Page 10 of Christmas Souls

"Maybe you can add some sessions for adults. Is that something you'd see yourself doing?"

She tenses up, and her anxious expression returns.

"I'm sorry. Forget I said that. Only you know what you want for the future, and I know you can make it happen. Whatever it is."

"Thanks. I'm not sure what my next steps will be after I sell grandmother's house."

"I didn't mean to pry."

She gives me a sweet smile and I shudder at the impact that such a small gesture has on me.

"You're a planner,” she says. “You've always been a planner. You take every scrap of information you get from the people around you and start figuring out what the future looks like for you and them."

"That makes me sound like I'm a busybody," I frown.

"You care about others."

I'm trying to keep the words from bursting out of my mouth, but I can't help it.

"I care about you."

"Maybe you shouldn't."

"Why? Are you going to break my heart again?" As soon as I say it, I realize what a mistake I’ve made. Whatever progress I saw during the day now evaporates.

"We should go." She says.

As we walk through the shop, the old biddies badger us, but the look on Mandy's face never changes. She's closed off to everything and everyone now.

Back at her grandmother's place, I'm just in time to gather all the crew and close up for the day. Mandy says she's going to stay for a little while.

I can't help but worry about her. She's keeping something from me about her time in New York. I wish she truly trusted me like she did before. Things like this can't be pushed, though. Her trust needs to come organically as we get closer. I hope we get closer, and I wonder what my brother Ben will say when I tell him I want to make her mine again.

Chapter 5

Mandy

The kitchen and living room are finally ready, and I want to celebrate with Michael. I know it's wrong. He'll think I want to get back together with him again, but I can't help myself. He's the one I want to share this win with. Wait, do I want to get back together with him? I don't know what's up or down right now. I owe a huge debt to a loan shark and can't think about romance right now.

There's a soft knock at the front door, and I know it's just Michael coming back to have dinner with me. He looked really happy when I invited him, so I'm hoping this is not the wrong thing to do. I've never felt this insecure about something in mylife. I don't know what's going on with me. The man in question pops his head in the kitchen.

"Wow, it smells amazing in here. Way to christen the kitchen."

"Hey, I just need about fifteen more minutes. Why don't you get a beer from the fridge?"

"Do you want a beer?” he asks, “Or do you want me to pour you a glass of wine?"

"Beer is okay."

He stands next to me and opens the fridge door. He takes out two bottles and removes the caps in that magic way men do. I've never learned how to do it, nor do I want to.

I toss the salad while Michael watches me intently.

"Do I have something in my hair?"

"What? Why?"

"You keep staring at me."