Advent Calendar - Day 16 Fiction from Byron Beach!

 

Happy Monday! 

Even the Mondays are a bit nicer this time of year, I think. Right? Everyone's a bit cheerier. A little more hopeful that THIS is the year they finally get their pony. 

I figured Monday was the perfect time to share this bit of holiday sweetness from Byron. Today we're checking in with Griff and Pierce of Stranger on the Shore.

 

"Pierce Discovers Costco"

 

Griff was finishing his morning run, and as he turned onto their street, he couldn’t help but marvel at the vibrant fall colors on Long Island. The leaves seemed even more intense than in Wisconsin, and winter’s snow wouldn’t arrive quite as early. While he missed parts of his life in the Midwest, being close to his grandfather—and, of course, to Pierce—made him feel truly at home. Nearing their house, Griff was filled with a sense of contentment: health, love, and the promise of a hot cup of coffee.

 

Despite the wealth now at his command, Griff still believed that the simple, frugal values he’d grown up with were the clearest path to happiness. Pierce, Jarrett, and most of Syosset, however, would politely but firmly disagree.

 

Unlocking the front door, Griff was greeted by six large packages piled in the foyer, another testament to the festival of excess their upcoming wedding had become. For the most part, he and Pierce were aligned on the important parts of “The Event,” like vows and tone, but minor details—guest lists, appetizers, music— were part of an incessant demand for decisions. Griff had made countless concessions, mostly to make his grandfather, Jarrett, happy, but also for Pierce’s family. Lately, though, he was beginning to feel just a bit—not annoyed, not angry—more like overlooked. It was fine with him if it made Jarrett happy to spend a disturbing amount of money on a single afternoon and evening; Griff would still be married to Pierce at the end of the extravaganza, and that was what truly mattered. But there was a limit, and with the holiday season approaching, Griff felt that line drawing near.

 

The run had cooled his temper, but earlier that morning, he’d found himself nearly snapping at Pierce over something that seemed simple enough: how to decorate their home for Christmas. Pierce’s “Don’t you want it to be nice?” comment had gotten under his skin, as if only expensive decorations could be “nice.” He understood, though—for Pierce, Christmas decor had never been personal or intimate. His parents hired a designer every year to transform their mansion with enormous trees, sparkling lights, and exquisite ornaments. Pierce saw no reason why this year should be any different, but Griff had other ideas.

 

“Why hire someone when we can do it ourselves?” Griff asked as they stood in their spacious, mostly empty living room.

 

“I don’t have the time,” Pierce replied in a clipped tone, signaling he was ready to push his case. “And neither do you, considering you were up until 2 a.m. working on your new book.”

 

Griff opened his mouth to respond, but Pierce cut him off. “What’s the big deal? It’ll be lovely. You can ask for any special touches, and it’ll all be done by the end of the week.” Griff, bit back a few choice responses and let it go for now deciding a run would clear his head.

 

Griff walked into the kitchen, where Pierce handed him a cup of coffee with a smile. He knew cost wasn’t the right angle to approach this, so he chose a different tactic. Growing up, Christmas hadn’t been lavish, but it was the one time of year he felt truly close to the woman he’d considered his mother. They baked cookies, made their own wrapping paper and ornaments, and created a world where, for a short time each year, Griff felt safe. No designer could recreate that feeling—not with all the German blown-glass ornaments and brocade ribbon in the world.

 

“What would make this Christmas special for you?” Griff asked softly, taking the coffee and meeting Pierce’s gaze. “If the right designer would give you that feeling of love, comfort, and home, I won’t stand in your way.”

 

Pierce’s face softened. “You didn’t tell me this was going to be a dirty fight.”

 

“It’s not a fight. I don’t want to fight,” Griff said earnestly. “I want us to do things we love together, things we’ll remember year after year. And I don’t see why that has to cost tens of thousands of dollars.”

 

Pierce, now certain that he’d been bested, wrapped his arms around Griff, kissed him, and whispered, “Anything you want, as long as we do it together.”

 

Griff seized the moment. “We can get everything we need from Costco. Make it our own. It'll be fun.”

 

Pierce arched an eyebrow, adjusting the collar of his cashmere sweater. “Costco? Really? Isn’t that like a discount Whole Foods or something?”

 

“Are you serious? You’ve never been to Costco?” Griff tried not to laugh.

 

“I’m pretty sure I own a fair amount of their stock,” Pierce replied.

 

“Definitely not the same thing,” Griff chuckled. “You’re in for an adventure.”

 

The next day, Griff checked his pockets for his holy trinity: keys, wallet, and phone before locking the front door. Pierce was already waiting in the driveway, revving the engine of his sleek Porsche Boxster.

 

Griff raised an eyebrow. “You do realize we’re going to Costco, right? How exactly do you plan on fitting anything in here?”

 

Pierce winked. “Adventurous spontaneity, my love. That’s what today’s about.”

 

Griff laughed as he climbed into the passenger seat. “This is definitely not what I meant by ‘adventurous,’ but sure, let’s go with that.”

 

As they sped down the road, Pierce asked, “So, what exactly do they sell at Costco that has you so excited?”

 

Griff grinned. “Everything. Toilet paper, Christmas trees, and—of course—wine. Trust me, you’ll love it.”

 

Pierce made a skeptical face. “Christmas trees and toilet paper in the same store? This should be interesting.”

 

When they arrived, Griff grabbed them each a cart. The moment they stepped inside, Pierce froze, taking in the vastness of the warehouse. Rows upon rows of bulk products stretched into the distance, and the air buzzed with a scattered choreography of high-performance shopping. 

 

“This is… comprehensive,” Pierce muttered as they passed a display of 90-inch TVs.

 

Griff chuckled, leading the way toward the Christmas section. “Welcome to the real world.”

 

As they wandered the aisles, Pierce marveled at the oddities. “Who needs a five-pound bag of peanut brittle? And why would anyone want a six-pack of mini waffle makers?”

 

“Here, try a mini quiche,” Griff said, holding out a sample. “Eating samples at Costco is part of the experience.”

 

Pierce eyed the quiche warily but took a bite. “Hmm… not bad.”

 

The real test came when they reached the Christmas trees.

 

“So,” Griff began, pulling out a slim, 7-foot artificial tree from the display. “This one looks great, right? We can decorate it together.”

 

Pierce stared at the tree, his expression unreadable. “It’s… small.”

 

“It’s personal,” Griff countered with a grin. “And easy to set up. Plus, no pine needles all over the floor.”

 

Pierce hesitated, and for a moment, Griff thought he’d lost him. Then Pierce spotted a towering 15-foot tree. “What about this one with the lights already attached? We could get one for the living room, one for the kitchen, and maybe this smaller one for the bedroom.”

 

Griff laughed, nudging Pierce playfully. “With that setup, we could camp out in our Christmas forest. Maybe even zip our sleeping bags together.”

 

While Griff picked up decorations and a few office supplies, he let Pierce wander on his own. By the time they met at checkout, Griff found Pierce with a cart loaded with wine—not just a few bottles, but enough to stock a small vineyard. Alongside the wine were 480 frozen mini quiches.

 

Griff raised an eyebrow. “Planning a party I don’t know about?”

 

Pierce grinned. “This place… it’s unexpected. They had an excellent selection of French Bordeaux and a Château Neuf-du-Pape. I thought we could stock up for holiday visitors.”

 

Griff laughed. “Good thing they deliver the trees. The Boxster’s going to be maxed out just with this—you might have to leave me behind.”

 

Pierce winked. “Dream on. I’m never leaving you behind, not as long as we both shall live.”