Six months later
Oliver grunted as he tied off the sign on the booth’s frame. The sucker weighed more than he’d expected.
“Got it?” Nick asked from where he was doing the same thing on the other side.
“Think so. Why is it so heavy?”
“Wood’s like that.”
Oliver stood back so he could examine their handiwork. Around him, market vendors were getting their own booths set up. Nick came to stand beside him, their shoulders bumping under their heavy plaid work shirts.
“The name is terrible,” Nick said.
Oliver bit his lip to hide his smile. “It’s cute.”
“It’s terrible. I can’t believe I let you talk me into it.”
Nick’s Nacks.Not his best work, but the way the tips of Nick’s ears went pink every time Oliver said it out loud was worth the awkwardness. “People like puns.”
“Puns are the lowest form of humor,” Seb said, as he came up the aisle with Martin. Between them, they carried a bushy Christmas tree.
“I can’t believe I said okay to this.” Nick glared at the sign.
“You wanted to call it Wooden Winter Creations.” Oliver helped his brother get the tree into the stand, pretending he didn’t see the way it wobbled once they had it upright. He’d argued for an artificial one, but Nick said people would like the smell.
“What’s wrong with ‘Wooden Winter Creations?’”
“It’s seasonal, for one thing. What if we wanted to sell some of these in the summer?” He hauled a box out of the back of the truck. Their truck. Silver and domestic and nothing like the old Porsche. It even had windows that went up and down on all sides.
“They’re Christmas tree decorations. Why would we want to sell them in the summer?” Nick pulled the second box out while Oliver ground his teeth. They’d been having this argument for weeks, and most of it stemmed from Nick’s discomfort about selling anything he’d made in a public venue. The name was an easy straw man for his fear no one would be buying.
“I think the name is sweet,” Martin said.
Seb wrapped an arm around his shoulders and puffed his chest out. “Well, there you have it. Dr. Lindsey has spoken, so let’s put an end to this.”
Martin grinned at him and kissed Seb’s cheek. “I have to go check on the volunteers at the concession stand.”
Seb kissed him back, mussing up his carefully brushed brown hair. “I’ll go with you. Think they’ll let me test the mulled wine?”
The Seacroft Christmas Market sparkled around them as Oliver and Nick finished setting up their booth. They had been a late addition. Oliver needed to do some fast talking to get on the waiting list, and in the end, they’d gotten lucky because one of the quilters came down with the flu and couldn’t find anyone to run her booth. So, once again, their location wasn’t ideal, tucked away in a far corner past the fruitcake and the teddy bears made out of old sweaters, but Oliver was determined to make this a success for Nick.
“Hey, guys!” Brian and Jess stood at the booth.
“Hi!” Oliver glanced up after they hung the last wooden decoration on the tree. Each one had been sanded and stained until it shone. “Nick, come say hi!” Oliver turned to find Nick very obviously and unsuccessfully trying to hide his big frame behind the Christmas tree. He gave Oliver a guilty glare, peeking around the side, but then shuffled over.
“Looks good!” Brian shook Nick’s hand, and the familiar face appeared to steady Nick’s nerves, because he straightened and gave a tentative smile.
“Come see.” He drew them forward to look at his knickknacks or his wooden winter creations, whichever they preferred. He showed off the various ornaments he’d made over the last few months with quiet pride. Watching him made Oliver’s chest warm, glad to see Nick enjoying himself, even a little.
Anya and Hayden left at the end of the summer. They’d rented a two-bedroom apartment close by, but Nick had been gloomy for weeks before and after their move. Oliver tried to help him stay positive, but the truth was, the departure was sad, and no amount of “look on the bright side” and “they’re not that far away” would magically make it all better. No one believed the three of them cooped up in Nick’s house had been a long-term solution for anything but mass casualties, but seeing them go had still been hard.
Oliver tried his best to help, and Nick spent more and more time at Oliver’s place, saying his own house was too empty to be alone in. Finally, in September, Oliver suggested they start moving some of Nick’s things over.
It had been a slow invasion, almost like Nick was afraid to let go of the old house. His workshop tools were the last items to come over, even though, in fact, they were the things Oliver was most looking forward to having in his house. Everything else was old and worn, and Nick didn’t appear to have many happy memories attached to any of them.
So Oliver decided to help him make some new memories. It started with him asking Nick to show him how to make something simple on the lathe, but after Oliver nearly took off his index finger, they agreed it would probably be better if Nick worked and Oliver supervised.
“Have you seen Martin?” Jess asked as Nick handed her a paper bag with the Nick’s Nacks logo stamped on it. Inside were three snowmen that she had selected, each carefully wrapped in their own box.
