Page 37 of Sliding into Love
Normally, they would probably just give him all the different things he wants, but they're trying out this new thing about humility.
It's a whole bunch of nonsense.
The kid's gonna be who he is. He's a Bellport, after all. His name may not say it, but that's the truth of the matter. He knows how to be humble, and he has a big heart.
He's just also indecisive as fuck.
I'm pretty sure he gets that from Jake 'cause Carmen and her husband are nothing of the sort.
“You're scowling again,” Carmen says as she tugs on my arm, pulling me past some stragglers walking through the mall.
“I can't always control my face, sis,” I say. “Besides, it's not like I'm being a scrooge or anything. I'm just thinking.”
“Thinking about what? You're supposed to be Christmas present shopping with me. I thought you said you didn't have everything yet.”
“I don’t. I'm still looking for gifts for Jake's guys, and Finn is really kind of hard to buy for these days since Bellamy won't stop buying him every damn thing he smiles at.”
Carmen giggles as she weaves us through another group.
“I mean, that's absolutely true, which is why I took Finn out shopping with me alone and had him tell me all the different things he likes.”
She throws a grin my way, and I snatch myself out of her hold.
“You did what? That's cheating!”
She rolls her eyes. “No, it's not. It's finding out what the man likes without my brother going back to buy everything before I get a chance to. If you behave and help me find my gifts, then I can tell you one of the things that I didn't get him.”
The tension floods out of me in an instant.
“Deal. Who are we buying for besides baby Lee?”
We have to call my nephew baby Lee, even though he's not technically a baby anymore. Since Jake is dating a man named Leon, we can't call him Lee because it gets too confusing.
Also because Jake calls Leon Daddy Lee when around people he trusts.
I never said my family was all that smart about naming conventions. I’m pretty sure Jake wasn’t thinking about the rest of us when he was sorting out his kink lifestyle.
Then again, I know people who have married someone with the same name as them.
Talk about confusing.
No judgment here though. I've never met another Royce, so I can't say that they would be the one for me.
Besides, I've been too caught up in Kenneth to think of anyone on a romantic level besides him.
He's yet another person I need to find a gift for.
I won't dare tell Carmen that that's who it is though. She would judge me so harshly. While she doesn’t know the full history with Kenneth, I’m sure she’s clued in enough to remember me bitching about him.
We make it to the toy section and Carmen starts her hunt. I follow behind her keeping my eyes peeled for any type of hidden toy.
You wouldn't believe how many times people will come to the store, find what they need and then hide it somewhere else so they can come back later and get it. Especially if they know it's gonna go on sale.
It's a twisted thing to do, though honestly a little brilliant too. I’m willing to acknowledge when I’ve been outsmarted.
I pretend I'm doing one of those search and find puzzles with the toys we’re looking for as my target.
We manage to find the two things Carmen wants for the kids: A massive nerf gun set for baby Lee and a set of soft blocks for baby Penelope.
