I laugh. New beginnings are sprouting up everywhere like spring flowers. Having him at my back when I know Dad is going to hit the roof is a blessing I never saw coming. It means I’m no long completely alone against him.
“Promise you’ll help me break this to Dad, and I’ll talk about Shayne and I.”
‘You drive a hard bargain, but I’m willing to risk it. No more going it alone … okay, short stuff?”
“Okay.” I snuggle into his chest. I always looked up to my big brother. Regaining our closeness is important to me.
***
Shayne
“Holy Honeydukes,” Xia whispers, referencing the candy shop from Harry Potter. I smile pleased. I made the right choice. Sweet Hollywood is the best candy shop in the area, and some would argue the country or the world. I’d skimmed over the reviews, but we’re here for the make your own candy option. We step inside, and my eyes are immediately assaulted by bright colors. Encased in uniquely shaped glass containers, themed displays, and art, candy surrounds me on every side. The inner child in me awakes from a long slumber.
This store has controlled chaos down. The areas are separated by smartly themed sections.
“You’re officially my favorite person,”
“Oh, was candy all it took?”
“Other things are involved, but that did play a part in my final decision.”
Wrapping my arm around her waist, I pull her to me. “You haven’t heard the best part yet. We get to build our own candy bar. That’s what brought me here. I had no clue it was going to be a universe all in itself.”
“You know we’re not leaving here any time soon, right?” she asks, wide-eyed.
“Oh, I came fully prepared to spend all night. You get your sugar fix now, and I’ll get mine later. I’ve got a craving only you can help me with.” I wink.
“You want me to cook for you?” she says innocently.
I bend down, brushing her ear with my lips. “What I want is to bring you to the edge over and over until you beg me to let you come.”
She shivers, and I pull back. She catches my collar and pulls me in for a sweet kiss that only leaves us both longing for more. “Later. Where do you want to go first?”
“You get first pick.”
My eyes return to the red car in the middle of the shop.
“I do want to figure out why they have a Ferrari in the middle of the store.”
“Let’s investigate.” I take her hand, twining our fingers, linking us. Every moment with her feels like a gift. Seeing the brothers popped my bubble. I forgot myself. This time is temporary unless I decide to leave my world behind. I’m no closer to making a call on that.
“It’s a gumball machine!”
Her words pull me back into the present. There are tracks winding their way around and into the car.
“You race them,” a worker says politely. “The starting point is just over there.”
Without warning, Xia drops my hand and power walks toward the start.
“Cheater.” I overtake her, easily lifting her off the ground as she laughs. I missed that sound. The rejection of her loan request took her legs out from under her, but the acceptance to the contest gave her wings. In this place, I’m a twelve-year-old boy on his first date. We race behind our blue and pink gum
balls, following them around the curves. In the end, she wins, cheering as we collect the gum and pop them in our mouths. The outside world disappears as we immerse ourselves in the sugar coated drug of her choice.
I like sweets, but it’s her happiness I’m addicted to. I never realized how much you gained from caring for a woman deeply. All the things I once did to get into some girls pants is taking on new meaning. We wander through the M&M’s and Jelly Belly’s section before we end up in the Yucky Department.
“So gross,” she whispers, peering up at the flashing light sign depicting a person getting sick.
“No, this is awesome.” Mock urinals and candy-coated bugs and worms deliver on the disgustingly delicious tagline on the wall. “I would’ve killed for this when I was growing up. It’s a dream come true. The most disgusting candy one could think of. It’s everything I never knew I was waiting my whole life to find.”