“I’m a regular here. Days off and here I am.” She spread her arms around her.
“I never would have imagined. Shopping really isn’t my thing.”
“Then what is?” Sara asked, while steering her through the store.
“Travel. I like to save my money so when I want to pick up and go, the cash is there,” Lexie explained.
As they spoke, Sara would stop and browse at various cosmetic counters.
“What sort of places have you been?”
“Last month I went to Indonesia to see the area hit by the tsunami in 2004, then ended up in Darfur with some people I met.”
Sara dropped an eye pencil in her hand. “So you’re not what you seem, either. You have to be pretty brave to travel alone, and then to pick up and head to Darfur with strangers.”
Lexie shrugged. She’d never thought of her traveling as brave. “The people I met were with an aid organization. They were safe enough.”
Sara nodded. “So what started this love of travel?”
It was funny. Of all the people who’d questioned her about her transient lifestyle, Coop’s friend seemed the most genuinely curious. Because of that interest, it was easy to open up to her.
“When I was younger, my grandmother would take me to local sites. Usually it was whenever life in my house got too intense,” Lexie said, remembering. “At first it was local parks, places to escape. Later it was major tourist sites like the Statue of Liberty and then the Empire State Building.”
“She sounds special,” Sara said.
Lexie smiled. “She is.” And probably a devious thief, she thought to herself. “Anyway, as I got older she encouraged me to travel and see the world while I could. I’d take these trips to amazing countries like France and Spain, and I’d realize what a breath of fresh air it was to be away from the pressure at home. Eventually, traveling just became a way of life for me. Something I craved and truly enjoyed.”
“Sounds like life at home was tough.”
“No more than for most people,” Lexie said lightly, suddenly embarrassed that she’d spilled her guts about more than just travel. “Hey, I don’t want to keep you, so it was great seeing you and I’ll just go do my shopping.”
She wanted to make a quick escape, but Sara’s hand on her arm stopped her. “I’m sorry if I pushed. It’s the cop in me.”
Lexie shook her head. “Actually, you didn’t. Something about you is just easy to talk to.”
Sara grinned. “Ever hear the expression, good cop, bad cop?”
Lexie nodded.
“My ex-partner and I used to fall into those roles, and though I can be a hard-ass when I need to be, I can also be a good listener, which makes me perfect for the good-cop role. So, what are you shopping for? Because I’m just browsing.”
Lexie really didn’t want to share her mission with Sara. “I just need some lingerie,” she said, vaguely, but even as she spoke, a heated blush rose to her cheeks. “I need something to wear to surprise Coop,” she blurted out before Sara could accurately read her embarrassment.
A wide grin spread across the other woman’s face. “Why didn’t you say so? Mind if I tag along? I’m pretty good at picking out the racier things.”
She wiggled her eyebrows and Lexie laughed. “Why not? I really suck at this shopping stuff,” she admitted.
Sara had a way about her that put Lexie at ease, remarkable considering how uptight she’d made her feel in the beginning. Apparently, she kept her defenses high until she made a decision about a person, but once someone earned her stamp of approval, Sara let down her walls. Lexie only hoped Sara didn’t live to regret her decision to help once Lexie and Coop’s relationship ran its course.
The women shared lunch in the restaurant upstairs and by the end of the day, Lexie had a spectacular-looking lingerie set, which she hoped would knock Coop’s socks off.
As they walked out of the store and onto the street, the heat struck Lexie immediately. “This was fun and I appreciate your helping me.”
Sara smiled. “My pleasure. And now I’m going to go a step further with advice that goes beyond clothing.”
A warning tingle ripped through Lexie. “I’m listening,” she said warily.
“I come from a family of divorced cops. It’s all part of the job, so long-term relationships really aren’t my thing.”
Lexie sensed a hint of sadness and regret in Sara’s statement.
“Running away is something I understand better than most.”
Lexie narrowed her gaze. “I don’t run away.”
She should have known she’d let down her guard too easily. Sara was yet another person who judged Lexie and her choices.
“I explained to you that travel has become a part of me.”
“You did.” Sara nodded, but didn’t apologize for misunderstanding. “You also said the sightseeing and travel started as a way to escape tension at home.”
“And it morphed into something greater. Something important to me. Why does everyone insist on viewing it as wrong?” Lexie asked, frustrated and upset. She’d suffered enough of this with her family. She didn’t need it from a woman who was a perfect stranger.
But she was also Coop’s closest friend.
Who’s your closest friend? The question entered Lexie’s mind uninvited, chipping at the defenses she’d built up over the years.
“All I’m saying is that sometimes we get caught up in a cycle that becomes impossible to break. And I’m suggesting you take a hard look at your life before you leave for wherever it is you decide to go next. Because the things that matter most to you might not be waiting when you return.”
Wow. Now this was the Sara she’d first met. Hard-edged and intrusive. “Thanks for the advice,” Lexie said stiffly.
Sara’s penetrating gaze met hers. “I know you’re mad now, but I hope one day you’ll thank me for saying this.”
“I doubt it.” Lexie’s fingers curled tightly around the shopping bag in her hand.
“We’ll see. Enjoy your purchases,” Sara said, turned and headed off in the opposite direction, leaving Lexie speechless and feeling blindsided by the unsolicited advice.
Somehow she pushed Sara’s comments to the back of her mind and refocused on tonight. A combination of excitement and anticipation took over. Especially when she remembered she still had Coop’s key in her purse.