Christmas on Main Collection

Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

AURORA

The bell to the shop rings, alerting us that we are no longer the only people in the shop.

“I thought you locked the door,” I say, trying to pull on my leggings.

“I did,” Paz says, buckling up his pants.

We can't let whoever it is find us back here. The last thing I need is for Allegra to find out that I closed the shop and hooked up with Paz on company time.

“Be right there!” I call out.

We straighten ourselves as best we can and walk out onto the showroom to find a very angry Allegra.

“What’s going on here?” She asks, looking between the two of us.

“Well, you see—” I start to say and glance over at Paz. I’m hoping he’s coming up with some brilliant excuse, but it's clear from his dumbfounded expression that he's got nothing.

“Nope.” Allegra wrinkles her nose in disgust. “I don’t need you to fill in any of the blanks. I have eyes.

I look down at my disheveled clothing and realize too late that my leggings are on backward. There’s no way Allegra’s attention to detail won’t clock that fact.

“Well.” She points to the backroom. “While the two of you were busy, and you were supposed to be minding the store, our buyer came.”

I glance over and meet Paz's knowing look. We had heard someone knocking on the door, but we couldn't have known who it would be. Paz walks over to me, squeezes my hand, and whispers into my ear that he will be next door when this is over. I'm grateful that he isn't going to witness the tongue-lashing that Allegra is about to give me. Even as an adult, it still makes me feel like a child when she does it. But there is no doubt that I deserve whatever she’s about to say.

“I didn’t know he was coming today,” I say when the front door of the shop closes behind Paz.

"I didn't either, but it didn't look professional, and he wasn't impressed when he came during business hours, and you two were fogging up the windows."

For a panicked moment, I wonder. "Wait, did he see us?"

“I don’t know.” Allegra throws up her arms in frustration. "It doesn't matter. You said you had things covered here, and now you might have jeopardized the sale and everything we've been working for."

The guilt I feel is fleeting, and hope quickly replaces it. "Well, maybe it isn't such a bad thing if he doesn't want to buy."

“What do you mean?”

“Maybe,” I pause to gather the courage to be honest with my sister. “Maybe we don’t have to sell. To him or anyone.”

“But—we—what—why?” Allegra shakes her head. “But this has been our plan. From the start. We make the store extra profitable, and we sell it so we can get on with our lives.”

“What if this could be our life?” I ask, gesturing around the shop.

“I can’t believe you’re saying this. I—I—wait. Is this about the guy?”

I'm not going to lie to her. It didn't start out that way, but what I'm feeling right now is certainly a part of it now.

“Not entirely.”

Allegra shakes her head and stares at me like I’ve suddenly grown a second head or something.

“I can’t. I can’t with this right now,” she finally says and turns to walk out of the shop.

PAZ

The girls’ voices are carrying out of the store as I walk out. The last thing I wanted to do was leave Aurora to deal with everything on her own. If I could just have kept it in my pants for once, she wouldn't be in this position.

But then again, selfishly, I don't want to see them sell. I don't want Aurora to lose the one reason she is sticking around in Central Coast. If it were up to me, I'd put a ring on her finger and never let her walk away from me. But in the end, she has to make that decision to want to stay.

I decide not to head back to my shop, not yet, at least. I want to see if Aurora is going to need some support after this blowout with her sister.

I can hear it the moment that Allegra is done and storms out of the shop. Aurora isn't far behind her, but she has a look in her eyes that tells me that she isn’t looking for comfort but a punching bag.

“What happened?” I ask.

“You happened,” she snaps. “I was doing everything right before you came along and changed everything.”

“The tone you’re using sounds like what you’re saying is a bad thing, and we both know that isn’t true.”

“Don’t talk to me like I’m a little kid.”

“Aurora.” I sigh. “I know you are upset, but picking a fight with me won’t make you feel better.”

“You sure about that?”

I hold up my hands in defeat. "Clearly, I'm not helping the situation."

“I don't need saving," she says, trying to push past me.

My arm shoots out to stop her long enough for me to say, "Do what you need to do to figure out what you are feeling. But remember that I’m not going anywhere. No matter how hard you try to push me away. I’d do anything for you.”

The resolve in her expression softens slightly, but she doesn't say another word. I pull my arm out of her way and let her walk off down the street. I’m going to need some help if I’m going to get my Aurora back. And I know just who to talk to.