"Thank you," Ellie said haughtily, taking the armload from the girl and nodding across the sales floor. "I believe you've got another customer waiting..."

The young man she'd spotted eyeing a rack full of lingerie would provide a splendid diversion--she could sense thoughts of his sweetheart drifting across the surface of his mind, and with a subtle nudge, pushed his thoughts toward that phrase most dreaded by any salesgirl in any clothing store: Well, I think she's about your size...