Chapter 7 - Maren
Maren
I gripped the wheel a little tighter as Emma’s rapid-fire questions bounced off the dashboard. “Why are you driving Uncle Ethan’s car?” she asked, leaning forward from the backseat.
“I thought you’d prefer it to the school bus,” I said, smiling at her through the rearview mirror.
Sadie, safely buckled in her car seat, hummed along to the radio, while Will, of course, had his nose glued to his video game.
Emma wasn’t done. “Do you like being a nanny?”
The jury was still out on that one. The attractive pay check didn’t hurt. Or the attractive boss. But I couldn’t tell her that.
“I love kids,” I answered honestly.
This satisfied her for only three seconds before she came back with, “How do you know Uncle Ethan? Why weren’t you here last year when we came to visit over the summer? Are you married?”
“Emma!” I said a little sharply, keeping both hands on the wheel as I navigated a narrow turn. “One question at a time, okay?”
She pressed her lips together, but her curious eyes sparkled, clearly waiting for the next opening.
Will muttered something under his breath, and Sadie sang louder to cover it up.
I was used to managing classes with five times as many kids, but this was different. This was full-time and never-ending.
Finally, I pulled into the lot at Copley Place, one of the fanciest corners of Back Bay.
The kind of place where even the polished marble floors and gleaming storefronts made you feel like you’d stepped into a magazine spread.
Liv and I would venture out here when we wanted to feel rich and beautiful.
Armed with Ethan’s credit card, I figured it’d be a good after-school stop for the kids.
“Yay!” Sadie cheered. Emma practically launched herself out of the car, eyes wide. Will stayed put for a beat, glancing at me like I’d lost my mind.
“Come on,” I said, holding his door open. “Ditch the video games for a little fun.”
He looked unsure. “We’re supposed to go straight home after school.”
“Sometimes detours make the best adventures,” I said, and gave him an encouraging pat on the shoulder.
The girls were talking at the same time about what they wanted to do first, and when the topic of ‘ice-cream’ entered the chat, Will’s ears perked up.
“Okay, but I have homework,” he said, slipping the Switch into the pocket behind the seat.
“We’ll be home with plenty of time for homework. I promise.”
The doors swung open, and we were instantly swallowed up by that weird pocket of space and time in which malls seemed to exist. Air too cool, lights too bright, and the faint undercurrent of music and footsteps that blended together to make everything feel not quite real.
Like the outside world paused in place while we weren’t looking.
The girls were ready to make a run for it in opposite directions, but I gripped their hands tightly as I steered them toward the atrium. Thankfully, Will was old enough to stay close all on his own.
“There’s something I want to show you guys,” I said, ignoring the debate for which should come first—cinnamon donuts or ice-cream.
We reached the edge of the display, and the sight made my own grin widen.
A miniature snowy village had been set up.
Intricate little buildings dusted with sparkling fake snow, tiny lampposts glowing with warm light, and a train that circled the entire scene, weaving over bridges and through tunnels.
Little figurines waved from the miniature streets, skaters twirled on mirrors of frozen ponds, and smoke puffed from tiny chimneys.
Sadie gasped, clapping her hands. Emma pressed her nose to the glass, her eyes following the train as it curved around a tiny mountain.
And Will… Will actually didn’t look like he missed his games, eyes flicking from the tracks to the village.
His mouth was slightly open, and for the first time since I picked them up from school, I saw a smile.
I caught his subtle nod, the small spark of interest, and felt a little thrill.
“Cool,” he murmured, and it might as well have been a presidential medal for the way my chest puffed with pride.
Some kids were harder to reach than others, but I knew it was all about finding the right thing to reach out with. It was a small win for the day, and this close on the heels of the Winston victory made me feel like maybe I wouldn’t be too bad at this after all.
I was still watching the train loop when Sadie suddenly tugged at my sleeve. “Look! It’s Uncle Ethan!”
I followed her pointing finger and saw them through the glass of Neiman Marcus, moving around the seasonal display they were coordinating. Ethan was adjusting a garland, Miles was untangling a string of lights, and Adrian was perched on a ladder, juggling ornaments like a clown.
He’d mentioned something about working on-site today, but I had no idea this was where they’d be. It felt strange seeing him at work like this. All of them in their element. Over the past few days I’d only caught glimpses of it through sketches, pieces of conversation.
“I want to go say hi!” Sadie said, already heading toward the store.
Emma groaned and folded her arms. “They’re working, Sadie. Can we rather just go get ice-cream?”
“I changed my mind,” Will said, turning from the train display. “I wanna go home.”
I bit the inside of my lip. As fast as hope was given, it was ripped away. I should’ve known it was too good to be true.
“Ten more minutes,” I said gently. “We’ll go say hi, stop for a quick ice-cream, then head on home. Deal?”
Emma’s lips pressed into a hard line. “We can say hi to him at home. I want ice-cream.”
They all started arguing at the same time, and I held up a hand to quiet them down. “Okay, let’s put it to a vote. Everyone who wants to go say hi, raise your hand.”
Will’s hand shot up before I even finished the sentence. Emma’s jaw dropped. “What?! You just said—”
“You don’t know grown-ups,” he said with a shrug. “They always pick what the baby wants. The faster we go say hi, the sooner we get to go home.”
Couldn’t fault the guy on his logic. I waited for Emma to come around, but her sister made up everyone’s minds. Saide bolted toward the store entrance without turning back.
I sighed, shrugging at Emma. “Looks like you’re outvoted.”
Emma huffed but didn’t argue further. I followed, keeping a firm hand on Will’s shoulder while Sadie barreled ahead.
The store had been closed to customers while the men set up holiday décor. Only the manager and a handful of assistants were wandering around, adjusting displays and checking lists.
I hesitated at the threshold, holding Will and Emma back. Sadie, predictably, ignored me entirely and ran straight for Ethan. She practically jumped into his arms.
I started to apologize, cheeks heating. “I’m so sorry— She just—”
Ethan grinned and waved me off. “It’s fine, Maren. Come on, you guys can stay for a bit.”
Sadie squealed in delight, hugging him tight. Will peeked around my legs, curious despite himself. Emma crossed her arms again but lingered nearby, watching the magic unfold with mild interest.
I exhaled, letting myself relax a little. It wasn’t the calm, quiet afternoon I had imagined but then, when was anything about these kids ever quiet?
Sadie refused to let go of Ethan long enough for me to take a proper breath, but at least that gave me a moment to survey the hive of activity.
Miles moved through the space with a confidence that had me staring, chatting with the store manager and assistants, convincing them that a minor tweak here, a shift there, would totally elevate the display.
His hands gestured wildly, but his charm kept everyone nodding along like they’d all agreed before he’d even opened his mouth.
“What do you think?” Ethan’s gaze swept over the half-decorated store. Somewhere between us arriving and me getting lost in Miles, he’d sidled up next to me.
I snapped to attention, doing a quick check to account for the kids. All accounted for, I said, “It looks great. First time I’m seeing you guys out in the wild.”
“If you’re impressed now, wait until the gloves come off.” He flashed a wink that kind of let on we weren’t just talking about work.
Or maybe I was imagining it. The same way I’d imagined the moment we had in the linen closet.
He moved closer and the edge of his sleeve grazed my arm.
A quiet contact that felt deliberate, even though he kept looking ahead as if it wasn’t happening.
I fought the slow heat creeping up the back of my neck.
Mouth suddenly dry, I tucked my hair behind my ear and said, “I can’t wait to see the finished product. I walk through store decor year in and year out, and I’ve never thought about what goes into getting it that way.”
I sounded like a rambling fool and bit my lip just to get myself to shut the hell up.
“Oh, you have no idea what we’re capable of,” Ethan said. “Ace is on a mission to top his career best this year, and I think he might just pull it off.”
The man in question perched on top of a step ladder across the store, surveying his domain like a blank canvas. “No, no, no. That’s too subtle. I want drama. I want a wow that people can’t ignore.”
The manager wrinkled her nose. “We’re not sure that’s—”
“Trust me,” he said. “It’ll work. All you need to do is accept the possibility of being unforgettable.”
“He’s really into it,” I muttered, only half-amused. Where everyone else looked like they were hard at work, Adrian was playful. Animated. Loving every second.
Ethan nodded. “Don’t tell him I said this, but he’s a big part of why people keep coming back to Lumen.”
For the most part, the kids were happy to do the small tasks Miles was doling out, but I held my breath when I saw Will strolling to a point beneath the pumpkin garland Adrian was trying to perfect on the store's central chandelier. I started after him, but Ethan gripped my arm and held me back.
“Hold on,” he said. “I want to see this.”