Page 51 of Hold Me Instead (Elmwood Falls #1)

Charlie

“Wait, so, you make your own soap, with lye and everything? Like, Fight Club style?”

Charlie grinned at the excitement in Zachary’s voice as he surveyed the products on the display table outside The Refill Mill.

Magnolia was wrapped in layers, her California blood unaccustomed to the cold weather, evident by her thick turtleneck sweater and scarf, popping out from underneath a heavy wool coat.

Her gloved hands were shoved deep into the pockets, her hat pulled as snugly as possible, her curls in a loose braid.

“Yes, we make our soap. These three my boss makes, and mine are right here. I also make these.” She held up small glass bottles filled with a liquid and dried berries.

“Natural perfumes. I source the ingredients from urban growers, actually. Not as exciting as the soap, I take it?” she added, grinning at Zachary’s inspection of the bars of soap.

“I mean, it’s all impressive,” he muttered.

Charlie nudged his shoulder. “Maybe Sandra or your mom would like one?”

He lit up at the excuse to buy some. He looked at Charlie. “Help me choose? ”

She nodded, ignoring Magnolia’s eyebrow wiggle while they smelled the soaps and admired the raw edges, pressed with dried botanicals or coffee beans. In the end, he picked one for each woman, along with bath fizzers and bubble bath made by other small businesses.

“Now make sure you let them know they can come back and refill these jars when they run out.” Magnolia pointed to the bubble bath as she rang up the total. “Or any jar.”

“If they haven’t stopped by already, I’m sure you’ll see them soon,” Charlie said. “I’ve been raving about your shop to them.”

“Oh, well, thank you for telling his family about us,” Magnolia said, her eyes widening for emphasis.

Zachary gave Charlie a small smile. He opened his mouth to speak, when someone called out his name.

“Oh, wow, hey!” He touched Charlie’s elbow. “I’ll be right back.”

Charlie watched him approach a man and shake hands.

“So. This is kind of a big deal for you two, huh? Going out together, shopping around all the super cute local shops, decked out for the holidays.”

“He freaked out a bit when I suggested it,” Charlie admitted.

“He did?”

Charlie nodded. “He looked like I’d told him his mom wanted me there with them Christmas morning or something super intimate.”

“She didn’t invite you to that, did she?”

“No!”

“That’d be a pretty big deal.”

Yep . Even if Charlie had gone to bed disappointed at not being at the kids’ concert—the sort of event Sandra or Jeanie would have invited her to before Zachary was back in town—attending it with Zachary would've given it an entirely different meaning.

Unfortunately, it also made her feel like a placeholder for the Lee family by not including her, now that they had Zachary back.

Especially since Daniel wanted him to take the practice.

“Charlie!”

She turned to Sandra’s voice, who appeared as though Charlie had conjured her out of the frosty air. The woman toted Alex on one arm, the other lined with bags from multiple shops. Jeanie was right behind her with Vivi.

“Hey!” Charlie said.

“What’s this?” Vivi was already holding up the perfume on Magnolia’s table.

“That’s a perfume,” Charlie said. “This is my friend Magnolia. She runs this shop.”

“Hi there. You can smell it if you’d like. Here, let me help you,” Magnolia said, opening one for Vivi to sniff.

“Magnolia, this is Zachary’s family.” Charlie made introductions.

Magnolia steered them toward products not selected by Zachary, as the man himself came back to their table.

“When did you all get here?” he asked.

“Uncle Zachy, look!” Vivi held up a bath fizzy. “Flowers will float in my bath!”

“Wow, that’s fancy,” he said. “Perfect for a princess.”

“I’m a superhero now!” Vivi proclaimed, throwing her arms in the air.

“Oh, so sorry,” Zachary said .

“Keep up, baby bro,” Sandra said, busy putting every item Alex had grabbed off Magnolia’s table back. Finally, she tugged him away from the temptation.

“Hello, dear,” Jeanie said, kissing his cheek. “Are you two walking around together?”

Zachary went rigid next to her.

“We were meeting with the rescue earlier, so we decided to pop on by after we finished,” Charlie supplied.

“How nice,” Jeanie said, eyeing the cups of hot chocolate in each of their hands, the tiny bags of items they’d purchased so far lining their arms.

Then Charlie remembered Zachary had draped her scarf over his shoulders earlier in their walk, after she’d worked up too much heat. It wasn’t quite like carrying her purse, but the bright berry color stood out as signature Charlie.

He seemed to register it at the same moment, sliding it from his neck and casually draping it around her.

“Looks like you’ve made a few stops already,” Zachary said, gesturing at the bags in his mother’s hands.

“Oh, yes. I usually get a little head start on my Christmas shopping here. We’ve had to be a little sneaky with the kids, but we’ve made it work.”

“We’ve done well for ourselves, I’d say,” Sandra said. “Cleo had some super cute T-shirts. Charlie, have you seen them?”

“We haven’t made it over there yet,” Charlie said. “Kinda working our way around to end with Dorothy’s.” She smiled at Zachary, whose eyes were darting between the women with concern, as though they were deciding the relationship status without him .

“She was telling us about the artist events she’ll be hosting next year,” Jeanie said. She rooted around in a bag and pulled out a flyer. “First one in mid-January.”

“Yes! I’m so excited for her,” Charlie said. “She’s got a great lineup already.”

“Seems like every time I’m there, it’s busier than the last. How have things been going for you so far?” Jeanie asked Magnolia.

Charlie tuned out their conversation, too concerned with the whispered one happening between Zachary and his sister. When he caught her watching, his face softened, a smile peeking out.

“I’m ready for some cookies. What do you say, Harris?” he asked.

“I want cookies!” Vivi cried out.

“Me, me, me!” Alex chimed in.

“You already had cookies,” Sandra said. “But we still have one more stop to make.”

“Hot chocolate!” Vivi called out, arms in the air as she zipped around the sidewalk, weaving between pedestrians.

“Sure that’s a good idea?” Zachary asked.

“They’ll get about two sips in before we get to the car and zonk out. Works out perfectly. They’ll finish it tomorrow.”

Charlie laughed. “Sounds very sneaky.”

“Have to be, with these two little monsters. Crap, I’ve gotta catch up to Viv before she convinces someone else to buy her drink. Come on, Alex. Mom, I’ll meet you there. See you later!” Sandra and Alex hurried off.

Zachary placed his hand on Charlie’s arm, the contact light through the weight of her coat, but sending electricity through her body. He added in a small nod across the street, and she stepped closer, calling over her shoulder to Magnolia.

“I’ll call you later, Mags. Good luck today!”

Magnolia waved, but Jeanie turned abruptly.

“Charlie, you’re still having the employee holiday party on Thursday?” she asked. Charlie nodded. “Daniel and I want to come by.”

“Oh, that’d be wonderful.”

“And you should join us at the house on Christmas Eve.”

Magnolia’s eyes widened behind Jeanie, though she scooted items around on the table. Charlie had to give her credit because it was subtler than Zachary’s stiffening frame beside her, once again, and calmer than her own racing heart.

“Mom…” Zachary said.

Jeanie continued. “It’ll just be us, nothing fancy, of course. We’re all so grateful to you, for guiding the practice the way you have. For keeping this one in line.” She gestured to her son. “A little chance to say thanks without more people around, you know?”

“Thanks, Jeanie, I appreciate it.”

“Your mother’s welcome to join if she’d like.”

“Uh.” Charlie looked at Zachary, then back to Jeanie. “That’s sweet, but she’s working.”

“Well, all the more reason for you to join us! The offer is there. You just let me know. We’ll see you on Thursday.” Jeanie waved them off, said her goodbyes to Magnolia, and headed down the street toward the coffee shop.

“You two go get some cookies. You look a little peaked,” Magnolia said .

Charlie gave a faint wave and followed Zachary across the street, his steps quick. He held the door open for her, bypassing the holiday table out front and going straight for the indoor line.

She shivered, standing next to him in silence. He remained a picture of discomfort.

“I don’t have to stop by on Christmas Eve,” she said.

He glanced at her, then at the counter. “Mom wants you there, you should come.”

She scrunched her face. “Yeah, see, that’s the problem. If you don’t want me there, I shouldn ’ t come.”

He scratched his head, taking an extra beat before he said, “No, Charlie, it’d be nice to have you there.”

She nodded slowly. “If this makes you uncomfortable, I shouldn’t go.”

“I—”

“Next?” The cashier smiled, welcoming them forward.

She and Zachary placed their order, and as they stepped to the side of the counter, Zachary continued.

“You and I haven’t talked about…us…in a while. Really talked. I want us to decide it before anyone else does.”

“Okay.”

“Truth is…”

Bodies in large winter coats bumped into them, shoved them together, then wove them apart. They glanced at each other in the noisy bakery and seemed to agree that they’d wait.

Their little bags of warmed cookies were ready, the holiday mint chocolate flavor in one, signature snickerdoodles in the other. They stepped outside to bells from a horse-drawn sleigh and flurries .

He held her elbow and led her away from the door, huddling close to the wall.

“There’s been a lot on my mind, obviously.

Really, though, I’d love to have you at my parents’ place.

” He stepped closer still, took a deep breath.

“As for us? You’re not a fling to me, Charlie.

I don’t take any of our time together for granted.

It feels like we’re dating. I didn’t think I’d be interested in that again, but clearly, I underestimated you. ”

She grinned back at him, scooting herself closer. “It was my scrubs, wasn’t it?”

He laughed, hard enough that he tipped his head back, and snowflakes dotted his eyelashes when he looked back at her. “Oh, they definitely helped.”

She couldn’t even think about things with the practice at the moment, not when Zachary Lee was saying he wanted to date her. Even after all he’d learned, with his patience and care as they slowly got more intimate. He wasn’t running away. Yet she didn’t want him to stay with her out of obligation.

“Zachary, I don’t want you to feel like you need to…keep seeing me, after everything—”

“Charlie.” He stepped her to the wall, one leg between hers, his hand cradling her face.

“You sharing that side of yourself with me? I’m honored you trusted me.

But I want to see you— date you—because I can’t stop thinking about you.

Or wondering what scrubs you’ll wear the next time I see you.

Or if you have a berry-colored bra to match your underwear,” he murmured. “Or if you’re happy.”

“You don’t need to worry about me,” she whispered.

“Ah, but I do,” he said, the backs of his fingers sliding hair from her cheek. “I’m realizing I don’t want you to worry. That I hope you can finally release what you’ve been through and…hold me instead. ”

Charlie’s eyes misted, and no sooner had she stood on her toes, Zachary leaned toward her, their kiss slow, sensual, as though they had all night.

***

Her head was reeling, not to mention that her concerns about paying into the business with Zachary didn’t bother her as much as it probably should. Going into business with someone you were seeing, and barely had been, at that?

It had to be the holidays. They were messing with her mind. Because co-owning the business with the owner’s son sounded like a great idea, if only she could get him on board.

And she was pretty sure she was falling for him.