Golden rings.I’d always appreciated a good wit.
Then, on day six, there was abigpresent on my desk, and a tiny crowd gathered around it.
“Who’s giving you all this stuff?” Peter asked.
That crossed him off my list.
Nicole said, “I think it’s romantic.”
I shook my head. “It’s not about romance. It’s just… someone thinking it’s cute to do all this.”
Lenore leaned in, her eyes shining brightly. “Open it!”
Everyone was getting involved in my Secret Santa mystery now.
Today was six geese a-laying. I couldn’t imagine what could be in the package. From testing it, I could tell it was something soft and big.
Peter, Lenore and Nicole all watched as I carefully unwrapped the paper, smoothing it out and saving it for later. Then I peeled off the tissue paper while we all looked on in confusion.
Peter announced, “It’s a pillow? Who gives someone a pillow for Christmas?”
A small tag was sitting in the tissue paper, and I picked it up, instantly spotting a logo. “Look, it’s from a company called Six Goose Farm. It’s a down pillow.”
Nicole said, “Iknowthat place. They’re past Juniper.”
Hm. So far everything had been local. Even the onion rings—which I didnoteat—had a business card for Herman’s Foods in the box. Herman’s was the local grocery store. We had one here and one in nearby Deer Springs.
“I’ve been wanting a new pillow,” I told everyone as I tried to rack my brain. Had I researched down pillows at work during my lunch break? I must have, because the chance of it being a coincidence seemed unlikely. Who would have known I wanted a down pillow unless they saw me looking at one on my computer?
I’d been getting rashes lately, and I’d switched to all-natural fibers. A down pillow had been one of those things I’d wanted to buy for myself someday.
But it looked like someday had already come.
I peered up at Peter. “Who do you think is doing this?”
He got a perplexed look on his face. “I don’t know. Probably one of the single guys who work in the office.”
Lenore asked, “Do you know which ones are single? Can you make us a list?”
Peter shrugged, already losing interest. “Sure. I can do that.”
Chapter 8
Easton
I got to work early, like I always did. I always showed up well before anyone else.
It was a habit from my construction years. Work crews always got started early. The benefit was getting to clock out while everyone else was still toiling through their days. I liked being home and changed into sweatpants before five p.m.
As I approached Violet’s desk I thought about the last gift I’d given her. I’d gone a little crazy with it. Down pillows were pricey. But I was happy to have done it. There was no one else I wanted to spend my money on than Violet. I only wished I could have seen her face when she opened the gift. I knew she wanted a down pillow because I’d seen her browsing a selection online recently.
Then I thought back to the other gifts I’d given her. The whole thing was a little nuts.
I wonder if she understood the part about the onion rings?
But I was certain she had. Violet was clever. Probably smarter than me. She was the one with the fancy office job after all. And I was just the guy who built things.
A tiny glimmer of unease shot through me as I put the next gift down on her desk.
