Page 20 of Love Letters to Christmas

Amelia startles, but it’s too late for me to adjust my tone. “There’s another thing?” she whispers, frail.

“Yes, there is. Why are you going to the store by yourself?”

Her lashes flutter as she looks at me. “To…get ingredients I need for things?”

“There’s a list for that. On the fridge. SoIcan go to the store and get the ingredients you need for things. You should not be using your own money to then cook my meals.” I cross my arms,veryserious. “This isn’t Bandera. It’s dangerous to go shopping alone in the city. There are all sorts of ruffians hanging around.”

“Ruffians?” she echos, then realization crosses her face.

Inexplicably, my stomach knots. She’smeta ruffian, hasn’t she? And she didn’t even realize it until now? I cannot let her out of my sight.

“Is that what the teenagers who sold me my new cookbook are?”

What.

“It’s the healthy one I mentioned. It’s vegan. And it has lots of pictures.”

What, what.

“They stopped me as I was getting to my car and asked if I was interested. I’ll be honest, I thought they were selling drugs at first, but it was just a really pretty and well-put-together cookbook. I bought it. I’ve been adapting some of the recipes since we’re not vegan, but the cashew cheese one looks pretty good, so I might give it a try.”

Liam wouldloveto hear about this.

Wait, no.

I thread my fingers back through my hair and rub the nape of my neck. “I don’t think those kids were ruffians, exactly. Still, you should let me handle the shopping. Just in case.”

“Just in case I’m…sold more cookbooks with bran recipes in them?”

Considering I think I would prefer drugs… “Yes.”

Clasping her hands together against her dress skirt, she blows out a breath and nods. “I understand. I shall be vigilant.”

Tension leaves my muscles. “Good. I’m glad we had this talk.” Mailroom calling my name, I pop open my car door.

Amelia’s timid voice stops me before I can step out. “You’re not mad, are you?”

“Mad?” At her? For…what? Spending her own money on a horrible attempt to get fiber and nutrients in me? “Why would I be mad?”

She opens her door. “N-no reason. I’m just making sure.”

Huh.

Mad. At her. What a wildly impossible thing to suggest.

I’m still thinking about it when I sit in my office and doeverything in my power to make my Flag Day event presentation for Liam cute. I’m still thinking about it thirty minutes later, when Amelia knocks on my door. My attention leaves the pastel red-and-blue stars I’m scattering all over the PowerPoint slide to find a woman that no one should ever be mad at.

Ever.

It’s unnatural.

It’s unjust.

It’s…

I blink at the small paper bag in her hand. “What do you have there, A-mail-ia?”

She enters my office fully and places the parcel on my desk. She cannot meet my eyes. “I feel bad…thinking about you going hungry.”

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