âI didnât want to say this before, but when you were gone, I was worried about you.â
Randyâs movements froze at Laceyâs comment, and he turned his head to face her. She expected an impish grin and a joke that would lighten the moment, but his expression was the most serious sheâd ever seen.
âI donât know whether thatâs good or bad.â
âI donât know, either. Iâm so confused. And so scared.â
Before she realized what he was doing, Randy tipped his head slightly, leaned forward and brushed a slow, gentle kiss to her lips.
âIâll see you tomorrow morning. Weâve got some sidewalks to sell.â
In the split second it took her to catch his quip about the upcoming sidewalk sale, heâd closed the car door behind him and was gone.
Lacey would indeed see him tomorrow. And every day thereafter.
She pressed her fingers to her lips and prayed she was doing the right thing.
âThereâs something you donât see very often.â
Lacey Dachinâs mouth dropped open. All the pins sheâd 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 customerâs hem straight now.
She kept her voice down to a whisper. âYou know, Vivian, Iâve seen him before, but I canât remember where.â
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.
âThe one heâs so interested in is the most expensive we have,â Lacey muttered.
He tucked the less-expensive package back into the rack, and continued reading.
Vivianâs gaze dropped to the manâs pants. âI hope heâs not buying them for himself.â
Lacey stiffened. As creepy as it was, she couldnât stand in judgment. âWho heâs buying them for is not my concern. It is only my concern that he needs help.â
âThenâ¦then I think I should be going,â Vivian stammered. âIâll leave the dress in the changing room, and Iâll be back on Friday.â
âThanks. That gives me plenty of time. Iâll see you then.â
Once Vivian disappeared back into the changing room, Lacey gathered her courage and swallowed hard. Sheâd 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. âCan I help you?â she asked as she approached him.
âUm, yesâ¦. Can you turn around for a minute?â
Lacey turned around. She didnât understand what it was he didnât want her to see, but again, she wasnât sure she really wanted to know.
âThatâs good. Thanks.â
As she turned back to him, she saw his cheeks redden, and he averted his eyes. âIâI guess youâre about the same height and, uh, stuff,â he stammered, then extended the package toward her. âWithout having to get too personal, what size would you buy if you were buying these for yourself?â
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 hadnât 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.
âIâd buy that size. Is it the right color?â
âI guess so. Iâll take it.â
She started walking toward the sales counter, not quite comfortable with him being behind her. âIs there anything else I can get for you?â she asked over her shoulder.
Once again, his cheeks darkened. âNo,â he mumbled. âI think this is enough torture for one day.â
Feeling bolder with the counter between them, she finally noticed he was wearing the name badge, âRandy.â
âYou work at the computer store next door, donât you?â
The red blush crept upward to his ears. He stared down at the counter and pushed the package closer to her. âYes.â
âCan I ask you something?â
His lips tightened. âThis isnât for me.â
âActually, I need to buy a computer, and I need help to figure out what kind.â
His entire posture relaxed and he raised his head. âIn that case, ask me anything,â he said with a smile.