by Alexa Land
But I really needed his help, so I approached him and tried to keep the desperation out of my voice as I said, “Hi Beck. I have a favor to ask.”
He flashed me his perfect smile. “The answer’s yes, Cassidy, no matter what the question is.”
That instantly threw me off, and I mumbled, “Oh…um, thanks.” I had no idea what the right response was to a statement like that. After a moment, I remembered to add, “I need some help with my Christmas shopping.”
His blue eyes lit up, and that smile increased another thousand watts. This was right up his alley. He loved solving problems, which was one of the reasons he was so good at running the ranch for his uncle. “This’ll be fun,” he said. “Do you want to shop here on Catalina, or should we take the ferry to the mainland?”
“Let’s stay on the island. I don’t have much time.”
“Alright. Do you have a list?”
“There’s one thing I want for sure, but after that I have no idea what to get for people. That’s what threw me off when I tried to do this on my own. This is all just so new to me.”
Beck nodded. He knew I didn’t have a family, and he also knew I used to keep everyone at arm’s length, including him. Given that, he could probably figure out I’d literally never bought Christmas gifts before.
But so much had changed over the last few months. I glanced at the gorgeous blond boy who was watering poinsettias across the courtyard and couldn’t help but grin. Elijah Everett had come into my life at Easter and turned my world on end. He’d also made me realize I was part of a family here at Seahorse Ranch, which meant my previously nonexistent Christmas list now had several names on it, with Elijah’s right at the top.
“Well, we can brainstorm some ideas on the way into town,” Beck said, as he stood up and tucked his laptop under his arm. “We should probably get going. Let me put this away and tell the guys we’re leaving.”
Beck went into the main building while I joined Elijah. My boyfriend grinned at me as he put down his watering can and slipped his hands around my waist.
To me, he was an absolute miracle.
Somehow this kind, beautiful, brilliant boy had seen something worthwhile in me, at a time when I kept such huge walls around myself that most people didn’t see me at all. He’d come to the ranch on spring break with friends, and after that he’d taken a job here as a bookkeeper. He wore me down slowly with little acts of kindness, until my fear of losing him overshadowed my fear of letting anyone get close to me, and I began to open up. He was the best thing that had ever happened to me, and I absolutely adored him.
I touched his cheek and murmured, “I can’t believe you’re mine.”
“Still?”
“That’ll continue to astonish me, even when we’re both a hundred.”
“Technically, you’ll be a hundred and two when I’m a hundred,” he said.
I grinned and told him, “But I’m going to stop counting when I hit a hundred, just like Nana Dombruso is eighty and holding in perpetuity. Then in a couple of years, you’ll catch up to me.”
His smile brought a light to his extraordinary, sapphire blue eyes. “I should have known you’d have it all figured out.”
I gathered him into my arms and kissed him, savoring the feel of his soft, full lips and the warmth of his body through his baby blue cardigan. Then I told him, “I need to go into town for a while, but I hope to be back before your family gets here.”
“There’s plenty of time, since I don’t expect them until late this afternoon. I just heard from Zan, and I’m going to head to his house in about half an hour. He threw his back out, and I’m going to help him with some of his holiday prep. I was going to ask if you wanted to come with me.”
“I wish I could, but I need to finish my Christmas shopping. I asked Beck to help me.”
“I love the fact that you two are bonding.”
I said, “It’s long overdue. So, since I’ve totally failed at figuring this out on my own, can you give me some hints about what I should get your family for Christmas?”
“I already wrote ‘from Elijah and Cassidy’ on all the stuff I got them, so you don’t have to worry about that.”
“But then I didn’t actually get them anything, and I really feel like I should.”
He thought about it and told me, “Well, Finn loves to eat, Chance likes chocolate, and they both drink coffee, so if you really want to get them something, how about a gift basket from that fancy market in town?”
“Is that enough? I don’t want to seem like I’m not trying.”
“I think it’s a great gift. That’s what I got for Zan and Gianni, along with a nice bottle of wine. They’re pretty impossible to shop for.” Elijah searched my eyes and said, “You seem worried. Please don’t stress out about this, Cassidy.”
“I’m trying not to. Any ideas for Beck and Tracy? And if I get those two gifts, I should get stuff for everyone else who works here, right? I also have no idea what to do about Colt. I doubt he’s getting me anything, but I don’t want to leave him out.” Colt and I weren’t exactly close, but he was like a brother to Elijah.
At one time, he’d also been Elijah’s boyfriend. When the two of them were teens, Colt’s older brother and his brother’s husband took the young couple in and became their legal guardians. So the fact that Colt and I continually got on each other’s nerves didn’t change the fact that I really needed to include him, both as my coworker and a member of my boyfriend’s unconventional family.
“Just stick his name on Finn and Chance’s gift basket,” Elijah said. “And if you want to, why not put together a second basket that everyone at the ranch can share?”
“You’re making all of this seem so simple.”
“It can be. I wish I could come with you and lend a hand, but I didn’t know you still had shopping to do when I agreed to help Zan.”
There was actually a very specific reason why I hadn’t asked him to come along in the first place, but I wasn’t going to tell him that. Instead, I said, “It’s fine. I’m in good hands with Beck.”
“You’re right, you are. I have a couple of things to do before heading over to Zan’s house, so I’ll see you soon. Try to have fun.” Elijah kissed my cheek before heading to our room.
I watched him go, then I sent a quick text to Tracy, letting him know I’d be gone for a few hours. He and I were in charge of keeping the ranch’s horses happy and healthy, and because he was even more of a workaholic than I was, I added: Make sure you take a lunch break. Seriously. The horses can live without you for an hour.
I turned toward the sound of Beck’s voice and tried to hide the frown that immediately formed when I saw that Colt was with him. So was Beck’s friend Vee. As usual, Vee was accompanied by his little blue parakeet, Clementine, who was perched on his owner’s head. I’d always found three things fascinating about that bird: he never flew away, he only said one thing, but in a way that seemed to convey real meaning, and he somehow knew enough not to shit on his owner.
I didn’t mind the fact that Vee and the bird were tagging along, but Colt’s presence made the outing more than a little awkward. “Turns out you’re not the only one with last-minute shopping to do,” Beck said cheerfully.
We boarded one of the ranch’s golf carts, and as Beck drove us down the long private driveway, he asked, “Okay, Cassidy, where do you want to start?”
The breeze swept my dark, shoulder-length hair into my face, and I tucked it behind my ear as I glanced at Colt. “A jewelry store,” I muttered. “I need to pick out an engagement ring.”
Cassidy: Chapter Two
A lot of different emotions played out in Colt’s blue eyes, and I wasn’t quite sure what to make of any of them. Finally, he seemed to land on annoyed. It had taken him a hell of a long time to get over Elijah after they broke up. He swore he’d moved on, but sometimes I wondered if he was being honest about that, both to Elijah and himself.
Colt snapped, “Why would you save something t
hat important for the last minute?”
“I’ve been trying to find the perfect ring for weeks,” I said. “I started by looking online, but eventually I realized I really needed to see it in person. Then I visited both jewelry stores on the island and six more in L.A. but…well, look at me.” As usual, I was wearing old jeans, a beat-up pair of sneakers, and a faded blue T-shirt with a flannel shirt over it. “Between the way I dress, my long hair, and the fact that I look like I’m fifteen instead of twenty-three, the salespeople treated me like dirt. Maybe this sounds silly or superstitious, but I want everything associated with the ring to be positive right from the start, since it’s something Elijah’s going to wear every day for the rest of his life. Given that, I wasn’t about to buy a ring from any of those assholes.”
Colt asked, “How’s Beck supposed to help with this?”
“I asked him to come with me both for moral support and because he knows almost everyone on the island. That probably includes at least some of the salespeople in the local jewelry stores, and since everybody likes him, it’s bound to be a better experience with him along.”
“Don’t you worry, honey,” Vee chimed in, as he twisted around in the passenger seat to look at me. “This is the most important purchase of your life, and we’re all going to make sure you get treated with r-e-s-p-e-c-t!” Predictably, that prompted him to launch into an enthusiastic Aretha Franklin number.
The parakeet shrieked, “What the fuck,” and flapped his wings, but remained perched on Vee’s thick, black hair. At the very least, we were going to be impossible to ignore.
*****
Predictably, the shops in Avalon were swarming with both tourists and locals. We parked near the beach, and as we made our way up the crowded sidewalk, Beck and Vee chatted animatedly. I hated crowds, so I wrapped my arms around myself and tried to avoid getting mowed down by the hoards of oblivious holiday shoppers.
Meanwhile, Colt strode ahead of us. He was a little over six feet tall with an athletic build, and he carried himself confidently, as if the crowds didn’t even register with him. His jaw was set in a grim line, and I wondered what he was thinking.
The first jewelry store we came to was flashy and pretentious, with marble floors, walls so white they could cause snow blindness, and long glass cases full of high-end merchandise. All of the salespeople were helping customers, and several more people were waiting their turn.
My group got a few looks when we walked in, and no wonder, between Beck’s Santa hat and deranged sweater, and the fact that Vee was sporting a parakeet. After a few moments, everyone went back to ignoring us. That was good actually, because it gave me the opportunity to drift from one display case to another and take a look at the jewelry, which sparkled under glaringly bright lights.
The only case with items specifically for men featured expensive watches and chunky bracelets. The few rings on display in that case all seemed too clunky, boring, or ostentatious for my beautiful boyfriend.
I squeezed past a few people clustered around a display case containing jewelry meant for women and crouched down to study the wedding bands. The scale was better, since Elijah was small and slender with graceful, delicate hands. But none of them seemed right for him. Beck came up behind me and asked, “See anything you like?”
I straightened up and shook my head. “There are some pretty ones, but overall the rings just seem so…ordinary.”
He nodded in agreement, as if that had made any sense at all. As we stepped aside to let the other customers browse, he asked, “What do you imagine when you think about Elijah’s ring?”
“One of his most prized possessions is that silver charm bracelet that used to belong to his grandmother, which he wears almost all the time. I guess I’m picturing something similar to that. It should be silver or platinum, and not too big and clunky, but not frilly, either. It needs to be gorgeous and unique, like Elijah. But everything I’ve seen, both here and online, is either too fancy, too plain, or kind of generic.”
From behind me, Colt said, “You’re going about this all wrong.”
He still seemed annoyed when I turned to face him. Colt brushed his short, dark hair off his forehead before crossing his arms over his chest, and I asked, “Care to enlighten me about the right way to do this?”
“You said it yourself, his favorite possession is that vintage, silver charm bracelet. Nothing in a modern jewelry store is going to look anything like that.”
“So, I should try an antique shop.”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“I’d actually already considered that,” I told him, “but I wasn’t sure about the idea of giving Elijah what would essentially be a used engagement ring.”
“That’s a weird way of looking at it.”
“Is it?”
“Well, yeah. It’s not that the things in an antique store are used, it’s that they have a history. Plus, whatever you find there is going to be one-of-a-kind.”
I considered that for a few moments, then said, “You’re right. But there’s only one antique shop on the island, so let’s hope they have what I’m looking for.”
Beck went up to Vee and told him, “Come on, we’re going to check out Trinkets and Treasures.”
Vee was swaying his ass in his tight jeans and whisper-singing Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend while perusing a case full of sparkling necklaces. He turned his big, dark eyes on his best friend and play-pouted, “Just five more minutes. Please, Daddy? Being around all this ice is making me tingly.”
Beck chuckled at that, and then he told Colt and me, “We’ll meet you over there, just as soon as I can pry Marilyn away from the shiny objects.”
Colt and I glanced at each other, and then we headed to the exit. The antique shop was several blocks away, and at first we walked in awkward silence. But after a while, I blurted, “You obviously don’t approve of any of this, but is that just because you don’t like me, or because you’re secretly still in love with Elijah?”
We’d been cutting down a back alley to avoid the crowds, and Colt turned to me and asked, “Who says I don’t approve?”
“Your expression when you found out I was planning to ask Elijah to marry me said it all.”
“It’s not that I disapprove, and I’m really not in love with him anymore, I swear. I just don’t want you to fuck this up. Elijah’s my best friend, and he deserves a perfect, romantic proposal. But you don’t even have the ring yet, and it’s the day before you plan to ask him.”
“I’m absolutely not going to fuck this up.”
Colt studied me for a moment, and then we started walking again as he asked, “What else did you get him for Christmas, in case the ring doesn’t pan out?”
“I already gave Elijah everything I bought for him. I couldn’t wait. He was cold one night, so I gave him his new sweater. And I gave him a box full of books when he mentioned he wanted something new to read. Then when we were decorating our tree, I gave him the blown glass ornaments I’d found for him.”
Colt sighed. “So, if you don’t find a ring, he’s not getting anything from you on Christmas Day.”
I muttered, “Because I’m not under enough pressure.”
“You can still propose though, even without a ring.”
“And I will, but I really hope I find what I’m looking for.”
Trinkets and Treasures occupied two floors of a purple Victorian near the edge of the shopping district. It was absolutely packed with stuff, from furniture, clothes, and toys to objects that defied categorization. Trying to navigate the store was like winding through a maze.
One of the first things I spotted was an adorable, tiny train set. The cars and the engine were each about two inches long. I picked up the faded, taped up box and read the description before turning to Colt and asking, “Do you think Elijah would like a train set? He has a thing for miniatures in general, but I don’t know how he feels about model trains.”
Colt’s expression softened, and he said, “He’d
love that. When Elijah ran away from home in his teens, he had to leave almost everything behind. He mentioned an antique train set once and said he missed it. I have no idea if it was anything like this one, but I’m sure he’d enjoy it.”
I watched him for a moment as he studied the graphics on the box, and then I admitted quietly, “I’ve always been so jealous of that.”
He met my gaze as he asked, “Of what?”
“The history you two share, and the fact that you’ve been best friends since you were both sixteen. I’ll never have that with him.”
“Look at it this way: I might share a past with him, but you get to share his future. That makes you such a lucky guy.”
“I know I am. God, am I lucky. I think of Elijah as a miracle, seriously.”
After a pause, he said, “Not that you asked for my opinion or anything, but I’m glad you’re asking Eli to marry you. You make him happy, and I know you’ll take good care of him. I also know you love him with all your heart. It’s super obvious.”
“I really do.”
“Like I said, I’m totally over him, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous. Sometimes I wonder if I’ll ever find someone to love me the way you two love each other. That’s basically my one ambition in life, pathetic as that may sound.” He’d said more than he intended to, and he quickly changed the subject with, “Now come on, focus. You need to make this Christmas spectacular for my best friend.”
“I will. There’s a lot of cool stuff in here. Actually, I see things for a few people on my Christmas list.”
We both reached for a cream colored Panama hat at the same time and said, nearly in unison, “I should get this for Beck.”
Colt grinned and said, “It can be from both of us. I’ll buy it and you can reimburse me for half the cost. I haven’t finished my Christmas shopping yet either, so I’m going to see what else I can find while you check out the jewelry case. It’s at the very back of the store.”
He went off in one direction, and I headed in the other. Along the way, I kept finding interesting little items that made me think of people I knew, and by the time I reached the counter at the back of the shop, my arms were full. The smiling, white-haired woman behind the counter said, “Let me take those for you,” and as I handed everything over, she asked, “Want me to start ringing you up?”