Chapter 9

(Lux)

Swirls of snowflakes and cinnamon dust

As far as first days off went, this one couldn’t be more perfect. It was ten fifteen in the morning and I already had a buzz from the bourbon and s’mores cream River dumped in our cocoa all morning. Not only had the temperature refused to rise since we’d gotten up, but Haven had claimed to see a trio of snowflakes when he’d been playing with Loki-Bear earlier that morning. I was curious to meet the dog, who I’d heard a ton about but hadn’t seen yet, and with family game night rapidly approaching, I wouldn’t have to wait much longer.

I’d brought my larger sketch pad over, and the messy chalk River had welcomed with open arms and a drop cloth he’d adorned the table with. From the spot he’d given me in the corner, I was out of the way of everything while having the perfect vantagepoint to watch him work. He had this way about him where he could make almost anyone smile and went out of his way to do just that, especially if he noticed someone looked off.

It dawned on me then that the vibe here reminded me of the neighborhood bar I’d frequented a great deal when I was in college. Shawny, the bartender that was there every night I went in, had always been ready with a listening ear whenever anyone had a problem. Sometimes he gave advice, most times he just stayed silent in between taking orders, letting a person ramble to their heart’s content while they unburdened themselves. He’d sure listened to me more than once, the same way River stood listening to a man talk about not being able to see his family for Christmas again this year and how lonely the holiday had gotten since Ruth, his Golden Retriever, had passed away.

“Been thinking about getting another dog, especially with the holiday’s coming,” the older man said. “Plenty of pets find themselves needing homes when ignorant people cast them out to bring new puppies and kitties in.”

“I keep the CBD for pet aches stocked if you ever find yourself in need of it again,” River offered.

“Good to know. It sure helped Ruby not be in pain when she started struggling to get around,” The older man said, before asking to see something in the display in front of him. River soon brought out the tray, the two leaning over it while Lux sketched River in profile. “I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna head right over there after I get done here, and I’m going to go meet the pets. Maybe the right one isn’t waiting, but maybe they are, which means I need to get my ass over there, bring them home and get them settled in before the snow starts flying, because let me tell you this, kid, it’s coming.”

“I believe you sir.”

“Good. You make sure you’re someone nice and warm when it does,” he declared. “And don’t expect to be open, either.”

That wasn’t the first time he’d heard that today, and it probably wouldn’t be the last. People were stocking up and River was slashing prices just to make certain his customers wouldn’t be without if the blizzard folks were predicting actually slammed into us. We hadn’t talked yet about if he wanted me to ride out the storm here with him, but I hoped the conversation was coming.

“Hey River, you got a sec?” his sister Meadow asked as she popped her head in, a sleepy-eyed child on her hip, her little thumb in her mouth as she blinked and clung to her mama.

“What’s up sis?”

“Have people been talking about the storm as much on this side as they’ve been when they’ve been getting gas?” she asked. “It’s been non-stop.”

“It’s been pretty non-stop over here too.”

“I think we should post up signs now to tell everyone we’re closed on Saturday,” Meadow declared. “I wouldn’t feel right about opening knowing you might be the only one able to be here unless Haven stayed upstairs with you Friday night, which I’d hate to ask him to do. There is just no way I’d be able to make it in, especially not with the kids, if we get as much snow as they’re predicting.”

“I’m fine with being snowed in here if Lux wouldn’t mind getting snowed in with me.”

“I can’t think of anything more fun.” I said when he turned to face me.

I got twin smiles from the pair and a wave from Daisy, the little girl Meadow held.

“Perfect, that’s settled then,” Meadow said. “Lux, thank you for volunteering to hang out here with River. I really appreciate you being such a good friend to my brother.”

“Lux isn’t just my friend,” River declared. “He’s my boyfriend and we’ve been talking about him being my Daddy, just like Maddox is for River.”

Her eyes widened for a fraction of a second before her grin grew wider and she regarded me with a bright, though slightly shred look.

“Then welcome to the family, Lux,” she said as she stared me down. “And know that if you ever hurt him, I will rain fireballs down on your head with a smile on my face, then patch you up afterward.”

“Now that’s the kind of mama bear vibe I can appreciate,” I acknowledged. “Trust me when I say that if I ever hurt him, I will come to you on bended knee and accept the fire balling of a lifetime.”

Silence met my words, as even I needed a moment before it fully hit me what I’d said, then River snickered, Meadow cackled, and even Daisy got in on the laughter that followed.

It was impossible for her to slap her stern face back on while she was wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes. Even River still snickered occasionally, while I just stood there and shook my head.

“I trust I’ve made my point,” she said, her glare lasting about a half a second before she started smiling again.

“Loud and clear.” I replied as I turned my attention back to my sketch, wanting to capture her standing there holding the little girl, before she had to hurry back to her side of the building to deal with her customers.

“Sis, I think you should take the kids, grab whatever groceries you need and head home,” Haven said as he stepped through the space between the businesses to join them. “I’ll close the garage early and take over on your side, but you need to get the kids home.”

“You and Maddox live as far out of town as I do,” she tried to protest.

He shook his head, then took his niece into his arms when she made grabby hands at him. “I just got off the phone with him and he says he got us and Loki-Bear a room at the new Bed and Breakfast that just opened on the far end of Main Street.”

“What?” River said. “I didn’t even know they were putting a B I want to make us a big batch of caramel corn.”

“Wait, you make your own?”

“Uh-huh. Wanna learn how?”

“You bet. You just tell me what to do and I’ll be the best kitchen helper you’ve ever had.”

“Now I wanna see you in an elf hat,” he replied, giggling as he eyed the top of my head.

“Alrighty then,” I chuckled, shoving the notebook into my pocket so I could get a move on.

“Aren’t you gonna write it down?”

“Huh?” I asked, playing the conversation back in my head and not being able to come up with a single ingredient that I’d forgotten. “I don’t think I forgot anything.”

“You didn’t write elf hat down,” he pointed out.

“Oh really.”

For a moment we just stood there staring into each other’s eyes until I finally conceded and pulled the notebook from my pocket again, making a big show of adding it, including spelling it out loud for his benefit. He wore an ear-to-ear grin by the time I got finished and waved as I headed out the door into a crisp, brisk wind that left me clutching my coat closed in front of me on the short walk up the block to the grocery store, which as I expected, was packed.

It was a good thing I wasn’t in a hurry. I took my time, picking up everything on the list, and a few surprises too, wanting a meal we could feed to one another and a decadent desert to round the evening out with.

Ultimate S’mores brownies immediately came to mind, and I detoured back to the baking aisle for the things I’d need, cart a little fuller than I’d expected by the time I got up to the checkout counter.

“Hey Mr. Sinclair, would you like paper or plastic?” Casey asked.

“Paper please,” I told him, and watched as he efficiently packed everything away, heavier stuff on the bottom, without even needing to be told.

“Thanks again for letting me come in during study hall to finish my painting,” he said. “I think the second one came out better than the first.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” I told him.

“Are you going to do any specialty classes next semester?”

“Specialty classes?” I asked, having heard little about what would be expected of me in the upcoming semester. Hell, they’d presented me with my new contract on the day before Christmas break, which I’d happily signed. Knowing my position was secure was a wonderful to kickstart the holiday. I felt like I could finally settle in.

“Yeah,” he said, slowing down a little, probably to give us time to finish the conversation. “In eighth grade we had a watercolor class and a charcoal pencil one. They said we’d have the chance to go more in depth with each, and learn new mediums, like oils and acrylics, once we got to high school, but nothing popped up when I did my schedule.”

“This is the first I’m hearing about it,” I admitted. “I’m not even sure how possible it would be, or if it would even be possible at all to add a new class when schedules have already been locked in, but I tell you what, let me find out and at the very least, maybe they’d be open to an afterschool sessions kids can sign up for if they’re interested. That way they can gage whether or not it would be worth it to have someone design an entire class.”

When I’d first started speaking, I could see his hopeful expression wane, replaced by a stormy, slightly stubborn one. It had already been clear as day to me that art was this kid’s favorite class, but now I was starting to wonder if it wasn’t also an escape for him from whatever else he had going on in his life. There were probably other kids like him too, kids whose whole world existed in the art room, the way mine had when I was a child. From the way River spoke, his had been the same way.

Yes, I intended to spend a ton of time with my new boy over my Christmas break, but nothing in that meant that part of our time couldn’t be filled with me picking his brain about all the things he remembered. If it would help me design a class of my own, maybe I could whip up a proposal before the end of the break, so the principal and the head of the creative arts department would have a chance to look over it.

“I’d sign up for the workshops,” he declared. “I know Mr. Gleeson would rearrange my schedule for me so I could attend them. My friend Tommy would come too, and I know Jessie would sign up, she’s always creating something.”

“Alright, then I’ll see what I can do on my end, and you put the word out to all of your friends and start getting them excited about the chance to get some extra art classes in.”

“I’ll start texting people as soon as I get home.”

“And I’ll start putting some lesson plans together,” I said. “See what people’s preferred mediums are too. Maybe I should put together an interest form? That way people can number their preferences. Probably need to run that past the administration first. Let me figure out the proper protocols and I’ll have an answer for you after the break.”

“Thanks Mr. Sinclair”

“No problem, Casey,” I said as he handed me my bags.

The whole way back to the dispensary, my head was buzzing with ideas. Ways to chain workshops together so the kids could not only learn new skills but also build on them, so they had less chance of being forgotten. Now I was glad I’d tossed my project planner in my bag when I’d headed over to River’s. I’d figured it would go unused, but now I knew exactly how I intended to start filling it. As I swept inside with a gust of wind and caught sight of River, once again dancing as he dusted, I smiled, images of the snowed in weekend ahead beginning to come to life in my mind.

I had just enough time for the first surprise too, I thought as I breezed past him, pausing only long enough to kiss him soundly and leave him breathless, giddy at the thought of what I’d have awaiting him at the end of his night.