She’s been so distracted with her thoughts that she hadn’t heard him enter. But there he stood, big as life, his hair wind tossed, his cheeks ruddy from the wind and cold outside, and his arms weighed down with several bulging bags marked Walmart.
“Allie?” he asked, eyebrows raised. “You said my name. Did you want something?”
“Yes. No. I was just—” Waving one hand vaguely, she stood and moved around the counter into the kitchen to take some of the bags from him. “It looks like you’ve been busy.”
“Yes. Well, I was not sure what you and Liam might need,” he admitted as he bent to remove his boots. “So I got a variety of things. Toothbrushes, shampoo, some clothes. Though I wasn’t sure about sizes,” he admitted as he straightened again. “So I got several different sizes of each item. I can return the ones that do not . . .” He paused abruptly and tilted his head to take in her expression. “What is it?”
“You went shopping for Liam and me?” she asked, her wide eyes moving from the bags to him and back.
“Well, I know you have those Go bags, but they did not appear to have a lot in them. I thought perhaps you might need a few things, so . . .” He shrugged, looking suddenly uncomfortable. “But maybe I was wrong and you did not need anything.”
“No. I mean, yes, the bags don’t have much in them. Just essentials, really—a change of clothes, maps, some power bars, water, a blanket, and a first aid kit . . .” She shrugged, not bothering to mention the other items.
“Oh. Good. Then this stuff might be useful,” he said, offering her a smile. “It would have been easier if I could have taken you with me, but you were supposed to take it easy, and with Leonora checking your vitals every hour . . .” He shrugged, but then added, “If I have forgotten anything or there is something else you wanted, we can probably go shopping tomorrow.”
Allie managed a smile. “I’m sure this is fine. Thank you.” Turning, she walked to the counter to set down the bags, asking, “How much do I owe you?” and then immediately frowned as she recalled that her purse was back in the apartment they’d fled. Not that there was much money in it. She really was damned near broke. There was an emergency stash of a couple hundred dollars in one of the Go bags, and maybe as much in her purse back in Toronto, but her bank account was empty. Four years on the run had eaten up her savings and investments.
“Nothing,” Magnus answered as he set the rest of the bags down next to the ones she’d taken from him. Shrugging out of his coat, he moved into a small room off the other end of the kitchen, adding, “You did not ask me to buy these things. They are a gift.”
Allie followed him, but paused in the doorway to peer around. It was a small vestibule with cupboards, a coat closet, and a door leading out into what she could see was an attached garage.
Closing the closet door, Magnus turned and stopped when he saw her standing in the doorway. He peered at her silently for a minute and then asked with concern, “Is something wrong? Did something happen while I was gone? You seem off, and—”
“No. I’m fine. I just . . .” Waving a hand, she grimaced and admitted, “I’m not used to gifts. I guess I feel guilty for accepting them.” It was true, but wasn’t really why she probably seemed off to him. Her mind was still fixated on her need to become an immortal and his being the one person likely to be willing to turn her.
“You have nothing to feel guilty about,” he said firmly.
“Yes, well—” Much to her relief, chatter erupted in the kitchen then and she was able to drop the subject. Turning, Allie stepped back into the kitchen to see that not only had the children returned from their bathroom break, but Elvi and Mabel were coming in from outside, their arms laden with grocery bags.
“Elvi’s been shopping,” Mabel announced dryly when she spotted Allie hurrying toward them. “Fortunately for her, I pulled in right behind her and was able to help her drag them in.”
“Be careful, kids. Don’t drop anything,” Allie warned as her son and the other children started relieving the women of bags. The moment