Page 202 of The Parkers' Handsome Holiday
“We have some fantastic necklaces,” the store clerk offered. Fuck. I didn’t want Mr. Muscles near me. Being in the same store as him was bad enough. Mr. Muscles sauntered over to the case where I was looking at the necklaces. He stopped walking and stood right next to me. I could smell his musky after-gym scent.
“Sir, can I please look at that necklace?” I asked the store clerk. I had found a gorgeous necklace for Tiffany, unlike any of the others. It was a long silver necklace with three differently sized circles. Each circle had a different color gem inside. I could see her wearing it every day. She would love it.
The store clerk unlocked the case and presented the necklace in front of me. It dazzled under the lights. I had to have it.
“I want that,” Mr. Muscles spoke. I turned my head to look at him. Sure enough, he was pointing at the necklace that I wanted.
“I’m sorry, sir, but this is the only necklace like this that we have,” the store clerk said. Mr. Muscles ignored him and grabbed his wallet from his back pocket.
“I’ll take it,” he said.
“Excuse me?” I asked him. “I’m looking at this necklace.”
Mr. Muscles scoffed at me. He didn’t look like he gave a shit what me or the store clerk had to say. I had a feeling that he was used to getting what he wanted in life.
“Ring me up now,” Mr. Muscles instructed the store clerk. Both the store clerk and I looked at him. We could not believe how this man was acting. He was a child in a man’s body.
“Sir,” the store clerk said, “this gentleman is looking at the necklace. If he passes on it, I will gladly ring this up for you.”
Mr. Muscles raised his hands in the air and groaned.
“Listen, I am opening a gym right down the street. I’ll have a lot of clients there and they’ll probably ask me for recommendations. If you let me have the necklace, I’ll recommend your shop. If you give it to this scrawny dude, I’ll make sure no one sets foot in here again.”
I was shocked. Did this stranger just call me a scrawny dude and threaten to talk shit about the store? Who was this guy?
Mr. Muscles grabbed the necklace from in front of me and thrust it in front of the store clerk.
“Ring me up,” he said.
The store clerk looked at me and I rolled my eyes. Although it was a beautiful necklace, the perfect necklace, it wasn’t worth the fight. I would find something else before Christmas. Karma was real. The bastard would get his own somewhere… I just hoped I was there to see it.
“Hey, fucktard. Maybe you should have some manners,” I told Mr. Muscles.
“Like guys like you do? Does that get you the girl?” He grinned at me, like he knew he had won.
“Actually, yes.” I moved closer to him.
The clerk cleared his throat. “Hey guys. Let’s not do this here, please? I have another set of necklaces that I think you would both love. It’s the holidays, hm?”
My body tensed, ready for a fight, but the clerk was right. Was the necklace really worth it? Tiffany would look incredible in anything I bought her. Bastard.
“Fine. I’ll check back in later.” I glanced at the clerk and nodded. “Good luck with keeping your woman, asshole. Guys like you get real old after a little while.” I flipped the guy off and walked out. Fucker. That bastard wasn’t capable of loving anyone but himself.
My mood finally chilled a little as I started to think about Christmas more. I had a stocking up for myself and Austin, but I needed one with Tiffany. There was room for one more on the mantle, and hopefully it would help to show her in every way possible that she was the girl for me.
Then again, maybe it was kind of early for something like that. Although Tiffany had apologized, she was right when she brought up the fact that we had only been on a few dates. For someone who had a broken past, I sure wasn’t pumping the brakes on this relationship. Maybe I would hold off on the stocking.
Who was being the asshole now?
Right. Me.
CHAPTER 24
TIFFANY
“How’s the piece going?” Cayden appeared in my doorway. He was holding two coffees. He walked in and set one on my desk. I instantly grabbed it, sipping the liquid heaven. I had come to work early this morning to work on my first article. I could barely sleep. I was that nervous. Coffee was a necessity to get me through the day.
“So far, so good,” I said. “I actually have to leave here in a few minutes to meet this woman for the interview. I have to admit, I’m a bit of a wreck. I’ve never interviewed anyone before. What if I ask stupid questions?”
