It’s soft, expensive, and felt like a hug the first time Iwrapped it around my neck. I can almost imagine the weight of his arms around me as he leans in and kisses me tenderly.
Which is why I tell him I can’t get a coffee with him.
I must be imagining things, because it looks like his face falls at my rejection. “That’s okay. I’ll see you tomorrow at work, right?”
“Sure thing,” I say dismissively, hoping I come off cool and aloof and not rude. I have to force myself to walk past him and continue my shopping. I can feel the weight of his stare on my back.
I have to get over this crush, or I will have to leave CHC. This is untenable. I spend all day pining after my boss and all evening pining after my roommate.
I should change my name to Felix Pine.
Something shiny flashing in the sun caught my attention, and I beeline for it, like a magpie. The locket that caught my attention is beautiful and vintage. A lily of the valley cameo, carved from opal, is set on a gold filigree oval with a delicate golden chain.
“It’s vintage,” the man sitting on a stool beside the cart says, confirming my thoughts. “There isn’t a ton of room inside, but I’ve seen people put messages in similarly sized ones on little scraps of paper.”
“Does it have a meaning?” I ask, tempted to pull out my phone and search, but I don’t want to be rude.
The older Alpha makes a humming noise and pushes up from his stool to stand next to me. “Lily of the valley can represent joy and happiness. Opal is October’s birthstone and is commonly associated with faithfulness. Both of them are tied to purity, as well.”
Clara’s birthday is in October. That’s fate, right?
“In my mind,” he continues, voice growing wistful, “it represents the pure joy of finding someone you love. It was my grandmother’s.”
I drop the piece, letting it fall back in its silk bed. “Why are you selling it?”
“She would want it to go to someone who is going to cherish it. The woman was a romantic if there ever was one. I’ll never wear it, and I don’t have anyone in my life who would either. I promised myself that I would only sell it to someone who wants it for the right reasons.”
My chest tightens a little. I love the piece, and I think it would be perfect for Clara. I can almost see it hanging in the hollow of her throat, catching the light as she laughs.
“Who are you shopping for?” he asks gently. “Someone special?” I nod mutely, and he picks up the box, holding it out to me. “Tell me about them.”
I take the box from his hands, unable to take my eyes off the beautiful piece. “Her name is Clara. She’s my best friend, and I love her. But I don’t want to ruin our friendship if she doesn’t feel the same.”
“And if she feels the same?”
“Then I would never let her go.”
He nods and reaches over, closing the box. “Then you should get it for her.”
“I don’t even know what I’d put in a locket.” Why am I trying to talk myself out of this? It’s perfect for her.
He pulls a small golden bag and black tissue paper from under his stand. “Why not tell her how you feel?”
“Because what if she doesn’t want me like that?” I hand him the box, and in return, he passes me a small slip of paper. “There’s no way she’d be comfortable being my friend once I let that cat out of the bag if she doesn’t feel the same. I could ruin a decade-long friendship.”
“You’ll never know unless you try. Maybe your Christmas wish will come true. I think that even if she doesn’t feel that way about you, if she’s truly your best friend, you won’t lose her.”
I look down at the slip of paper he handed me. “What’s this?”
“You don’t have much space, but tell her how you feel. Just a few words. I’ll seal it up in the locket, and when you’re ready, all she has to do is open it and she’ll know everything she needs to.”
It takes a minute to distill my feelings for her into a few words. But they hit me like a lightning bolt, and I scribble them down before giving the paper back to the shopkeeper. He opens the locket and carefully folds the paper, placing it inside the piece. He packages the box in black tissue paper and puts it in the gold bag.
I don’t know if I’ll ever tell her to open the locket and read what I’ve written. For the longest time, I’ve only seen two outcomes of admitting my feelings to Clara.
She returns my affections, and we live happily ever after together, or she rebukes me, leaving me heartbroken.
What if the shopkeeper is right, though? What if there is a third option, and I tell her how she makes me feel, and even though she doesn’t feel the same way, I can still keep her in my life?
