comment about her attire.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this.” Ben didn’t bother to hide his irritation as he climbed into the van and started the engine.
“That makes two of us,” Tara said, getting in on her side. But I’m desperate, and hitching a ride with you will get me to the girlfriends in time for Christmas. But she couldn’t hitch a ride dressed as she was now. If she was freezing here in the city, traveling through the mountains might literally kill her—or give her frostbite on her legs, anyway. She reached for the seat belt, buckling herself into the front passenger seat of Ellen’s minivan as Ben backed it out the driveway.
He drove in silence and a little too fast, winding his way through holiday traffic to the nearest mall. Privately, Tara was impressed with his skill. He could have held his own during rush hour in LA. Not bad, considering he probably spent most of his time driving a tractor.
A few minutes later she lurched forward then back as the van came to an abrupt halt in front of Sears. Her heart sank. She couldn’t remember ever having shopped at Sears, but she was pretty certain they were known for things like drills, saws, and riding lawnmowers.
“You want me to wear a tool belt?” She wasn’t trying to be funny.
“They sell clothes here,” Ben said.
Eying his plaid shirt, she imagined just the kind of clothing he was talking about. Turning around in her seat, she searched the store names on the building, hoping against hope there was a Saks or Nordstrom nearby—or at least a Macy’s.
“I’ll be back in an hour.” Ben pulled out his wallet and thumbed through it, taking out the few bills inside. “Here’s forty-seven dollars.” He slapped the cash into her hand. “I’ll meet you here at 7:30.”
She stared at the money. He’s kidding, right? “ One hour? Forty-seven dollars?” And Sears? she wanted to add but didn’t. “You can’t be serious.”
Ben gave her a look that said he was. “Fifty-nine minutes,” he said, glancing at the dashboard clock. “I’ve still got to help Ellen with some things, and I want to get to bed early. We have a long drive tomorrow.”
Tara shook her head. “I’m sorry, but what you’re asking is impossible. Do you know nothing about shopping? First of all, look at this parking lot. The line at the register is going to be a half hour by itself.”
“Better choose your clothes fast, then,” Ben said unsympathetically. He rolled down the driver’s side window, waving another car around them. “I’m blocking traffic, and you’re wasting time.”
Tara didn’t budge. “When was the last time you set foot inside a mall?” she demanded. “I’ll be doing good to get socks and underwear for forty-seven bucks. There’s absolutely no way I’ll be able to get jeans and a sweater too.”
“At Sears you can.” Ben’s forehead wrinkled, and he pressed his lips together as the driver behind them honked. “And if by chance I’m mistaken, then I suggest you get long johns. Now are you going to get out or not?”
“Not.” Tara folded her arms across her chest. “I know you think I’m being difficult, but you really don’t understand.”
“You’re right. You’re extremely difficult—a real pain.” Ben drove forward. “And I don’t understand how I let my sister talk me into taking you with us. But if she wants to do this so bad, she can take you shopping. I’ll stay home. Dealing with three cranky kids beats this any day.”
Tara felt her anger rising to match his, but she tried to remind herself he was just an ignorant farmer. It was up to her to educate him on the ways of the world—or the way of the mall, at least.
She reached out, placing a hand on his sleeve. “I’m grateful you’re taking me shopping. Really, I am. And I know I must seem unappreciative.”
“I’ll say.” Ben turned to look at her then her hand, which she hastily removed from his coat sleeve.
“I’m sure that wherever it is
“I can’t believe I’m doing this.” Ben didn’t bother to hide his irritation as he climbed into the van and started the engine.
“That makes two of us,” Tara said, getting in on her side. But I’m desperate, and hitching a ride with you will get me to the girlfriends in time for Christmas. But she couldn’t hitch a ride dressed as she was now. If she was freezing here in the city, traveling through the mountains might literally kill her—or give her frostbite on her legs, anyway. She reached for the seat belt, buckling herself into the front passenger seat of Ellen’s minivan as Ben backed it out the driveway.
He drove in silence and a little too fast, winding his way through holiday traffic to the nearest mall. Privately, Tara was impressed with his skill. He could have held his own during rush hour in LA. Not bad, considering he probably spent most of his time driving a tractor.
A few minutes later she lurched forward then back as the van came to an abrupt halt in front of Sears. Her heart sank. She couldn’t remember ever having shopped at Sears, but she was pretty certain they were known for things like drills, saws, and riding lawnmowers.
“You want me to wear a tool belt?” She wasn’t trying to be funny.
“They sell clothes here,” Ben said.
Eying his plaid shirt, she imagined just the kind of clothing he was talking about. Turning around in her seat, she searched the store names on the building, hoping against hope there was a Saks or Nordstrom nearby—or at least a Macy’s.
“I’ll be back in an hour.” Ben pulled out his wallet and thumbed through it, taking out the few bills inside. “Here’s forty-seven dollars.” He slapped the cash into her hand. “I’ll meet you here at 7:30.”
She stared at the money. He’s kidding, right? “ One hour? Forty-seven dollars?” And Sears? she wanted to add but didn’t. “You can’t be serious.”
Ben gave her a look that said he was. “Fifty-nine minutes,” he said, glancing at the dashboard clock. “I’ve still got to help Ellen with some things, and I want to get to bed early. We have a long drive tomorrow.”
Tara shook her head. “I’m sorry, but what you’re asking is impossible. Do you know nothing about shopping? First of all, look at this parking lot. The line at the register is going to be a half hour by itself.”
“Better choose your clothes fast, then,” Ben said unsympathetically. He rolled down the driver’s side window, waving another car around them. “I’m blocking traffic, and you’re wasting time.”
Tara didn’t budge. “When was the last time you set foot inside a mall?” she demanded. “I’ll be doing good to get socks and underwear for forty-seven bucks. There’s absolutely no way I’ll be able to get jeans and a sweater too.”
“At Sears you can.” Ben’s forehead wrinkled, and he pressed his lips together as the driver behind them honked. “And if by chance I’m mistaken, then I suggest you get long johns. Now are you going to get out or not?”
“Not.” Tara folded her arms across her chest. “I know you think I’m being difficult, but you really don’t understand.”
“You’re right. You’re extremely difficult—a real pain.” Ben drove forward. “And I don’t understand how I let my sister talk me into taking you with us. But if she wants to do this so bad, she can take you shopping. I’ll stay home. Dealing with three cranky kids beats this any day.”
Tara felt her anger rising to match his, but she tried to remind herself he was just an ignorant farmer. It was up to her to educate him on the ways of the world—or the way of the mall, at least.
She reached out, placing a hand on his sleeve. “I’m grateful you’re taking me shopping. Really, I am. And I know I must seem unappreciative.”
“I’ll say.” Ben turned to look at her then her hand, which she hastily removed from his coat sleeve.
“I’m sure that wherever it is
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