Page 63 of A Surefire Love
The boys gravitated toward the candles. Carter popped the wooden lids off the jars one after another, smelling each before putting them back. Rarely, he offered one to his friend to smell. Did he actually want a candle?
Anson made his way up the aisle and stopped by the teens. “Who’re we shopping for?” He picked up one labeled apple pie, but it didn’t smell as good as canned pie filling, let alone the from-scratch delicacy his mom baked every autumn.
“Which one do you think my mom would like?” Carter set downlavender charcoaland picked uphyacinthdreams.
“She likes flowers?” Anson asked.
Carter shrugged.
Anson tried cherry blossom, but that smelled like baby powder. “What’s the occasion?”
“Just want to get her something.”
Anson chuckled. “Trying to get out of trouble?”
Carter shook his head, mouth tightly shut.
Obviously disinterested, his friend wandered back outside as Anson tried more of the food-scented candles. His hand hitched mid-reach in front of one labeledpeanut butter cookies. The ivory wax didn’t come close to recreating the aroma of Blaze’s baking.
He tried another, then offered it to Carter. “Sugar cookie’s not bad. My mom likes the ones that smell like vanilla like this.”
Carter accepted the candle, inhaled, and chewed his lip. “It doesn’t smell like soap like most of them.”
“It’s the thought that counts, right? She’ll be happy you thought of her while you were out with your friends.” Few teenage boys would. Some of the youth group girls browsed nearby, but none of the boys.
Except Jasper, who trailed behind Mercy and Hadley carrying a massive pumpkin. Poor kid.
As Carter started for the register, Anson considered getting a candle for Blaze. But again, fire. Plus, the peanut butter cookie candle didn’t smell as good as the real thing. Maybe he should bake cookies for her. Since Blaze was tired, she probably wasn’t spending much time in the kitchen, but she clearly valued homemade food.
Decision made, he caught up to Carter in line. “How’s your mom been?”
“Okay, I guess.”
“Just okay?”
Carter shrugged, his main mode of communication today.
“Is she still involved with the women’s ministry?”
“Yeah.” The line moved forward, and Carter put the candle on the counter. He didn’t offer more details about why he thought a gift was in order.
Anson prayed Carter would talk to him if something significant had happened. With basketball tryouts starting Tuesday, they’d see more of each other. Maybe then he’d open up. “I’m getting a cider for the road. Want to come?”
Carter looked at the brown gift bag the cashier hadplaced the tissue-wrapped candle in, then at his friends, then toward the van. “Yeah, sure.”
Movementthrough the living room window drew Blaze’s attention from the TV. A dark blue SUV parked at the curb. She made a living off cars and tended to note what makes and models people drove. Despite never having been inside this vehicle, she knew who drove it.
Anson.
She flung aside the blanket she’d draped across her lap. Bunny fur coated one knee of her black joggers. A ranch dressing stain marred her charcoal gray sweatshirt. She’d gone an extra day without shampooing her hair because she wasn’t supposed to see anyone today besides Mercy.
Even that was limited. Mercy came home from the corn maze and then headed to the library with Amelia.
Anson stepped onto the front walk. She didn’t have time to change, but she did snatch a hair clip off the coffee table. The thing would never manage to restrain all her hair, but it held the top half back.
As he rang the bell, she stabbed the button to turn off theNorth and Southminiseries she’d been watching. Just seconds before the big kiss at the finale too. She paused a moment to breathe before swinging open the door.
Anson wore jeans and a flannel layered over a T-shirt. Autumn sunshine washed his shoulders and highlighted his hair. He held a thin produce bag and the container she’d used when she left him cookies. “Hey.”
