“Yeah. Of course.”
I turned to face my mom, who was looking around at all the adorable little shops with just as much excitement as I was.
“Hey, Mom. We’re going to go into this Christmas store? Want to come?”
But her gaze had snagged on a cheerful wooden building down the street with a puffing chimney. It was the busiest building on the strip, and there was a hand-carved sign over the door that just said:Coffee.
“I’m going to go get us some drinks!” she exclaimed. “Then I’ll meet you there?”
Jay and I nodded, and I grinned at her from behind my scarf.
“Sounds good! Get me a caramel macchiato with coconut milk if they have it.”
“What about you, Jay?” my mom asked, and Jay shrugged, though his eyes were shining.
“Surprise me,” he replied, and my mom nearly skipped off in the direction of the cafe to get us our drinks.
“Now, let’s find out if you’re naughty or nice…” Jay hummed, steering me toward the Christmas store, and I snorted on an unattractive laugh.
“I don’t think it’s that kind of shop.” I giggled, and he let out a low huff behind me as he corralled me into the little Christmas store.
“Every shop is that kind of shop if you’re creative enough,” he deadpanned, and my fit of laughter was swallowed up as Jay pushed the door open and we were swept up in a nostalgic symphony of old Christmas music and twinkling lights.
We definitely got a little carried away in the Christmas store… or, I guessIdid. I couldn’t get enough of all the different ornaments. They had everything from traditional Christmas figurines like reindeer and snowmen, to more modern, random things like sushi rolls and pizza slices.
There was a whole section dedicated just to sexy mermen for some reason, and I spent more of Jay’s cash than I should have on several of them, squealing and laughing at how lifelike and hilarious some of them were.
Jay watched me silently, and though I couldn’t see the bottom half of his face, it was impossible to miss the way his eyes crinkled at the corners every time another treasure caught my eye, sending me into another fit of giggles.
“I had no idea you loved Christmas so much,” he said as he paid for my ornaments, smiling behind his scarf at the nice lady as she carefully packed up my bag.
I shrugged, beaming at my sack full of festive mermen.
“I love capitalist Coca-Cola Christmas.” I laughed, feeling my cheeks tinge pink. “I know that’s probably horrible to say, but just something about the cheesy decorations and exchanging presents with the people you love and playing corny Christmas music that you only listen to once a year… My mom, Dad, and I used to have so much fun decorating. None of us has one religious bone in our bodies, but… man, did we all love Christmas time.”
Jay was staring at me with a strange look, and I paused as we made our way back out onto the street.
“What?” I asked, and he shrugged, wrapping his arm casually around my shoulder in a way that he would have hesitated to do even just a few weeks ago.
“Nothing. I just want to make sure you have that again. The cheesy decorations and the corny music and the… presents. I want you to have everything you want, Milo.”
“Jay… I already have everything I want,” I said seriously, stopping so I could face him properly. “I have you.”
I reached up with my gloved hand to cup the side of his face, wishing it was safe enough for me to tug down his scarf and kiss him senseless.
He stared at me with those soft, copper eyes of his, and I think for one shining, brief moment, he believed me.
He believed that I wanted him.
That he wasallI wanted, and it was the mostbeautifulthing.
“Milo! Jay!” Our gazes tore away from each other at the sound of my mother’s voice. She was waving frantically to us from the cafe, beckoning us to come closer.
I frowned, and Jay and I exchanged a look.
“Come over here! You don’t want to miss this!” she called again before disappearing back into the busy cafe.
“She’s excited about something,” I mused, and Jay grunted in agreement, though he seemed much more tense now for some reason.
