Chapter 9

Chapter

Nine

Adrian

So far, I’d been roped into doing so many things I’d never had the opportunity to do before. For example, going to pick out a fresh Christmas tree. My mother’s holiday trees had always been professionally trimmed and straight out of a magazine, so it was all new listening to the kids bicker as they searched for the perfect one. Then we’d gone home, and while Victor and Jeremy put the lights on the tree, Marissa and I had opened all the new packages of ornaments and other decorations they’d already picked up.

I’d also hung out with the kids and watched Victor string lights around the rooftop. He’d done an amazing job; it looked like a professional had hung them. They’d also put a big blowup snow globe in the front yard with a scene of elves working in a workshop assembling Santa’s toys.

We’d taken to walking Goldie a little later at night so that we could see all the different decorations throughout the neighborhood. I had to admit, I’d been missing out. So many houses oozed holiday cheer. Others were just funny because they were so obnoxious. Those were Jeremy’s favorite, and he wanted to walk past them every night.

“So who do we have left on your list, Marissa?” Victor asked as we strolled through the small downtown shops. The kids had already purchased a gift for their mom, her boyfriend, and his two children. I helped them shop online for Victor and had his gifts delivered to my house. Those were the only people Jeremy had been worried about, but Marissa was exchanging gifts with a couple of friends from school.

“Only Ava, but she’s impossible to buy for, Daddy. She wouldn’t give us any ideas.” Victor and I glanced at each other, suppressing our laughter. Imagine, an eight-year-old being that impossible to shop for.

“What’s that?” Jeremy asked, pointing at what looked like one of those old-fashion school buses, but with an explosion of rainbow colors.

“I don’t know, champ,” Victor said, holding out his hand for Jeremy to take before we went into the parking lot.

“Can we go check it out?” Marissa asked. “Maybe I can find something for Ava.”

“On that bus?” I asked doubtfully.

“We’ll never know if we don’t go look,” she said, grabbing my hand and tugging me down the sidewalk toward the rainbow-drenched vehicle.

This was the first time she’d initiated that kind of contact with me, so I looked at Victor helplessly while letting her drag me along. There was no way I’d shake her off. It kind of felt like a special moment. Based on the twinkle in Victor’s eyes, I was right. Feeling a little emotional about it, I fixed a frown firmly on my face. No one needed to know that this little girl had me all choked up. How embarrassing.

When we reached the side of the bus, I was pleasantly surprised by the painting of the shop’s name on the side. The Hooks Traveling Book Nook . Marissa spun to me excitedly. “Does that mean it’s a traveling bookstore, Adrian?”

I nodded. “It looks like it. Do you think you can find something for Ava in there? Maybe a cool journal or a diary,” I suggested. She did a full-body wiggle, which I assumed meant I had a good idea.

“Ha-ha. That’s the kind of excitement I like to see,” a little old lady of about seventy or so said, standing on the curb next to the bus’s open door. “Would you all like to go in and take a look around?”

Jeremy slipped his little hand into mine on the other side from his sister, and I glanced over my shoulder at Victor. He winked, smiling happily. “Can we?” Jeremy asked. “I’ve never seen nothing like this before.”

“Anything,” Marissa corrected absently as she continued staring at the bus with wonder.

“Huh?” Jeremy asked me, confused.

“You said you’ve never seen nothing like this before, and your sister was reminding you that it should have been, you’ve never seen anything like this before,” I said.

He rolled his eyes. “Well, can we?”

All three of us turned and looked at Victor, who held his hands up in surrender. “Who am I to deny a thirst for books?”

The little old lady beamed. “You’re my kind of people,” she said. “I’m Jane. If you step on inside, you’ll meet my wife, Cybil.”

Jeremy held out his hand for her to shake. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Jane,” he said politely.

She giggled, making the sweetest little sound, then shook his hand. “Aren’t you a little charmer.”

He scrunched his nose back at her. “I don’t know what a charmer is, but my dad calls me champ.”

She sighed, placing her hands over her heart. “I bet he does. Go ahead, champ. Go see what you can find.”

“Okay.” He rushed toward the bus steps, dragging me along behind him. Marissa followed right on my heels, and at this point, I hoped Victor was behind us.

“Oh wow, this is cool,” Marissa said with awe. She wasn’t kidding. There was just as much rainbow decorating on the inside as there had been on the outside. It was everywhere. There were books lining the sides and, in the back, along with some seating.

Jeremy let go of my hand, sidestepping people as he made his way to a shelf farther down that had dragon figurines sitting on top. I had to assume it was the children’s section, but I had no doubt he’d be back if it wasn’t.

Marissa went straight to another lady who looked like she might be in her seventies, as well. “Are you Cybil?”

The woman smiled sweetly. “I am. Did my Jane send you in here to me?”

Marissa nodded. “I was hoping you could help me find a journal or a diary for my friend.”

Victor’s hand landed on my left shoulder as he leaned down, whispering into my right ear. “That girl is fearless. I’m not sure I would’ve ever asked for help in a store at that age.” He glanced around. “No matter how cool it was.”

I snorted. “I still prefer finding things on my own rather than talking to a perfect stranger.”

Victor smirked. “You don’t say?”

I stuck my tongue out at him, then startled when I heard giggling much like the woman outside. Apparently, Cybil had shown Marissa what she needed and was back. “Aren’t you two the cutest?” she said. “You remind me of me and my wife. And your children are precious.”

My eyes widened, and I shook my head frantically, needing her to understand. “We’re not married or anything.”

Victor squeezed my shoulder. “We are something.”

“Yeah, I mean, we’re together.” I glanced around, trying to make sure Marissa and Jeremy didn’t hear me. Then I leaned toward Cybil and whispered, “But it’s new. We’re only dating, so the kids aren’t mine.”

Horrified at how that might sound to Victor, I turned to him. “Not that there’s anything wrong with your kids. I love them.” I stopped, feeling my jaw drop open.

Victor chuckled. “I think he just figured it out,” he said to Cybil, the woman we didn’t even know.

She nodded and smiled at me gently. “Love, no matter what kind, sneaks up on the best of us.”

“But I just met them all,” I said softly, more to myself than anyone else.

Jane, the woman from outside, snuck around me and went to her wife’s side, slipping an arm around her waist. Her eyes twinkled as she said, “You know how it goes. Every good book begins with a once upon a time.”

Cybil visibly swooned at her wife’s words. “Oh, you.” She leaned in and gave her a quick kiss. It was probably one of the sweetest things I’d ever seen, but I was mid-crisis. I loved Marissa and Jeremy. Did that mean I loved Victor, too? Oh God, did I want to be part of their family?

“Adrian, can you come help me decide between these two,” Marissa whisper-yelled from halfway down the bus.

I looked at Victor helplessly. She was his daughter. Why was she asking for my advice? He leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine. As he pulled back, he said, “It looks like you’re up.” Then he winked.

Feeling like I was in the twilight zone, I made my way on shaky legs to Marissa’s side. She held up the two diaries, one bright pink and one a swirl of blues, but both had locks. “What do you think?” She glanced up at me, then did a double take. “Are you okay?”

“I’m not sure,” I admitted honestly.

She nodded matter-of-factly. “I get it. You look just like my mom did when she realized that she really liked Paul and his two daughters. She got used to it. So will you.”

Stunned, I asked, “You don’t care?”

She shrugged. “I wasn’t so sure about you at first, but Goldie loves you, and then you taught me all those cool things about trees. I think it’s going to be awesome having you around.”

Jeremy ran up, interjecting, “And you make the best chili!”

I put my finger to my lips. “Shh. Inside voice, remember?”

Marissa grinned at me. “See, you already know what you’re doing. Now help me decide between these two.”

I took one last look around, trying to figure out what had just happened, and saw Cybil and Jane smiling at me fondly, even though they didn’t know me. Marissa shook her head like she felt sorry for me for being so slow to figure out what was going on in my own life. Jeremy had already moved on to another bookshelf, but such was the innocence of a five-year-old. And Victor, well, he smiled at me almost… lovingly. My life was so weird.