Читать книгу Changing Her Heart - Gail Sattler - Страница 9

“There’s something you don’t see very often.”

Lacey Dachin’s mouth dropped open. All the pins she’d had pressed between her lips fell to the floor.

A man was standing at the panty hose rack, holding two types of panty hose, one package in each hand, quite obviously comparison shopping.

Lacey got to her feet, knowing she would never get her customer’s hem straight now.

She kept her voice down to a whisper. “You know, Vivian, I’ve seen him before, but I can’t remember where.”

Lacey and Vivian stared as the man looked back and forth between the two packages, and then appeared to study one of them more closely.

“The one he’s so interested in is the most expensive we have,” Lacey muttered.

He tucked the less-expensive package back into the rack, and continued reading.

Vivian’s gaze dropped to the man’s pants. “I hope he’s not buying them for himself.”

Lacey stiffened. As creepy as it was, she couldn’t stand in judgment. “Who he’s buying them for is not my concern. It is only my concern that he needs help.”

“Then…then I think I should be going,” Vivian stammered. “I’ll leave the dress in the changing room, and I’ll be back on Friday.”

“Thanks. That gives me plenty of time. I’ll see you then.”

Once Vivian disappeared back into the changing room, Lacey gathered her courage and swallowed hard. She’d seen many odd things over the years when she worked at the La Boutique downtown branch, but this was not something she expected to deal with at the suburban outlet. “Can I help you?” she asked as she approached him.

“Um, yes…. Can you turn around for a minute?”

Lacey turned around. She didn’t understand what it was he didn’t want her to see, but again, she wasn’t sure she really wanted to know.

“That’s good. Thanks.”

As she turned back to him, she saw his cheeks redden, and he averted his eyes. “I—I guess you’re about the same height and, uh, stuff,” he stammered, then extended the package toward her. “Without having to get too personal, what size would you buy if you were buying these for yourself?”

Lacey felt her own cheeks burn. The sizing on the back of the package was determined by height and weight. She had a bad feeling she knew what he had been looking at when she turned around, but at least he hadn’t asked her to bend over. For a second she considered telling him one size lower than her own, but his reason for wanting to know had nothing to do with her vanity.

“I’d buy that size. Is it the right color?”

“I guess so. I’ll take it.”

She started walking toward the sales counter, not quite comfortable with him being behind her. “Is there anything else I can get for you?” she asked over her shoulder.

Once again, his cheeks darkened. “No,” he mumbled. “I think this is enough torture for one day.”

Feeling bolder with the counter between them, she finally noticed he was wearing the name badge, “Randy.”

“You work at the computer store next door, don’t you?”

The red blush crept upward to his ears. He stared down at the counter and pushed the package closer to her. “Yes.”

“Can I ask you something?”

His lips tightened. “This isn’t for me.”

“Actually, I need to buy a computer, and I need help to figure out what kind.”

His entire posture relaxed and he raised his head. “In that case, ask me anything,” he said with a smile.

Lacey’s breath caught at the sudden eye contact. It suddenly hit her what an attractive man he was. His blue eyes sparkled and little crinkles appeared at the sides of his eyes, making him almost movie-star handsome. Not that she had never come in contact with a good-looking man, but it was rare to find one in the hosiery section.

She returned her attention to the transaction. “I don’t know much about computers.”

“That doesn’t matter. I can still help you pick the right one. Do you want a desktop or a laptop?”

“I don’t really know. Bryce went back to university, and now he’s in his last year. Everyone says his computer is too old to be upgraded, so I’m going to surprise him with a new one for his birthday.”

His smile faltered, but only momentarily. “That’s a really nice surprise. If you tell me how much you want to spend, I’ll show you a few.”

“I’d like that.”

Randy checked his watch. “I’m sorry to do this, but I have to get back—my break is up. If you want to come into the store, I can show you anything you want to see.”

“Thanks. I appreciate it.”

He nodded, and before she could say any more, he turned and walked out.

Lacey stared at the empty space. She’d tried to make it a pleasant transaction, yet it appeared that he still felt awkward. But she really did need a computer, and for some reason, she trusted him, even if he did buy panty hose.

Randy Reynolds tossed the bag containing the panty hose onto the counter toward Carol. It skimmed past the cash register and came to a stop inches from her hand.

“I hope you’re happy,” he grumbled. “I’ve never been so embarrassed in my life.”

“Knowing you, I doubt that,” Carol said, then laughed, which only made Randy more annoyed. She lowered her head and began to pick at the hole in the panty hose on her leg. “Besides, this was your fault.”

“It was your fault for standing too close and getting in the way. I told you to move when I was rearranging those display cases.” He glared in disgust at the bag.

“Quit complaining and look on the bright side. This gave you a chance to meet Lacey. Isn’t she cute?”

“She’s a grown woman, not a six year old. She’s not cute.”

Carol leaned over the counter and latched on to his sleeve, preventing him from walking away. “No. She’s more than cute. She’s gorgeous. And she’s nice, too.”

Randy stared down at Carol’s perfectly manicured hand. “Forget it. I’m not interested.”

Carol pulled his sleeve, forcing him closer. The only reason he complied was because he didn’t want to make a scene while they were supposed to be working.

Her voice lowered to just barely above a whisper. “I don’t understand you. Why don’t you date women?”

“It’s okay. I don’t date men, either.”

She failed to laugh at his little joke. Unfortunately, she also failed to release him. “You know what I mean. I want you to be happy.”

“I’d be happy if you let me go.”

She did, but instead of letting him get back to work, Carol hustled out from behind the counter and stood in front of him. “Look at me!”

Carol ran her fingers through her bright red hair, the color of which Randy knew came out of a bottle.

He couldn’t help but compare the fake color of Carol’s hair to the natural brown of Lacey’s. He liked the natural shade of Lacey’s better.

“What about you?” he asked.

Carol raised her left hand and flashed her engagement ring in front of his nose. Not for the first time, the size caused him to wonder if the diamond was as fake as her hair.

“See how happy I am? I want you to be happy, too. My wedding is only two hundred and twenty-seven days away.”

And his best friend Bob’s wedding to Georgette was getting closer, as well.

At the thought of Bob’s upcoming wedding, Randy’s heart clenched. Bob was getting married, and their friend Adrian was married. Already Celeste was pregnant, and the baby was due sometime around their first anniversary. He knew Bob would also want to be a father shortly after his wedding. Of course Randy was happy for all of them, but at the same time, watching Celeste’s tummy grow was a stark reminder of what Randy knew he could never have. He could never get married, and he certainly couldn’t ever be a father.

Carol clasped her hands, pressed them to her chest and spun around in a circle. “It’s so wonderful to be in love. Haven’t you ever been in love?” she asked melodramatically.

Randy’s mouth opened, but no words came out. He couldn’t say he ever had been in love. For too many years he’d been totally wrapped up in himself, doing only what he wanted, when he wanted, regardless of the cost to anyone else. Now he was paying the price, and he had to make sure that no one else had to pay the price with him, ever again.

He certainly didn’t want some unfortunate woman to think he was marriage material. Now he had no one but God to answer to for his mistakes. It was better that way.

“I’m a free spirit,” he said.

Carol sighed dramatically. “I know Lacey would be perfect for you.”

“How can you say that? I’ve never even heard you mention her name before.”

“I know. I’ve only met her a few times. She only started working next door last week.”

“Last week?” Randy sputtered. “Then what makes you qualified to make such a statement?”

“A woman just knows these things.”

“You don’t know anything. Now quit fooling around. We’d better get back to work.”

This time, Carol did leave him alone, but all day long, her words kept coming back to haunt him. He couldn’t stop thinking about Lacey. She was kind of pretty, in a wholesome and unpretentious sort of way. She was also a few pounds heavier than what was considered fashionably thin, but that hinted at a lack of obsession with her weight. More important, it looked like she had strength of character, which was better than the superficial charm Carol displayed with skirts that were consistently too short to be respectable for someone doing retail sales.

Lacey, on the other hand, had been wearing a modest, yet flattering outfit, even though working at a ladies’ clothing store gave her the opportunity to select some pretty outrageous stuff.

In all things, including clothes, Carol vacillated between the ridiculous and the sublime. Yet, working with Carol was fun—their little play-fights often drove the rest of the staff nuts. It worked fine for him because a casual friendship was as far as he would go in a relationship.

Lacey seemed to be in a serious relationship. She was buying her significant other a computer, indicating that both her heart and her pocketbook were heavily involved.

As he was tidying up for the end of the day, he nearly dropped a pager on the floor when Lacey suddenly appeared in front of him, as if his thoughts had become reality.

“Hi. I was wondering if you had time to talk.”

He unclipped his name badge and dropped it into his pocket. “It’s actually the end of my shift, but I don’t mind. In fact, the timing might even be good. If we go to the food court I can answer all your questions and we won’t have to worry about other people interrupting.”

“I heard that it’s standing-room-only in the food court right now. But if you don’t mind spending the time, we can go somewhere else to eat. I’ll treat, since it’s after working hours.”

“I…” Randy let his voice trail off. It had been a long time since he’d been out to dinner with a woman, but he didn’t feel right about having a woman pay.

He cleared his throat. “I have a better idea. I can write this off as a business expense, so let me pay. The only thing is that if we eat away from the mall, it will have to be walking distance.”

“You want to walk? But…” She blinked a few times, then said, “That’s fine, I don’t mind.”

Without warning, Carol joined them, grinning from ear to ear. She elbowed Randy in the ribs. “Are you two going somewhere?”

Randy stepped out of Carol’s reach. “Yes. We’re going out for dinner.”

Carol glanced back and forth between Lacey and Randy, then turned directly to Lacey. “How are you get ting there? Randy got his car towed away yesterday.”

Randy gritted his teeth and turned to Lacey. “The parking lot control people towed it away. I’m sure you heard about the way they’ve decided to start enforcing the ban on staff parking in the public parking lot.

“The towing bill was really expensive. So I have to leave my car at home. How did you get here?”

Lacey’s eyes widened. “Now I feel bad. When I took the job I was simply told it came with a parking spot. I didn’t realize that parking was such a problem. It’s okay. We can take my car. If you want, I can even give you a ride home.”

He hesitated. “Wait a minute. If you got a parking spot, that means you’re the store manager. I thought you were new.”

“I was the assistant manager at the downtown store, but the manager here quit with no notice last week, so they offered me a transfer, as long as I started immediately. Things are a big mess, but this is a good promotion, so I couldn’t turn it down.”

Randy shrugged his shoulders. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to sound bitter about the parking. I’m still trying to convince myself that it’s for the best, because it’s cheaper for my insurance. But it sure does make it inconvenient.”

“Now I know why the rest of my staff take the bus.”

“I don’t take the bus. Ever. I used my inline skates to get here today. It was kind of fun, actually, but I may change my mind the next time it rains.” Randy paused to check his watch. “We should get going. I just have to get my stuff from the back, and we can leave.”

“…and then she told me her husband was a used car salesman!”

Randy nibbled on his lower lip, then allowed himself to laugh at his own joke, but only after Lacey laughed first.

Randy didn’t know why he couldn’t shut up. He shouldn’t have been nervous. It didn’t matter if he couldn’t remember the last time he’d taken a woman out for dinner. This wasn’t a date. All he had to do was impress Lacey with his knowledge of computers, which was extensive. She didn’t have to know anything else about him. He didn’t even have to worry that she would want to—it was to his advantage that she already had someone.

He picked up his cup, wrapped his hands around it and rested his elbows on the table. “If I’d been thinking properly, I would have brought a catalog. In the store, all I do is point.”

“It’s okay. I know that you’ll help me pick the best one. I just want to make sure it’s a surprise.”

Randy sighed. Not only had no one ever given him a surprise birthday party, no one had ever given him an expensive gift. Of course, he didn’t expect such gifts from his friends. They routinely gave each other the standard guy-gifts—CD’s, tools, computer paraphernalia and, lately, music books. The biggest surprise was when it was wrapped.

His family had never given gifts. Not that they couldn’t afford them, they just never did. All his life he’d learned how to get by without asking or expecting anything. That way, he was never disappointed.

But lately, he’d seen the other side of the fence from his friends. Adrian had been thrilled at his latest birthday gift from Celeste, handmade mouse and keyboard covers that were cleverly made to look like a real mouse and a piece of cheese.

He focused back on Lacey. “Don’t worry. I can hold the computer of your choice in the store until the day before the party. That way you don’t have to worry about spoiling the surprise.” He smiled and tried to turn on his “salesman patter.” “You’ll get a surprise, too, with how good a deal I’m going to give you on this computer. I’ll even throw in a bunch of extras.”

Lacey smiled back weakly. “I honestly don’t know what’s standard. I’m just going to have to trust you.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t take advantage of you.”

“Just remember that if I do find out one day that you charged me too much, I’m right next door, all day, every day.”

Randy opened his mouth, but no words came out. He didn’t know if she was teasing him, or if this really was some kind of warning. Either way, it intrigued him. The woman had guts, and he liked that.

He sipped his coffee, speaking over the rim of the cup. “You go right ahead and do all the comparison shopping you want. Then you’ll know how good a deal I’m going to give you.”

“That’s fine. And the next time you come in to buy more panty hose, I’ll do the same for you.”

Randy choked on his coffee, then lowered the cup to the saucer. “Now just a minute. Those weren’t for me, and I never…” His words trailed off when Lacey’s stifled giggles broke through.

“Gotcha,” she said from behind her coffee cup.

“Not funny,” he pretended to grumble, struggling not to laugh back. He suddenly became very serious. “I need to know one more thing, and that’s how much time you and…Bryce, was it? are going to spend together on it.”

Lacey looked puzzle. “Together? None. I frankly don’t see how some people spend hours and hours on the computer every day.”

Randy smiled. “I couldn’t be without my computer. Computers are my only source of income, so I have to keep up with all the latest and the greatest.” He grinned wryly. “Sometimes my online activities make me late for practice on Wednesday nights, but, of course, I’m never late for work.”

She stared blankly at him. Randy hadn’t meant to get so personal, but his computer and all that went with it had played a big part in his recovery.

“What is it you’re practicing? Are you in a league?” Lacey asked.

“Uh…” Randy felt his cheeks flush. “Actually, it’s not sports, it’s music, and it’s my friends who are really practicing, not me. When we first started I tried to learn to play keyboards from a book, but that went about as well as you might expect, so they found someone else to do it. But Celeste is phenomenal. Maybe even the best piano player I’ve ever met. So now I work the sound system and do all the computer stuff, which is right up my alley.”

She smiled. “That sounds like fun. Does your band have a CD out?”

Randy laughed. “No. It’s nothing like that. It’s just the worship team for church.”

“Just? Don’t say that. The worship team is important. I think it’s wonderful that you’re utilizing your talents. I wish I could do something like that, but I don’t seem to be good at anything besides sewing.”

“That’s a skill not everyone has. Maybe you can…” His voice trailed off. “Wait—you go to church?”

“Yes, I do.”

Randy smiled. “Great! Would you like to join me in a short prayer before we eat? It’s always awkward to ask that in work situations, or when you don’t know someone very well.”

“I was just thinking the same thing. I’d like that.”

Just at that moment, the waiter arrived with their meals. Randy led with a short prayer, and they began to eat.

“So, did you move to Appleton recently?”

“No. I live downtown, where I just rent an apartment. Now that I have the new job, I think I’m going to move closer to it. Do you live near the mall?”

“Yes. I grew up not far away from here. It seemed natural to get a job in the neighborhood, too.” More than that, his friend Bob knew Tom, the store owner. Because of Bob’s reference, Tom offered Randy a job when no one else would consider him. He’d been there ever since, which was coming up on six years. And now he was the assistant manager.

“I’ll never move. I live within two minutes of my friends, within five minutes of my church and ten minutes from my job.” He didn’t know why God blessed him like this, especially when he’d once blamed God for so much. But now his life was in order, and he didn’t intend to ever change a thing.

Randy dunked one of his fries in the blob of ketchup, coating it just right. “Where do you go to church, then, if you live downtown?”

Lacey smiled, and her eyes turned dreamy as she spoke. “Every Sunday morning I drive back to the west end where I grew up and go with my family, and we spend the day together.”

Randy nodded. He spent a lot of time at church, but it was with his friends. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen his family. Usually it didn’t bother him, but today, watching Lacey smile at her private thoughts, it reminded him of the big hole in his life. For the past few years he’d been so busy with his friends that he hadn’t really noticed, but now that Adrian and Celeste were married and Bob was getting married, Randy had more time on his hands. Still, God always found things for him to do, and Randy couldn’t complain. “Lately I’ve been going to both the morning and evening services because I’m on the worship team, so that keeps me pretty busy on Sundays. It’s sometimes a lot of work, but at the same time, it’s also fun. And speaking of fun, I should tell you a little about the sidewalk sale that’s coming up at work next week. Or rather, I should warn you.”

Lacey’s fork froze halfway to her mouth. “Warn me?”

“You can see some really funny things with bargain hunters. There’s this one couple who always show up, and one of them always wears a disguise, as if we can’t recognize him. I hear everyone’s already making bets to see what he’s going to do this year. Last year, the guy pretended to be a rich Texan—big hat, the drawl, everything. He even pasted on a fake mustache. You could tell it was fake because it was a different color than his hair, and it was crooked. It was hilarious.” Randy grinned, remembering Carol’s reaction when the man called her “L’il lady.” He really thought Carol was going to kick him.

Randy sobered. “Seriously, though, you’ve got to watch out for them. He tries to distract the staff person at one end of the table while his partner, who is dressed normally, tries to steal something from the other end.” He leaned forward over the table, and Lacey leaned forward in response.

“She always puts smaller items in her bra so no one will challenge her to put them back. But last year when I caught her and started calling the cops on my cell phone, she dug everything out real fast and ran.”

Lacey gasped. “You’re kidding!”

“I wish I was.” Randy straightened. “But most of the time, the sidewalk sale is a lot of fun.”

Lacey glanced from side to side. “Have you noticed that we’re nearly the only ones here? I think we lost track of the time.”

Randy looked around, confirming that she was indeed correct.

“Yeah. I guess we should go.”

While he signaled the waiter for the bill, a strange sense of loss came over him. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d enjoyed himself so much. He was at an age where most of the women he knew were sizing him up for a husband, so those situations quickly became awkward. God had shown him that he wasn’t husband material, and he never would be.

But Lacey was marriage material. Randy couldn’t help but think that her boyfriend was indeed one lucky man. Tonight, Randy had thoroughly enjoyed himself, but for tonight he was on borrowed time, and the lender had called in the loan. It was time to go home.

When she dropped him off in front of his apartment building, a surge of melancholy for what could never happen coursed through him.

Once inside, instead of settling down, Randy walked to the patio door to his balcony and looked out the window. They’d stayed at the restaurant so long that it was dark, and all the city lights were on. His suite faced downtown, so he had a good view from the seventeenth floor.

Randy stepped out onto the balcony to take in the city below. He couldn’t make out specific details, but he could see the brightly colored lights of the mall in the distance.

He gazed over the expanse of the city, paying particular attention to the high-rise towers in the downtown core, wondering which building was Lacey’s.