Page 113 of Insincerely Yours
Jase knows I’m talking about more than just this morning, so it comes as no surprise that he goes quiet.
“Look, what you do with your own time is none of my business. You can sell or peddle whatever drugs you want, but when your business comes to myhouse, we’ve got a problem.”
The abrupt sound that comes out of Jase honestly startles me. If he had been eating something, I’d think he was choking. Instead, his shoulders shake and I realize he’s trying not to laugh. One look in my direction, and the dam breaks. Jase isn’t just laughing. It’s not even a guffaw. He’s laughing so hard his eyes start to water. “Damn, Birdie. I know you think I’m an asshole, but I thought you filed me in the James SpaderPretty In Pinkcategory. Not full-blown Walter White.”
When he sees I’m not sharing in his amusement, he sobers up, at least a fraction.
“What the hell gave you the impression I’m pushing drugs?”
“You were at Murdock’s.”
“So were you.”
“Yeah, but I was there todance. Not meet up with some black market dealer.”
One of Jase’s eyebrows quirks up. “I wasn’t there to sell. I was there to buy. And no, it wasn’t drugs.”
“Whatever you say, Tony Montana,” I mutter as he pulls alongside the curb. Jase looks like he might say something else, but I don’t give him the chance, climbing out. Before I shut the door, I turn back to him with my hand extended, preparing to ask for my phone. He won’t know when to pick me up if I can’t tell him when I’m done—
But he cuts the engine and opens his door, getting out as well. There are plenty of other shops all along the main drag, so I assume he’s heading to one of them, only to find his long strides carrying him to the boutique ahead of me. Jase pulls it open and gestures me through, and I still expect him to turn and leave.
He doesn’t.
He strolls inside right after me.
Everything in the boutique is cream-colored, from the walls to the carpeting to the upholstered chairs outside the dressing rooms. I’ve never been in here, anticipating the store would cater specifically to bridal and bridesmaid attire, but there’s a full range of styles for every occasion. And the price tags have my eyes bulging a little.
Lauren already paid in advance for my bridesmaid dress and any alterations, but Candice also said she had a little black dress in mind for my date with Wes. Despite the simple design, the one I’m currently looking at is still over two grand and about twenty times more expensive than anything in my closet. I steal a glance at a couple more tags to find the other dresses cost even more.
Yeeeeah, no.
As pretty as they may be, there’s no way in hell I’m tapping into my savings account for one dress intended for one date.
A young woman no older than my sister comes to the front of the shop the second she sees us, all too ready to usher me to the back when I tell her my name. “Sarah’s prepping your dressing room, so feel free to have a seat anywhere you’d like,” she says, gesturing to the chairs around the different sets of three-piece mirrors.
Most of the seats are occupied by men who look thoroughly bored or annoyed, all on their phones. Jase and I take the two available chairs by the largest dressing room, likely reserved for brides. The oldest gentleman talks in low tones on what is undoubtedly a business call as the teenager next to him looks to be playing a mobile version of that vampire apocalypse game. I’d take sitting by either at the moment rather than the twenty-something Patrick Bateman wannabe seated to my right. I seriously hope he’s the bride’s brother or cousin or friend andnother fiancé, because I catch an unintentional eyeful of hisDMs when I sit down. Going to a boutique, the only exposed breasts I anticipated seeing today were my own in the changing room. Yet, there are two images of a woman I thankfully don’t recognize showing off her…ample assets for the camera. The fact that Bateman needs to adjust how he’s sitting only has my skin crawling further, and Jase doesn’t miss it.
He doesn’t even ask. The chairs are so close together that he’s able to literally slide me over and lift my backside onto his lap. Before I can object, he maneuvers out from under me, taking my previous seat as I sit in his.
“Thanks,” I mutter.
A few minutes later, Candice greets us, all air kisses and giddiness, declaring I’m all set in dressing room three. She looks down to see Jase lounging there and smiles. “And I see you’ve brought company with you today. It’s always good to get a little male perspective. Can I get you anything while you wait, Mr. Webber?”
The gears in my head and apparently even my legs grind to a halt at the namedrop, because I come to a halt, stealing a look back at Jase.
The Stepmonsteractuallytold everyone that Jase’s last name is the same as Lauren’s?
Can you say awkward?
“It’s Rivers, actually. And no, I’m good.” He returns her smile, but it slips a fraction when he sees Candice’s confusion…and then what I can only assume is the inevitable “light bulb” moment as she processes the correction.
Her easy smile suddenly looks forced, the muscles in her cheeks tightening. “Of course.”
She clears her throat as she tries to still keep a polite front, suddenly all too happy to escort me away.
I disappear into the dressing room and find a light purple cold shoulder gown already waiting for me. The material lookslike it’s probably satin, and to my surprise, the mermaid silhouette slips on effortlessly. Normally when that happens with my clothes, it’s because I’ve lost weight, making the articles hang off of me in the least flattering way. This, however, hugs my figure in all the right places, and even I have to admit…I kind of look hot. Aren’t bridesmaids dresses supposed to be hideous? I can’t zip up the back on my own, but before I can ask for assistance, I freeze at the sound of whispering outside my door.
With the music playing overhead, I can’t make out exactly what they’re saying, but I hope I’m hearing them wrong from the few words I do.
