“I think you and I both know the only Christmas gift I want from you.”
“A tablet?” he asked, holding up the box.
“No. To keep the store,” Molly replied. She shook her head at him and handed him a box of earplugs. “Here. Do you think these will work for tonight?”
Nicholas took the earplugs into his free hand. “I think so...”
“Molly Carmichael, you better have a good reason for being in my store,” a man’s voice interrupted. He sounded angry. “I told you last time what would happen if you came here again.”
Molly saw Nicholas's eyes go wide, and she turned around to see a large man looming over the two of them. His large muscled arms were crossed and his gray eyes dark and dangerous.
“That I would always be your favorite customer?” She gave him a cheesy grin. “Hi, Grant.”
The intimidating look left the man's face, replaced with a friendly grin and a laugh. “Yup. Favorite customer.”
He reached for her, hugging her close and swinging her around in a circle. She shrieked with surprise and delight.
“It’s good to see you, Grant,” Molly said, laughing in Grant’s arms. “How’ve things been going today?”
He carefully set her back down from the spin. She had to adjust her jacket and scarf from where they had tangled during her spin.
“Pretty good, pretty good. Better, now that you’re here.” Grant grinned at Molly as he leaned against a nearby display. “You’re going to the kids’ choir show tonight, right?”
“Going? I’m directing it, Grant,” she reminded him.
“Oh. I'm guessing you don't want me to pull the fire alarm this time, then?” he asked.
Molly grinned. “Nah. Maybe next time.”
“As long as you'll still meet me under the bleachers when the teachers aren't looking,” Grant replied with a wink.
Molly started laughing remembering their high school days. They'd tried dating exactly one time and it had gone horribly bad. Bleachers, teachers, and a call to the principal had all been involved.
“I’m Nicholas Kerstman. Nice to meet you, Grant,” Nicholas announced. He stepped forward, getting between Molly and Grant.
Molly felt a blush heat her cheeks at her rudeness for not introducing them. She usually had better manners than that. She wasn't sure why, but she suddenly felt embarrassed about the way Grant greeted her.
Nicholas held out his hand in greeting. Grant took it, but then pulled Nicholas into one of his signature bear hugs. Molly shook her head. Grant was a hugger.
“Nice to meet you, Nicholas,” Grant said, slowly releasing Nicholas from the surprise hug. “Kerstman, huh? Any relation to Suzanne and Howard?”
“All the relation. He’s their son,” Molly told him. “He’s here visiting the shop for a few days.”
“Oh, that’s cool,” Grant replied. He grinned at the two of them. “I’ll let you two get back to it. It's great to see you, Molly.”
“You too, Grant,” she said, patting his arm.
Grant laughed one last time before he waved goodbye to Molly, and she waved goodbye right back. She sighed and shook her head.
“So is that him?” Nicholas asked curtly.
“What? Him?” Molly turned back towards Nicholas. “What do you mean?”
“Don't tell me there's not something going on there,” he said with a shrug. “You could have just said you were seeing someone.”
Molly stared at him for a moment, not understanding.
“Grant? You think I should date Grant?” Molly laughed and shook her head. “That would be a terrible idea. The fact that he has a wife and two kids would really complicate things.”