Charlie wasn’t sure how long he had stood at the counter of the bookstore staring at the woman. Eventually, his body took over, and he remembered to breathe and swallow, once he realized he had to close his mouth. Then he blinked.
The woman continued to smile at him. There was no doubt in his mind now that the woman had set him up—them up. She’d switched the books on purpose so that he’d get to know Sadie, and now he was back in her store buying Christmas presents for someone who wouldn’t get any otherwise.
“Thank you,” he croaked out the words.
“It is my pleasure, Charlie.”
He almost asked how she knew his name, but then remembered he’d handed her his credit card.
Trying to remember to put one foot in front of the other, Charlie headed for the door, pushed it open, and as the chimes rang out, he stepped out into the cold air.
There were no more crowds.
The sun had tucked itself away for the evening, and a quick glance at his watch told Charlie it was just after five o’clock. If he hurried to the coffee shop, he could box up some left-over pastries, if there were any left.
When he turned around to look at the bookstore, the lights were off, except for the decorative Christmas lights around the window display. Had the woman been waiting for him to leave?
He continued his walk to the coffee shop. The light behind the counter was the only one on. Allison moved about wiping down counters, so Charlie tapped on the window, and she lifted her head.
Allison held up a finger and smiled wide as she skirted the counter and headed to the door.
“I was hoping you’d stop back by. If you hadn’t, I would have come up to your place,” she said, stepping back so that Charlie could step inside.
“Why?”
“The owners left you something,” she said as she walked back behind the counter and to the back room. A moment later, she came back with an envelope. “Here. We all got one. It’s pretty exciting.”
Charlie opened the envelope and inside was a stack of twenties. He could only assume there were about two-hundred dollars in the envelope, but he wasn’t about to take it out and count it.
“What’s this for?”
“We had a good year,” Allison squealed. “They’re sharing the good fortune. They’re also going to throw us a party after the beginning of the year, so we can all celebrate.”
“That’s fantastic.”
“Isn’t it?” Allison walked to the back of the store and returned again, this time with her coat and bag. “Oh, and there’s a box for you,” she said, pointing to the counter as she slipped on her coat. “We divided up all the extras. That’s your box.”
He enjoyed the people he worked for and with. They’d thought enough of him to make sure he got a box of left over pastries, too.
“Thanks.”
“Sure thing.” Allison zipped up her coat and pulled her bag over her head so that it draped off of one shoulder and hung in front of her. “How did the rest of your date go?”
Charlie laughed. He hadn’t considered it a date, but the kiss at the end sure made it seem like one. “We had a wonderful day.”
“Good. She’s cute.”
“You said that earlier.”
“I meant it. She comes in here all the time. Is this where you met her?”
He laughed again. “I didn’t meet her until yesterday at the bookstore. I’ve never seen her here, and she lives just upstairs.”
Allison’s brows drew together. “You live upstairs.”
“I know. How did I miss her all this time?”
The corner of Allison’s mouth turned up. “You weren’t supposed to meet her until now,” she said. “It’s fate.”
“Ah, that fate word.”
“Don’t you believe in fate?”
A little too much, he thought. In fact, when he’d brought it up to Sadie, he’d been afraid it had scared her. But the way the day had lined up, how could he not believe in fate?
“I do,” he admitted.
“I can’t wait to see how this all plays out,” Allison said as she pulled her keys from her bag, and they headed toward the door.
Charlie walked through first and waited while Allison pulled the door closed and locked it.
“Thanks for waiting for me and for all this stuff,” he said.
“I didn’t wait for you, but you’re welcome. I hope you have a great Christmas.”
Charlie nodded. “I think I will.”
Allison waved as she walked away and Charlie looked up at the building. His apartment was on the back side of the building, but Sadie’s windows should face the street, he thought.
There was a window with a small glow, perhaps a lamp. Another apartment was fully lit, as if there was a lot of activity going on inside it. Would she be making dinner in the well-lit apartment? Was she relaxing in the other?
He wondered if she’d be up for some company. He had presents and pastries for her.
No, he didn’t want to appear to be stalking her. Then again, he’d gone to the bookstore—he had presents.
Charlie pulled his keys from his pocket and unlocked the door to go upstairs. No, he decided. He wouldn’t go knock on her door tonight.
He’d wait until tomorrow.
Tomorrow was Christmas, and from what he’d learned, Sadie could use a little Christmas magic.
Yes, that’s what he would do. He’d give her some Christmas magic.
Pulling one of the books and one of the candles from the bag, he climbed the first set of stairs and stood on the second floor. 2B, she’d said, was her apartment. He turned to face that door. Her apartment would have been the one with just the lamp light.
Hopefully she was home.
He set the book and the candle in front of the door, took a deep breath, knocked, and then high tailed it to the stairs so that she didn’t see him.
When he was hidden by the wall, he stopped, and listened.
She opened the door, and he could hear the wrapping on the candle and book.
“Hello?” she called out. “Hello? Did someone leave these for me?”
Charlie started up the stairs to his apartment. That would give her a little something to do for the night, he thought.
There was a different beat inside his chest, he thought as he carried the box and the bag of gifts up the last flight of stairs and down the dimly lit hallway toward his apartment.
Then the words that the woman at the bookstore had said danced around in his head as he unlocked his apartment door. Oh, no, sweetheart, I gave her something better this year. I gave her you.