24. December 25: Savannah

"Ididn't expect this," I mumble, my eyes wide. Samples of different coffees and a bowl of peppermint creamer sits on a wooden tray next to a stack of scones. "Is this for me?"

"Yep," he says. "I wanted to get you something for breakfast this morning, and you wouldn't give me any ideas. It was either this spread or my homemade burnt toast."

He holds his own mug of coffee and leans against the couch. The Christmas tree we cut down and decorated together glistens with the colorful lights Wilder insisted on. We argued about white lights versus colored, and he won when he mentioned that colored lights are a happy memory from his childhood. I couldn't take that from him. He's so boy-like at Christmas, and it makes my heart happy to see him in the Christmas spirit.

It"s like he's a different person the last few days. Kinder. Calmer. Gentler.

"I got you something else," he says, ruffling around in his hoodie pocket before bringing out a small box. He holds it out to me, and I walk over to take the gift, my mouth dry. "I hope you like it."

I quickly take the bow off the box and make short work of the snowman wrapping paper. Thoughts of him hiding a present in the guest room and wrapping it out of my view make my heart swell. Wilder practically bounces on his toes as he watches me, unblinking and sipping his coffee to hide the fact that he's anxious about me liking whatever's in the container.

The box is a typical jewelry store box, black velvet on the outside, and I run my hand over the top of it, mildly terrified of what's inside. I know it's not an engagement ring since we're breaking up in fifty-two days and three hours, but I'm nervous he spent a lot of money or time picking it out.

I inhale when I open the box and see a necklace that's simple platinum with my birth stone in the center. It's simple, elegant, and something I'd wear every day. It matches everything, won't ask questions of future relationships when they wonder who gave it to me, but it'll remind me of him.

It's also the first piece of jewelry anyone has ever given me.

I stare a moment, and he sighs, probably thinking I don't like it. Nothing could be further from the truth.

He wisely sets his steaming coffee down on the nearby table, probably remembering the last time I attacked him in an emotional state. He puts his arms out for me at the last second, and I fall into them. "I love it," I whisper into his chest. "It's perfect."

I could stay buried in his shirt until March. He smells like coffee and whipped peppermint cream he probably added to one of the coffees. But there's also the hint of Wilder. His personal smell that I'll never be able to erase from my mind. Fuck, am I like a dog that will never forget a scent?

"Are you sure? We can take it back and get you something else. I wanted it to be something you could wear anywhere. Do you really like it?"

"Yes," I say, pulling back from his chest and cupping his face. "Thank you."

"I also wanted you to feel special because you are special to me," he says, pressing a kiss against my forehead. "I've never purchased jewelry before."

Tears prick my eyes. "Never?"

He shakes his head and tilts my chin, even though I'm already looking at him. "You are a special woman, Savannah Smart. I know I'm not boyfriend material, but you are girlfriend material. You'll find someone someday when you're ready. He'll be perfect for you, and there won't be a contract. But always know that our time together was important."

"I got you something, too," I say, pulling away from him. This is getting too emotional, and I need to step away from him before I fruitlessly profess my undying love.

"What is it?"

He looks so boyishly happy, the smile on his face making his entire body light up. It suddenly strikes me that he probably didn't get many presents as a child or in foster care as a teen. Does he exchange gifts with Gus? He said he's never bought jewelry before, but did he exchange gifts with the other women he's cuffed with?

I shake my head and walk to the shelf where I hid his gift behind a book. I knew he'd never look there. "I got it a couple of weeks ago." I palm the gift and walk across the room.

"Let me see," he demands, playfully trying to pry my fingers apart.

We play fight and wrestle for a minute, and he throws me over the couch before covering my body with his own. He tickles me, and the sound of my laughter mixed with the Christmas music playing on Alexa makes me think about my own childhood. Have I had such a carefree and happy Christmas since my dad died?

He finally gets the item in my hand and stills as he looks at it, the smile disappearing from his face. He looks from his present to my eyes, and I panic. "Do you already have one?"

He shakes his head, but grabs the item, opens it, and sucks in a breath. "Savannah!"

That's all he mutters. No thank you. No telling me to fuck myself. "If you don't like it, we can take it back. I mean, it's engraved, but I thought you could use it for hiking and camping this summer," I say.

He stares at the bronze compass case and opens it a few times as if testing the clasp. Maybe it was too much to have it engraved with the instruction to use it to find his way when he's lost. He must hate the inference that he should find his way back to me.

I need to cover fast.

"It's just so you find your way around campsites," I nervously laugh. "Can't have you getting eaten by a bear or…a pack of wolves." Really? A pack of wolves?

He looks down at me, his legs still pinning me in place. "Nobody has ever given me anything like this. Ever." His voice is husky, and he clears his voice to hide it. "I'll use it all the time."

I need to change the subject. Pastry. That's it! Let's talk about the pastry he obviously went out and got this morning. "Want a scone?" I ask, playfully kicking him away and rolling off the couch and onto the floor as he sits back on the couch, still staring at the compass.

Fuck, this is just pathetic. It's obvious we gave each other caring gifts because we care about each other. Now, I'm talking about fruit-flavored dough.

He shakes his head and glances at the tray he prepared. "Uh, yeah, I also got you some flavored coffees. I wasn't sure which you wanted for Christmas."

I walk over to the tray and kneel, picking up a cup and blowing on it before taking a big gulp. "Anything you want to do today?" I ask, hoping to shift focus away from the gifts.

"Are we going to Heather's?"

"If you want to and can handle any tirade I have."

"I'll get the shower curtain and honey ready," he chuckles.