Page 39 of Christmas with Brother's Best Friends

I give her a pointed look before hitting the down button. “You could never bother me, Em. The market is by your apartment, right? I’ll help you carry everything to your place, and I’ll call a car from there.”

Emma chews on her bottom lip before smiling. “Thank you. That would actually help a lot.”

I don’t want to say goodbye to her just yet either. Today flew by too fast, just like all the other days. After Christmas, there’s no guarantee that we’ll get to spend any time alone together.

This might be the last time.

Once we exit the building, a gust of wind hits us, blowing against our hair and clothes. People hurry up and down the sidewalks to get indoors or to their cars. Luckily, her building is close, so I take her hand and lead her in the direction of the market, which is the bottom floor of one of the big apartment buildings.

“I love a snow day, but maybe not like this!” Emma says as she huddles close to my side, her cheeks and nose already turning red.

Our laughter follows us as we rush across the street, snow crunching under our nice boots. It’s cold and windy as hell, but warmth still lingers in my chest as we hurry through the city together.

“Right here!” Emma says as she abruptly slows down in front of the entrance of the store, her boots sliding out from under her.

I hook my arms under hers, catching her before she can hit the ground.

Emma gasps and grabs my hands, steadying herself as her back rests against my chest. “You saved me. Holy cow!”

I can’t help but laugh as I wrap my arms around her, hugging her against me as she catches her breath. “Slow down, beautiful. You almost wiped out.”

Emma turns around, laughter shaking her. “That would’ve been so embarrassing.”

I put my arm around her and lead her into the warm store. “I wouldn’t have let you be embarrassed.”

Emma grabs a shopping basket and motions toward the produce section. “Would you have fallen too? I’d feel less embarrassed if I wasn’t the only one who fell.”

I chuckle and walk past crates of fruits and vegetables, pausing when she has to toss something in her basket. “I’d rather just pick you up and run off with you.”

“What a hero,” Emma replies, rolling her eyes at me playfully. “Can you grab a piece of ginger up there?”

I reach up and grab her one so that she can bag it and place it in her basket. “Anything else?”

We breeze through the aisles, her basket filling fast. It’s surprisingly nice—casual, easy. Almost like a date.

“Do you cook?” Emma asks me as she peers at all of the different pasta noodles.

“I do,” I reply. “Mostly protein and carbs, but I make a damn good greens smoothie.”

Emma raises her eyebrows in interest. “That sounds nice. You’ll have to make one for me one day.”

“You’ll have to come by my place. I’ll gladly make you one,” I tell her as I move toward her.

Emma looks up at me, her cheeks lightly flushing. “I’d like that.”

I want her to come over tonight, and not just to make her a smoothie. We can spend some time together warming up while we watch the snow fall. I’m sure she still likes those cheesy rom coms that she loved back in the day.

I don’t care what we do. I just want to be with her.

That’s how screwed I am.

When we check out and carry the bags back to her apartment, a bittersweet feeling hits me once more. As simple as it was, it was nice shopping for groceries with her. It felt very… domestic, and I liked it. A lot.

“Thanks for helping me,” Emma tells me as she stops in front of her apartment door to grab her keys.

“My pleasure,” I reply.

Emma smiles to herself as she unlocks the door. She pushes it open and turns to me, taking the two bags of groceries that I’m holding. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow bright and early. Last day.”