"Why don’t you hitch a ride with me, and we’ll run over to the auto store after we close up so we can get a new battery for the truck?"
"I don’t want to cause more stress to your day. I know you have to get Parker from school and take care of her after work. I can get the battery."
"Parker likes the auto store for some reason, and for a weirder reason, she seems to have taken a liking to you from the couple of times you have met."
"Hey," I snap, slapping the back of my hand against his chest.
"Seriously, if I tell her we’re doing something other than going right home, eating dinner, and going to bed, she’ll be very happy. I might have the only child in the world who hates routine," he says.
"She likes excitement. I can understand.”
“She certainly does, but she’s a tough one to wind up. When she gets excited though, my world lights up. She’s been through so much in her short life, and I do everything I can to make her smile. It can sometimes be a challenge though. In fact, it’s a challenge every single day."
"Well, then I can’t say no to the auto store."
Brett moves past me with his mug and rinses the contents in the sink. "God, I’m convincing."
I cross my arms over my chest, letting my empty mug dangle from my fingers. "Don’t play me, Mr. Pearson."
"I’m kidding. My daughter truly loves the auto store, and I truly would love to spend extra time with you outside of the shop. It’s the truth. No games, I promise."
I squint my eyes and playfully shove him away from the sink so I can rinse my mug out too. "Yeah, yeah." I place the two mugs in the dishwasher and turn around to face the playful look on Brett’s face. "Fine, we’ll go, and thank you for offering to help me through your mild guilt trip"
Brett takes a step toward me, making me aware that my back is against the counter. "Yesterday, I enjoyed showing you where the labels were," he says, taking another step closer.
"I’m glad I know where to find them now," I respond, trying to avoid another bout of respiratory distress.
Without space for another step, Brett leans forward and reaches his arm over my shoulder. "Do you mind if I rinse my hands off real quick? I have some grease—"
My jaw falls, feeling tricked by his slick move. I try to step to the side so he can wash his hands, but his body leans against mine, then his lips brush against my neck lightly before he lifts his head and presses the side of his nose to mine. He pinches my chin between his thumb and forefinger and lowers his lips to mine. His body feels heavy against me, but warm and encompassing at the same time. "You taste like chocolate," he utters after pulling his lips away.
"You feel like the happiness I need," I respond, allowing my guard down with a form of honesty I don’t rarely share.
He sweeps his knuckles down the side of my cheek. "I would take all of your pain away if I could, so if I can offer you a little bit of happiness, please tell me what else I can do to help."
I press up on my toes and give him a light kiss, showing him the little things are doing the most for me.
21
The sky issplitting open with frozen particles threatening to cover our area in a white blanket. It’s the first heavy snow of the season, and when it starts here, it’s like the seal breaks, and the area will be covered in white until April. "Do you ski at all, or are you another northerner who suffers through snow without benefit?" Brett asks, glancing up at the sky as we wait for the stoplight to turn green.
"I have skied. I know how to, but I’m not a big fan of the cold. What about you?"
"Same. We used to ski when I was a kid, but after living down south for a while, I’ve come to realize I prefer warmth. However, our lives are here now, so I’m choosing family over a nicer climate," he says. His wheels grind through the loose snow as we make our way down the main street of town.
"I wish I had the same realization before I moved down to South Carolina.”
“You moved for your ex, right?"
I nod, realizing he’s focused on the road rather than my silent gesture. "Yeah, he wanted to get out of here—said the real estate was cheaper down south, the people were nicer, the weather was better, and life would be easier."
"It’s all true," he says.
"I should have been more concerned with a promise that things in our relationship would be better too," I say, trying to laugh off my statement, knowing how stupid I feel about those years, in hindsight.
"Well, you know ... how would you know unless you tried, right?" Brett tries to back up my foolish decision to move down South with Ace for the wrong reasons, but it’s something I won’t forgive myself for, now knowing I wasted precious time I could have spent closer to Dad.
"I should be honest with you about something.” I glance over, but knowing he has to keep his eyes on the road.
