Page 4 of Suddenly Mine
“That’s it,” she said. “Exactly.”
The song overhead changed to ‘The Little Drummer Boy’, and Merry shivered as another blast of cold air blew in from outside. The man didn’t move. He was still standing there like he had all the time in the world, his hands tucked casually into the pockets of his worn jacket.
Merry swallowed. Maybe he was just being polite or waiting for someone. Or maybe he was just enjoying talking to her, and somehow that thought was even more terrifying. Because the longer she spoke, the more likely she was to say something so cringeworthy she’d spend the next six months reliving it at 3 a.m.
“So, what about you?” she asked. “Have you got family here in the city?”
“Yeah,” he said, nodding. He looked like he was about to say more when somebody cleared their throat behind him. Merry’s heart sank as Mrs Cradley stepped into view.
“Miss Sinclair, may I have a word?”
“I’m sorry, Mrs Cradley,” Merry said, flapping a leaflet in the handsome man’s face, even though he already had one. “I’m handing them out the best I can.”
“This is neither the place nor the time for small talk,” Mrs Cradley said, offering the man a dismissive smile that was almost rude. “I’ve been watching you for some time now. How many times do I have to tell you that we do not pay you to chat?”
“I was just . . .” Merry started, but she didn’t have anything to add. Shewasjust chatting. “I won’t do it again.”
“Excuse me,” the man said, looking Mrs Cradley in the eye. He seemed to have straightened up, because he was even taller now than he had been moments ago. The force of his words made Mrs Cradley lean back, holding her clipboard up protectively. “This young woman was just helping me decide on what to buy my fiancée.”
That hadn’t been what they were talking about at all, and even though she was grateful to him for defending her, Merry’s stomach turned unpleasantly when she heard that he was engaged.
“She was being extremely helpful, and I don’t think she deserves to be treated like this. She’s a credit to your store.”
Mrs Cradley’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets. She opened her mouth, then paused. She looked at the man, a strange expression on her bird-like face. Then she muttered something and hurried off into the perfume hall, using her clipboard to flap people out of the way.
“Wow,” said Merry. “I’m so sorry that happened.”
“You really don’t have anything to be sorry about,” the man replied. “She was completely out of order.”
“Maybe.” Merry gave a leaflet to another customer. Her hand was shaking, and she hoped that nobody would notice. She hated confrontation so much. All she wanted to do was curl up into a ball beneath the half-price saucepan sets across the aisle and hide there for the rest of her shift. “Maybe not. I do talk too much. I just forget myself sometimes.”
“I like to talk,” he said, and she smiled gratefully.
“So, do you want some advice on what to buy your fiancée?” she asked, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice. “There are some amazing pieces of jewellery on three, and we’ve got a new art department. If you like, I can show you around?”
“No, thank you.” He opened his mouth as if to say something else, then glanced at his watch instead. “I’d better get on, my dad’s expecting me.”
“So you do have family,” she said, smiling. “That’s nice.”
“Yes to family,” he replied, looking like he wanted to add something more, but he stopped himself and Merry noticed a flash of sadness in his eyes.
“It was nice to meet you, Merry.” He offered her his hand and she shook it eagerly.
“It was nice to meet you too—” She tilted her head expectantly.
“Christian,” he said, taking the hint. “Have a very merry Christmas, Merry.”
“You too,” she replied, but as she watched him walk away — the way all men seemed to — she couldn’t help but think that her own words of comfort were far from correct.
This holiday was going to be no better than the last.
Chapter 2
CHRISTIAN
Don’t look back, Christian told himself.Just don’t look—
He looked back, seeing the young woman who had greeted him. She was watching him go, and when he caught her eye she beamed another beautiful smile his way. Merry was an unusual name, but it fit her perfectly. She had to be in her early twenties, and everything about her seemed to suggest that she was merry and bright, just like the Bing Crosby song that had been playing a moment ago. She was dressed in the traditional Carroll’s red dress, with green tights and shiny black heels that made her legs go on for miles. Her hair was a tumble of red curls that framed her face in a way that made it hard not to stare. And her eyes, so bright green they were almost unreal, stood out even from across the lobby.