. Mrs. Taylor was gazing at her son with a light of dawning wonder in her eyes. Quickly she glanced at Jennifer with the most absurdly bright twinkle in her eyes and a tremulous smile of pleasure on her lips. Jennifer suddenly realized that there was some significance to the necklace that Sheila had received. That smile on Mrs. Taylor's face had a knowing look to it that had nothing to do with the mere exchanging of Christmas gifts.
Jennifer felt suddenly confused and helpless. Things were happening too quickly for her to have any control in shaping her own plans. She turned to Dirk, whose mouth had twisted into a grim line as he left the couch to help Cindy assemble one of her toys. He had noticed it, too. What was she going to do? she thought as her hands fumbled with a package.
Logan slid silently into the seat beside Jennifer so recently vacated by Dirk. In his hands was her present to him, still wrapped.
'As big and heavy as this is, I wonder if I should dare open it,' he mocked her.
All of the impish pleasure that she had known when she had purchased his present was gone. She would have given anything to be able to snatch it away from his hands. But there he was busily unwrapping the paper. It was only a matter of seconds before the contents were revealed to Logan. Jennifer nearly cringed, awaiting his reaction, feeling none of the malicious amusement she had anticipated. After staring at it almost incredulously, Logan threw his head back and roared with laughter. Every person in the room turned their attention to him as Jennifer coloured furiously beneath his laughing eyes.
He tore away the rest of the paper to show everyone the large basket of fruit. Since no one else had taken part in their conversation that day of the sleigh ride, they did not see the humour of the gift and stared in puzzlement at Logan.
'Only you would think of this, Jenny Glenn.' Deep amusement rimmed his every word as his gaze shifted from her to his mother. 'I once told Jenny of my habit of sampling different "fruit",' he explained, 'so here we have everything from oranges to the proverbial apple of temptation.'
Mrs. Taylor's melodic laugh joined in with the more hesitant ones from the rest of the group. Gradually everyone's attention was diverted back to their own gifts, allowing Jennifer's complexion to return to its normal colour. After unwrapping her present from Dirk and inhaling the scent of the expensive perfume, she was left with only one package, Logan's. She was reluctant to open it with him sitting right beside her. At that moment Sheila enlisted his help in the kitchen and Jennifer was able to open it without his embarrassing presence.
A black, rectangular jewelry case gleamed out to her from the partially removed paper. Cautiously she opened it and barely stifled a gasp of surprise and pleasure at its contents. On a cushion of white velvet rested two strands of delicate gold chain holding a cabochon-cut jade stone encircled by antique filigree work with brilliants of diamonds dotting the corners. She didn't know too much about gems, but this was obviously a very expensive piece of jewelry. She closed the lid quickly on the exquisite work of art, knowing she should refuse it yet longing to see it around her neck.
'Jenny, would you give me a hand with the eggnog?' Sheila requested as she passed a tray to Mrs. Taylor, oblivious of the stunned silence of her sister.
'Of course.' Jennifer was all too glad to put
Logan was gazing at her with undisguised tenderness and admiration. 'The Navajo Indians believe that happiness and good fortune come to all who wear the turquoise stone. I hope you'll wear it as a symbol of all the things I wish for you.'
Embarrassed to be unwillingly listening to Logan's declaration, Jennifer turned frustratedly to his mother, hoping to relieve the pain that was now gnawing at her breast. Mrs. Taylor was gazing at her son with a light of dawning wonder in her eyes. Quickly she glanced at Jennifer with the most absurdly bright twinkle in her eyes and a tremulous smile of pleasure on her lips. Jennifer suddenly realized that there was some significance to the necklace that Sheila had received. That smile on Mrs. Taylor's face had a knowing look to it that had nothing to do with the mere exchanging of Christmas gifts.
Jennifer felt suddenly confused and helpless. Things were happening too quickly for her to have any control in shaping her own plans. She turned to Dirk, whose mouth had twisted into a grim line as he left the couch to help Cindy assemble one of her toys. He had noticed it, too. What was she going to do? she thought as her hands fumbled with a package.
Logan slid silently into the seat beside Jennifer so recently vacated by Dirk. In his hands was her present to him, still wrapped.
'As big and heavy as this is, I wonder if I should dare open it,' he mocked her.
All of the impish pleasure that she had known when she had purchased his present was gone. She would have given anything to be able to snatch it away from his hands. But there he was busily unwrapping the paper. It was only a matter of seconds before the contents were revealed to Logan. Jennifer nearly cringed, awaiting his reaction, feeling none of the malicious amusement she had anticipated. After staring at it almost incredulously, Logan threw his head back and roared with laughter. Every person in the room turned their attention to him as Jennifer coloured furiously beneath his laughing eyes.
He tore away the rest of the paper to show everyone the large basket of fruit. Since no one else had taken part in their conversation that day of the sleigh ride, they did not see the humour of the gift and stared in puzzlement at Logan.
'Only you would think of this, Jenny Glenn.' Deep amusement rimmed his every word as his gaze shifted from her to his mother. 'I once told Jenny of my habit of sampling different "fruit",' he explained, 'so here we have everything from oranges to the proverbial apple of temptation.'
Mrs. Taylor's melodic laugh joined in with the more hesitant ones from the rest of the group. Gradually everyone's attention was diverted back to their own gifts, allowing Jennifer's complexion to return to its normal colour. After unwrapping her present from Dirk and inhaling the scent of the expensive perfume, she was left with only one package, Logan's. She was reluctant to open it with him sitting right beside her. At that moment Sheila enlisted his help in the kitchen and Jennifer was able to open it without his embarrassing presence.
A black, rectangular jewelry case gleamed out to her from the partially removed paper. Cautiously she opened it and barely stifled a gasp of surprise and pleasure at its contents. On a cushion of white velvet rested two strands of delicate gold chain holding a cabochon-cut jade stone encircled by antique filigree work with brilliants of diamonds dotting the corners. She didn't know too much about gems, but this was obviously a very expensive piece of jewelry. She closed the lid quickly on the exquisite work of art, knowing she should refuse it yet longing to see it around her neck.
'Jenny, would you give me a hand with the eggnog?' Sheila requested as she passed a tray to Mrs. Taylor, oblivious of the stunned silence of her sister.
'Of course.' Jennifer was all too glad to put
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