Five Golden Rings

Jason was the master of festive fun and this year he was determined to keep his cards close to his chest...

- Jean Robinson

Are you sure they’ll want to play games?’ Jason was full of ideas for the office Christmas party.

‘Of course. We always have one game to jolly things along.’

‘OK, but nothing embarrassing like last year.’

‘No, nothing like that. But you’ll have to wait and see.’

Eve was used to Jason’s teasing. But she knew that whatever he came up with would go down well. He was good at things like that, which was why the employees in the office where they both worked had asked him to arrange it.

They’d hired a room in the local pub with a bar and buffet laid on, as they did every year in the lead-up to Christmas.

It was how their relationship had started. Something magical happened one evening three years ago and she and Jason were still going strong together, now in a flat of their own.

They’d been good years and Eve was content. Most of the time. Until her friend Sue had got engaged and was to be married just after Christmas.

When she’d hinted at it to Jason, she’d seen alarm flickering in his eyes.