“That’s very true,” he said. He doubted he would be going home either. “You do what makes you happy, Raine. I’m enjoying watching you.”
She grinned and danced away, right into the arms of an inflatable abominable snow man. Noah thought for sure she was going to go sprawling, but she kept her feet and played it off like she’d meant to dance the cha-cha with the beast. Her hair was drawn back into a long French braid and it flew through the air as she played.
For the first time in a long time he found himself laughing, enjoying her sheer joy.
Chapter Four
Raine tried to be controlled and only buy what she thought they absolutely needed, but there was so much to choose from. And it was all so pretty. Dr. Wilkes trusted her with company money, though, so she stocked her cart carefully, then culled out what was not specifically needed. The room was big but she finally felt like she had a good selection, and several different things to represent other countries. Well, a few things got added on because she loved them personally. Those she paid for with her own money. They were going into her apartment.
Noah followed along like a patient husband, occasionally weighing in on the really difficult decisions, like colored lights over white lights, and the like. And he’d traveled way more than she had so he had some insight into the men’s cultural habits. Mr. Dart was Ukranian so they found paper snowflakes and spiders in webs. Raine had to scratch her head at that one, but Noah swore it was appropriate. Bosch was French, then there were two men from Germany, so she made sure to buy several advent calendars, even though they would be started late. One man was from the Czech Republic so she found a paper golden pig to tape on the wall. Two were from Africa which didn’t have as many commercial traditions. Singing and dancing seemed to be what they did for Christmas, and she bought a flag with the colors of Kwanzaa. Three other men were from the states, so they would understand everything else. This was going to be a celebration to span the worlds.
They got back to the Elton building a couple of hours later. World Market had been their final stop and it seemed to have capped off their list. They found an array of pickle ornaments for the German residents. She still didn’t get that one, but they had them. It would take her a while to sort everything out and decide how she wanted to arrange it. Maybe she could go to the individual men and request their help. Several of them wouldn’t respond, she knew, but she would try.
Noah hauled the giant Christmas tree box into the room over one bulging shoulder. The man made it look easy because he was so big. It was not something she could have done herself.
“I want to thank you for everything,” she said when he stood back to look at the stack of bagged supplies. “You didn’t have to help me.”
He glanced down at her. “I enjoyed it,” he told her finally. “And I’ll be happy to see the finished product.”
Raine glanced at the bags on the tables. “Give me a day to get this stuff sorted and I’ll really have something to show you.”
She gave him a wink and he stared at her, and slight smile on his lips. Raine had been under his scrutiny most of the day. It didn’t make her shift uncomfortably anymore, but it did send a surge of awareness through her. There could be something between them if they gave it a chance, but neither of them were ready for more, she didn’t think. It was nice to have a friend she could rely on. She had a feeling she would be seeing more of Noah Cross.
As if he sensed they needed a break, he tipped his head at her. “You have a day. Then I want to see this fabulousness.”
Raine grinned. “It will be. Thank you, Noah.”
“You’re welcome, Raine.”
She watched as he left the room, his back broad and his step firm. Not for the first time she noticed how quietly, dangerously, he moved.
“I would think about swinging for the other team for that guy,” Paul told her contemplatively as he entered the room.
Raine blushed at the image that brought to mind. “You are so bad,” she laughed.
Paul grinned and glanced around at her haul. “Just a warning- you only have one week till Christmas.”
Raine snorted. “I’ll have this whipped into shape by tomorrow.”
“Yeah, right. Thought I’d let you know Haven ate most of his breakfast today.”
Her brows lifted. “Really? That’s good to know. Maybe I’ll stop in later.”
Raine worked on the holiday room for several hours, only taking a break to run upstairs and eat something for a very late lunch. Then she headed back downstairs. This was a task she really enjoyed. Along the way she stopped at each room and went in to talk to her patients, inviting them down to the rec room to take part in the decorating. Only one of the Africans seemed interested, though not enough to actually come down right that second.
Making Haven’s room her last stop, she knocked on the door but didn’t receive a response, not that he normally responded. When she walked in the room, though, it was to find him sitting up on the edge of the bed, staring out the window at the lightly falling snow.
“Haven?”
He looked at her, though it took him a minute. “Nurse Raine.”
She grinned, tilting
