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studying ties.

      “Ohhhh.”

      Shannon also looked around, trying to see the store as Finley saw it. Because Finley was only a little over three feet tall, she suspected everything looked huge.

      “So what do you think? Shirt? Tie? Rodeo belt buckle?”

      Finley giggled.

      “We also have day planners, pen-and-pencil sets for a daddy’s desk and all kinds of computer gadgets in electronics, if you don’t see something you like here.”

      “You sound funny.”

      “I’m being a salesman.”

      Finley giggled again, but out of the corner of her eye, Shannon saw Rory talking to one of the salesclerks. Grasping Finley’s shoulders, she raced them behind one of the columns holding a mirror.

      Finley said, “What?”

      “Your dad is here.”

      “Oh.”

      “And if we want to keep your gift for him a surprise, we’ll have to be careful where we walk.”

      Finley nodded her understanding.

      They slipped to the far side of the sales floor. Customers, Christmas ornaments, racks of suit jackets, rows of jeans and walls of ties all provided good cover so that Rory wouldn’t see them.

      As Finley inspected a table full of dress shirts, Shannon sneaked a peek at Rory. With his hands stuffed into the front pockets of his jeans and his shoulders filling out his leather jacket, he could have been any other extremely gorgeous shopper. He chatted happily with a salesclerk, who eagerly showed him suit jackets and ties, probably expecting a nice commission.

      She hated to see him disappoint the clerk, but she couldn’t stop herself from watching as he took off his jacket and tried on the suit coat suggested by the clerk. His muscles bunched and flexed as he reached around and took the jacket, then shrugged into it.

      “I like this one.”

      Shannon glanced down at Finley. “Huh?”

      Finley waved a shirt at her. Folded neatly so that it fit into a rectangular plastic bag, the shirt was a shade of shocking pink so bold that Shannon had to hold back a gasp.

      “That one?”

      She nodded.

      “Um…have you looked at any of the others?”

      She nodded. “I like this one.”

      “It’s very nice, but…um…usually men don’t like to wear pink shirts.”

      “Why not?”

      “I don’t know…?.” And she also wasn’t sure why she was arguing with a six-year-old. Rory had enough money that he didn’t need a new shirt, and the pink one, the one chosen by his daughter with all the enthusiasm in her little pink-loving heart, would be a nice memento. He could keep it forever. Save it to show her when she got her first gift from her own child. Tears sprang to her eyes. It would actually be fun to see that. To remember this day. Share it with Rory. Make him laugh.

      She swallowed hard. “You know what? I like that shirt, too.”

      She glanced up to see which cash register could take their money, and she saw Rory going to the checkout beside the row of suits. The clerk was taking information from him—probably contact information for when the trousers had been hemmed and/or alterations made—and he was pulling out a credit card.

      Her heart swelled with love for him. He wasn’t going to disappoint the clerk who’d spent so much time with him. He was actually buying something. She pressed her hand to her chest. He was such a great guy.

      “You know…I don’t really hate Christmas anymore.”

      Stunned back to the real world by Finley’s remark, Shannon peeked down at her. “I was beginning to wonder about that.”

      Finley grinned. “I like presents.”

      Shannon laughed. “I do, too. I like to give them as much as get them.”

      Finley nodded eagerly.

      “We’ll sneak to that register over there—” she pointed at the register in the far corner where Rory wouldn’t see them “—and pay for this, then I’m going to buy you ice cream.”

      “It’s morning!”

      “I know. But I think you’ve earned it.”

      “What’s ‘earned’?”

      “It means that you did something nice, so I’m going to do something nice for you.” Finley grinned.

      Shannon paid for the shirt and the clerk handed the bag containing the bright pink shirt to her. She nudged her head so that the clerk would give it to Finley.

      With a smile, the clerk shifted the bag over to Finley. “Thank you, ma’am, for shopping at Raleigh’s. Come again.”

      Finley giggled.

      Shannon caught her hand. “Want me to carry your bag?”

      Finley clutched it tightly, her little hand wrapped around the folded-down end. “I’ve got it.”

      She was quiet as they walked out of menswear and to the elevator. When they stepped inside, amazingly, it was empty.

      Shannon almost hit the button for the third floor then remembered she’d promised Finley ice cream and pressed the button for the cafeteria floor.

      Finley wiggled a little bit. After the doors closed, her tiny voice tiptoed into the elevator. “Some days I miss my mom.”

      Shannon glanced down, her heart in her throat because she didn’t know what to say. It wasn’t her place to talk about Finley’s mom, but she certainly couldn’t ignore her. “I’m sure you do.”

      “I don’t remember her.”

      Stooping down in front of her, Shannon said, “You were very small, so you probably don’t remember. But you should really talk to your dad about this. I’d love to talk with you about it, but you and your dad were both part of your mom leaving.” She swallowed. “And you’re family. This is the kind of stuff you talk about with your family.”

      Her blue eyes solemn and sad, Finley nodded. “Okay.”

      The urge to hug Finley roared through her. Not just because she was sad, but because they were connected. They might not be family, but somewhere along the way they’d bonded. She wished with all her heart she could have talked with Finley about this. Could have eased her pain a bit. But it really was Rory’s place.

      Still, though she couldn’t speak, she could hug, so she wrapped her arms around Finley’s tiny shoulders and squeezed.

      Finley snuggled against her. “I wish you were my mom.”

      She closed her eyes. Only with great effort did she stop herself from saying, “I do, too.” Instead, she tightened her hold, pressing her lips together to stop their trembling.

      The elevator bell dinged. The doors opened. Shannon rose, took Finley’s hand and headed to the cafeteria. They could both use some ice cream now.

      She managed to avoid having lunch with Finley and Rory. Partially because she hoped Finley would use the private time to ask her dad about her missing mom. She knew a cafeteria wasn’t the best place to have the conversation, but recognized that Rory would be smart enough to stall a bit while they were in public. That would give him time to think through what he wanted to say that night when they were alone in the hotel room.

      She spent the afternoon with Finley, taking her downstairs to the gift-wrap department to have Rory’s new pink shirt properly wrapped in paper covered in elves and candy canes. When Rory arrived at her office around five to take Finley home, she rose from her office chair.

      “So,

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