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Authors: Aliyah Burke
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Turning, she met his gaze.
“I want to spend as much time as I can with you, Halyn.”
She went up on tiptoes and brushed a feather-light kiss along his lips. “I’d like that.”
He waited and seemed to weigh her statement. After a brief nod, he took both plates to the table where they ate. She brought a cup of coffee for him and over the easy breakfast she gave him her work schedule so they could set up time to be together. Enzo left when she headed off to work. With a lingering kiss, they left her house and went their separate ways.
* * * *
She opened up her shop and quickly became busy. The great thing about her toy store was that when parents came in with children who needed to calm down a bit, or do something that didn’t require a lot of attention, Halyn made sure there were lots of activities and games available.
In the early afternoon, a black-haired woman entered with a boy of about five in tow. He had a blank expression on his face. No , she corrected, a brooding one . He had dark, curly hair and brown eyes.
“Good afternoon, can I help you find anything?” she asked.
The mother gave a small huff and said something to him in a language she didn’t understand. The child barely blinked. “We need something for him to do in the hotel. Something like a card game, video game.” She shrugged.
Her accent sounded Slavic to Halyn. “Okay. The display of games for the handheld devices are on aisle three, and card or board games are on five.”
The mother walked off immediately while the child looked at Halyn. She gave him a tentative smile. Nothing in return, but he followed his mother when she snapped a sharp command in his direction.
Halyn shook her head. Poor child. Vacations were a lot harder on kids than people thought. Parents got stressed and the young ones tended to get the brunt of it. Soon, a few more people came in and she helped them out.
“You have restroom?”
Looking up from where she worked in the stuffed animal section, she found that black-haired woman staring at her. Halyn pushed to her feet and wiped her hands off on her pants. “Sure. Head to the back and you’ll see the door on your left.”
Another strained smile. “Thank you.”
Worrying her lower lip, Halyn returned her attention to the task at hand. She only managed to get one more thing put up before she turned to look for the boy. She found him standing by the portable game consoles.
“Find something you like?” she asked.
He glanced up then dismissed her, focusing back on something before him. She tried to see what he was looking at but she wasn’t sure. “Would you like to try a game? We have the test one right over here, perhaps that will help you decide which one you want.”
He didn’t exactly jump for joy at her offer, but he did move with her to it. She stood back as he took it and scrolled through the offered sample games. Halyn watched him as he did, noting what ones—if any—would create a bit of excitement. Nothing did, and she backed off when his mother returned.
“I’m sure you’ll find the perfect game,” she said to him as she walked towards the work she still had to do.
The duo left about fifteen minutes later, having picked up a game full of puzzles. At the door, the child glanced back at her briefly before his mother tugged on him and took him off down the street.
“Well, he was cute,” she mumbled, cutting down the cardboard box beside her.
She stayed busy the rest of the day and around an hour before closing, she looked up to see her best friend stride through the door.
“Hey, girl!” Mila said easily, pushing behind the counter. “Are we alone?”
“Yes we are. How are you?” Halyn asked.
“Fine, fine.” She waved a hand about. “Now, I want to know all about last night.”
“He took me for dinner at The Grill. We had dessert at his brother’s house.” Halyn flushed as she recalled what happened after that. Over and over again.
“Oh no, you don’t. Tell
“I want to spend as much time as I can with you, Halyn.”
She went up on tiptoes and brushed a feather-light kiss along his lips. “I’d like that.”
He waited and seemed to weigh her statement. After a brief nod, he took both plates to the table where they ate. She brought a cup of coffee for him and over the easy breakfast she gave him her work schedule so they could set up time to be together. Enzo left when she headed off to work. With a lingering kiss, they left her house and went their separate ways.
* * * *
She opened up her shop and quickly became busy. The great thing about her toy store was that when parents came in with children who needed to calm down a bit, or do something that didn’t require a lot of attention, Halyn made sure there were lots of activities and games available.
In the early afternoon, a black-haired woman entered with a boy of about five in tow. He had a blank expression on his face. No , she corrected, a brooding one . He had dark, curly hair and brown eyes.
“Good afternoon, can I help you find anything?” she asked.
The mother gave a small huff and said something to him in a language she didn’t understand. The child barely blinked. “We need something for him to do in the hotel. Something like a card game, video game.” She shrugged.
Her accent sounded Slavic to Halyn. “Okay. The display of games for the handheld devices are on aisle three, and card or board games are on five.”
The mother walked off immediately while the child looked at Halyn. She gave him a tentative smile. Nothing in return, but he followed his mother when she snapped a sharp command in his direction.
Halyn shook her head. Poor child. Vacations were a lot harder on kids than people thought. Parents got stressed and the young ones tended to get the brunt of it. Soon, a few more people came in and she helped them out.
“You have restroom?”
Looking up from where she worked in the stuffed animal section, she found that black-haired woman staring at her. Halyn pushed to her feet and wiped her hands off on her pants. “Sure. Head to the back and you’ll see the door on your left.”
Another strained smile. “Thank you.”
Worrying her lower lip, Halyn returned her attention to the task at hand. She only managed to get one more thing put up before she turned to look for the boy. She found him standing by the portable game consoles.
“Find something you like?” she asked.
He glanced up then dismissed her, focusing back on something before him. She tried to see what he was looking at but she wasn’t sure. “Would you like to try a game? We have the test one right over here, perhaps that will help you decide which one you want.”
He didn’t exactly jump for joy at her offer, but he did move with her to it. She stood back as he took it and scrolled through the offered sample games. Halyn watched him as he did, noting what ones—if any—would create a bit of excitement. Nothing did, and she backed off when his mother returned.
“I’m sure you’ll find the perfect game,” she said to him as she walked towards the work she still had to do.
The duo left about fifteen minutes later, having picked up a game full of puzzles. At the door, the child glanced back at her briefly before his mother tugged on him and took him off down the street.
“Well, he was cute,” she mumbled, cutting down the cardboard box beside her.
She stayed busy the rest of the day and around an hour before closing, she looked up to see her best friend stride through the door.
“Hey, girl!” Mila said easily, pushing behind the counter. “Are we alone?”
“Yes we are. How are you?” Halyn asked.
“Fine, fine.” She waved a hand about. “Now, I want to know all about last night.”
“He took me for dinner at The Grill. We had dessert at his brother’s house.” Halyn flushed as she recalled what happened after that. Over and over again.
“Oh no, you don’t. Tell
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