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“Yeah, I had to set up a heater at our booth to keep us warm. I’m on a break and hoped to spend it with you,” he said. “Sully told me you were doing him a favor.”
She took a sip of the hot chocolate, which had a shot of cherry flavor in it and was delicious. “Yeah, he needs some boots for his assistant. Anyway, he said he’d work the bar and help Cosima if I did this.”
“That’s nice of you,” Max said, putting his arm around her to steady her as the crowd surged when the doors opened at Kelly Boots.
“It’s nothing. I kind of like the energy from a crowd like this. And now that I’m not the social pariah I was before, I’m glad to do it.”
He studied her as the line moved them closer to the Kelly Boots store. “You are a nice person.”
“Shh. Don’t let it get out,” she said but felt warm inside that he’d noticed. She’d always tried to be kind to others if it was in her power to do so. A little bit or maybe a lot. That was why the situation with Veronica had shaken her so much. She’d lost all her empathy because of trying to be something she wasn’t.
“I don’t think it’ll be a secret for long. So what are we doing?” he asked.
“Waiting in line to order the exclusive Kelly Christmas boot. Apparently, they are highly sought after and collectible. Want a pair?”
“Do I look like I wear cowboy boots?” he asked. “I don’t mean that in a snobby way—just I’m not a cowboy and I don’t want to look like a poser who is wearing them just because I’m in Texas, you know?”
She nodded at him, leaning in to kiss his cheek. “You could never look like a poser but I get it. I’m not really into western wear myself. But when we went to the rodeo last summer, I did borrow a pair of boots from Delilah. It was fun but it felt like I was playing dress-up.”
“Yeah, that’s what I meant,” he said as the alarm on his watch went off. “I’ve got to get back. I promised Reg he could have a break. Your cousin has him wound up. I think he’s going to try to woo her.”
“Good luck to him,” Angelica said. “Cosima is a tough nut to crack. She’s always been skittish and I think the move from New Orleans and pressure from her family to move back to California isn’t helping.”
“Reg is very determined so we’ll see what happens. When are you done at the shop?”
“Ten.”
“I’ll meet you then,” he said, kissing her before he walked away.
“Y’all are cute together,” the woman behind her said and Angelica smiled at her words.
But she wondered how long they’d be cute together. They’d said they’d wing it through Christmas but she knew that she was falling for him and she wanted him for more than the holiday season.
*
The people ofWhiskey River were full of the festive spirit, which wasn’t a bad thing. The big lighted tree was behind them and he’d had a lot of people stop by to volunteer their services to help finish off the new space they’d had built in The Barrels. It was nice to see the community come together in a way that Max had hoped they would. To be honest there hadn’t been a town that they’d brought the Second Start project to that hadn’t. Which was nice to see, he thought. It was too easy to believe that people who had different views on the world hated each other but that wasn’t the case.
“So when is the community center going to open?”
Max glanced up at a young girl with a half-shaved head, heavy kohl eyeliner and a rebellious pose. “I think in January. Why?”
“They said that they were going to be hiring people to teach and that there would be a salary,” she said.
“They are. Are you interested in working for them?” Max asked. He had an information packet ready to distribute to those interested.
“I don’t know. They also said they’d pay me to do some murals.”
“You’re Sox?”
“I am. You’re the bigwig Max Parrish.”
He nodded. He could tell that something was on her mind but she wasn’t very direct. “What’s your concern?”
“That y’all aren’t going to stay. That you’ll come in and get everyone excited and leave. People in The Barrels don’t need that.”
“I hear you. We aren’t going to abandon the project. This is the third town that Second Start has come to and invested in a project like this. The Rossis were one of many groups of people who put in bids to help The Barrels by creating jobs and businesses in our new development. We approved their idea because along with giving people a place to shop they are also teaching skills.”
She pursed her lips and her eyebrows sort of scrunched up. “So they’re legit?”
