“He bought me a book?” She ripped open the packaging and a slim volume fell onto her lap. On the cover was a simple illustration of a couple walking hand in hand.
She flipped it open and again saw Lucas’s bold scrawl on the flyleaf.
I hope you enjoy this story.
She started to read, and didn’t look up once until the cab came to a halt on Fifth Avenue.
“Eva?”
Pleased for an excuse to stop reading, she closed the book, slightly dazed. “Tiffany’s? What are we doing here, Albert? They don’t open on Christmas Day.”
“It seems they’re willing to make an exception for a special person. Go on in. They’re expecting you.”
“I don’t know what you—” The door opened and she stared at the man standing there. “Lucas?”
She forgot about the book in her hand. She forgot about everything. Her knees weakened, her heart thudded and she knew it would be a long time until she was over him, if she ever was. What did he want? It was one thing being brave in front of her friends, but quite another to keep up an act in front of him.
He was wearing his long black coat and judging from the dark shadows under his eyes, he hadn’t slept in the few days since she’d left.
She stumbled out of the cab, and then turned to Albert. “Aren’t you getting out here, too?”
“No. I’ve done my part. The rest is up to you.” He raised his hand to Lucas and then slid back into the cab. “I’m going back to my Christmas lunch. Maria is saving my place at the table.”
“You’ve met Maria? You’re leaving me on my own?”
“Maria and I have spoken a few times over the past week, and you’re not on your own, honey. Someone like you will never find herself alone. Merry Christmas, Eva.” He pulled the door shut and she stood on the sidewalk clutching her book and shivering as the cab vanished in the direction of Brooklyn.
What now?
“Eva?” Lucas’s voice came from behind her. “Will you come inside before we all freeze?”
“All?” She turned slowly, emotionally exhausted. “I don’t know what’s going on.”
“If you come inside, you’ll find out.”
Still clutching the book, she picked her way across the sidewalk and then gasped as he caught her in his arms.
“Oh! A hug.” She didn’t dare think it was anything more. She didn’t dare wonder why they were standing in the doorway of her favorite jewelry store.
“Did you like my gift?”
“What gift?”
“The book.”
She bit her lip, wondering how honest to be. He’d given her a gift, and she should thank him. On the other hand… “Honestly? I haven’t finished it yet, but what I read freaked me out a little. You know I’m not good with scary things,” she said quickly, “so don’t be offended.”
“Scary?” He sounded astounded. “It wasn’t scary, it was a love story.”
“A love story?” She stared at him, bemused, and then at the book in her hand. “But—he blindfolds her and takes her into this dark room and then locks all the doors—I was terrified he was going to murder her. I stopped reading.”
“He blindfolds her so that nothing could spoil the surprise.”
“The surprise of being locked in a dark room?”
“The room is a jewelry store. It was supposed to be romantic.” He spoke through his teeth. “If you’d carried on reading, you would have seen him propose.”
“How? With a knife to her throat?” And suddenly she was laughing, laughing so hard she could hardly speak. “It was like something out of a horror film, and—” She broke off, an awful suspicion forming in her head. “Lucas, are you— did you write this? There was no author name on the cover.”