Page 36 of Wrapped with a Beau

Ves clears his throat. “They were nonstick.”

Her relief that he broke the silence first is mingled with confusion. “Um, what?”

“The things I threw out. The coating was burned in patches, like the nonstick wore off years ago.”

“Oh. You don’t have to justify anything to me, Ves. You can do what you want. If it wasn’t worth keeping, then...” She shrugs. “That’s that.”

“Right. Exactly.” He interlocks his fingers together, then releases them. He appears as if he’s working up to something important. “Elisha, I know I’m not the easiest person to deal with. And we butt heads.”

Understatement. Her lips curl into a smile. “A lot.”

He nods. “A lot. But you’ve been a good friend to me. And I haven’t said it enough, or at all, so... thank you. For your kindness and your help. It isn’t a small thing to me.”

When she thinks about what she wants to be to him, friends isn’t the first thing that springs to mind.

“That’s what we do around here. We welcome.” She waits a beat, then cheekily adds, “Well, and also go through your trash, apparently.”

He gets her back without missing a beat. “Just for that, I’m going to ask your grandfather what aversion you have toward winter outer garments.”

Her mouth drops. “You wouldn’t! That’s cheating.”

“Not if we didn’t set any rules.”

“Fine.” She crosses her arms. “Let’s set them right now.”

“I’m back!” The front door slams.

Ves smirks. “Sounds like he’s back early.”

It’s not even the big secret that he seems to think, but Elisha hisses at him like it is. “Don’t you dare play dirty, Ves Hollins.”

Dryly, he says, “I’m quaking in my L.L.Bean house slippers.”

“You know, we get their catalogs in the mail every year around Christmastime and I always wondered who they actually work on.” She pauses dramatically. “And then I met you.”

“ ‘Met’ me? ‘Met’ is not a synonym for a little light trespassing to start your morning off right.”

“You are never going to let that go, are you?”

Ves opens his mouth but snaps it shut just as Grandpa Dave ambles back in.

“I remembered your mom had vanilla in the freezer, so I saved myself the trip to the store,” explains Grandpa Dave, holding out the tub of ice cream. “Sorry about just letting myself in, son.”

Ves laughs and puts it away. “It must run in the family.”

Grandpa laughs too, a big boom that peters out into a gentle chuckle. “Not every couple has such a memorable first meeting. At least you got a good story out of it.”

Oh no, she has got to clear this up. “Grandpa, we’re not a—”

“No, no, I know you’re not. But if it ever happens, you’ve got this tale handy,” he says cheerfully. “Ves, has Elisha taken you to see the Enchanted Forest luminarias?”

“Again, not a couple,” Elisha says hurriedly. “And I’m sure he isn’t interested in our little small-town traditions. Right, Ves? He has better stuff to do. I mean, he hasn’t even seen Sleighbells.”

“They filmed one of the most romantic scenes in the forest just outside of town,” explains Grandpa. “For the movie’s fiftieth and her eightieth birthday, I was hoping to surprise Maeve this Christmas with the original sleigh. Elisha found it on one of those auction sites. It’s a bit run-down right now, but nothing that can’t be fixed.” He falters. “I... guess there’s always next year.”

“I’ll find the time to help you,” says Elisha. “As soon as I get everything scheduled for the cast and camera crew’s arrival in mid-January, I’m all yours, okay, Grandpa?”

Ves’s brow furrows. “I thought all you were waiting on was my permission to film the outside the house? What else do you need to do?”

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