“Honny’s being vicious about it.”
“Yeah,” Cherry sighed. “What else is new.”
Tom glanced over at her. “You look tired.”
“I am.”
“Me, too.”
When they got to the house, Tom parked the car in the driveway. “You could start using the garage now if you wanted. There’s room.”
“Meh,” Cherry said. “Seems like an extra step.”
Tom carried the Christmas stuff, and Cherry took his arm on the steps. They both stopped outside the door. Stevie had already spotted them. She was barking at the front window.
Tom was squinting up, almost like he was looking through the porch ceiling at the sky. His chin stayed tilted, but his eyes found Cherry’s. “Could I come in for a second?”
“Yeah.” She nodded so hard, she felt her cheeks wobble. “Of course.”
They both waited.
“You have my keys,” she said.
“Oh.” Tom shook his head. “Right.”
He got her keys out of his pocket and unlocked the door, pushing it open so she could walk in first.
Stevie ran up to Cherry, snuffling at her legs, then switched to Tom, who petted her and scratched behind her ears. “Hey there, Stevie Nicks, did you have a long, lonely Christmas?”
Cherry took off her coat and hugged it against her waist. She was watching Tom. Watching his big hands in Stevie’s fur. Watching the curls bounce on the top of his head.
“Okay,” Tom said. “Okay, good girl. Why don’t you go rest. Here—” He grabbed a chewy treat from Stevie’s kennel and gave it to her. “There you go. You go rest.” Stevie dropped to the floor, preoccupied with the treat.
Tom looked back at Cherry, his eyes narrow and concerned, and the bridge of his nose creased. “I have something for you.”
“Like...” She took a step back. “Like what?”
His face fell. “Like a present.”
“Oh.” For a second there, she’d really thought he was going to whip divorce papers out of his jacket. In the most dramatic way possible. “You didn’t have to get me a present.”
“It’s Christmas,” Tom said, pained. “I wasn’tnotgoing to bring you a present...”
Cherry didn’t say anything.
“Can I...” Tom asked.
She nodded.
He reached into his coat pocket and took out a long pink velvet jewelry box. It was tied with dark green ribbon. He held it out to her.
Cherry took it. It looked old. She untied the ribbon and pried the hinge open. Inside was an antique charm bracelet with sterling silver Disney charms. Fancy ones, with moving parts. With levers and beads. Snow White holding an enameled red apple. Cinderella’s coach with wheels that spun.
Cherry clicked her tongue.
“It’s one person’s collection,” Tom said. “I got it at an estate sale, in Pasadena.”
She looked away from the bracelet. “You’ve been going to estate sales?”
