Sonni de Soto - All Ages

Check out this excerpt of my spider-woman romance novella “Thoughts & Preyers,” which is available for FREE all this month!

youtu.be/dABEM1vIuSc

Read my for FREE on my Patreon.

patreon.com/posts/thoughts-preyers-70804273

Thoughts & Preyers Excerpt Happy Spooky Season! Listen to an excerpt of my Patreon Exclusive novella, Thoughts & Preyers. Available now for FREE, until November, and for all $4+ Patron...

If home is where the heart is, what happens when it’s taken away from you? When humans try to kick the monsters from their community, Aida, a spider woman, and her human partner, Frey, wonder where they can go. Can they keep their home from breaking?

patreon.com/posts/thoughts-preyers-70804273

Check out this fun podcast I did with Justin Grays where we talk all about writing, cosplay, nerdom, & geekery!

GraysMatter Podcast - Season 2, Episode 03 — Justin Grays Last season, I started to take some time to sit down and talk to fellow POC folx in the geek community about our experiences. Now that we’re in season 2, the discussions continue. Today we have a returning special guest - writer and cosplayer, Sonni de Soto (she/her). You can find Sonni with the f...

Check out my self-improvement centered take on Beauty & the Beast, "Face in the Mirror," in this enchanting anthology! What would have happened to Beast if he hadn't waited around for Beauty to find him?

We remember her best as the generous fairy who dresses Cinderella and handles transportation while she’s at it. But that’s just the most famous fairy godmother’s tale. With a little imagination, you’ll find that fairy godmothers and godfathers appear in many varied forms. The authors in this anthology have crafted new tales that re-imagine the fairy godmother and her role.

A young fairy grapples with imposter syndrome as she takes up her new appointment as godmother. Immortal sisters bestow blessings and curses on princesses as a way to battle the patriarchal fairy godfathers. A struggling artist receives a godmother’s help to impress at her high school reunion. Sparing the life of a moth leads to magical help from an unexpected protector.

Retellings of Pinocchio, Rumpelstiltskin, Beauty and the Beast, and The Frog Prince show the magic of these stories in a whole new light. Infused with modern sensibilities but honoring the tradition of fairy tales, these dozen stories will enchant and inspire you.

Available Now In Print & eBook: books2read.com/mothersofenchantment

Listen to an Excerpt: youtu.be/KYr7fXhsV4M

Check out this cover reveal for this enchanting anthology, including my story “Face in the Mirror,” my self-improvement centered take on the Beauty & the Beast tale! What would’ve happen to Beast if he hadn’t waited around for Beauty to find him?

Pre-sale link: books2read.com/mothersofenchantment

Cover Reveal! MOTHERS OF ENCHANTMENT: NEW TALES OF FAIRY GODMOTHERS will be available in ebook and paperback April 19, 2022.

Table of Contents:
“Wishes to Heaven” by Michelle Tang
“A Story of Soil and Stardust” by Kelly Jarvis
“Real Boy” by Marshall J. Moore
“Returning the Favor” by Lynden Wade
“My Last Curse” by Elise Forier Edie
“Face in the Mirror” by Sonni de Soto
“Forgetful Frost” by Vivica Reeves
“Modern Magic” by Carter Lappin
“In the Name of Gold” by Claire Noelle Thomas
“Of Wishes and Fairies” by Maxine Churchman
“Flick: The Fairy Godmother” by Kim Malinowski
“The Venetian Glass Girl” by Abi Marie Palmer

* If you must be bad, be good at it. Pix, about to become the next Evil Fairy Queen, needs to keep one pestering prince from puckering up. While not succumbing to his lips herself! Read the first section of my on my Patreon.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: NO GOOD DEED

Lifting a heavy hand to her temple, Pix woke up with a splitting headache. It felt like a horde of drunken trolls were stomping around her skull. What had happened? Though it hurt to do so, she opened her eyes. Blinking against the peeks of sunlight streaming in between the heavily canopied trees, it all started to come back to her. Getting lost in the woods. Getting caught by Den. Granny Redd’s house. Getting attacked by Scarlet’s new axe-wielding boyfriend. And the transportation spell she’d used as a last-ditch, desperate escape attempt. She gingerly touched the bruise she could feel bloom on her cheek and hissed.

Well, she wasn’t tied up or imprisoned, so it must have worked, right? She sat up and looked around. She still didn’t know where she was, but she was definitely still in the forest. Where was she? She wracked her mind; where had she wanted the spell to take them?

Them!

She looked around. Where was everyone? Lethe, Slyth, Den. The prince! If she lost him, she lost her one chance at revenge, at redemption. She shut her eyes and wanted to scream. Her aunt would never let her hear the end of it.

“Lethe and Slyth took the little princeling off to get water. I sent them away from my pack’s hunting grounds, so hopefully no one will spot them.”

Pix turned at the sound of Den’s gravelly voice. She saw the wounded wolf, cradling her arm as she rested against a gnarled tree. Pix scrambled to her feet and rushed to Den. “Boggy gob, you look awful,” Pix told her as she took in the dried blood matting Den’s fur at her side, on her arms, and all over her face.

“Aw, thanks,” Den purred sarcastically. “You always did have the most wonderful way with words.” Den grunted as she tried to sit up more. “And, to make matters worse, you have the audacity to look fresh as a blooming daisy! Well, not all of us got to sleep for more than half a day, Miss Wings.” She sneered as Pix examined the worrying knife wound at her side. “Some of us have been running through this forest all night, trying to lose that huntsman’s tail.”

Pix scoffed as she studied the blood still oozing from the cut. “Yeah, I’m sure I look just gorgeous with this bruise I can feel throbbing on my face thanks to your ex’s new protector.”

Den hissed as Pix touched the still bleeding injury. “You’re always beautiful; even black and blue looks good on you.” Den held her hands out in peace as Pix gently smacked her uninjured shoulder. “I am sorry about that. I never meant for you to get hurt.”

READ THE NEXT SECTION FOR FREE: bit.ly/AARestForTheWickedPart15

* If you must be bad, be good at it. Pix, about to become the next Evil Fairy Queen, needs to keep one pestering prince from puckering up. While not succumbing to his lips herself! Read the first section of my on my Patreon.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: DEEP IN THE BEAST’S DEN

Pix rushed through the door, her wand at the ready in her hand, only to have her jaw drop when she saw the pretty, frilly bedroom. And the couple embracing in the middle of it. Still standing in a battle-ready position, she stared at the petite girl in the long, thin red nightgown standing in the arms of a brawny, bearded man in flannel, both their eyes filled with shock. Pix turned to look at Den, who stared in pain on her knees at the couple, her betrayed yips piercing the night.

The woodsman stepped in front of the girl protectively, shielding her from the others. “What is going on?”

That was what Pix wanted to know.

The girl—who Pix assumed was Scarlet—peeked out from behind her protector, her perfect, blond ringlets flouncing as she clung to the woodsman’s arm. “Den? What are you doing here?”

Pix shot a glare at the whimpering wolf. Den? How did the Redd Company heiress know Den’s name? What in the frogging bog was going on?

“I came here for you,” Den whined as she got to her feet. “I came to take you away from here. Away from your family. Away from my pack.” She stepped closer, reaching out an imploring hand to Scarlet. “So we could be together.”

The man backed up, forcing Scarlet along with him. “She’s not going anywhere with you.”

Den growled as she sized up the woodsman. “And who in the gob are you?”

Flexing to make himself appear larger, more intimidating, the man kept backing up. “The man who’s going to wear your pelt as a cloak.”

Den flashed her teeth, making Scarlet gasp. Scarlet gripped the man’s thick bicep. “Chase, please. Surely, there’s no need for that.”

Chase grunted. “No need? These two stole into your bed in the middle of the night!”

“Den,” Pix hissed, getting a better picture of the situation and not liking it, “let’s get out of here.” She grabbed Den’s arm only to be shaken off.

Without looking away from Chase, Den advanced slowly. “And what exactly are you doing here?” Den’s fists clenched.

Chase raised his chin arrogantly. “I was bidding my betrothed good night.”

“Betrothed!”

Pix winced as another howl cut through the room. This was not good…

READ THE NEXT SECTION FOR FREE: bit.ly/AARestForTheWickedPart14

Get my Patreon Exclusive stories as downloadable PDF eBooks! Enjoy them on your favorite eReader.

bit.ly/AAPayPalTipJar

What’s worse than being suddenly single for the holidays? Deciding to fake a relationship with your nerdy roleplaying buddy. What could possibly go wrong? Check out my Patron to read my on my .

Checking It Twice - Patreon Exclusive Listen to an excerpt of my holiday novella Checking It Twice.Available now for all $2+ Patrons on my Patreon: http://bit.ly/AACheckingItTwicePart1Or get a PD...

* What’s worse than being suddenly single for the holidays? Deciding to fake a relationship with your nerdy roleplaying buddy. What could possibly go wrong? Become a Patron to check out the next section of my holiday romance on my Patreon.

Chapter Fourteen: Yes And

Collin pushed his mashed potatoes around with his spoon, swirling gravy into them. He couldn’t stop thinking about Elena and her story.

His father pointedly ate a spoonful of potatoes. “Something on your mind?”

“It’s a girl.” His mother sliced her ham into neat cubes matter-of-factory.

That perked up his father. “Oh really?”

They didn’t have to sound so surprised. Collin rolled his eyes. “You both know that I have dated before.”

“But never long enough to be worrying over it,” his mother pointed out.

“We haven’t been dating long either.” The words slipped out before Collin could think better of it.
“So you are seeing someone!” His father grinned. “Why didn’t you bring her?”

Collin shook his head. “It’s complicated.”

His father waved his spoon dismissively. “It always is. But, when it’s the right one, you figure out how to work through it.”

That sounded highly suspect to Collin. Like something happily partnered people say when they can't remember what it feels like to be single and struggling through relationship troubles. “But how do you know who’s the right one?”

“Oh, that’s easy.” His mother chewed her ham. “You’ll know they’re right, when they’re worth working through all the complications.”

But did he know?

When things had gotten complicated with Rick, Collin had left. It’d seemed like the right thing to do at the time. Elena hadn’t known what she wanted. Which meant she clearly didn’t want Collin, didn’t it? And why would she, when Rick—her real boyfriend—was right there?

But then she’d written her story. And, in her story, she’d broken things off with Rob. For good. Plus, she’d messaged Collin, called and texted him. Not Rick. Didn’t that mean something?

What do I do now?

What did he do?

“Do you love this girl?” his father asked.

Collin’s eyes widened and his brow furrowed. Did he? How did you know? Everyone always said that when you know, you know, but he didn’t. It had only been a few weeks; you couldn't fall in love in that amount of time. Could you? He didn't think he had. But he also didn't know if he couldn't. Did his not knowing right now mean that he didn’t love Elena? Or just that he just didn’t yet?

His mother smiled at him sympathetically. “Do you like this girl?”

He relaxed a bit. That felt much easier to answer. “Yes.” Of course he did. He felt good around Elena. She made him happy. Made him feel understood, accepted. Wanted.

His mother smiled at him. “Then I think you know what to do…”

BECOME A PATRON TO READ THE REST: bit.ly/AACheckingItTwicePart14

* If you must be bad, be good at it. Pix, about to become the next Evil Fairy Queen, needs to keep one pestering prince from puckering up. While not succumbing to his lips herself! Read the first section of my on my Patreon.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:TROUBLE'S SHADOW

Pix should have known she’d regret striking a trade with Den. But, by the time Den had finished detailing the deal, she’d already led Pix so deep into the forest that they’d never find their way out without Den. Tripping toadstool! Why did Pix never learn that there was no trusting this trickster wolf?

Pix stared at the sprawling, multi-storied cottage that would have looked lovely and sweet, with its white detailed trimmings and scalloped eaves, if it wasn’t for the large, axe-wielding woodsmen patrolling the floral grounds.

Of course, one of Den’s dim-witted brothers would try to date the heiress of the Redd Riding Hood Cape and Clothier Company and get caught. Granny Redd was notoriously protective of her granddaughter, Scarlet, and was equally infamous for her hatred of wolves. Foolish, feckless Fang. Pix took a deep breath. “So we just have to break in, grab your brother, and get out?”

“Is that all,” Slyth said sardonically. “Why not just ask us to waltz in and steal Granny Redd’s girdle, while we’re at it?”

“And me without my dance shoes,” Fallon drawled, from the ground behind Pix and Den.

“You’re staying here.” Pix pointed to him, Slyth, and Lethe.

Den raised an eyebrow. “This isn’t exactly a two-person job, Pixy. We’ll need a scout.” She looked at Lethe, who practically preened. “A man on the inside.” She nodded toward Slyth, who nodded his head smugly. Then she smirked at Fallon, whose eyes narrowed suspiciously. “And, of course, no scheme is complete without bait.”

Even in the shadowy brush, she could see Fallon’s face flush with temper. She cut him off before he could start a fight with Den that he clearly couldn’t win. “Out of the question.”

“C’mon, Pixy.” Den rolled her eyes and held a paw over her heart. “I promise, nothing is going to happen to your trussed-up trophy catch.”

Pix could hear Fallon grumble behind them. “We’re about to break into one of the most fortified homes in the land; how exactly are you going to keep that promise?”

Den shook her head, looking wounded. “This is why we didn’t last; you never trusted me.”

Pix snorted. “And had nothing to do with the fact that you were—and remain—thoroughly and arrogantly untrustworthy.”

Den chuckled and tugged a stray strand of Pix’s hair. “But I always know how to show a girl a good time.”

Pix rolled her eyes only to stop when she heard the prince snort. She shot him a glaring look. She got to judge Den; he didn’t. She knew Den, knew what she was like and shared a history with her. He was just judging her for being a wolf. Pix bristled before lifting her chin indignantly. “Let’s do it.”

“What!” the princeling huffed.

“Excellent!” Den grinned, making Pix regret her decision immediately…

READ THE NEXT SECTION FOR FREE: bit.ly/AARestForTheWickedPart13

* What’s worse than being suddenly single for the holidays? Deciding to fake a relationship with your nerdy roleplaying buddy. What could possibly go wrong? Become a Patron to check out the next section of my holiday romance on my Patreon.

Chapter Thirteen: Strategic Alliances

Elena shouldn’t have been so surprised.

It was a small apartment. Of course her mother would overhear something and be curious enough to listen in.

But knowing that and facing that were two very different things. The sadness on her mother’s face was heartbreaking. And, just like it seemed with everything in her life at the moment, Elena had no idea what to do about it. “Mom, I—”

Shaking her head, Anita lifted her hand and backed away from the door. Elena quickly got up from her desk and rushed to follow her mother. Not that it was hard to catch her. Her mother, without either her cane or walker, had both hands pressed up against the hallway walls, holding herself up as best she could, as she tried to hurry across the carpet.

Elena reached to help her. “Mom, let me—”

“No!” Anita swatted Elena away, which threw off her balance, making her fall on her butt on the carpet. When Elena bent low to help her up, Anita waved her off. “No, I don’t want your help.” Tears streaked down her face and her lips wobbled in a frustrated pout.

Elena winced and knelt on the floor next to her mother. “I’m sorry.” Clasping her hands in her lap, she felt so useless and guilty. She hadn’t meant for her mother to hear that. Running the conversation through her mind, she didn’t think she’d said anything bad about her mother or anything, but she’d still been complaining, when she had no right.

However bad Elena thought her life was, however messed up it’d become, nothing—not even a moment of it—compared to what her mother had been through. Elena frowned. “Please let me help.”
Her mother just shook her head. “I’ve ruined your life.” Her voice was so shaky and low, Elena barely understood what she was saying.

Well, if Elena ever wondered where she got her over-dramatic nature from…

Elena fought the urge to roll her eyes. “Of course you didn’t.”

“I did!” Tears fell down Anita’s face. “You’ve had to do so much for me. You let me stay at your apartment. You’ve worked so hard, both at your job and to take care of me. You’ve been so stressed.” She sniffled. “I try so hard to get better as fast as I can, but I…” Sobs stole the rest of her words.
Elena shook her head. “And you’ve been doing so well. I know how hard you work to get better. You’re amazing.”

“But I’m still a burden.” Anita covered her eyes. “I take up too much of your life. You’re always here or at work. You’re always tired. And it’s because of me. I’m too much!”

“No, you’re not!” Elena frowned. “You are my mom.” Her health and well-being was not too much. “Of course, I want to take care of you. You took care of me and Laura; it’s our turn.”

“But so much of it has fallen on you.” Anita hung her head. “Too much, and now you’re alone because of me.”

Elena let out a bitter laugh. “No, believe me, I’m not.”

Still shaking her head, Anita wailed. “Rick left you because of me.”

Elena shrugged. “Rick left because he wasn’t the right guy for me.” Elena may not be the marriage-and-kids, storybook-happily-ever-after type, but she was looking for more than someone to have fun with on the weekends. She wanted someone to share her life with—whatever that entailed for both of them. And Rick, no matter how long they dated or tried to make things work, couldn’t give her that. She shook her head. “We wouldn’t have worked out for a lot of reasons.”

Anita pouted as she wiped her cheeks with her fists. “What about Collin…”

BECOME A PATRON TO READ THE REST: bit.ly/AACheckingItTwicePart13

* What’s worse than being suddenly single for the holidays? Deciding to fake a relationship with your nerdy roleplaying buddy. What could possibly go wrong? Become a Patron to check out the next section of my holiday romance on my Patreon.

Chapter Twelve: Double Back

What had just happened?

Frowning, Elena just stared at her closed door, still trying to figure it out. It felt as if everything was moving much too fast for her to keep up with tonight.

“Well, now that that’s settled,” she heard Rick say as he shucked off his coat before making his way to her kitchen. He opened one of her bottom cabinets, “How about we have a drink and talk.” Looking inside, he frowned. He pushed aside stacks of low sugar and low sodium snacks. “You’re out of wine?”

Elena shook her head. “My mom can’t have alcohol, so I’ve stopped keeping it in the apartment.”
His brow knit. “I thought you said she wasn’t staying with you anymore.”

Sighing, she moved to shut the cabinet door. “No, I said she wasn’t here right now. She’s spending the night at my sister’s.”

Rick suddenly perked up. “So we have the place all to ourselves.” He reached for her. “All night.”
Elena sidestepped him. “What are you doing here?”

Letting out a low laugh, he gave her a knowing look. “Well, if you give me a minute, I’d be happy to show you.”

Elena stare at him. She remembered that look. That teasing tone in his voice. Not that long ago, she’d have given anything to see it, hear it, again. She’d have done anything to rewind time, to pretend like nothing had happened. Like nothing had changed in the last year or so.

But things had changed.

Much as she sometimes wished she could, she couldn’t act like they hadn’t. “I’m serious.” She walked out of the kitchen and sat back down at the table. She waved to the seat Collin had left. As Rick sat, she moved her chair to face his so they could talk. “What are you doing here? We broke up.”

Rick reached for her hands. “I know and I regret that. I’ve missed you. Haven’t you missed me?”
She stared at their entwined hands. Rick had big hands. Strong. Capable. The way they wrapped around hers had always made her feel safe, cared for.

But they felt different now. She bit her lip. “I have missed us. I’ve missed going on dates and to the movies and to concerts.” She missed having a life. She missed having fun and having someone to have that fun with.

Rick gripped her fingers. “We can do that again. We can do all the things we used to.”

But could they? “What about my mother?”

Rick frowned. “I thought you said she was doing better.”

Reality weighed heavy on her. “She is, but she still requires a lot of care. I can’t go out like I used to.”
“What about that day at the mall?” He let go of her hands before he waved at the door. “What about that guy?”

“Collin?”

Rick stood up. “Whatever his name is.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “You clearly have time to spend with him.”

She shook her head. “That’s different—”

“How?”

Elena opened her mouth to explain. But she didn’t even know where to begin.

Collin was different. She knew that much…

BECOME A PATRON TO READ THE REST: bit.ly/AACheckingItTwicePart12

* If you must be bad, be good at it. Pix, about to become the next Evil Fairy Queen, needs to keep one pestering prince from puckering up. While not succumbing to his lips herself! Read the first section of my on my Patreon.

CHAPTER TWELVE: THE PAST IS A KIND OF PRESENT

Fallon stared at the back of Pix’s head as they marched through the woods. Well, as the others slogged through the thick forest and he floated behind them.

They were lost.

Even upside-down, he knew they were.

She knew they were.

Rat’s tail, even the snake and bird knew.
But he wouldn’t be the one to say it. Nope. He’d just gotten that blasted pink ribbon removed; he wasn’t in any hurry to have it re-wrapped.
“You could at least try not to look so smug,” hissed the snake. “It makes you look stuffed-up and ridiculous, all topsy-turvy like that.”

“This is your kingdom, isn’t it?” the crow cawed at him as it fluttered around his head. “Don’t you know where we are?”

“I knew where we were,” he mumbled, huffing the bird out of his face. “When we were down by the river, I knew exactly where I was. But it’s a little hard to gauge distance, direction, or speed while blood is rushing from your feet to your head and your face is covered with satin.”

“If you can’t help,” Pix snapped, without turning around, “you can frogging well shut it.” Her wings twitched. “All of you.”

“Well, as I huff and puff, if it isn’t Shadow Peaks’s mini mistress.”

Fallon’s spine stiffened as he heard a low, gravelly voice chuckle. Even hanging upside down, his body braced for battle when he saw Pix wince before stilling into a cultivated indifference.

Pix turned to face a shadowy figure hidden in the brush. “What are you doing here?”

A tall, grey wolf stepped out of the shadows, a sly grin stretching its jaws. Unlike the river bull or dragons that he usually fought, the wolf was much more human-like. It walked on two legs and talked. And, when he looked into its eyes, he saw devious intelligence and a disturbing awareness. “Seeing as this is pack territory,” it said in a mocking scold, “I should be asking you that.”

Pix looked around and cringed. “I thought it looked familiar.”

Stalking closer, the wolf licked its sharp teeth and looked Pix up and down. “Oh, I’ll bet.” It came close to sniff Pix’s neck. “There are things we’ve done in these woods that I’ll never forget.” Fallon’s gaze narrowed at the insinuating tone in the beast’s voice. Confused, he frowned as the creature leaned worryingly—intimately—near and nipped at her ear. “Isn’t that right, Pixy?”

Pixy?

READ THE NEXT SECTION FOR FREE: bit.ly/AARestForTheWickedPart12

* What’s worse than being suddenly single for the holidays? Deciding to fake a relationship with your nerdy roleplaying buddy. What could possibly go wrong? Become a Patron to check out the next section of my holiday romance on my Patreon.

Chapter Eleven: A Hasty Retreat

Sitting at Elena’s kitchen table with takeout from a local Japanese restaurant spread out between them, Collin picked up a potsticker and studied it. “So why dumplings?”

Elena shrugged before swallowing her own pan-fried bite. “It’s my comfort food. They’re small, contained deliciousness, all wrapped up like a present. Even the worst dumpling is still pretty tasty.”

He couldn’t argue with that. “Well, then bonus, because wouldn’t mochi technically be a dessert dumpling?”

She smiled and picked up the sticky, powdered ball filled with now softened ice cream. “Small, contained, and tasty.” She popped the whole thing in her mouth and chewed happily. She swallowed and nodded. “Can confirm; mochi is sweet, sweet comfort.”

Collin liked seeing her like this. Relaxed. Happy.
He leaned back and looked around her apartment. He’d been so concerned about not screwing up this morning that he hadn’t really taken much in.

The place was small, but she had most everything shoved and stacked against her walls to open up the space. She had huge shelves packed with DVDs and Blu-rays and another was overflowing with books. All her furniture was a mix of different styles and colors, like maybe they were hand-me-downs or discount buys, but everything looked well-worn and lived-in. And every available space was covered in fluffy blankets and pillows. If he had to describe her home with one word, it would be comfortable.

But there was something off about it. He tilted his head and looked at Elena. “No tree?” He frowned. She didn’t have a Christmas tree or lights or anything. Which was her choice, of course, but the woman seemed to know the words to every Christmas song ever written. She seemed like the type to at least have a tree or a wreath or something.

She sighed and looked around. “Yeah.” She shrugged. “I have a tree. I usually put it up, decorate it with a mess of lights and ornaments. I’d string lights up on the windows and put out more knickknacks than I probably should.” Her nostalgic smile turned into a resigned frown. “But I haven’t this year. Didn’t last year either.” She shook her head. “My apartment is just too small. It’s fine if I’m by myself but, with my mom here, it’s all a little much. My mom needs space, to move around safely and to do her therapy exercises well. Plus, it takes me pretty much an entire day to put it all up and then another day to take it all down again.” She picked up another mochi and ate it. “It just didn’t seem worth it in the end.”

Collin frowned. One more tradition lost to her. It didn’t seem fair or right. Elena deserved a Christmas with all the trimmings! Or, at the very least, a tree.

With that thought in mind, he pushed up his glasses and grabbed a leftover paper napkin and his phone. After a quick Google search, he nodded and began to fold.

Elena leaned over. “What are you doing?”

Not even looking up, Collin just kept folding. “You’ll see.” When he finished with it, he proudly held it up for her inspection.

Elena narrowed her gaze at it before breaking out into a laugh. “Is that a Christmas tree?” She held out her hand for the tiny, tucked-in, tiered triangle in the rough shape of a pine tree.

Even though the disposable, white, tissue-thin napkin didn’t look nearly as nice as the elegant, cloth trees from his napkin folding Google search results, Collin handed it over. “It’s your Christmas tree.” He grinned, rather proud of himself. “Small, easily contained, and, while not the best, still pretty good.” Or at least he hoped so.

She studied it, still laughing. “It’s great.”

Collin looked at her, her joy and surprise, wishing he could make this moment last forever…

BECOME A PATRON TO READ THE REST: bit.ly/AACheckingItTwicePart11