Mr. Smithfield - Louise Bay Page 0,56
I wanted more time with her before I had to give her up. “I haven’t given you your birthday gift yet.”
“I think you gave me your gift already,” she said. “Four times, if I’m counting correctly.”
I grinned as I stood and held out my hand. “Well, I know nothing can top that, but I do have an actual gift for you.”
“Honestly, Gabriel, I’ve had a more than enjoyable evening. Eaten out at a fancy restaurant. Been eaten out by a fancy guy. And of course, there was the singing. What more can I ask for?”
I chuckled and led her to my workshop. “It’s only a small gift, so don’t get your hopes up.” Since Autumn and I had started sleeping together, I’d spent less and less time in my sanctuary. But when I had been in here, I’d been working on Autumn’s gift. I flicked on the light and looked over at the bench where I’d wrapped what I’d made with a red velvet bow.
“My hopes are always high,” she said. It was true—despite her clouds, she was relentlessly optimistic about everything.
“Here,” I said, indicating the box on the bench. “Usually I refinish, restore, and bring something back to life. This is the first thing I’ve made from scratch.”
Her wide, innocent eyes peered at the box. “Gabriel,” she said softly. I wasn’t sure I’d heard the catch in her voice before. I could tell she was surprised, but was she trying to save her feelings by masking her disappointment? “This is beautiful.” No, Autumn’s truth always shone through. She stroked her hand across the waxed walnut lid of the square jewelry box.
“I could have bought you something but—”
“This is the best present you could have ever given me. I can’t believe you made this for me.” With one hand still on the box, she slid the other up my chest. I grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles.
“It’s a jewelry box. I know Hollie gives you her designs and I know how important your sister is to you . . .”
Her eyes went glassy and she looked away, dipping to examine the box in more detail.
“It opens,” I said, chuckling at her awe and pulling at the bow.
She glanced at me with a smile and then lifted the lid.
“American walnut outside. And English sycamore inside.” I hadn’t realized it until now, but it was like the box represented us. American and English, bound together as one.
“It’s amazing. I’ve never owned anything so beautiful. You made this for me?”
“Yes, of course for you. I wasn’t sure how it was going to work out because, like I said, I don’t normally make things from scratch. But it didn’t turn out too badly.” It had taken a while to make but I’d gotten up early for the last month or so and stolen a few hours here and there when Autumn had gone to bed.
She ran her fingers around the internal squares that would separate each piece of jewelry. “It’s just so pretty.”
“There’s two layers there. The top is a tray that lifts out.” I showed her, pulling out the tray and replacing it once she’d peered into the space underneath.
She put her arms around my waist and just seemed to stare at it.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had a gift that I love more than this.” She looked up at me. “‘Thank you’ doesn’t seem to be enough.”
I wanted to tell her that it was me who should thank her. Thank her for coming into my world and sprinkling her sunshine onto my dark soul. Thank her for warming me with her light. Thank her for being just what I needed. “You don’t even need to say thank you. I wanted to do it.”
I wanted to give her something of me. I wanted her to have something special. She deserved it all.
“How am I ever going to let you go if you keep doing stuff like this for me?”
What she said was like a knife piercing my armor. I realized I didn’t want her to picture a future without me. “Maybe it’s all part of my plan to keep you,” I said, trying to use the same breezy intonation she had but meaning every word. Maybe that was why I’d given up sleep to make this box. Subconsciously, perhaps it was my invitation to her to stay in my life. To stay in Bethany’s life. Neither of us wanted to lose her.
She looked at me with forlorn eyes, her smile having faded,