Page 22 of Catching a Con Man

“A capsule wardrobe for my friend here would be fantastic,” said Ade.

“But of course,” said the shop assistant. “Let me see what I can do for you.”

Without asking, he gripped my coat at my shoulders and pulled it off, dumping it on the floor as if it wasn’t worth a month of my salary. “Let’s see…” his hands gently brushed my shoulders, my waist, my chest, like he was measuring me without ever needing to check real numbers.

“What wonderful eyes you have, sir. And this pale skin…” I blushed as he openly appraised me. “Paler skin requires cooler colours. And with your complexion…dark. We need contrast.”

And then he was flitting around the little shop like a water bug, moving from one side to the next, stopping as he appraised a couple of items next to each other and picking one.

“Unless a hundred francs is like…ten pounds, there’s no way I’m affording any of this stuff,” I whispered to Ade as I checked the nearest label.

“A hundred francs isn’t far off a hundred pounds…anyway, that coat is a thousand, the label is ripped,” replied Ade. Like a thousand pounds was pocket money I could afford to throw away.

“Then, as lovely as it is that you’ve brought me here, let’s go. I am not trying on what I can’t afford.”

“Humour me, Ty.” He hadn’t ever shortened my name before, and I liked it. Before I could turn around and leave the shop anyway, the lovely shop assistant had returned with a pile of clothes and deposited them in my arms. “Changing room at the back, darling,” he said with a wink, gesturing for me to go. With humiliation at my poverty burning in my cheeks and ears, I slunk off to the fitting room with all the clothes in hand.

I hated how comfortable the clothes were. I hated how well they fitted, and that the cerulean blue jumper looked so nice against my skin. I tried every item of clothing on one by one, looking in the floor-length mirror and assessing myself rather than allowing Ade or the shop assistant to see me. All dressed up and looking fabulous. Because I was ashamed. Ashamed that my wardrobe comprised whatever I could find in the charity shop or the Primark sale, and that Ade seemed to think of a thousand pounds as something anyone could afford. Was he so distant from money that he couldn’t tell that all this was completely unaffordable for me?

I’d been given three jumpers, four shirts and two pairs of trousers, all in neutral-ish colours, but nothing so drab as to make me look boring. I tried them on in every combination, and everything just…worked.

I finally pulled on the last item, a grey woollen coat that fit me from shoulder to waist and draped almost to my ankles. I swooshed a little in front of the mirror, feeling like a whole new incarnation of Doctor Who or something.

As I went to shuck it off my shoulders, to return to Michael’s too-big clothes, and, eventually, my own ten-pound wardrobe, Ade’s voice called to me. “Show us what you’re working with!”

IknewI was blushing. I could feel the heat creeping up my cheeks and warming my ears. Whether that was shame or something else, I didn’t know. But I pulled aside the curtain so that Ade could see what he’d forced me to do.

He was closer than I thought. He and the shop assistant had moved from the front of the shop to the little open space in front of the fitting room, and I caught Ade’s eye straight away. His eyes wandered from my face down my body, and thelookhe gave me…I felt like that blush could be seen from space. Because Ade liked what he saw, I could tell. And I really fucking liked that.

“We’ll take it all,” Ade said. “Some sturdy boots would be nice too.”

“Ade, I can’t-” I started my objection, but he was holding out his little black card for the shop assistant to take. “Ade, no. I can’t…you can’t spend that on me.”

“The amount I just spent on those clothes? An hour’s work, if that.” Ade smiled and reached for my hand. I let him take it, and shivers ran up my spine as he looked me up and down once more. “The first time we met, you looked beautiful in that borrowed suit. You’re the kind of person who looks fantastic in expensive clothes, and it’s a damn shame you’ve not had that chance so far.”

“I know, but…” I was struggling to verbalise my objection. All the crazy thoughts going round in my head. “I don’t want you buying me clothes because I’m your…I don’t know, poor little idiot.”

Ade laughed. “What a way to put it. Does it reassure you I’d pay for these clothes if you were my rich friend? I bought my brother Cam a thousand-pound gaming headset because I felt like it. My mother’s birthday present from me last year was a one-of-a-kind Givenchy gown. I enjoy spending my money on people I care about.”

“Oh.”Oh.He…it was odd to have someone say they cared about me. I guessed Amanda did, though she’d never said it. And I was sure some of my colleagues and regular customers would be sad if I dropped off the face of the Earth tomorrow. But to have someone…Ade rubbed his thumb on the back of my hand as my brain short-circuited. “I…don’t know what to say.”

“Thank you is optional, but I’d like it if you agree to come back to Holden’s house, show off your new purchases, and have a night to relax. If you like, we can go back to Wales tomorrow, or I can work from Switzerland for a couple of days.”

“Thank you,” I said. “And…yes. I’d like that.”

“Then let’s go.”

Ade

Tyler was beautiful. I’d known it since the first day we met. Dancing with him at the gala had felt so right, and there was something about him that kept me wanting to…bearound him. Despite the unfortunate circumstance that had brought him to my presence, there was something so earnest about him.An earnest con man.My father would laugh if he could hear my thoughts across the sea. Or maybe he’d kill me. There was no real way of telling with him.

Tyler was sitting next to me in his new clothes, perfectly fit to his slim build, and chatting away with Michael and Holden as we enjoyed a dinner prepared by Michael for the both of us. The champagne was flowing, and it seemed to have relaxed Tyler. He looked like he belonged, and I didn’t know how to tell him that without offending him. Some people looked great in clothes they’d picked out of a bargain bin, and Tyler had. But with his high cheekbones and wavy brown hair, Tyler looked like he should be moving in higher circles. If he ever let me, I’d help him to. Though judging by how he had all of us very wealthy men eating out of the palm of his hand as he told stories of the wild life he’d led, he definitely didn’t need my help.

“…and then,” Tyler said, “he was patting his pockets looking for the watch, not knowing it was me who’d taken it! I scraped off the serial number and sold it to hi state the next day as a fake!”

Holden and Michael chuckled, and something in Michael’s eyes sparkled.

“So, how did you two meet? Don’t think I didn’t notice you skirting the question earlier,” said Michael. I looked at Tyler, totally unsure of what we were going to do. I’d intended on bringing him here to force down his walls, to expose him to Holden. But his reaction the night before had guilted me into protecting him.

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