Page 329 of Under Her Skin

“It is getting cold,” I say, then wonder if he saw the man. “Did you happen to see me talking to that man in the Santasuit?”

“Seriously?” he asks as he looksconfused.

“Yes. I was standing at that door, talking to a man in a Santa suit. If you looked that way, you’d have seen us talking, I shouldthink.”

“I saw you come outside, then turn around and go back inside, then you came out again. And no one has gone up or down that sidewalk except you and your brother. Are you feeling okay?” he asks with a concerned expression. “Because you’re kind of goingpale.”

“I feel fine. I guess I’m tired is all. We can go now. I have to stop at the jewelers to see if what I ordered is ready,” I say and lean my head back on theseat.

That seemed so real. I don’t know what to think about it. I guess I need to forget about it. My imagination must be working overtime with last night’sactivities.

Closing my eyes to see if I can get some rest, because maybe that’s my problem, I find something drifting in the air. A smell I can’t quite place. I can’t rest and open my eyes. Rolling the window down to talk to my driver, I ask, “Did you spray a new air freshener inhere?”

“No sir,” he says, then I see him looking at me through the rearview mirror. “Maybe we should make a stop to see Miss Richards at the hospital first. Maybe she could get a doctor to make sure you’re okay,sir.”

“I’m fine,” I say. “I just smell a sweet smell. Kind of like honey, with maybe a hint oflemons.

“Honey and lemons?” he asks, then takes a huge sniff of the air. He shakes his head. “No, sir. I don’t smell anything but the leatherseats.”

“Thanks,” I say, then roll the window up. I take another sniff. “Yep, lemons and honey.” Then it hits me. “Mom!”

I look around the car and try hard to see anything at all—any smoke or a light of some kind—but I see nothing. The car stops and I put my coat on. Just as Mr. Green opens my door, I feel cold hit my ear. But that’s probably just the chilly air. “Thanks, Mr. Green. You stay in the car when I come out. I can let myself in and out of the car. It’s getting colder by the minute outhere.”

“Yes, sir, it is,” he says as he shivers a little. “Thank you,sir.”

With a nod, I leave him and go inside the jewelry store I ordered from a few days ago to see if they’ve managed to get what I asked for. The smell goes away, and I’m left thinking this is all in myhead.

“Good morning,” the man at the counter says as I come inside. “My, it’s looking like real Christmas weather out there, isn’tit?”

“It is. I think this is the coldest I recall a Christmas Eve ever being.” I shake the man’s hand and notice him looking over my shoulder. “I’m Blaine Vanderbilt. I have an order and I’m hoping you have it in and ready togo.”

He looks back at me with a smile on his face. “Should I bediscreet?”

“I guess so,” I say, as I have no idea why he’d say such an oddthing.

Reaching under the counter, he unlocks something and comes back up with a little black box. He then places the box directly in front of me and opens the lid. “Does this meet with your expectations,sir?”

I take the ring out and look at it, finding it flawless, then give him a nod. “It does. Do I owe you anythingelse?”

“No, you paid online. Let me put this in a bag for you. Or should I gift wrap it?” he asks as he looks over my shoulder again. “You know, so she can openit.”

“I actually have a funny way I’m going to give it to her, so I don’t need it wrapped. Just the bag will be fine, thanks.” I look back over my shoulder to see what he could be looking at and guess he must be looking out the door atpassersby.

He’s an odd little man,anyway!

“Here you are, sir,” he says as he hands me the bag. “You two have a MerryChristmas.”

“We will,” I say, then start to walk out the door. Suddenly I think his words were kind of odd. Why did he say, ‘youtwo?’

Making my way back to the car, I get in and instantly smell the honey-heavy scent with the touch of lemon in the background. “Mom? Are you in here? Can you give me some kind of a sign if youare?”

The window rolls down and I jump at the sudden sound, finding Mr. Green looking back at me. “Were you saying something,sir?”

“I was talking to myself. You can take me home now. I have to wrap this thing up before I go getDelaney.”

“Yes, sir,” he says, then turns around and rolls the windowup.

I lean back and smile. “So, I guess you’re going to hang around me for a while. That’scool.”