“Just trust me, Areya,” Ash said, flashing me a wink that sent my stomach into a tailspin and heat creeping up my cheeks.
“Any particular store in mind?” he asked as the bike began to move.
“I was hoping for something that had a bit of everything.”
“Then hold on tight,” he called back with a grin.
He started pedaling, the bike gliding away from the manor smoothly.
I began pedaling too and soon, we were moving fast. Ash had been right, I barely had to do anything as he steered the bike around the corner and onto Main Street. The breeze blew through my hair and as I watched the shops and people pass by, I realized I was beaming.
In fact, I was grinning like an idiot and when Ash glanced back, I could see the amusement in his expression. I couldn’t deny the fact that I was enjoying myself immensely.
Ash led us in the opposite direction of where we’d gone yesterday, though I had no idea how he knew where to go. After about fifteen minutes, he slowed down the bike in front of a large building with a sign readingSeaside Outlets.
Ash pulled into a small lot on the side of the building, meant for bike parking. I climbed off, while he propped up the kickstand and led us inside, still carrying a faint smirk of amusement.
“How did you know this was here?” I asked as we walked in the entrance.
“After our fight yesterday, I needed to blow off some steam, so I went for a run.”
We stepped through the large glass doors into a shopping center. In the middle of the space was a huge stone fountain with a sculpture of three tailed women rising from the water. Benches surrounded the fountains, where people were eating or resting from shopping. Stores stretched out in every direction, and my eyes immediately lit up at the sight of it all. I wanted to start at one end and make my way to every shop just to see what I could find.
“Um, if you want to wait out here, that’s fine,” I offered, pointing to the benches.
Ash looked at me, dead serious. “Why would I do that?”
I shrugged. “Most guys hate shopping.”
“Areya, do I look like most guys?”
No. No, he certainly did not.
The first store that caught my eye was a women’s clothing store calledSeaside Chic. Everything was tailored to the hotclimate in Cresinthia. As I browsed the store, I realized I wasn’t sure what Ambrosia would be like if we found a way in, so I stuck to basic essentials. The clothing here was different than what I was used to; there were no jeans or graphic tees. Most of the tops were simple and elegant, and everything seemed to be made out of the same lightweight cotton that was soft to the touch.
I ended up choosing a couple of loose-fitting cotton pants and matching sleeveless tops in black and cream. The outfits screamed of classy beachwear.
Shopping with Ash felt a little awkward, but he seemed content enough to follow me around and even help me scan the racks for my size.
“I sure hope your kingdom has better clothes,” I whispered to him, trying to hide my grin. He only chuckled.
Before leaving the store, I grabbed two pairs of soft cotton shorts, one pair in light pink and another in baby blue, along with two tops in simple white and pastel pink.
Ash wandered away for a moment, returning with a sundress in his hand. It was short and coral colored with a revealing neckline and thin straps. I didn’t hate it.
“This one.” He handed it to me.
I raised an eyebrow.
“The color suits you,” he said and shrugged.
I took the dress, a small smile playing on my lips.
Our next stop was a shoe store, where I picked out a pair of sandals with delicate seashell straps and the most practical pair of white sneaker-like shoes for traveling.
As we left, I nearly squealed in excitement to have spotted a beauty store, making a beeline for it, practically dragging Ash along with me.
He grabbed a basket and patiently followed as I trieddifferent shades of products. By the time we left, I’d amassed quite the haul—makeup, moisturizer, face wash, hairbrush, a few hair ties, deodorant, a summery-scented body spray, and deliciously scented hair and body wash. I couldn’t wait to try out everything later.