Chapter 14 #2
I was about to say no when Evie’s face lit up, literally – brighter than the diamonds on display – but then, she said, ‘That would be so cool but,’ she shrugged, a gesture I was getting used to from her, ‘I’d better not. We’re not shopping for me.’
She gave me an overbright smile that made my heart ache a little.
In that moment, I realised that she did a lot for others.
She always had a friendly word for the hotel staff and even before we’d met properly, she’d been kind to me.
Before I could think better of it, and taking a leaf out of her book, I said, ‘I don’t know, Evie, who knows what Santa might bring. I think you should try something on.’
For a moment, at least a whole ten seconds, she didn’t say a word.
I nodded at the sales associate.
‘What about one of the key necklaces?’ I pointed back to the cabinet we’d just come from. ‘You were looking at those.’
She still hadn’t said anything. I crossed to the cabinet and chose the one she’d spent the most time poring over.
‘That one, I think,’ I said, looking back at Evie who had regained her composure.
‘Really?’ She grinned at me, every inch the mischievous elf again. ‘Darling, you spoil me.’
I simply raised my eyebrows and smiled back at her.
‘Ah, the Tiffany gold knot with one-point-four carat of diamonds. An excellent choice, sir.’
With a touch of ceremony, the sales associate donned a pair of white gloves and removed a gold chain with a gold key encrusted with small diamonds, placing it on a black velvet pad before putting it reverently on top of the glass counter.
The thing sparkled and twinkled as if it had a life of its own and Evie stepped forward gingerly touching it with one finger, as if it might bite.
‘It’s beautiful.’
‘May I?’ I picked up the necklace.
Evie lifted her mass of hair to reveal the pale skin of her neck. Such a simple gesture of complete trust, that I faltered for a moment.
It took a second for me to straighten up.
With the same focus as if I was about to take a goal kick, I stepped behind her and looped my arms around her neck.
My hands shook slightly as I draped the chain in the hollow of her collar bones.
As I fastened the tiny catch and my fingers brushed the soft skin of her neck, I held my breath.
I itched to stroke the delicate nape, tangling one finger in one of the downy curls that crept from her hairline.
Beneath my fingers, Evie shivered and then she turned to look at me over her shoulder, her lips slightly parted and her eyes wide. I was a whisper away from kissing her when I remembered where we were. I held myself back, flexing my hand behind my back, to hide the sudden sharp need.
‘Let’s see,’ I said, my voice huskier than I’d intended.
She turned and lifted her chin. I touched the necklace, my hand shaking slightly because I really wanted to touch her mouth, move my thumb over her soft pink lips.
‘It suits you,’ I said, looking at the gold glowing next to her skin.
She turned back and looked in the mirror.
‘It’s lovely,’ she said, and I saw her swallow, the movement lifting the necklace.
She touched the key pendant, a wistful smile on her face.
She looked at me in the mirror and gave me a brief nod as if to say thank you, and then turned to the sales associate. ‘But not today.’
She handed the necklace back. ‘Thank you, but we really are here to buy his mum a present. We shouldn’t get sidetracked, should we?’ She shot me one of her wicked grins which brought me out of my head and back to the present.
‘Yes, you’re right. Mom.’ I swallowed down the thoughts about pushing back her pullover and kissing my way down her spine.
‘Let’s go up to the silver floor. They do some beautiful silver designs.’
‘And you know this how?’
‘Tiffany website,’ she said with a duh roll of her eyes. I couldn’t decide if I was relieved or not that normality had returned and the Evie I knew was back.
We headed up the fancy staircase which spiralled up around a huge bronze statue.
The silver floor was more my mom. I circled round the cabinets of bright highly polished silver and studied heavy link chain bracelets, diamond-studded hoops, delicate filigree pendants and sculpted rings.
Evie, it seemed, knew her Tiffany silver and beckoned me over to a cabinet of Elsa Peretti designs – full disclosure, I’d never heard of the woman, but Evie pointed to a pretty, stylised silver starfish on a silver chain.
‘How about that one? Or you could buy the classic Tiffany heart pendant, but I think your mum might like this more. It’s less obvious.’
I smiled at her with gratitude. ‘Thanks, Evie. It’s perfect. My mom will love it.’
When we left the store, she was positively skipping along beside me. ‘That was amazing. I’ve always wanted to go in there, to buy something, even by proxy, and to have the little blue bag. My mum would have got such a kick out of this.’
‘Why was your mom such a fan?’
Evie’s face turned solemn, and she shrugged. ‘She just was.’
Her voice was suddenly quiet, with that sort of deadness to it that made it clear she didn’t want to talk about the subject. She wouldn’t thank me for feeling sorry for her, so I said, ‘Okay, so now I’ve set the bar really high with my mom, what am I going to buy for my sister?’
Evie’s usual, cheerful expression returned. ‘Oh, you’re in good hands. I’m brilliant at shopping.’ She rubbed her hands together gleefully and I almost saw her tucking her grief back in its box.