in front of the toothbrushes. She skimmed the choices, seeking out the cheapest ones until she finally plucked up a pack of two that was priced under two dollars. She selected a tube of the store brand of toothpaste next.
The deodorant was a little farther down the aisle. She chose two sticks of the cheapest brand—one for her, one for Ana—and continued on to grab a bottle of body wash, a bottle of two-in-one shampoo, and a hairbrush, keeping a metal tally of the prices. For her face cream, she picked one of the travel-sized tubes. It wasn’t cost effective, but it was marked cheaper than a full-size container, and it was all she could afford right now.
She glanced at the cosmetics as they passed. Though she’d owned various shades of eyeshadow and lip gloss for those rare special occasions, she didn’t normally wear makeup other a little coverup and mascara. There wasn’t much of a reason for her to primp when all she did was work and hang out at home with her daughter. Makeup was something she could do without.
On the far side of the store was the clothing department. Most of the items catered to tourists—t-shirts, hoodies, coats, and even socks with McCall printed on them with various fonts and designs.
Gabriela almost blanched when she looked at the price tags. “Ana, see if you can find anything that’ll fit that’s been marked down.”
“Okay, Mom.”
As Ana proceed on to the girls’ clothing, Gabriela sought the intimates section. She found a small package of underwear and socks for Ana, which she tossed into the cart, and added two pairs of underwear, a bra, and a two-pack of socks for herself. She’d have to ask Mason to take them to a thrift store for everything else; her money would go a lot further there than it would here. The items she’d already chosen were adding up too fast. She was afraid to even glance at the prices of the shoes.
Mason stepped up beside the cart and leaned down, reaching in to spread out the meager items within. “This doesn’t seem like much.”
It’s not, but oh, is it going to drain my account anyway.
Tears stung her eyes, and her bottom lip trembled. “I can’t afford the clothing here.”
He turned his head to look at her. His brows were drawn low, his lips downturned. “You don’t have to worry about that, Gabriela.”
“I do, Mason. I know you’re paying for everything today, but I only have so much to pay you back with right now.”
His frown deepened. For a moment, he looked away, searching the clothing racks until his eyes settled on Ana, who was looking through some shirts nearby. Seemingly satisfied with that, he turned toward Gabriela fully. His long stride ate up the distance between them in a flash, and then he was right there. His scent, which she’d smelled faintly off and on through the store, washed over her.
Mason placed his palms on her elbows and guided her to face him. “Tell me what you are thinking, Gabriela.”
She blinked and ducked her head, tears escaping to flow down her cheeks. She was glad for the high racks of clothing on either side of them to hide her breakdown from the other shoppers.
“I’m broke,” she said in a quiet, strained voice. “I have seventy-two dollars in my bank account. That’s all. I have to pay you back, I need to get a new copy of my license and all our documents, I need to buy food and clothes and hairbrushes, I need a car, a-a hotel room, and I have seventy-two—” Her words broke off in a sob. “Ana won’t have any Christmas gifts. They burned up with everything else. Everything. I have nothing left, n-nothing t-to provide for my daughter. We’re homeless.”
“No,” Mason growled. “You have a place with me. Don’t need a hotel.”
“I just… I don’t know what I’m going to do, Mason.”
He lifted a hand, curled his finger under her chin, and brushed the pad of his thumb beneath her lip, making a shiver run through her. “You are going to get whatever you and Ana need.”
“I won’t be able to pay you back. Not for a long, long time.”
“I don’t want you to pay me back.”
Her brows furrowed. “Mason, I…I can’t let you do that. You’ve already done so much for us. We’re basically strangers still, and—”
Mason pressed his thumb over her lips, silencing her. There was a warm light in his eyes—kindness and compassion, yes, but