Page 85 of Infatuated as They Come
“Ooh, let’s see what they have,” Holly said.
Holly took off into the back to check out the clothes and my own eyes found all the little knick knacks in the corner. Old plates, teapots, vases, jewelry, figurines. There was a white stone that had been painted with two little hearts wearing hats on the front that got my attention. They had little smiling faces and tiny legs and arms, their hands connected and their fingers all tangled together.
I checked out the sign attached to the edge of the shelf. Three dollars. Not even close to what Holly had spent on the truck, but it kept calling to me. I bought it without Holly noticing, tucking it into my pocket just before she came back with some long pink dress in her hands.
“It’s vintage Prada,” she said.
We left the thrift store behind with her fancy dress and my cheap rock and drove back up to the house, my hand on Holly’s thigh the whole time. When we got back inside, Holly shoved me into the living room so she could make dinner for me, but cooking with her was one of my favorite things to do.
“Let’s both do it,” I said as I followed her into the kitchen.
“No, it’s your birthday,” she called out over her shoulder, grocery bags in hand. “Go sit down and paint! Ooh, you could paint the lake! The sun’s setting right now. It looks so beautiful.”
My eyes moved to the big windows to my left, and Holly was right about it being beautiful, but it had nothing on her. “It’ll be there tomorrow. I’ll paint it then,” I said, leaning up against the kitchen counter. “You can sit outside with me if you want.”
Her eyes brightened as she took the groceries out of the bag. “I can’t wait.”
I didn’t even know what Holly was making, but I saw her put some onions on the counter and stole them from her so I could cut them. We stood there in the kitchen while the sun kept on setting to our side, the lake all orange and glowing and our arms brushing together as we sliced up vegetables.
“I’m so glad we finally get to have some time together.” She sighed. “Isn’t this nice?”
“It is, princess. I really missed spending my days with you,” I said. “I know I haven’t been around as much. I wanna do this with you every day.”
She shot me a smile. “I feel the exact same way. You know, Christmas is coming up. I totally forgot about it until I saw all those decorations in town. What do you wanna do for it?”
“What doyouwanna do for it?”
She shrugged. “I mean, I was planning on spending maybe a week or so back in Dallas. My mom won’t stop messaging me about it. Do you want to come back with me? I’d really love to spend Christmas with you.”
I clicked my tongue. “I don’t think he’ll be happy about that.”
“I don’t care. It’ll be our first Christmas together, so we’ll be celebrating it whether my dad’s happy about it or not. And you can stay at my place if that’s not too weird for you.”
“Yeah, he’sreallynot gonna be happy about that.”
“So? Let him be mad. You’re part of my life now and he needs to understand that you’re gonna be there for all the big, important things. But if staying there will make you feel uncomfortable—and I know he’s good at making you feel that way—then we can do something else. We can stay in New York.”
“No, no, no. I know how much you miss your parents. I’m not gonna keep you from them just ‘cause one of them hates me.”
She leaned in close and pecked my lips. “He can hate you all he wants. That just makes me love you more.”
I smiled at that, washing my hands and shoving one into my jeans pocket. “I got ya something at that thrift store. It’s kinda silly.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Excuse me?”
“I just wanted to get you something while we were here. Since you’respoiling me and all.”
“It’s your birthday—your pretend birthday—and you’re still buying me stuff!”
“Let go of the knife.”
“You’re so—”
I took the rock out, letting it rest at the center of my palm as I moved it Holly’s way, her eyes softening immediately.
“What is that?” she asked with a little laugh.
“Thought you’d like it.”
