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mitts patted around until he felt the box. And just like that he snatched them off and took them to Ben.
    They bent down close to the fire and Ben showed Eli how to stack the logs. “You have to leave enough room in there for the air to fan the flame. Fires need air.”
    “Got it.” Eli laid down with his stomach to the floor and propped himself up as if he were taking a lesson. He crossed his ankles and swung his legs back and forth. “Can I light it when its time?” He begged.
    “This will do the trick.” He lit the sticks and paper while keeping Eli back at a safe distance.
    The fire immediately started to crackle and take flame. Eli was mesmerized. “Do you want to play chess with me?”
    “Sure, if you teach me.”
    “Alright,” Eli went to get the game. “Wait right here. I’m coming right back.”
    Maggie’s heart melted. She hadn’t seen anyone interact with Eli outside her family, for a long time. Her little man raced back from his room with the chess board in hand and a zip lock bag of their plastic pieces. He rounded the corner and flopped down in front of the fire. “Let’s play down here.”
    “How about up on the table? I’m a little big to play on the floor.”
              Eli turned his head contemplating the suggestions. “Okay, you are the guest so I will do what you want. But then it’s my turn.”
    Ben looked up at Maggie, his kind eyes matching his smile. “How do I to set this up?”
    Three games later, Maggie had finished making dinner. She decided just to cook, hoping the savory smell would persuade Ben to accept her invitation. With a set of dishes in hand, she spread out the table.  “You are invited to stay for dinner. It’s almost ready.”
    “Oh can he mom?”
    Ben reclined on the couch and helped Eli put away the pieces. “I guess I can swing that.”
    “Eli why don’t take off your uniform and get washed up for dinner bud. Okay?” The six year old bounded across the floor in record time. Ben however stayed seated and commented on the Christmas tree. “You two picked a very nice tree.”
    “You can thank Eli for that. He got me out of my comfort zone by picking the largest tree they had.”
    Ben turned his attention toward Maggie. “So what’s all this talk about you hating the mall? I don’t think I’ve ever heard a female say that,” he said jokingly. Maggie couldn’t help seeing herself in his arms.
    She took out the dishes and set the table while they talked. “I don’t hate the mall. It’s the crowd that gets to me. All that pushing, shoving, rudeness. I’m better off going in and out of individual stores.”
    “You can’t let fear stop you.”
    Maggie loved his grown in beard and strong muscles, but she wasn’t too sure she wanted somebody to pick out her faults.
    Ben asked to wash his hands. “I understand. That’s kind of why I am living with my aunt right now.”
    She didn’t know that. “You’re living with Ingrid?”
        “Yeah, I have been for over for months now.”
    “How come I’ve never seen you?”
    He laughed. “Well my work is mainly in Denver, so the commute keeps me busy.”
    “What is it that you do?”
        “I’m an engineer. We’re working on some commercial projects near the highway.”
    “How about you?” Maggie considered her answer before replying.
    “I do some office work here in town. But I also place authors with publishers, I’m a book agent.”
    “What does a book agent do?”
    She laughed and stayed busy in the kitchen. “I represent authors who need publishing, so I pick and choose which manuscripts I think will sell or make great books. When the publisher signs the author, I get paid. If they don’t, then I keep at it.”
    “Really? That’s interesting.”
    “It’s a risk but I love it.”
    “Do you write as well?”
    “You know,” she cocked her hip. “Everyone asks me that. But no, I haven’t.”
    “Too bad, I’m sure you’d be a great