Chapter 38

“From you?” I asked.

“Yes. I slipped it in with the other cards when no one was looking. I thought it would be fun to piggy back on your secret Santa idea. Of course, here I am, so now you know. Open it.” His smile was beautiful. I’d made it that far.

“Okay.” I pulled out and unfolded a single sheet of paper.

“I hadn’t colored since…since we were kids.” Angel’s hands were behind his back. I wanted to see them for real, not just in a picture. “Look at it.”

“I’m looking at you.”

“Look at both.”

I glanced down at the drawing and smiled.

“I stayed in the lines, I think. That was my thing,” Angel said.

“Never mine.”

“Nope. Here.” His hand came around with a bouquet of daffodils.

“Holy shit!”

“Hard to come by in December, but what else would I bring?”

I took them, and then reached for his hand. He squeezed mine.

“It’s still…”

“Beautiful…the combination…yours and mine.”