His eyes shot to mine and I needed to leave. “I’m going now,” I said before rushing out of the car. I raced up the steps and opened the front door, but before I closed it behind me, I saw his face in the car.
Grinning.
I shut the door and leaned against it, out of breath like I’d run a race; my heart was thrumming, my lungs needing more air.
Dad appeared in the foyer, concerned. “Deacon, is everything okay?”
And I couldn’t help it. I laughed. “Yes. Better than okay, actually.”
His smile matched mine and he nodded. “I’m happy for you, Deac. Want me to make us some hot chocolate? You can tell me all about it.”
I nodded, my heart finally calming down. “Yes.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
WINTER
There was nothing,and I mean nothing, that could ruin my mood. Nothing. Not two little ginger demons who were legit mad at me for leaving them. Not the blustery freezing cold wind that blew through all the next day. Not the customer who I think was also legit mad at me because I couldn’t name the book they were after when their entire description was, “I can’t remember the author or the title, or much about it at all, really, only that I loved it and the cover was green.”
Not even then.
Not even when Merry realized he too could escape the playpen at work with his brother. I wasn’t bringing the crate to work, but keeping the playpen in the storeroom would have to do. Not even when the only way I could get any work done was when they were asleep or with Merry in the baby carrier and Bright perched up on my shoulder like an orange-gremlin parrot.
My customers thought it was the cutest thing.
Gunter and Rob dropped in to tell me they could see me smiling through the window from across the street. “Jokes aside,” Gunter said. “I’m happy for you both. Deacon’s a sweet guy.”
I whipped out my phone and found this morning’s text, showing them the screen. “...like sunshine after rain.” I wasn’t about to tell them it was a partial quote from Shakespeare. The full quote was, “Love comforteth like sunshine after the rain,” and I was doing my best not to unpack the L-word he didn’t use but kind of did. I looked at Gunter and Rob in turn. “I’m sorry but could he be any more romantic?” Then I drew my finger across my palm as if they were supposed to know the relevance of that.
And then I swooned.
“Ohhh,” Rob said, shaking his head pitifully. “That Christmas Cupid got you goooood.”
Gunter laughed, and I couldn’t even be mad.
Because maybe they were right.
I wasn’t mad about the freezing cold wind or the snow flurries swirling around my car on the drive home. I wasn’t mad about the color Ro wanted to paint the kitchen.
I held up the paint swatches. “It will look like a tequila sunrise threw up in here,” I said.
This, apparently, was the best answer. “I love that description! I want it to be funky and light and colorful and fun. And there’s a lime-green appliance set I have my eye on.”
Of course there was. And of course it was lime green.
I gave her a quick hug. “Then you should absolutely do it.”
Still in a great mood, I cleaned out the boys’ crate and kitty litter, washed all their bowls, and sat on the floor with them as they ran, jumped, and skidded around the room. I loved them so much. They were the two sweetest little things ever, and I already couldn’t imagine my life without them.
I managed to catch a great video of them wrestling and hopping, using me as a launching pad in their game of crazy parkour, and I sent it to Deacon.
Looooooook at them
He read the message and didn’t reply.
I waited and waited.
And waited.
