Tickled Pink (15 page)

“Honey, the child has nothing and is probably scared. Andrew is a mess, Kayla’s a wreck—”

“They have a website dedicated to the people who shop there and their terrible fashion choices—they make my bad ties look like heaven.” He shook his head. “No.”

She stepped closer to him and a wicked grin curved her full mouth. “Richard honey, we don’t have any other options, and I don’t have time to get on my knees and convince you otherwise.”

His groin stiffened at the thought of her taking him in her mouth. “I can’t believe you just said that.” He started to get hard and knew they needed to get going. “Fine, you can demonstrate your convincing skills when we get back.”

Toni quickly brushed her lips against his. “One teensy favor.”

He smiled and knew he was going to regret the response. “Sure, anything.”

“No staring, gawking or making any snide comments about the store or the bizarrely dressed.”

She knows me too well.

He sighed and nodded. “Fine, let me go get changed.”

Her mischievous giggle filled the kitchen. “Just throw on an old t-shirt and flip flops and you should be good to go.”

“That isn’t funny.” Richard couldn’t control the chuckle despite his statement. “You owe me for this and despite how tempting the thought is, I think I’ll put on regular clothes.”

Toni shrugged. “Just remember to behave.”

No problem, how bad could it be?

Chapter Nine

Kids, toys and marital joys…

I don’t think I have ever seen so many Christmas ornaments in one place outside a Macy’s Parade.

Richard glanced around the store and gaped in awe. Between the bright fluorescent lighting and the stacked displays, he wasn’t sure if he was in a grocery store or a department store. A large woman walked by in God-awful neon tights and a tank top. The world would have benefited had she decided to wear a bra and run a comb through her hair. Naturally, she wore bright orange flip-flops and pushed a cart on by in such a hurry one would think they were giving stuff away for free.

“Honey, what did I tell you about gawking?”

He turned to Toni and chuckled. It was either laugh or suffer shell shock. “The rumors are true about this place.”

She inhaled and slowly let out a breath. “Let’s not stand in the doorway. We need to grab some clothes and a couple toys. So we can get over to Kayla and Andrew’s.”

He glanced around the store. There sure was a lot of blue and yellow on the signs with little round happy faces and
rollback
printed on them. As long as they were happy, because so far from what Richard had seen, he wasn’t amused—nor did he want to be here and wanted to
rollback
right out of the store.

His gaze shifted to the cart Toni had in front of her. How much stuff could a seven-year-old need to warrant a cart? He stared at the large metal basket then met her dark brown gaze. “Do we really need this?”

She shook her head and smiled, obviously taking a small amount of pleasure from his misery. “Keep it up and I won’t let you come to the toy department with me.”

He loved her comebacks. She really had been a breath of fresh air in his life, and he was crazy about her.  “I like toys, and we’re definitely getting the kid Legos.”

“Well then, try to tolerate this or I’ll send you back out to the car.”

He debated that statement and though it was tempting, he also knew she was stressed for Andrew and Kayla. “Let me push, you figure out where boys clothing and toys are.”

Toni smiled and placed a hand on his arm. “Thank you.”

All he could do was nod. She had faint dark circles under her eyes and she should be sleeping but instead, here they stood in a discount department store shopping and then making a house call to friends, who no doubt, had their world turned upside down.

He blinked at the woman before him and studied her a minute. “You have a good heart.”

Surprise fluttered across her pretty face and her smile broadened. “You’re just saying that, so you can get Legos too.”

Richard shrugged. “Maybe.” He then chuckled as she rolled her eyes and headed down a wide aisle.

Sure enough they found the toy department thanks to the large sign hanging from the ceiling. He couldn’t believe how much things had changed. The only child in his life had been Lauren, and girls tended to have different tastes than boys. She was now a teenager and into…he wasn’t sure what, but knew it wasn’t toys.

Toni stood in the middle of the aisle and for the first time since the Elvis impersonator at the chapel from hell—looked overwhelmed. “I don’t even know what he’s into,” she whispered.

For every hurt he may have ever caused her, he knew at this moment, she could really use help. Even if she wasn’t asking. “Oddly enough, I was a seven year old boy at one time.” He stepped over to a shelf and grabbed a large bucket of Legos. He dropped it in the cart.

Toni walked over to another shelf. “This is kind of cool.”

He turned to see a remote controlled monster truck in her hand. “Hell, I’d play with that now, and I’m thirty-three.” He lifted the box out of her hand. “This will need batteries.”

“Well maybe if you’re good, Santa will get you one for Christmas.” She stepped over and snagged a couple of hot wheels as Richard spotted a stuffed monkey. He grabbed the plush toy and added it to the cart as Toni spun and dropped five or six miniature classic cars in the cart. Her gaze rested on the monkey. “He’s cute.”

“Boys like monkeys, it’s a climbing thing.”

She nodded and grinned. “Maybe it will give him comfort.”

“Maybe.”

“Okay, that should get him through the next couple days; off to children’s wear. Clothes I get and have a good understanding of.”

Richard chuckled. “Says the woman walking around in ripped jeans, but may I add, they do your butt justice.”

She rolled her eyes and led him toward the end of the aisle. He glanced at the sporting equipment and tossed a glove, ball and bat in the cart as well as a football. If the kid wasn’t into sports, by the time he spent any time with Andrew he would be.

He paused for a moment and tried to remember the last time he had played football. Sure, in university, he played but as the years had gone by, he’d had less opportunity. He glanced up and noticed Toni had already made her way over to children’s wear.

He followed with the cart and caught up to her. She already had socks, underwear and a couple t-shirts in her hand. She grabbed a couple matching top and shorts sets and dumped them in the cart.

There was something strange about them shopping for kids’ stuff and a weird sensation washed over him. One he couldn’t identify. Maybe it was the beginning of something…no, no, no, he told himself. It was way too soon to let the seeds of a future start growing.

Her facial expressions indicated when she liked or didn’t like something and he couldn’t help but stare at her. Seeing how, despite them being crunched for time, she made sure things were coordinated. She held up two pairs of two piece pajamas. “Okay, Superman or Spiderman?”

He blinked at them and then to the rack. “Neither. Get the Batman ones.”

Her brows lifted. “Seriously?”

“Sweetheart, it’s all about Batman, he had the coolest car ever. You of all people should know this, considering your love for cars.” He stepped over to where she stood and grabbed a size seven, then noticed a blue set with a cartoon character from the latest movie advertised everywhere and grabbed a size seven in it as well.

It was then that something dawned on him. “You’ve never told me—nor have I seen what your other two cars are.” He placed the pajamas in the cart and noticed the sign for electronics dangling above them about ten feet away.

“Neither one is running currently, they need work and I haven’t had a lot of time to focus on it, with Kayla and Andrew getting married and work.” She shrugged as he led her over to electronics. “Their bodies are great, but they do need to be restored.”

He paused in front of the game consoles. He spotted the one Hank’s son had gotten at his pirate themed birthday. Recognizing two of the games Tommy got, he grabbed those as well. The boys were close in age, so it was a good guess the little guy would like them.

Toni scooped up an MP3 player and smiled. “That should do it.”

“You do realize, you answered my question by not really answering my question.” They walked toward the front of the store where they had entered. Two checkouts were open. One had a couple who Richard was positive were stocking a fallout shelter considering they had carts filled with several cases of food and water. The other was a little old lady with her stuff already being rung up. Though it was a considerable amount, it wasn’t three shopping carts full like the other one.

Toni met his gaze. “Well if you must know, I have a pink 1957 Thunderbird and a 1967 Mustang GT in black.”

Stunned. He wasn’t expecting that, he wasn’t sure what she was going to say, but not that. “You’re serious.”

“I like cars.”

He shook his head. “No, that’s a
love
for cars.” He blinked at her at smiled. “Will you show them to me sometime?”

“Price check at cash register fifteen.” The cashier called for the second time since they had stood in line.

Toni smiled. “Sure, but they aren’t all pretty yet like the Corvette.”

“I understand.” He debated and knew it would be a long year if he kept holding back and not opening up. “My grandfather Locke, my mom’s dad, loved cars. I remember going out to their place when I was younger and he was always working on his latest baby.”

Her expression softened and he continued. “I loved that time with him. I could hardly wait to go play with the tools and spend time with him. Even in middle school and high school, when the world got to be too much, I could always go out there and just spend time in the garage.” He glanced down at the white shiny tile floor with the grey flecks then again met her curious gaze. “I would really like to see the cars.”

“Price check at cash register fifteen.” The little old lady sighed, and smiled at them apologetically.

This time he and Toni both turned to the young man behind the counter. Finally, she glanced back at him. “Yeah, I’ll show them to you. I even have coveralls and tools if you decide to play.”

Uncertainty touched his soul. The thought of working on a car brought back happy memories of his grandparents. “Thank you.”

She nodded then reached up and kissed his cheek. “It’ll be fun.”

Again, the loudspeaker system kicked on and the cashier had the phone in his hand. “Price check at cash register fifteen.” He then turned to Richard. “Sir, this might be a minute.”

A minute? Apparently he can’t tell time.

He glanced at Toni who shrugged, then glanced at his watch. He wanted to get out of the store. Well, he’d wanted to leave since arriving, but now, more than ever, he wanted to get to Andrew and Kayla’s.

Again and then again. Items didn’t scan and another employee scurried like a rodent to get a price on an item. Toni had already flipped through three different magazines, but had remained quiet.

So help me if there is one more price check I am going to snap.

Sure enough, another item beeped. The cashier smiled and scanned again. “I’ll have to call.”

That makes price check number eight. Does nothing in this store scan?

“Price check at cash register fifteen.” The young man shouted for the eighth time.

“Relax, we’ll be out of here soon,” Toni soothed.

Maybe, but he was worried about Andrew and Kayla. They’d been good friends to him, and now he could be there for them. Finally, the last item in front of the bar was lifted up and scanned.

Thank God!

“Now I have some things to help me save. Everything I bought has a coupon or is on sale at another store,” the older woman told the man behind the cash counter.

Richard blinked at the battle stack of coupons and the flyers. “No, I’m sorry. We’re in a hurry we don’t have time for this.”

“But I am going to save money today and you young man, are not going to stop me.”

Grant me the strength not to throttle the little old lady!

He inhaled deeply and took her statement as a challenge. “Sure I am.” Richard stared at the not so sweet older woman. “Tell you what. You’re going to save a lot today because I’m going to pay for
whatever
the groceries cost. So you can save your money and your coupons.” He turned to the stunned cashier. “My wife and I have a family emergency. I don’t have time for one more price check, one more thing to be scanned and I definitely don’t have time for every item she purchased to be comparison priced. How much does this lady owe?”

The guy swallowed and studied Richard then reached for the phone in his checkout booth. “This is unusual. I need a manager’s—”

“No!” his patience had hit the limit. “Put the phone down. Learn to think for yourself and just tell me the amount. I’m paying cash.” He smiled and hoped to heaven this ordeal would be over soon.

“$385.63, but sir—”

“I could have saved at least half that.” The older woman with the groceries piled high in her cart harrumphed.

“I don’t care!” he snapped and fished out his wallet.

“Richard…”

He turned to his pretty wife and understood the sweet but scolding expression. Richard plastered a smile on his face and glanced back to the shopper from hell. “I appreciate it, but really I’m in a hurry.” He passed four one hundred dollar bills to the cashier and sighed. If he ever walked into another one of these stores, it would be too soon.

Toni was drained. She’d been going none stop at work with the remodeling of the offices, juggling her ever changing life with Richard and knee deep in helping her mother and Felix with the Toys for Tots party. She darted a sideways glance at the man she married as they walked up to the front door of Kayla and Andrew’s home. Her stomach fluttered slightly as she took in the man next to her, who had not only survived the store, paid for everything and carried it up to the house.

“I don’t know how to thank you.”

Richard turned to her with a quizzical expression. “For what?”

“Tonight.” She responded with the hope Kayla had coffee on. She was going to need it, because if they got home before three it was going to be small miracle. Not good considering she had a seven thirty a.m. meeting.

The door opened and Andrew stood looking worse for wear. “Thank you so much, both of you.”