“What do you think?” Seth asked Aiyana.
Aiyana touched one of the trees with the leaves made of tiny mirrors Tia had admired at the gift shop yesterday. Seth had swung by to purchase a set of three on his way to his mother’s so that he could surprise her with a gift for Christmas. “They’re gorgeous,” she said. “So artsy and different.”
“I like the way the light makes them shimmer.”
“Reminds me of standing in a forest of aspens and seeing the leaves quake in the wind,” she agreed. “They look expensive. How much were they?”
“Three hundred bucks.”
“That’s a nice gift.”
He shrugged. “Not that much.”
“Maybe not for you,” she said with a laugh. “Anyway, I have some pretty paper. Want me to wrap them up?”
“The package will look a lot better if you wrap it than if I do,” he said.
“I’ll add a big bow and put it under the tree. I can’t believe she’s coming to Christmas tomorrow.”
His younger brothers—the twins, Ryan and Taylor, who both worked for the same tech firm in Denver, and Liam and Bentley, who were in college at San Diego State—had arrived late last night. Eager to see them, Seth had come over early, before he had to speak at the assembly on campus. But no one, except Cal, who had just left for his cattle ranch, and Aiyana, was up yet.
“You wouldn’t believe how much better Tia is doing,” he told Aiyana as she put the trees back in their box.
“I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear that.”
“We went shopping yesterday and everything.” He gestured at his purchase. “That’s how I found these.”
“Did anyone recognize her?”
“Nope. She was disguised, of course, and just kept her face averted when we were near others.”
“That should give her some confidence.”
“I think so.”
She set the trees aside for the moment and reclaimed the coffee she’d been drinking when he arrived. “So what did the police say when they contacted you about the Iveys?”
“They said they’d let it go. Officer Crocker was just angry they’d caused him to make a fool of himself. But I said it was Christmas and mentioned that they’ve had a rough go of it, and he relented.”
“Do they know they’re in the clear?”
“They do. I texted Lois before I drove over here. She thanked me and invited me to dinner next week.”
“What did you say back?”
“That I wouldn’t be coming.”
Ryan shuffled into the room wearing nothing but a pair of sweat bottoms. “Thought I heard voices down here,” he said. “How you doin’, man?”
Seth gave his brother a hug. “’Bout time you got up.”
Ryan scratched his head, which did little to relieve his bedhead. “We were up late.”
“Gaming?”
“Of course. Taylor and I had to show the younger bros how it’s done.”
“What game?”
“We were playing the new Oculus. You here for breakfast?”
“I came to see you and everyone else before the assembly.”
“The one at New Horizons? You’re going?”
“I have to speak.”
“About what?”
“Art. What else? Mom set me up to teach a class the first block of next semester, and we’re awarding prizes for an art contest we sponsored.”
“Oh, that’s right,” he said. “I think she told me about that.”
Aiyana added a splash of cream to her coffee. “I definitely told you about that.”
Ryan opened the fridge and gazed inside. “What’s for breakfast, Ma?”
“Whatever you decide to make for yourself,” she replied.
He shot her a wounded look as he closed the fridge. “Really? I thought you’d make some French toast or something.”
Aiyana rolled her eyes in exasperation. “The assembly starts in twenty minutes, and I need to finish getting ready. Why don’t you grab a quick bowl of cereal and a shower and join us?”
“Not too excited about going to a high-school assembly,” he said.
“It’s more of a Christmas party for the kids who couldn’t go home. You know that. I’ve been sponsoring activities for them all week so they won’t feel left behind.”
“Is this the one where Sam Butcher shows up as Santa?” he asked.
Cal’s farmer friend, who had the right body type, had played Santa for Aiyana and the boys and girls at her school for years.
“No,” she replied. “That one was last week, before any of the students left. But today is still going to be fun.”
“Yeah. No, thanks,” he said. “I’m still tired. Think I’ll go back to bed.” He turned to face Seth before leaving the room. “Hey, when Eli picked us up at the airport last night, he said you were bringing Tia Beckett to Christmas tomorrow. That true?”
Seth poured himself a cup of coffee. “She says she’s coming, so...we’ll see.”
“That’s dope! I can’t believe I’ll get to meet her. She was so freaking awesome in Expect the Worst.”
“You saw that movie?”
“Everyone saw that movie.”
Seth took a sip of his coffee. “Well, try not to mention anything about Hollywood—the movie, the Oscars, anything—when you see her. Or the accident, either.”
Ryan grimaced. “Eli says she has a few scars on her face. How bad are they?”
“You can see them, but they’re not that bad.”
“Who would’ve guessed that the hermit in the family, a guy who will barely leave his house, would wind up dating a freaking movie star,” he marveled.
“Tia and I aren’t dating,” Seth clarified.
Aiyana sent him a glance. “Does she know that?”
A wave of guilt swept over him as he remembered how he’d spent the last two days—by her side and in her bed. Although he’d made his position clear in the beginning, the lines had definitely begun to blur. “She knows how I feel about Shiloh,” he replied.
Aiyana didn’t seem pleased by his response. “Shiloh’s dead, Seth. Don’t let what you feel for her stop you from moving on and loving someone else.”
He dumped his coffee down the sink because it was suddenly making his stomach sour. “If only that was something I could control, Mom.”
Tia was nervous as she settled into a plastic chair along the back wall of the gymnasium. Seth wasn’t expecting her to be there, but as private and contemplative as he could be, she knew he wasn’t particularly excited to speak in public, and she wanted to support him in doing what he could for Aiyana and the school where he’d finally found a home.
Because she’d slipped in after the assembly started, she hadn’t encountered anyone who’d paid her any mind. And she was wearing her beanie, glasses and scarf, so even if someone did notice her arrival, she didn’t expect to be recognized on sight. The students were playing some Christmas trivia as she shoved her purse under the chair and glanced around, relieved to find that no one was looking at her. No one was even sitting close by. The students were in a tighter group, closer to the stage. Only the teachers lingered in the chairs that were strung out like beads falling from a broken necklace in back.
Eli spotted her first. He wasn’t on stage with Seth and his mother; he was leaning against the wall not far from where she’d sat down. He nodded when he realized he had her attention, and she gave him a subtle nod in return.
As Aiyana started to award prizes to those who’d gotten the most correct answers on the holiday trivia, Tia knew she had to take off her sunglasses or she’d stand out for wearing them inside the building. She was just working up the nerve to do that when Eli strode over, pulled up a chair and sat down.
“Hey,” he whispered.
She glanced around again before finally removing her sunglasses. “Hey.”
“It’s nice of you to come.”
“I wanted to hear what Seth has to say. He’s such a natural at what he does. I know he’ll be an inspiration to these kids.”
Eli grinned.
“What?”
“Nothing. He’s definitely talented,” he said, but that grin only broadened.
She got the impression Eli knew how she felt about Seth, but she wasn’t trying to deny it. She knew that would probably only make her more transparent.
Taking a deep breath, she unwrapped her scarf so that she could breathe easier in the warm room. “What comes after this?” she whispered.
“Just some announcements. They won’t take too long. Then Seth will be up.”
She noticed another teacher looking at her. When his eyes widened, she knew he’d recognized her and had to steel herself so she didn’t bolt—especially when he slid to the left, nudged the woman closest to him and jerked his head in her direction.
“I think the word is out,” Eli said. “Are you going to be okay?”
“Sure,” she said with a nervous laugh. “What can they do?”
“Ask for an autograph and try to get a picture,” he replied, stating the obvious as if he understood that would not be enjoyable for her.
“I hope to get out of here before the assembly’s over and they have the chance.”
“I’ll make sure of it,” he told her.
Although her presence caused a small stir, none of the kids seemed to realize what was going on behind them, and she stubbornly maintained her smile.
“Fame has to be hard,” Eli muttered as he shook his head at the man who’d started to spread the word that she was there as if to tell him not to do anything more to draw attention her way.
“It is when it goes bad,” she said, joking.
“It says something that you’re willing to brave coming here.”
It said she cared a great deal about Seth, and that was true. He knew it as well as she did. Still, she wondered if she’d been crazy to take this on. She was just considering telling Eli that she was going to duck out, when Seth came to the podium.
He started by telling the kids it was art and the ability to create and express himself that had provided him with a lifeline through a really difficult childhood. What he shared was more intimate than she would’ve expected, and she could tell the kids really responded to it. There was no more fidgeting or talking. They were all drinking in his words, and she loved seeing this window into a period he didn’t generally like to talk about.
He was almost finished by the time he saw her. When he realized she was there, he paused as though he couldn’t believe it, and it took him a moment to remember what he’d been about to say. He got back on track, but his eyes kept flicking in her direction.
Suddenly, she forgot about being self-conscious and simply smiled at him. She was so caught up in who he was and what he’d been able to accomplish, despite his rough beginning, that Eli had to lean over and nudge her as Seth brought his remarks to a close.
“If you don’t go now, you’ll be caught in a throng,” he warned.
She blinked and pulled her eyes away from Seth just as he started naming the students who’d won the art contest. “Right. Of course. Thanks.” Retying her scarf, she donned her sunglasses and felt him squeeze her forearm in a quick goodbye as she hurried out the door.
Eli was waiting for Seth when the assembly was over. “Great job,” he said as he approached. “The students loved it.”
Seth had enjoyed speaking more than he’d thought he would. After what New Horizons had done for him, it was gratifying to be able to give back. “I hope so.”
“I heard one of the kids say he couldn’t wait for your class to start.”
“Which one?” Seth asked curiously.
“Jaden Kaplan.”
“Jaden said that? I wasn’t convinced he was glad to be selected.”
“Oh, he’s glad, all right. He’s just reluctant to show it.”
“I can understand why.”
“You’re going to be good for him.”
“We’ll see.” He waved as Gavin called out a goodbye. He knew his other brother had a few things to do before heading home for Christmas Eve.
“Want to grab some lunch?” Eli asked.
Seth was too eager to get back to Tia, but he knew better than to admit that. “I need to get ready for Christmas.”
Eli blinked in surprise. “What’d you say? You’re getting ready for Christmas? What happened to giving everyone money so they can get their own present and trying to otherwise ignore the holidays?”
“I’m feeling a little more festive this year,” he said, not entirely pleased to be called out.
“Does Tia have anything to do with that?” Eli asked.
“I have the sculpture you gave me to repair,” he said instead of answering. “It’s in my car. Why don’t you walk out with me?”
“Sure. Thanks for taking care of it.”
“No problem.”
“So... Mom said you’re bringing Tia to Christmas tomorrow,” he said as they made their way to the parking lot.
“If she doesn’t change her mind.”
“I can’t believe she braved coming to the assembly today.”
“That took me by surprise, too.”
“You weren’t expecting her?”
He hadn’t asked her to come. He’d assumed there was no way she’d want to be seen in public. “No. Do you think anyone recognized her?”
“Not long after she came in, a couple of the teachers in back realized who she was.”
“Did they say anything to her?”
“No. She left before they could.”
“No doubt word of her being in town will spread through the school quickly.”
“Probably,” Eli agreed. “But Kouretas already let that cat out of the bag.”
“True.”
After they reached the Porsche, Seth got the statue from his back seat and handed it over.
“Thanks again.”
“No worries.”
Eli obviously had more on his mind, because he didn’t say goodbye and leave. He kicked a small pebble across the pavement. “So what’s going on between you and Tia? Given how excited Mom is, it seems it might be getting serious.”
“No, we’re just friends,” he said.
“Friends?”
“Yeah.” Afraid Eli would say something else—something he wouldn’t want to hear—he looked down as soon as his phone signaled a text message, hoping the shift in attention would put an end to the conversation.
But when he saw who’d sent the message, he sort of wished he hadn’t bothered.
Some of what he felt must’ve shown in his expression, because a look of concern came over Eli’s face. “That’s not Kouretas, is it? Mom said you were rid of that dude.”
“It’s not Kouretas.”
“Is it the Iveys?”
“No, it’s Brady.”
“Your biological brother?”
“Yeah. It’s that time of year,” he said with a sigh.
“Are you going to respond?”
Seth didn’t know if he could. Part of him wanted to. Part of him had always wanted to. But he hadn’t been able to make himself so far. Just thinking about letting Brady and Derrick back into his life dredged up too many bad memories. “I don’t know yet,” he replied.