Page 83 of Born to Make You Smile

“Oh, no reason.” I couldn’t believe he’d just give me his personal credit card and PIN as if it were nothing. “You trust me with it?”

“Of course I do. Why wouldn’t I? What are you going to do, spend all my money?”

He chuckled and removed his glasses. He reached into his pocket for a small gray cloth, then went on to clean his lenses.

I frowned, and he mirrored my expression.

“Oh, I’m teasing. But honestly, I don’t mind if you use it. In fact, go ahead and buy something for yourself. Spend a thousand. Spend five thousand. Whatever makes you happy.”

“Gavin, please.” I shook my head with an uncomfortable laugh.

Five thousand.He had absolutely no qualms about throwing that kind of money at me, as if it were nothing. It reminded me how opposite our financial situations were. And for some reason, it made my stomach twist into a Christmas bow.

The next day, Bill Salinger had a morning appointment for a posterior restoration. There was no way he didn’t recognize me that day at X-PLORE. Thankfully, he didn’t say a word as I sat him in the dental chair. It seemed we were on the same page when it came to honoring the confidentiality agreement of the club, keeping our nightly endeavors a private matter.

Gavin was just about finished drilling Bill’s molar. Bill had the nitrous oxide nasal hood over his nose with closed eyes. Suddenly, he reached over and touched my arm. It startled me. “Can I please have some water, Peach?”

Blood drained from my face. I glanced at Gavin, who looked at me with a furrowed brow, and then back at Bill.

I sat him up slightly and placed the cup to his mouth.

“Thanks, Peach,” Bill said with a crooked smile.

“Um, Bill. It’s Grace.”

“I knew it was you.” His voice was slurred, his eyes still closed. “Under that orange wig.”

“Up the oxygen a notch, please,” Gavin said, gesturing to the dials. I did as instructed, praying he thought nothing of Bill’s ramblings.

***

Two days before Christmas, I decided to head to the Eaton Centre to finish my last-minute shopping. Strangely enough, while the mall was jam-packed, the stores themselves were empty. After buying gifts for the girls and Dorina, I decided to stop by that boutique to purchase the black gown. However, to my disappointment, the one in my size was gone. They only had size six left.Yeah, right.The day I squeeze into a six. Maybe thedress wasn’t meant to be. Maybe the universe was telling me I needed that $300 for something else.

TWENTY-FIVE

I found Christmas tobe the most difficult holiday to endure after Mom died. Everything made me miss her. The happy families. The TV specials. The classic movies. Every time I’d hear a Christmas song, I’d think of her, the way she’d sing along as we baked cookies together. For some reason, the smells hit the hardest. So many scents brought me straight back to those happy memories we shared, like a teleportation device.

We’d visit my mom’s cousin up north in Orillia on Christmas Eve, but Christmas Day was just for us. Our special day. My mother and I would get up early, open gifts, then make French toast together. She’d always use this really decadent brioche bread and add plenty of cinnamon into the egg mixture. Then she’d cut the French toast into strips to be dipped in homemade preserves. So many different types—cherry, peach, blueberry, raspberry, mandarin. I had attempted to continue the traditionon my first Christmas morning without her. However, I’d broken down while mixing the eggs and couldn’t attempt to try again until years later.

On Christmas Eve, I made my way to the Brinley residence with gifts as well as a homemade chocolate cake log and a tin of Gavin’s favorite gingerbread sugar cookies. I offered to bring food for dinner, but Gavin had assured me he had everything taken care of. God, I prayed he didn’t attempt to cook. Worst case, I had an emergency lasagna stashed in my freezer.

The second I walked through the door, Charlotte and Mackenzie ambushed me with hugs, taking the gifts from my hands to place under the tree.

“You look stunning, love,” Gavin said. “Like an angel.”

I blushed.

I wore an off-white sweater and black pants. The sweater was tight, fitted to my upper body to emphasize my assets. He looked very handsome himself in a tailored white dress shirt and gray slacks.

He leaned in close. I thought he was going to kiss me, but he stopped just shy of my mouth.

The four of us sat down to eat. My eyes grew wide when I caught sight of the food at the center of the table. Mashed potatoes with chives, steamed green beans, chicken cutlets in lemon sauce, and roasted ham.

“Did you enjoy the food?” Gavin asked after we finished our meal. “I can’t believe I finally learned to cook. It’s rather simple when you put your mind to it.”

I pressed my lips together to suppress a laugh. “Gavin. I’m no fool. You clearly had this catered.”

“Oh, bullocks.” He snapped his finger with a twist of his wrist. “You caught me.”

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