Page 64 of Can't Help Falling

They’d stopped in front of Fresh, and Ty looked into the darkened windows. He had so much more to say but decided he’d driven far enough out onto the ice for one day.

The shop was closed, just like most of Court Street, but Fresh didn’t have that abandoned-on-Christmas look that many of the other darkened storefronts did. The security gate was pulled down, of course, but Mary had left some of the lamps on, giving the store a homey, ambient feel.

Tyler complimented the window display, which really did look cheery and bright. The conversation they’d just had was humming through him, the adrenaline brought on by the subject matter making him feel hollowed out. He was cold in his peacoat, but still, a line of sweat marched its way down his back. He wanted to push. He wanted to retreat. Instead, he just stood next to Kylie and looked through the window to the furniture display. “Clever how she did that,” he said eventually. “With the opened presents around the tree, making it look like people really had Christmas morning in there.”

“That was my idea,” Kylie said quietly.

When Tyler glanced down at her, her fingers threaded through the slats of the security gate, he saw that she looked a little nervous.

“It’s brilliant! It makes the shop look so much more lively than all the others on the block.”

It might have been the cold, but he was almost positive that Kylie had flushed with pleasure at his compliment. She took a deep breath and he knew it for what it was. The end of their last conversation. This was her way of asking to move on. It was the least he could do to oblige her.

“The shop always looks more lively than the other shops on the block. It’s the best shop on Court Street,” Kylie said vehemently and again Tyler found himself observing her profile.

“You’re sad to be done working there,” Tyler guessed.

She shrugged, unthreaded her gloved fingers from the security gate and began walking back the way they’d come.

“Did you ask Mary if you could become a permanent employee? Not just a seasonal one?”

Kylie’s cheeks flamed, and she stared at the ground as she walked. “No.”

“Why not?”

Kylie shook her head. “I...don’t want her to say no.”

“So instead you’re just not going to ask and let the dream die?”

She made a noise of annoyance, and he tugged on her coat, making her face him. He made sure she saw him roll his eyes. “Kylie, that’s the dumbest. It’s like walking up to the boy you want to go to prom with and telling him that you’ll never, ever go with him in a million years.”

Now she was the one rolling her eyes. “Topical. Way to take that problem and really put it into terms I’ll understand.”

He had to laugh at the healthy dose of sarcasm dripping from her every syllable. “Okay, fine. That was dumb, I admit. How about this then? You miss a hundred percent of the shots you don’t take.”

She pursed her lips but he could see her attempt not to smile. “Sports metaphor notwithstanding, I see your point.”

“Besides, I doubt Mary’s answer will just be no.” He’d see to that himself. If he had to secretly pay Kylie’s salary out of his own pocket, he’d do it. “She might cut your hours or something. And I know she usually has a lull in January so maybe you’d start again in the spring. But I know Mary loves having your help at the shop. She told me herself you did twice the work of the full-time guy she brought on.”

“Jonah was useless. He spent more time Instagramming than he did helping. I walked in on him in the bathroom and didn’t even apologize because he was sitting on the sink Snapchatting.”

“I—” Tyler had no words for that. He wasn’t entirely sure what people used Snapchat for. “I’m assuming he had his pants on.”

Kylie laughed. “Yes. He did.”

“Then... I guess no harm, no foul?”

Tyler could see the subway stairs two blocks ahead of them, but the truth was, he wasn’t ready for this day to be over. They’d go underground, be surrounded by people, and their conversation would stall out. Then they’d get home and there was a really good chance she was just going to go to her room.

He thought fast.

“Listen, the holiday trains are going to be murder going home. But there’s this really good Korean barbecue just past Gowanus. We could take a cab back from there after we eat. Up for a long walk to dinner?”

It was a little early for dinner, not even six yet, but it would take them an hour to walk there, and he was sure they’d be hungry by the time they made it.

“I’ve never had Korean barbecue.”

“You’re in for a treat. Seriously, it’s one of my favorite food groups, and this place does it so well.” He shivered just thinking about it.

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