“Hell, yeah!” Tempest exclaimed, lying her ass off but wanting to make him feel good about himself.
Geren’s face lit up as he put the navy pair back and rummaged through the pile until he found a black pair. “Here we go.” He held them up to his jacket and did a quick inspection. “You’re right. These do look better.”
Tempest grinned at him and started pushing the cart, satisfied she finally had enough hat-and-glove sets to cover everybody at the center. “Before we check out, I want to look down the Christmas decorations aisle.”
“I thought you already had a bunch of them.” Geren recalled how Tempest had asked him to pull several boxes filled with ornaments down from the hidden storage area at the top of her hallway closet.
“I do. I just want to see what they have. I collect African-American ornaments and Santa Clauses,” Tempest boasted. “Just wait until you see my collection. It’s taken me years to accumulate them all.”
Geren blushed. “Does that mean you’re going to let me help trim the tree?”
Tempest looped her arm around his and rubbed her cheek against the shoulder of his ugly-ass coat. “Among other things.”
“Umm, sounds promising!”
“Oh, it is. Wait until you see what I plan to do with the leftover frosting from the cookies I’m decorating for the center.” Tempest continued to hold on to his arm while they strolled down the aisle of Christmas decorations. She didn’t see any African-American items. “I have big plans for that frosting.”
“Big ones, huh?”
“Huge ones!”
“By the way, you’re going to attend the Christmas party at the center, aren’t you?” Tempest poked her bottom lip out, letting Geren know there was a temper tantrum lurking around the corner if he said no. “All the women and girls there are dying to meet my man.”
“I’ll be there with bells on my toes,” Geren replied.
“Bells on your toes? That sounds sexy.”
Tempest let go of his arm and picked up a box of greeting cards with African-American carolers on the front. She immediately found another package with African-American elves. “These are great! I’m going to send these out this year. I’m glad I didn’t already put stamps on the other ones I have at home.”
Geren felt compelled to confess, “I’d do anything for you.”
“Really?” Tempest asked suspiciously, trying to conceal a grin.
“Yes, really,” Geren replied in a mocking voice. “Just try me.”
“Okay, I will.” Tempest giggled. “The other day when I was in Landover Mall, I had this lightbulb go off in my head.”
“I hope it didn’t short-circuit anything.”
Tempest punched him gently on the chest and laughed. “Silly ass! Anyway, they have an African-American Santa Claus there, and I was wondering if you would dress up as Santa for the party.”
Geren frowned slightly, uncomfortable with the idea of putting on a red velvet suit and beard. Before he could say no, Tempest added, “I’ll be your wife.”
Geren bent over and gently swept his lips across hers. “I never thought I’d hear you say that.”
“Umm, I did-did-didn’t mean it like that,” Tempest stuttered. “I meant I would dress up like Mrs. Santa Claus.”
“Oh, I thought you meant something else,” Geren said, disappointed.
Tempest took off for the checkout counter like she was a contestant on Supermarket Sweep. She wasn’t prepared for a conversation about marriage, even if it was in a joking manner. The problem was, she wasn’t sure whether Geren was joking or not.
Geren yanked gently on the back of her sweater. “Slow down, Tempest. I didn’t mean to make you nervous.”
“I’m not nervous,” Tempest said, flashing a strained smile. “I just remembered that I promised Kensington I would stop by and check on her today. Her mother’s still giving her a hard time about the pregnancy.”
Geren chuckled, knowing that wasn’t the real reason she took off like a bat out of hell. “What was that you said about not showing favoritism to any of the girls at the center?”
Tempest shrugged her shoulders in embarrassment. “Well, I have to admit that Kensington’s very special to me. I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s her innocence, but they’re all innocent. None of them ask to end up in this predicament. Yet there’s something about her that reminds me a lot of myself.”