AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Grandma is waiting in the car.” The girl gave a wave before returning her attention to Zeb. “Grandma says I can get a present for Mama and Daddy. And I get to pay all by myself. And remember to get it wrapped and get the change.”
“We can do that.” Zeb matched her serious tone as he steered her to a nearby display of hobby ornaments popular with younger shoppers. Toolboxes, sewing machines, video game controllers, and more jockeyed for space. “What sort of things do your mom and dad like?”
“Like? Hmm.” The girl wrinkled up her face, clearly thinking hard. “Daddy likes football. But Mama says it’s bar-bare-ical.” Her toothless grin more than made up for her butchered pronunciation. Zeb showed her several football-themed ornaments, but she shook her head at each one.
“How about Mama?” Zeb stayed patient through all the rejections.
“She makes mac-n-cheese so good.” The girl rubbed her tummy. “And she sews bee-uuu-tiful blankets. We made one together for Grandma’s present.”
“That’s great. Now, let’s look over here.” He held up a miniature sewing machine followed by a few potholder ornaments. “See any you like?”
“Not yet.” She scrunched up her face, and I braced for a whine. “It has to be perfect.”
“I get you,” Zeb soothed. “Now, how about—”
“That one.” The girl went from pouty to enthralled, walking over to a display of locally made hand-carved ornaments representing different families. They were gorgeous but on the pricier end of what Seasons offered. Picking up an ornament featuring a white father, a Black mother, and a child arranged on a sofa, the girl made a happy noise. “We all watch TV together. Every night. And it looks like us. See?”
“Absolutely.” Zeb plucked the ornament from the display and deftly removed the price sticker before handing it to the girl. “Is this your pick?”
“Yep.” She beamed as she turned it around in her hand. “Wait. How much is it?”
“You’re in luck. It’s on sale.” Zeb was such a good liar that I almost believed him myself. He turned the girl toward the display of holiday candy near the register. “Fifteen dollars, which means you have enough money to add a piece of candy if you’d like while Atlas wraps it for you. What color paper do you want?”
“Ooh.” She carefully peered over the counter at the rolls of paper before pointing. “Dancing Santas!”
“Excellent choice.” I got to work carefully packaging the ornament and doing one of my best wrapping jobs with a big, gaudy bow that made the girl squeal with delight before she hurried back out to her waiting grandmother.
“You’re so good at this job,” I said to Zeb as the door shut behind the girl.
“Yeah?” Zeb gave a small smile and a big blush. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who had trouble with compliments. “I guess it’s in my blood. My mom was the best at picking ornaments.”
“I remember her personal collection.” I closed my eyes, visualizing the Seasons’ annual tree at their old farmhouse. Senior year, I’d helped Gabe haul the tree in and set it up. “Each ornament was unique and had its own story.”
“Gabe and Paige still have the collection.” Zeb’s voice had a wistful note. He shook his shoulders like attempting to shrug off sadness. “Anyway, helping kids is fun.”
“It’s no wonder kids love you.” I let him change the subject as the wheels in my brain turned. I couldn’t bring back his parents, but perhaps there was something I could do to help him carry on traditions. “You’re so patient.”
“I try.”
“I see you.” I held his gaze, and the moment stretched between us, potent with unsaid words. Damn. I liked him so much it was scary. Being around Zeb simply felt good, better than anything I could remember.
“I see you too,” he whispered. That was it. We saw each other, a rare and perfect gift. I saw the ways in which he’d grown and reformed, the effort he put into his gamer channel and here at Seasons. And he saw me without requiring anything more than my presence.
It was heady stuff, and I might have gone for a sneaky kiss, but Nix chose right then to bustle in with two small plates.
“Dessert tasting!” they announced as they handed each of us a plate with a brownie drizzled with white and pink icing. “I’m getting ready for that college party tomorrow. These brownies are my ode to peppermint bark.”
“Wow,” I said after a big bite at the same time that Zeb added, “Amazing.”
“Thank you.” Nix beamed even wider than the kid had. “Also amazing? That window display.” They gestured over at the front window area. “Paige will be proud of you.”
“Atlas did most of it.” Zeb’s loyalty and humbleness were among his more attractive qualities, and I had to school my expression against showing too much pride or affection. The last thing we needed was someone guessing what we were getting up to in private.
