Chapter 9 #2
"That's a good idea." I made a note to stop by and get one for her. It would be the perfect present.
Angela joined us, holding the empty boxes. "I'm all done. What are you looking at?"
"The snow globes." I gestured at the shelf. One was Santa in a lantern, and one was Santa on a tractor. There were a few more traditional ones, and all of them were mesmerizing.
"These are neat. How much are they?" She moved to flip one over and winced. "Yikes."
I nodded. "Yeah, they're pricey."
"I'll ask Santa for one. I bet he makes these in his workshop," Ayla said.
"Good idea," Angela said, but her voice was tight.
I wondered if she was worried about the cost of presents with her shop closed or if it was a concern for her in general.
Ayla pointed at one with Santa in a little workshop surrounded by toys. "I like that one."
"You can ask Santa for it. But remember, he doesn't gift everything you want."
"I know," Ayla said as if she'd heard this line a lot.
Wanting to distract Ayla from the snow globes, I asked, "You want to get some hot chocolate? I think I saw the truck out front."
Ayla looked at Angela. "Can I, Mom?"
"If you don't mind waiting a minute, I want to talk to Belle before I leave."
"I'll take her," I offered.
"Are you sure?" Angela asked and, at my nod, started to root through her purse, presumably for cash.
I held up a hand. "I got it."
Before Angela could protest, I took Ayla's hand and asked, "Do you want marshmallows?"
"Duh," she said as she skipped alongside me.
It felt good to hold her hand. It made me wonder what it would feel like to be a dad. Kids needed boundaries and limits, but they were generally happy, seeing the joy in most situations. And I enjoyed spending time with Ayla.
Having kids was not something I'd thought much about until I'd met Angela.
Outside, we got in line with the others waiting to get hot chocolate.
It was cold but sunny.
When we got to the front of the line, I ordered three hot chocolates with marshmallows, assuming Angela wouldn't say no to a sweet treat.
I paid and stepped to the side of the truck with our to-go cups when Angela came outside, zipping her jacket. When she lifted her head, she saw us waiting for her. "You got me one?"
I handed her one. "Of course."
She held it between her hands. "Thank you."
I wondered if she wasn't used to people doing things for her. How long had she been divorced from her ex? How long had she been on her own? "Do your parents live around here?"
I fell in step with her.
Angela sipped her hot chocolate. "They still live in Arizona. I met Gus, and moved with him when he got a job here.
"It must have been a shock coming to Colorado. Hot to cold."
She laughed. "It was, but I liked it right away. I fell in love with the snow."
"You ski?" I asked, wanting to know more about her.
"I went a few times in school. I'm not bad."
"Can I see Santa?" Ayla asked, pointing at the line waiting for Santa.
Angela shrugged. "Sure. Why not?"
Ayla ran ahead and started talking to another little girl in line. The mother waved at Angela, who returned the greeting.
"We can sit. Poppy's mom will keep an eye on them."
We sat on a bench facing Santa's workshop next to a large, decorated Christmas tree. "Is she a friend from school?"
Angela nodded. "I know a few of the parents at school."
"You don't know many people here?"
Angela laughed. "Not really. I participated in a few mommy-and-me classes when Ayla was little, but most people go to different schools, and we lost touch. Now I'm too busy with the store to participate in many of the outings with other parents."
"Are you going to move back into the apartment when everything is fixed?"
"It's convenient and cheap. Once the shop is successful, we'll get a place. Something like your house."
"What does success mean to you?" I asked, wanting to get to know her better.
"I want to turn more of a profit. I'm paying my bills at the moment, and that's about it.
That's why I haven't hired anyone to work the counter.
Ayla comes with me to work on Saturdays, and I'm closed Sundays to give us time together.
Ideally, I'd be open on Sundays when I can hire help. It's a busy day.
"I have a feeling things are going to work out for you much sooner than you planned."
She blew out a breath, causing a strand of her hair to move. "My shop flooded, so I'm not as optimistic."
"Yeah, but it prompted you to add a display to Belle's store and open the online store."
She grimaced, cradling her hot chocolate. "I hit Publish on the online shop last night. It's been crickets so far."
"No one knows about it."
"I don't know how to market it."
"What about the email list from your pop-up days?"
"I tried to reach out to them when I did more recent pop-ups but didn't get much of a response. I'm almost afraid to reach out again. What if they don't want to hear from me?"
"Pop-ups are different than an online store. All you have to do is announce your shop and send them a link. See what happens."
Angela sighed. "I'll give it a try."
I'd learned one thing today; I liked making them smile, and I wanted to do it more often. Sitting on that bench watching the families in line, and talking about Angela's dreams, I felt content.