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He’d always avoided physical stores and ordered whatever he could online, just so he didn’t have to be around people. He’d order takeout so he rarely had to eat out. And if he did eat out, it was only at places he was used to and comfortable with.
But with Clary beside him, calculating the value of each set of colored markers to see which was a better deal, everything felt … normal.
Seth checked the price tags, ran calculations in his head, and pointed to the set to her left. “This. It has the biggest discount.”
She looked up from her phone’s calculator with raised brows.
“I’m good at math.”
“Of course you are,” she said.
Seth helped Clary grab and stack the packages of colored markers in their cart.
Her brows twitched when she turned to him. “Are you okay?” She blinked once. “Oh, my gosh. I’m so sorry. I was so focused on getting the things I need for Christmas dinner and now this that I forgot you don’t like to be out among people.” She dropped the markers into the cart. “Do you want to wait in the car?”
“No. I’m good here.” He still wasn’t all that comfortable in the store.
The few times when he’d taken his mind off Clary to look around, he could sense the uneasiness creeping up on him.
He put his hand on her hip and drew her closer. “Don’t worry.” Because right here with her, he was good.
For once, he didn’t feel as if his adoptive mother had messed him up too much for him to ever be normal.
And normal was so underrated. Not for Seth, though.
He thought he’d gotten a handle on life. He’d made sure he and his brothers would always have a roof over their heads. They had enough money that they would never have to worry about going hungry, and he’d thought life was normal.
But he was wrong, and as it turned out, his youngest brother was so right.
Seth had just been surviving. He hadn’t even realized that was what he was doing. He woke up and went to work. He ate because his body needed it. He exercised because he knew it was good for him. He slept because his brain needed a break.
But he wasn’t living.
“Are you sure?” Clary’s puckered brows drew closer. Her hand hovered over his arm for a moment before she gently touched him.
Which only reminded him how valuable normal was.
“Seth?”
He drew in a breath through his mouth. “I’m sorry.”
“I don’t mind you waiting in the car.” She glanced at the note on her phone, then clicked off the screen and stuffed her phone into the back pocket of her jeans. “I’ll wait in the car with you.” She grinned. “We can just let the rest of them pick up our slack.”
“You’d do that for me?” He brushed a stray strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. He knew how much this meant to her.
“Of course, Seth.” She took out her phone again. “Let me text—”
Seth put his hand over hers. “I enjoy being here with you.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You enjoy being here with me?”
“Enough that I don’t feel the need to wait in the car.” He peered over at the shelves behind her. “Can I ask a question?”
She nodded.
“Why the budget?”
Her brows drew together again. “It’s what I can afford.”
