Page 37 of Blame It On the Lattes

“Nope. She’s fine. We’re watching movies and having popcorn.”

“Okay,” I said, not bothering to comment on how late it was or that the popcorn might give her an upset stomach. “What’s going on then?”

“I was calling to see if you wouldn’t mind picking up a few packs of tape and a roll of wrapping paper for me while you’re there.”

“Oh. Yeah. Not a problem. Any certain print or color you want?”

I smiled at Sam as he mouthedwho’s that.

“It’s your sister,” I said, moving the phone slightly away from my mouth. “She needs tape and wrapping paper, so don’t let me forget to grab some.”

“Tell her to get it herself,” he said with a frown.

“Tell him I said to stop being a jerk and buy it for me.”

“Do you want me to put you on the phone with him?” I asked with a laugh, knowing this was just the start of them razzing each other.

“No, I’m good. I’m hanging out with Kennedy and don’t have time for his nonsense. But I’m helping her finish wrapping her gifts tomorrow, but we ran out of supplies.”

“What do you meanher gifts?”

“She might have made some stuff for everyone,” Cassidy said in a tone that I immediately recognized.

“Made or bought?” I questioned with my hand on my hip.

“Both.”

“Cassidy,” I exhaled heavily. “You guys don’t need to be giving her money to buy stuff. She’s five. When I’m back on my feet, I’ll start giving her allowance again, but until then, you guys don’t need to do that.”

“Well, first of all—I didn’t give her money.”

“Okay, then who did?”

“My parents.”

That didn’t surprise me any.

“And Sam.”

My eyes widened as my head whipped around to stare at him. He winced and scrunched his shoulders, already knowing he’d been caught.

“You guys have got to be kidding me,” I groaned. “I can’t trust you for shit.”

“Hey, that’s not true. You can trust us,” Cassidy argued. “It’s not hurting anyone, Avery. She wanted to be a big girl and shop for people herself. We just helped make that happen.”

“How is it that my five-year-old already knows what to get people and has her shopping done, yet I can’t think of a single thing she wants?” I blinked quickly to try to force away the tears, but the emotion in my voice was evident.

“Oh, Avery,” Cassidy whispered. “Honey, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know you were struggling with that.”

“Yeah, well, I haven’t had much time to think about it. But now that I’m out shopping with Sam, I’m drawing blanks on what to get her. On what to get anyone.” I threw my hand in the air helplessly as Sam gave me space.

“It’s okay. Do you want me to go shopping with you this weekend? Frosty Fest is happening, and they always have tons of good stuff. We can make a whole day of it and take Kennedy to the parade in the morning,” Cassidy offered.

“I can’t buy stuff for her without her seeing if she’s there with me.”

“True.” Cassidy took a deep breath and then blew it out.

“Okay, how about you try to do some shopping with Sam tonight? Then we can finish stuff this weekend. I’ll have my parents go with us and we can distract Kennedy while you purchase stuff, then one of us can go hide it in my parent’s car.”

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