Page 40 of Now and Forever

He grunted. “Ignore it?”

Seth gasped and jostled Daddy’s elbow. “Why?”

Daddy let out a groan. “I don’t know why it’s bugging me, but I’ll be turning forty.”

Seth shook his head in disbelief. “I don’t know why it is either. You’re healthy and the most handsome man alive. Who cares what number you’re hitting this year?”

Daddy chuckled. “You’re too kind. And I still think you’re the smarter one in this relationship. I’ll get over myself.” He turned to Seth. “Did you have some ideas?”

“Well, let’s see. What about something you’ve never done before?”

“Sexually?”

Seth barked out a laugh. “Stop!” He drew his eyebrows together. “Although…”

“Oh-ho!” Daddy laughed along. “Not such a bad idea after all, hmm?”

Heat rose to Seth’s cheeks. “I never said it was bad. And anyway, we can do new…stuff…anytime you want. Not just on your birthday.”

Daddy purred, rubbing his nose against Seth’s cheek. “Works for me.”

“Cold!” Seth giggled.

“I can warm you right up, baby. The second we get back to the rental.”

“Oh no!” Seth came to an abrupt stop.

Daddy hmphed. “I didn’t think it wasthatbad of an idea.”

Seth pointed to the adorable historic building they stood in front of. “It’s gone out of business!”

A big sign on the door of their favorite boutique and eclectic gift shop announced they were permanently closing. The heartfelt note thanked their patrons of the past thirty years.

Daddy unhooked his arm from Seth’s then stepped closer to the darkened building. He cupped his hands around his face to peer through the glass display window.

“Wow. That’s too bad.” He regarded Seth with his bottom lip pursed. “A lot of businesses can’t survive during the winter slump on the coast, but this one’s been here forever.”

Seth’s shoulders dropped. “I wonder why they closed? The shop was so popular. They were always featured in all those travel magazines. And they were also on that travel show last year, remember?”

Daddy stepped back on the sidewalk and gazed up at the three-story building. “Yeah, and didn’t Mrs. Sherman tell us that she and her husband live in the third-floor apartment above the store?”

“Uh-huh, she did.” Seth shoved his hands into his jacket pockets. “I remember thinking how cool that would be.”

Daddy glanced at him through narrowed eyes. “Yeah?”

“Don’t you think it would? It’s such a beautiful, old-fashioned building and amazing shop.” He regarded Daddy. “You know, the best of both worlds. Work and home all in one place.”

Daddy rubbed his chin then meandered over to the opposite display window. “Look, baby. It’s for sale.” He regarded Seth. “I wonder if that means the building or the business?”

Seth shrugged. He had no idea how business things worked. “Maybe both? Do people do that?”

Daddy crossed his arms as he stared at the building. “They do. Hmm.” He turned to Seth again. “Maybe they retired?”

Seth couldn’t tell if Daddy expected an answer as much as he was thinking out loud. He wandered over to where Daddy was and did the same thing he’d done earlier, cupping his hands around his eyes so he could peek inside. It certainly seemed as if Mr. and Mrs. Sherman had just locked the door one day and not come back. Nothing in the shop appeared as if it had been touched.

Daddy came up behind him and clasped Seth’s shoulder. “Did you mean what you said, about living in the apartment?”

Seth’s jaw dropped, his heart picking up a quicker pace. He whirled around to face Daddy. “Why?”

---