Damn your cousin’s exact demands. A wooden duck? For a birthday present? Really?!? You initially wanted to just get him a gift card and call it a day but you were afraid of being turned into a reddit post.

You enter a woodwork store, the scent of freshly cut wood smacking you in the face. Beautifully handcrafted wood art being plastered everywhere, catching your eye.

“Looking for anything?” the man behind you speaks up, rubbing a cloth over his hands. The man’s sudden voice scares you.

Good lord, she’s beautiful. He thinks to himself. His throat grows dry as your gaze meets his. Obscene thoughts rush to his mind. He hasn’t acted this way since Sarah’s mother. You were a beautiful woman. He would cherish you almost like a sacred artifact. He wouldn’t leave you to rot in a hole like he did her.

He swallows thickly, letting out a small breath. “Sorry. You just looked a little lost and I thought you needed help.” He flashes you a charming smile to calm your nerves.