“I’d like to believe you’ve had some good role models in your life. Treat that young man like the treasure he is, and you’re destined for good things in your life. He hasn’t had an easy time of it, not that he’d ever let on. He’s so much better than his raising could have made him.”
Ezra never talked about his family. I knew he was from Harmony Grove and his family was crazy religious, but that was about it. And I’d never asked for more because I wouldn’t want anyone prying into my life either. The fact my mom felt protective of him meant I’d never hear the end of it if I screwed things up with him.
I’d been sitting in the car long enough now that the snow was starting to stick to my windshield. I really did need to get off the phone or let her keep rambling while I rummaged through Ezra’s closet for something for him to wear. And maybe an extra set of clothes in case I was able to convince him to spend the night. I told my mom as much, and she let me go.
As I ended the call, my mind started racing with thoughts of Ezra—how I could make things special for him, how I could show him that I appreciated everything he did for me, how I could make him feel loved. When I thought about my parents’ relationship, Dad had always gone out of his way to do little things for Mom. To most people, bringing home a single candy or her favorite tea wasn’t much, but she always acted as if he’d given her the world.
Those thoughts led to another stop being added to my errand list, so I hurried to find a black button-up shirt and slacks in Ezra’s closet. As I turned back toward the door, I spied strips of silk hanging neatly at the back of the closet. The bright colors and fun designs seemed out of character for my typically muted man, but when I realized these were bowties, not regular ties, I realized they were a thousand percent him.
Because I knew he’d mentioned wearing all black tonight, I opted for a black bowtie with penguins and gingerbread men on it to keep with his self-imposed dress code while giving a nod to the season.
The parking lot at Hearth & Foam was empty, and I nearly drove right past until I spotted Mara’s bright-red hair in the front window. I put the truck in park and turned off the engine. After nearly wiping out on the icy sidewalk, I took it upon myself to grab some salt from the pail beside the front door.
“I was just coming out to do that,” Mara called, all bundled up but shielding herself from the wind with the door.
“Well, it seems I beat you to it,” I joked. Her eyes went wide and her mouth gaped like a fish. I’d officially rendered Mara speechless. That in itself might be classified as a Christmas miracle. “I stopped by to get a drink for Ezra and almost landed on my ass. Figured I’d help you out so someone doesn’t get hurt.”
“I do know how to shovel and salt, you know,” she responded defensively.
“Yeah, and once in a while, I do know how to do something nice for another person,” I shot back. There had to be a way to break down the last of her defensive walls and prove I wouldn’t hurt her cousin. Quite the opposite. If he let me, I’d make sure no one ever hurt him again. “Sometimes, even a self-absorbed asshole like me can do something good.”
“Touché.” At least she had the grace to look embarrassed by jumping to conclusions. “Sorry. And thank you. I really was coming out to take care of the walk.”
“And now you don’t have to.” I flashed her what I hoped was a friendly smile. The gesture felt foreign, but I was trying this whole new-leaf thing. “While I do, could you make whatever has caffeine that Ezra would like and something to warm me up once I’m done?”
“Is he okay?” Her eyes widened, and she pursed her lips in a worried frown.
“Yeah, he’s just napping,” I explained. “He’s been working overtime to get everything ready for the party tonight, and I didn’t realize how exhausted he was until Shiloh called me this morning. I need to get better at reading him.”
Mara approached, placing a gloved hand on my arm. “Carson, you didn’t see it because he didn’t want you to. He’s always been good at pretending he’s not about to collapse under pressure. That’s just how it was in their house growing up.”
This was the second time in less than an hour someone had alluded to him having a crappy childhood. I swallowed hard, my fists tightening into balls as I struggled to hold my temper over anyone having tried to break such a beautiful man.
“Easy there, Cujo.” Mara laughed, but the sound was shaky and weak. “It’s not anything like you’re imagining. My aunt and uncle—well, actually, it was just my uncle because he’d never stand for his wife having an opinion of her own—he held Ezra to impossibly high standards. Failure was never an option even though I’m convinced the man gets off on trying to break him.”
“Fucker,” I muttered.
“Exactly,” Mara agreed. “Don’t beat yourself up. And thank Shiloh for noticing and reaching out to you. I’ve been telling him he’s trying to take on too much by himself at the bakery, but he keeps insisting he loves what he’s doing.”
“And he’s fucking brilliant,” I added. “You should come by the party tonight and see what he’s been up to. I mean, you probably already know how talented he is, but he’s created this whole story with the food. I’ve never seen anyone do that before.”
And now, I was the one who was rambling. Now that I’d offered to clear the walks, I needed to get back to work. Otherwise, Ezra really would be up before I got home.
“That sounds cool. And yes, I do know what a genius he is in the kitchen. I’m just glad it seems he’s finally found his calling.” She stared into the distance, snowflakes sticking to the brim of her knit hat. “Keep taking care of him, and we’ll be just fine. I’m sorry if I was snarky. The holidays bring out the worst in me because of assholes like my uncle and my dad.”
Now that I was learning more about Ezra’s family, I felt like a whiny, privileged asshole. Unlike me, it sounded like they were the ones who had a reason to resent the holidays. Me? I just didn’t like the fact it felt like we were constantly on the go, never fully relaxing before it was time to head to the next house.
Yeah, boo-freaking-hoo on me.
While I finished shoveling and salting, Mara made our drinks. She met me at the door, refusing to take any money for them. “The smile on Ez’s face is payment enough. Plus, it wouldn’t be right to charge you when you cleared the walks so I didn’t freeze my ass off. Feel free to come back any time.”
“Oh, I see how it is,” I teased. “You just want me for my strong back.”
“Hey, if I can’t get a man of my own, I might as well make use of Ezra’s.”
She gave me a quick hug before retreating inside. She watched from the front door as I backed out of the parking lot and turned onto Birch Lake Road. I really hoped she’d come to the party. Ezra deserved to be surrounded by everyone who loved and supported him as he took this first step into what could be something awesome.
The snow was falling hard enough that I could barely see the road ahead of the truck by the time I got home. If it didn’t let up soon, there was a chance people wouldn’t show up tonight, and that wasn’t acceptable. No way in hell was the first-ever Harmony House Christmas party going to be a bust.
