Chapter 6 Sev
Sev
“Ishould warn you,” Sev began, stepping outside of the Second Call with Kelsey. “My brothers and sister are out here wandering around tonight, so there’s a very possible chance you might meet them.”
She broke into a full smile as she settled her beanie on her head. “I’d love to meet them. I’m still fascinated by the idea of your big, blended family.”
Downtown Harbor’s Head was lit up in ways only an old-fashioned New England town could be. Just about every business in the area was open late tonight, many running special events.
They began strolling the sidewalk, taking in the lights and beautiful window displays of the town.
They walked past a realtor who had been there as long as Sev could recall.
He knew they were booming, after all, who wouldn’t want a home in a beautiful coastal town like Harbor’s Head?
Off in the distance, he could see a line forming outside a coffee shop on the far end of the street, despite the multiple cocoa and hot cider stations set up every other block.
But when they approached Art & Soul, the art supply store in town, he felt Kelsey’s pace begin to slow. Peering through the frosty outside windows, he could see long tables set up in the back of the space, families sitting together and… crafting?
“You wanna head in?” he proposed as she studied the goings on inside.
“Would you mind?” she asked. “It looks like they’ve got a ton of stuff.”
Sev grinned and reached for the door, the little bell overhead chiming as he pulled it open. “After you.”
Kelsey returned his smile and bounded inside, slowly wandering down every aisle in the tiny shop, taking in what Sev could only categorize in vague terms. Paintbrushes.
Different kinds of paints. Pencils. Papers and canvases of every size imaginable.
And while he didn’t have an artistic bone in his body and couldn’t understand the thrill of what he was seeing before him, he could easily tell by the look on Kelsey’s face that she was somewhere that made her very happy.
And he wanted to prolong that as much as he could.
Wandering to the end of the aisle, Sev was able to take in more of what people were doing on the crafting tables.
Several families had purchased sketchbooks and were taking advantage of the bedazzling supplies.
There were stickers, shiny gems, glue, and everything in between that kids were going to town with, making their books their own.
Which gave Sev a fantastic idea.
“I’ll be right back,” he said, making his way back up the aisle.
Kelsey hardly noticed him leaving the way she was so intently looking at the calligraphy pens, and he used that to his advantage.
Returning to the section that held the notebooks, he grabbed two black canvas sketchbooks, and hurriedly made his way to the checkout counter.
He figured he only had a moment or two before she’d wander around and catch him, which he bet on.
“What did you just buy?” he heard her ask as he was putting his credit card back into his wallet.
“Your Christmas gift,” he beamed, holding up a blank, boring sketchbook.
Predictably, her eyebrows adorably knit together.
He tilted his head toward the back. “C’mon, we’ve got decorating to do.”
“Are you serious?" she said, the laughter bursting out of her, letting him know that yes, this was a fantastic idea.
Taking her by the hand and keeping the books in the other, he led her down the row to an empty spot near the back.
Pulling out her chair for her and setting her book in front of her, he quickly gathered supplies from other empty spaces, not knowing what she might like.
“So, I’m not sure how to do this,” he said, having a look at these next-level sticker sheets he had in front of him.
They certainly weren’t the variety you’d get at the doctor’s office for being brave after you got a shot.
These were realistic-looking flowers and forest creatures, hand-drawn fantasy figures, and even antique-looking circus stickers with hot air balloons and ringmasters in top hats.
“Oh! Fairies!” Kelsey said, letting out a squeak and clapping her hands quickly before grabbing the sheet. “I used to have a book about fairies as a child. I made my dad read it every night.”
“Well, show me how it’s done,” he said, still lost with all the choices he had. Again, creativity was not his strong suit, but he was willing to put it all out there for her.
“You do what you feel,” she instructed, delicately peeling off a sticker of a girl with pointed ears and a long flowing white dress, holding what appeared to be a scepter.
“You want your art to tell a story, and oftentimes that story is an emotion,” she said, placing the girl in the bottom corner, building around her forest flowers, a tree, and a house with a tiny white picket fence.
“Okay,” he said, trying first to hone in on what he was feeling.
His first thought was full from their meal.
Maybe energized, too, after having a walk in the chilly air down the street.
The inside of the shop was kinda warm?
Though being there with Kelsey had been one of the happiest moments he’d had since he’d been back home.
So? He decided to focus on that.
Reaching for a sticker sheet, he lifted one off and placed it down determinedly on his sketchbook. Kelsey looked over at it, her movements pausing.
“Is that a… book?” she said of the cartoon sticker.
“Yup,” he said affirmatively.
“You… put a sticker of a book on your book?” she said with a thread of laughter.
“Exactly,” he said, grinning from ear to ear and bobbing his eyebrows, causing her to erupt in laughter at his pun.
Worth it.
When they were finished, he didn’t miss how she clutched the book to her front, hugging it as if it were the most valuable treasure as they walked down the street. He puffed out his chest just a little.
He did that. He put that smile on her face.
“STEWIE!!!!!” a young woman roared above all others in the crowd, causing Sev to smile. He’d know that voice anywhere.
Looking over the heads of those in front of him, he could see his brothers above the crowd, and Emma with her hands cupped around her mouth to make sure he heard her.
He lifted his head in acknowledgement, and within seconds the trio was making their way toward them.
“Hey, guys,” he said, wrapping his arm around Kelsey’s waist. “This is Kelsey. These are my brothers, Nick and Andy, and my little sister Emma.”
“Hi,” Kelsey said, giving his siblings a sweet wave.
“Good to meet ya,” Nick said as Andy nodded, his arms laden with bags.
“Oh, my gosh!” Emma said, her face breaking into an excited smile. “You didn’t tell us she was so pretty!”
“Em,” Sev warned. Leave it to her to verbalize it, but she wasn’t wrong. Kelsey was gorgeous.
“Don’t Em me,” she said, dropping her voice to mimic him. “It’s nice to have some girl company after being stuck with these guys all winter break.”
“I get that.” Kelsey laughed. “Most of my dad’s friends are all guys he knew in the Navy, so…”
“You get it,” Emma said, giving her a smile and an approving eyebrow cock to Sev. Emma had always been a fantastic judge of character, so he valued her input.
“I think we’re headed home,” Nick said. “Andy here finally has all the Christmas gifts that he needs.”
“Don’t tell me you didn’t have fun,” Andy said, grinning as he held up what looked to be five good-sized paper handled bags.
“Fun is up for interpretation,” Emma said, turning back to Sev and Kelsey. “You need a lift, or is your lady going to bring you home?”
Sev grinned at Emma’s complete lack of subtlety. She took after him in that regard.
“I can give you a ride,” Kelsey said, glancing up at him. “I’m just parked on the other side of Downtown.”
“Are you sure?” he asked. “I don’t live far, but I don’t want to put you out.”
“Well, considering you paid for dinner and my book—”
“You mean your Christmas gift,” he corrected her.
“Aww! He got you a Christmas gift?” Emma asked with hearts in her eyes.
Nick and Andy snickered.
“He did,” Kelsey said, holding up her stunningly decorated journal for his little sister to appreciate.
The two ladies oohed and ahhed over the cover, Emma asking questions and Kelsey answering them emphatically.
Something about this woman including his teenage little sister in the conversation squeezed his heart.
And he felt himself fall even further for her.
“Alright,” he said, anxious to spend more alone time with Kelsey. “I guess I’ll catch you guys at home later.”
After some quick hugs and nice-to-meet-yous, Sev watched his three siblings step back into the crowd and disappear into the night.
Taking Kelsey’s free hand, he intertwined their fingers as they continued to walk down the cobblestone sidewalk.
However, when they passed a florist shop with two sprigs of lupine on the sign overhead, Sev stopped at the large picture windows.
“I can’t believe I didn’t bring flowers again,” he said, shaking his head sadly, dramatically.
“Don’t worry about that,” she said, patting his arm. “You’ve done plenty tonight.”
He only winked at her in response, taking her hand once more and leading her into the small brick store.
“Welcome to Lupine Lane,” a smiling, brown haired woman wearing an apron greeted them at the counter. “How can I help you?”
“I’m going to need a dozen red roses,” he said.
“Sev! No,” Kelsey insisted. “I can’t carry around a dozen roses in this crowd of people. They’ll end up crushed before I can get them home.” She looked at the woman observing their interaction. “We’ll only need one.”
“Three,” he countered, studying her face and watching her resolve begin to crumble.
“Alright,” she said, trying to keep her face from erupting into a beaming smile. “Three.”