Rachel didn’t want him to see her watching him drive away. She turned quickly and opened the door, closing herself into her grandmother’s house. And then she peeked through the filmy curtain over the diamond-shaped window in the door and watched until Lucas’s taillights had disa
ppeared from sight.
GOING TO THE MALL to help Lucas with his Christmas shopping was not a good idea, Rachel told herself as she tossed and turned in her bed Wednesday night. She was still trying to convince herself as she showered Thursday morning and dressed in a cheery Christmas sweater and a pair of black jeans. And even as she kissed her grandmother’s cheek and went out to her car, she was cursing herself for a fool.
And as she drove through the crowded mall parking lot, looking in vain for a space, she admitted that she was also looking for an excuse to turn around and go home.
She finally found an opening at the farthest edge of the lot. She took it, to the annoyance of a man in a Cadillac who’d been trying to beat Rachel to the space.
“So much for Christmas spirit,” she muttered as the guy flipped her a finger and drove on.
At least the rain had stopped. The sun was shining in a cloudless, winter-blue sky. It wasn’t even cold enough that she had to wear a jacket over her warm sweater. She hurried toward the main entrance, wondering if Lucas would be waiting for her—or if he, too, had come to the conclusion that this was a really dumb idea.
A Salvation Army volunteer stood beside a bucket, ringing a bell and looking tired even though it was still early. Rachel stuffed a couple of bills into the bucket.
“Bless you. Merry Christmas.”
Rachel smiled. “Merry Christmas to you, too.”
And then she drew a deep breath and entered the mall.
For a moment, she was disoriented by the cacophony of noise, lights, glittering decorations and milling bodies. How would she ever find...?
A hand fell on her arm.
“Thank you for coming,” Lucas said as he stepped in front of her, his black jacket, shirt and slacks a somber contrast to the colorful background.
Rachel didn’t smile. “I almost didn’t come.”
“I know.”
She grimaced. “You’re claiming to know my thoughts now?’
“I know you.”
He had known the girl. He didn’t know the woman. But this wasn’t the time to tell him, she thought as a shopper loaded down with packages jostled her.
Rachel tucked her purse more firmly beneath her arm. “Let’s go.”
Lucas nodded grimly. “Yeah. Let’s get this over with.”
Lucas’s idea of shopping, Rachel soon discovered, was to enter a store, point to something, and say, “I’ll take it.”
In an electronics store, he bought Wade Davenport’s son the newest, most sophisticated handheld electronic game on the market. The cost nearly made Rachel choke.
“That’s pretty fancy for a nine-year-old boy,” she murmured. “Are you sure it isn’t too much?”
He shrugged. “The programs are upgradable. They range from his age level to adult. It should do him for several years.”
“It’s expensive.”
Lucas’s mouth quirked. “I’ve only got one nephew. At the moment.”
After paying for the game, he led her to a sporting-goods store. “Emily said Wade likes to fish,” he commented. He nabbed a busy salesclerk. “Got anything new for fly fishermen?”
The clerk took one look at Lucas and led him to an array of expensive fishing accessories.
Fifteen minutes later, Lucas turned to Rachel. “Now for Emily.”