Trading Christmas - Debbie Macomber [36]
“Coffee?” he asked when they reached the Starbucks where she’d had her last encounter with Heather.
Emily hesitated, but then agreed. After all these hours of walking, she was exhausted and her feet hurt. Yet, at the same time, she was invigorated by everything she’d seen and done—and utterly charmed by Ray.
While he stepped up to the counter to order their drinks, she secured a table. As luck would have it, the only vacant one was the same table she’d occupied while waiting to meet her daughter. Her thoughts inevitably flashed to Heather, and Emily wondered where she was now and what she was doing. No, it was probably best not to know.
A few minutes later, Ray joined her with two tall cups of coffee. He slipped into the seat across from her. “Time like this is a luxury for me,” he said.
“I want you to know how much I appreciate—”
He took her hand, stopping her. “What I’m trying to say, I guess, is that I’ve avoided it.”
Emily frowned, uncertain she understood his meaning.
“I loved being with you today, talking and laughing with you. The truth is, I can’t remember any day I’ve enjoyed more in a very long while.”
“But I’m the one who’s indebted to you.”
“No,” he said emphatically. “I’m the one who owes you. I’d forgotten,” he said quietly, “what it’s like to give myself a free day. To do something that’s not related to work.” He paused. “There seems to be a great deal in my life that I’ve let slide. I needed this wake-up call.”
“In other words, I’m an alarm clock?”
He grinned. “You’re more than that.”
They were flirting with each other, she realized. Normally, conversations such as this terrified her. She’d married her high-school sweetheart and had rarely dated since Peter’s death. Her daughter, sad as it was to admit, had more experience with men than she did.
Despite her determination not to, she was worrying about Heather again. Tears filled her eyes.
“Are you okay?”
Embarrassed, she nodded. Wiping the tears from her cheeks, she offered him a watery smile. “I was just thinking about my daughter.”
“She’s with friends, isn’t she?”
“So she says.” Emily rolled her eyes.
“Everyone has to grow up sooner or later, and among other things, that means learning how to judge other people’s intentions.” He shrugged. “Some lessons are more painful than others.”
Sniffling a little, Emily agreed. “I can’t think about Heather, otherwise I’ll get upset. It’s just that I had all these plans for the two of us over Christmas.”
“What kind of plans?”
It seemed a little silly to tell Ray about them now. “I packed our favorite Christmas ornaments, so we could decorate a tree the same way we do every year.”
“You and I could get a tree.”
“You’d be willing to do that?”
“It’s Christmas, isn’t it? I haven’t put up a tree in years.”
“No tree?”
He chuckled. “Too much bother to do it on my own, but I’d love to help you. First thing in the morning, we’ll buy a tree.”
Her spirits brightened instantly.
“Anything else?”
“I always roast the traditional turkey, but I felt that since we were in Boston we should cook lobster. I love lobster tail with lots of melted butter. I’ve never prepared a whole lobster, though. I thought it’d be fun to go to a fish market and pick one out.”
“That sounds like an excellent idea. Lobster for two.”
“This is great!” Emily crowed happily.
After finishing their coffee, they walked back to the condominium hand in hand. By the time they rode up in the elevator, Ray had his arm around her. Being this close to him felt…natural. She rested her head against his shoulder.
Ray unlocked the door and swung it open, but he didn’t immediately reach for the light switch. When Emily stepped into the living room, Ray turned her into his arms. He closed the front door with his foot, and they stood in near darkness, the only light seeping in through the blinds. She leaned against him, eyes drifting shut.
Ray’s palm cradled her cheek, his