Page 29 of All I Want For Christmas Is You

“Thank you for saying that. That’s really nice.”

“Jessa did a lot of art programs as a teenager, and she used to talk about finding her voice. If your work is an expression of your personality, your spirit, I’d say you’ve done that. In any event, what do your buyers think?”

She smiled. “There aren’t a lot, but the ones I do have left pretty great reviews.”

“There you go.” His thumb brushed her cheek in the most darling way, and her knees went weak. She wanted to let go and just sink into him, but he got back to measuring the cloves.

He couldn’t understand how his support impacted her. Sure, she had a few nice reviews, but the people who shopped on her site were faceless. Like bots. Having someone real look at her work and compliment her… She needed that.

But she didn’t want to get all dramatic around him, so she steered the conversation in a new direction. “Well, in any event, there’s still lots of time for Walker to travel.”

He dipped the measuring spoon into the ginger. “You know, by nature, he’s a real homebody. I’ve always wondered if his interest in travel comes from himself or from the stories he heard about my childhood.” He cut her a look. “Mine was fairly unconventional.”

“Unconventional?”

“Yeah. After my mom left, my dad changed. Basically, he said, ‘Fuck this.’ He’d played by the rule book, and it hadn’t worked out. He started dating Annie—my stepmom who’d had a heart attack at thirty-five—so she was on the same page. They both agreed that a life of nine-to-five jobs and sitting down to a family dinner of roasted chicken and green beans was not what they wanted. So, they sold the house, bought an RV, and we hit the road.”

“What about school?”

“They were both college professors, so they felt comfortable homeschooling me. I got to see the whole country. You ever hear of Dinosaur National Monument?”

She smiled. “I sure have. I took my kids there on the infamous eleven-thousand-mile road trip. My son was obsessed with dinosaurs, so I thought he’d love it. Boy, was I wrong. I was the only one who got a kick out of seeing those bones. But it’s very cool that your parents showed you the world.”

“In a way, it was. But it also sucked being a kid with no friends and not having roots. Eventually, my parents grew tired of life on the road, and they went back to teaching. It was an interesting childhood.”

“So, you’re helping raise your grandchild. What about your ex? Does she pitch in?”

“Not at all. She told our son if he went through with it, he’d have to take full responsibility, and he couldn’t look to her for help. She’d already raised three children.”

“Wait, so does she spend time with her grandson at all?”

“Not really. She’s in her own world.”

That’s so sad. “I guess I can see her point of view.” She could never imagine having that attitude with her children or not knowing a grandchild, but who was she to judge?

He gave her an affectionate grin. “You’re very kind.”

“No, I mean it. I do understand her perspective.”

“But you wouldn’t share it.”

“I’ve never been in her shoes, so I can’t say what I’d do, but I believe I would respect my son’s decision and be there for him however I could. I don’t have a lot of money, and I have to consider my future, but if he needed my help, I’d offer to live with him to share childcare and household responsibilities.”

“That’s what I figured.” He wrapped the dough in plastic wrap. When he came back from the fridge, he asked, “We done?”

“We can be. I’m sure you have other things to do.”

“I do.” He glanced at his watch. “But, oh look. It’s time for a vanilla chai latte. Let me buy you one.”

She laughed. “I can’t believe you know what time I drink my tea. I’m either shockingly boring or utterly fascinating.”

“I think you know my answer.” He brushed flour off her collarbone.

A shiver of awareness tripped down her spine. Which was an odd response considering it wasn’t even a sexual gesture.

“I want to spend more time with you,” he murmured.

“Oh.” It all felt so delicious. The excitement, the fear, the anxiety he roused. None of it made any sense—why did this man want to be with her?—but she loved it. And maybe because it was a whole new suite of emotions than what she’d experienced the last eight months—no, eight years—she welcomed it. “Let’s get that tea.”

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