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A place like this would be perfect for me. Dreams I’d talk myself out of sneak their way back into my mind and I shake them out as quick as they arrived. Why get worked up over something that can’t happen anytime soon?
“Is that something you want to do? Open a bakery?” Addie asks, glancing inside, too.
I sigh. “Someday, when I leave the island. I’m just not sure where or how I’d do it. For the time being, I have to stay in Tahiti.”
“Tell me about your home? After we’re done having a million kids, I’m making Aiden take me.”
I tell her all the best things. No need to include the things I hate. While walking, we pass a store that has a beautiful black lingerie set in the window and I have an idea. Might as well make this one layer. I pull Addie into the store.
An hour later we’re outside again, braving the cold. I don’t know if I’m getting used to it, or I’ve become numb. “This is the cutest packaging,” I say, holding up the black and pink bag with black tissue. I should do a cuter box for my cookies.
“Ryker is taking me out tonight. Do you know a place I can find something?”
“Fancy?”
I lift a shoulder, not knowing what fancy is like here. “He said sexy.”
She rolls her eyes. “Of course he did. He’s a man. Well, I have the perfect place to get a date-night outfit.”
Thankfully, not too long later, I’m defrosting my brittle bones again in a warm shop. The lights shine bright in the modern space, filled with colorful clothes against sharp lines and glossy-white walls and fixtures. The hint of music plays in the background.
“Addison, what brings you in?” A man, dressed in a perfectly tailored blue suit, approaches with his arms out wide. He wraps them around Addison and glances over at me with intrigue.
“Hey, Roberto. I’m not here for me today. This is my friend Aspen. She needs an outfit for tonight.”
“Give me your coat,” he demands abruptly. I shiver thinking about taking it off, but I do as I’m told, handing it to Addie.
His eyes scan me from head to toe. I stand motionless in the middle of the store. He taps his finger on his lips and I spare a quick glance at Addison. This isn’t awkward at all. She laughs at me.
“I’ll put our stuff over here.” She walks to a set of chairs and drops all our bags on the floor, taking a seat on one.
Roberto clears his throat and I jerk my attention to him. He twirls his pointer finger in the air, gesturing for me to spin around.
When I complete the circle, he asks, “Where are you going tonight?”
“Um… I’m not sure.” I peer over at Addie. “I guess I can text Ryker.”
“Ryker Dallas?” Roberto beams. Panic builds that I shouldn’t have said that.
“Yes, Roberto, it’s Ryker. Don’t get all starstruck,” Addie teases. “Do you have a phone? You can text him.”
I run over to my bag and dig for the metal device. Staring at it. “What button do I press for a text? He showed me, but…”
Roberto’s confused expression jumps from Addie to me and back to Addie. She ignores him and comes over to show me. After pressing send, I stare at it, waiting for him to text.
“Did he already get the text?” I ask after a minute of no response, holding up the phone.
“His phone did, but if he’s busy, he probably won’t see it. But he’ll check soon, I promise.”
She was right. He ended up texting me moments later. I repeated the name of the restaurant to Roberto, and he immediately got to work. He hands us two glasses of champagne and flittered around the store, grabbing several pieces of clothing, mumbling to himself, “Not too fancy.”
Once satisfied with his selection, he ushers me into the dressing room. When he shoves the first dress in my hands, I stare at him.
“You expect me to wear this in the snow?” I hold out a dress that will barely cover my breasts and butt. Typically, I’d be on board, but hello frostbite on places that shouldn’t be frozen.
He tsked me. “Don’t be an Addison.”
I peek my head out at Addison as he ignores me and walks away. She chuckles and scrunches her nose at him as he stands by her. “Let’s just say I try to be more conservative,” she snickers.
