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I looked at him, looking at me, while he awaited my reaction. I couldn’t contain the genuine smile I sent him, and it only brightened his. “Wonderwall,” I whispered.

It was their newest smash single.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t crank up the volume dial every time the first chords rang out through my boombox.

I’d also be lying if I said I didn’t think of him every time it played.

“You like this one?” he wondered.

“Yes. It’s my favorite.”

He nodded, then pushed his cart forward.

We passed by glittering red-and-green kiosks as we surveyed the long checkout lines and the song continued to play from the store’s speaker system. I felt on top of the world in that moment. Shopping alongside Reed on a blustery Christmas Eve, my favorite song playing overhead, and my cart filled with a holiday feast of perogies and tasty sides I couldn’t wait to cook for me and Mom.

But the bubble burst when my eyes landed on a display of colorful Beanie Babies.

It burst because Reed’s cart was still empty.

I stopped in front of the stand and pointed at the plush toys. “You should get her one.”

Reed glanced to the right. “You think?”

“Yes. She’d love it.” I gestured at a little tan puppy with floppy chocolate ears. “Get her that one. He’s adorable.”

He peered over at me, his lips twitching, before he reached over and snatched the Beanie Baby off the shelf. Peeling open the heart-shaped attachment, he read aloud, “Bones.”

“Bones is a keeper.”

“Bones will do.” He sent a dimple-steeped grin my way and plopped the animal atop the child seat of the cart. “Thanks.”

“Sure.”

My heart sank further as we found a line, my gaze panning to the stuffed toy.

The song was over.

Reed would be a distant memory in just a few more minutes.

As we creeped up the line and approached the counter, Reed stepped in front of me. “Let me pay for those.”

I barreled forward. “No way. I got it.”

I wasn’t actually sure if I had it, with the amount of items I’d panic-grabbed off the shelves, but I couldn’t allow him to pay.

“It’s Christmas.”

“And I’m sure you have plenty of friends and family you can spend your hard-earned money on.” My voice cracked. “And your girl, of course.”

I wasn’t a friend or a family member, and I certainly wasn’t his girl. I was just the googly-eyed, barely-legal girl who’d lied to him and spoiled his evening six months ago.

Reed sighed as the cashier slid item after item over the scanner and the total escalated. “Guess we’ll settle it the old fashioned way.”

Chewing on my fingernail, my gaze wheeled to his. “How so?”

“Rock, paper, scissors.”

My eyes lit up as I fought back a smile. “Okay.”

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