Christmas at Timberwoods - Fern Michaels [104]
“Yes, but she won’t let them sleep through the night.”
She laughed affectionately. “I’m going to miss Mrs. Summers. And forgive me. I wanted to thank you for helping me, and I never did.”
“That’s all right. I understand.”
“How did you know I was here?” she thought to ask.
“Oh, maybe I’m psychic.” He chuckled at her surprised look. “Kidding. I checked all the restaurants and bars on this side of security one by one. And here you were. Glad I caught you before your flight.” He took a breath. “Just wanted to say good-bye and good luck. I hope we meet again.”
“I won’t be back for a while, Dr. Dayton. My dad thinks I need a new outlook on life. And he can afford it.” She smiled wryly.
“Yes, Eric mentioned you’d be living in London with him. It’s a fascinating city.”
“That’s what I hear.”
“Where is your dad?” Dr. Dayton looked around the bar area.
“Buying books. It’s a really long flight.”
He nodded in agreement. “And what are you going to do for amusement?”
“I’m going to sleep. And I refuse to dream.”
Murray waited with her, standing up when the boarding call came over the loudspeaker for first-class and elite passengers. “That’s us.”
She fought a wave of nervousness. Everything she valued—mostly art supplies and oddments, a few beloved books, basic clothes but nothing fancy—was in two suitcases somewhere in the cargo hold. Did it really take no more than that to start a new life? She was going to find out.
Her father’s cell phone rang and he took it out of his pocket, frowning when he looked at the number on the little screen. “Excuse me, honey.”
Someone was holding up the boarding process, so they had to wait anyway. He moved away and talked to the caller in a low voice. After a minute, he came back and handed the phone to her. “It’s your mother. She wants to say good-bye. I made her swear not to pick a fight.”
Angela took the phone with obvious reluctance. “Hello, Mother. How are you?”
There was a pause and her mother finally spoke in a thin voice. “That’s not important. I called to say good-bye. And that I’m sorry, I suppose.”
Angela said nothing.
“Are you there?” Sylvia asked irritably.
“Yes.”
“Well, then. There’s nothing more to say. Except that I hope you know what you’re doing.”
Angela didn’t have a specific reply to that, either, but she managed a polite farewell.
“Stay in touch,” her mother added.
“I will. Stay well.”
She gave the phone back to her father and they both rejoined the boarding line.
Heather and Lex strolled through the empty, echoing mall. Long rays of morning sun streamed in through tall, opaque windows on one enormous wall. The Christmas displays were still up—they would remain in place until New Year’s, when the big sales started. They both smiled when they saw Angela’s silent angels, trumpets uplifted to the light.
“Peaceful, isn’t it?” Lex said quietly.
“For now,” Heather answered. She looked at her watch. “We’ve got two minutes until the doors open. Yikes—think about all those returns and unwanted presents. I’m so glad I’m not in customer service.”
He put an arm around her shoulders. “Never mind that. I almost forgot. I have a present for you. I think you’ll like it.”
“Animal, vegetable, or mineral?”
“Mineral,” he said after a beat.
“Bigger than a breadbox?”
“Much smaller.”
“Hmm. I give up.”
“Let me give you a clue. Here goes.” He paused, took her in his arms, and gave her a tender kiss.
“Nice,” she said, laughing as she broke away. “I like clues like that. But I still don’t know what it is.”
He clasped her hand in his and they walked on. “I want you to think about something.”
“What?”
“Marrying me,” he said bluntly. “What would you say to a year’s engagement? I don’t think I could wait longer than that to make you mine.”
“Lex!” Heather stopped and stared at him. He took her by the shoulders and turned her around so she was facing the window of Marsden, the mall’s best jewelry store. The window was empty except for one item that blazed when a ray of sunlight hit it. It was