“Nope.” I walked toward the back where the selection of random more or less antique lamps was. “If you have one that’s sort of retro and is like a standing lamp, I’d love one of those.”
“If you don’t mind red, I think there’s one like that there somewhere.”
“Thanks!” I went to look and found the lamp he had meant. It was exactly what I wanted, and even with the price tag that was a bit over my budget, I carried it to the front.
“Yeah, I thought we had one of those. It should work once you put in a bulb. But if it doesn’t, money back and all that.” Felix promised.
“It’s a deal.” I grinned then frowned when he rang me up. “The tag says twenty bucks more than that.”
He waved a hand and the corners of his eyes scrunched up in that attractive way I had a love/hate relationship with. “It’s marked up a bit.”
I rolled my eyes at him. “Well of course it is, that’s how running a business works.”
“Yes, but this is a friend discount.”
I sighed and threw my hands up. “Sure. Fine. But your next meal at the Inn is on me.”
He came over at least once a week now and seemed to be having a good time. More often than not, someone else local who knew him would be there and he’d chat with them. Uncle Teague told me this was new, that when Felix got back to town after his accident, he’d been a bit of a hermit for a while.
Felix snorted. “Yeah, because you get a staff discount.”
“Hey, take it or leave it. Otherwise I’ll sneak that twenty somewhere when you’re not looking.”
“Fine, fine. You can buy my dinner tomorrow night. Are you working?” he asked as he took my money.
“Yeah. Can’t join you, sadly, but I’m sure there’ll be someone who wants to gossip with you.”
“Be still my heart. Ilovegossip!” he said dramatically.
I knew for a fact that gossip was his least liked thing in the world. Right after physical therapy, apparently.
Grabbing my change and my lamp, I saluted him. “I’ll see you tomorrow!”
“If I’m not there, it’s a bad pain day and…,” Felix trailed off and looked to the side a bit.
“There’s always another evening, right? The deal isn’t limited to tomorrow. See ya!”
Once I was on the street and glanced through the window, I saw he was smiling a little. I took that as a win. He deserved to smile more. He was a good guy who’d been dealt a shitty hand.
I tried the bakery again, and this time Aunt Regan wasn’t elbow deep in decorating something Very Important.
“Look, I found a lamp!” I brandished it and almost knocked one of their display cases.
“Whoa! Stop moving!” They held their arm out. “If you break something, I’ll tell your Grams and she’ll whoop you. She’s very proud of this shop and helped to decorate it.”
I stilled immediately. I knew that Grams would never be physically violent like my parents were, but she had a mean disappointed face and would definitely get loud. “Oops?”
They rolled their eyes. “It’s okay. That’s a nice red.”
“Very fire engine. Will definitely cheer up the décor in the cabin.” I nodded vigorously. “Can I get some of your soft pretzels, please?”
“Absolutely, let me package them up. Dip too?”
“Uh-huh.” My gaze wandered until it hit the calendar hanging on the wall.
Wait…. Somehow it had slipped my mind that my oldest kid sister, Clara, would be turning nineteen in a few days.
Fuck.I stood there, feeling way too many emotions at once. She was the one closest to me, with us being the two oldest. I loved her, and she’d tried her best not to be judgmental despite what our parents’ church had taught us since we were old enough to understand how bad and wrong and sinful people like me were.
