He texted me on his break, and my heart raced.
I shrieked, earning confused looks from my family. This was big news, though. Harvey had even used a smiley face. I texted back.
I'd have to pace my cookie intake so I didn't crash before then.
Zack, who was already putting a dent in the cookie stash post-work, frowned at me. “What’s got you so happy?”
“Harvey got promoted to manager.” I wiggled my hips and mimed using my phone as a pom-pom.
He shrugged, his boxy shoulders slightly tense. “Good for him.”
Aunt Coral wagged her eyebrows and blew on her tea. “He should have some nice benefits. Do they transfer to spouses?”
I froze. “Whoa, we’ve only been dating since–”
“They also have scholarships,” Mom said, wiping crumbs off the table and into her hand. “Do you think he’d hire you, Shelby?”
“No, that’d be a conflict of interest to the extreme.” I wilted onto the flattened couch cushions. Why did they have to spin his good news into a whole thing? Maybe I should keep job hunting. I perused the parent forums that mall mom had mentioned to me for various gigs. I could probably earn a couple hundred bucks a party. But first, I’d have to invest in costumes and activities.
“Shelby.” Mom flicked her palm upwards and glanced at the little cousins.
Oh, my posture. Wouldn’t want to be a bad influence. I pushed myself to sit up properly. Now that my boyfriend was a big shot manager, was the fight between my mom and I over? Had I 'saved' my future by finding a guy to take care of me? Or was she still pushing for a degree? I needed the stuff in my back seat. But more than that, I wanted to drive my own happiness. I got up and started putting on my boots.
“Where are you going?” Mom called after me.
“I need to take care of something.” Myself. Which I could do, despite my kinks or what she thought of me.
“We have company,” Mom chided.
I pushed my hair away from my face. “I know, but we’ve spent the last six hours together. There’s still some last-minute Christmas shopping I need to take care of, and I’d rather not do it while I’m in my uniform.”
She frowned and jerked her chin. “We bought everything for the family. It’s sitting under April’s tree.”
I sighed, guessing there'd only be underwear and socks in there for me. “What about Harvey?”
“You made him cookies,” Aunt Coral said.
Zack coughed, nearly choking on his, and gave me an apologetic look. “Sorry, was I not supposed to eat these?”
“No, it’s fine. They were initially for the family. Or donations.” I waved at the piles on the floor. “As is everything, lately.”
The adults in the room gave me incredulous, dirty looks. Anything other than blanket generosity was selfishness.
I turned my toes inward, scuffing the floor. “I just want to get my boyfriend something special, okay?”
The adults exchanged dubious glances and puzzled at me.
“Do you think he’d like a coat?” Zack joked.
His mom smacked his arm. “Those are donations."
