Page 83 of Shades of Grey & Gold

She lands at Logan at noon and Gio picks her up—which she calls suspicious and luxurious in the same breath, two adjectives I’ve decided are essentially her review of our entire situation—and she walks into the penthouse with garland in one hand and a cup carrier with two iced coffees in the other after she forced Gio to make a stop for us on the way back.She freezes.

“Max,” she shrieks.

“I know.”

“Max!” She gasps again. “Hedecorated?”

I roll my eyes towards the living room where two twelve-foot trees decorated with pretty glass ornaments sit, glittering and proud.

Garland covers the mantel of the electric fireplace and there are presents under one of the trees.

“And he bought presents!” She wheezes and twirls with the garland swinging around her like she’s in a Christmas movie.

“And some of them are for you,” I laugh out and make my way down the hallway to drop her suitcase in the guest room.

“For who?” She screeches.

I walk up behind her where she stands staring at the presents and trees.

“For you,” I whisper, waiting for more shrieks.

Cal showed up with his arms full a week ago, overflowing with colorful bags and boxes all beautifully wrapped in golden ribbon and glossy red paper. When I asked who they were for, he said he had to get on Becca’s good side. I scoffed at him and looked at a tag that said Max in his handwriting. When I asked about it, he said he didn’t know anyone with that name, and I proceeded to chase him through the penthouse. The chase somehow ended with us in the shower and his hands all over me.

Which was, arguably, better than any present he could have bought at any store.

“Does he have a brother? Wait. He does have a brother! I remember this about him!”

“No, for all intents and purposes, he does not.” I roll my eyes and take the garland out of her hands, laying it on the island in the kitchen. “But he felt like he needed to make Christmas special for us.”

“Special? Forus?” She cackles. “He is in love with you and I get to benefit by association and I’ve never been happier for myself—I mean, for you, obviously,” she continues laughing and drops her purse next to the lonely garland.

Her rainbow hair is curly, and her smile is dazzling as usual.

“I was so happy to take time off work I almost forgot to buy you something myself.”

“You didn’t need to get me a single thing because you being here is the best present.”

I hear Bart padding up the stairs down the hall and he saunters in, tail wagging for pets from Becca.

“I will not be shown up by any man,” she says in baby talk to Bart. “Will I, Bart? No, sir, I will not!”

“So, the new job has been fine?”

“No, it sucks.” She stands up and claps her hands. “But I’m surviving!”

I sigh, wishing I could fix it.

“Maybe you can get a real estate license and sell my house.”

“Does that mean you’re staying here forever?” She raises her eyebrows at me and smiles.

I take a big breath. There’s nowhere else I want to be. I know this thing with Cal is new. But it’s the old kind of new. The kind of new that feels worn in and fits just right.

“I don’t know, but I don’t think I want to be back in Abbott.”

“That’s fair. Who does, really?” She turns around and puts her hands on her hips, eyeing the penthouse slowly. “And, honestly, Max, I wouldn’t want to leave either. Look around.”

Those words are truer than she realizes.