The Immortal Hunter(61)

They chatted a bit as they ate, but finished up quickly, eager to complete their shopping expedition. Dani wanted to get back to the house and Sam seemed equally eager to get back. Dani suspected it was because Sam wanted to see Mortimer, something she could understand completely, Dani thought as they got up to leave the table and Decker took her hand in his. Just that simple touch sent a shiver skimming up her arm, and she thought that he would be a difficult man to give up. Not that she was sure she would have to, but Dani hadn't really had a chance to consider the matter much.

How did this relationship work in with her life? She was a doctor, had worked hard to become one. Dani had a flourishing practice, a busy and what she'd thought until now fulfilled life, and was mostly happy with things. However, from what she'd learned, she'd have to give that all up to have Decker. At least she would in ten years or so.

Decker tugged Dani suddenly to the side, drawing her attention to the fact that she'd nearly collided with another shopper not watching where she was going. Realizing this was neither the time nor the place to worry about all this, she murmured, "Thank you" to Decker for preventing the collision, and then began to pay attention to where she was going.

"Oooh, I love these."

Decker raised his head from the package containing something called a shrimp ring that he'd been examining with interest, and glanced to where Dani bent over a section of the frozen food area ahead. She turned to Sam, saying, "These are so good."

"I know," Sam agreed. "I love those. Mix up a salad to go with it and you have a meal. They're great. We better grab a lot of them."

Dani nodded and placed the box she held in the cart, then turned to collect several more. "The best part is they're healthy for you too and only take ten minutes in the toaster oven to make."

Decker was about to turn back to the box he held, but paused when Dani suddenly straightened and turned to Sam with a frown. "Is there a toaster oven at the house? I saw a microwave, but..."

"No," Sam muttered. "Not only is there not a toaster oven, there aren't any pots or pans or dishes or silverware."

Decker didn't need to see the dismay on Dani's face to realize what that meant. It seemed they had another store to hit after this one. Or at least he thought that's what it meant until Dani turned and replaced the boxes she'd just picked up.

The moment she'd finished, Sam turned the cart around and headed his way. Since the girls had already covered this section, he assumed they were coming back for him to place his latest selection in the cart and proceeded to do so, his eyebrows flying up with surprise when Dani immediately took it out and set it back where he'd gotten it as Sam continued past him.

"Hey!" Decker protested. "I wanted that."

"We'll pick some up later," Dani assured him and hurried after Sam. He stared after her, watching as the women removed several items from the cart and returned them to where they'd found them, and then shook his head with bewilderment and moved to join them.

"Ladies," he said as he reached them. "You seem to have the concept of shopping a little confused. I believe you are supposed to put items in the cart, not take them out."

"We need pots and pans and things to cook with," Dani explained, setting a box of frozen chicken in the freezer.

"So?" Decker asked, not seeing the problem. "We'll stop at a store and buy some after this."

"We can't," Sam informed him. "It's hot out and we don't have a cooler. The food will go bad sitting in a closed-up car while we buy the other stuff."

"Oh," he murmured, realizing that was a problem. They'd come to the mall in Sam's car rather than one of the SUVs, which would have had a cooler in it. He grimaced and then did so again as his gaze slid over the almost full cart. It would take forever to put everything back. "Can't we just leave the cart here and-"

"No." The two women gasped the word with horror as they turned on him.

"Decker," Dani said as if talking to a not very bright child. "The food will go bad just sitting here in a cart too. The frozen food especially, the ice cream will melt and-"

"Okay, okay, I get the point." He glanced around. Spotting a fellow in the store uniform and apron near the meat counter ahead, Decker slid into his mind and made him come over.

"What are you doing?" Dani asked suspiciously, eyes narrowing on his face.

"Getting us a little help to save time," he answered. When the store worker stepped up to the cart, Sam moved out of the way, watching wide-eyed as he silently began to take over returning the food from the cart.

"There." Decker caught each of them by the arm and ushered them away. He noticed Dani glancing guiltily back toward the store clerk, but didn't slow his step for a minute.

"Where can we buy what you need?" he asked in businesslike tones as he hustled them out of the store.

"The department store will have everything," Sam answered promptly. "It's up and to the right at the far end of the mall."

"Of course it is," Decker said dryly, and hurried them along. So much for thinking they were nearly done, he thought wryly, positive the women would take forever in the department store.

Decker soon learned he was wrong about that. Dani and Sam seemed as eager to get the task done and get out as he was, and he found himself pushing the cart along at a quick step as they piled things in. He watched dishes and silverware and pots and pans fly into the cart at an almost dizzying speed. There was very little fuss or discussion. They would walk along the aisle, eyes scanning the options, and then one would say, "Those look nice, good, or well-made" depending on the product, and the other usually agreed. It seemed obvious the women had very similar taste. Decker wasn't surprised. They were both around the same age and both professionals. He suspected they'd become good friends in time.