Page 15 of Harley
My gut sinking, I turned around and almost groaned.
Rosie, Vivie, and Summer stood there wide-eyed, gazing at the underwear and bras I held. With a scowl, I shoved them into the trolley and their gaze roamed over that.
“Does your mother know?” Rosie demanded instantly.
“Nope, because there’s nothing to know,” I replied.
“You’re buying clothing and underwear for a woman!” Summer stated, folding her arms.
She caught my glare next. When Summer had started her relationship with Slick, she would have quailed. Not now. She’d spent too long around the old ladies. Now she gave shit out like the rest of them.
“I have sisters, women friends,” I retorted, but I saw the glimmer in their eyes. They were digging in.
“Bullshit,” Rosie spat with a grin.
“You have a woman!” Vivie exclaimed.
“You wish!” I retorted, but all three stared at me.
“I’ll call Phoe,” Summer said, and I smacked her hand as she lifted her phone up.
Summer smirked.
“Don’t. The truth is, I’m helping someone, but she’s not mine and never will be,” I replied.
“And that’s how all good love stories start,” Vivie added with a sigh.
“This story begins with a woman so desperate to escape her life she cut her bare feet to shreds and now can’t walk. Oakleywas running from an arranged wedding and is traumatised. I’m simply helping somebody out,” I snapped.
“Damn, have you called Ramirez?” Rosie demanded.
“If I do that, she’ll run again. Oakley is fully in flight mode,” I replied.
“You seem to know her quite well,” Summer said with narrowed eyes.
“Summer, I’m not romancing someone who can’t walk and has been told to stay off her feet for at least a week. She injured herself badly. Oakley doesn’t need romance right now.”
“Liar!” Vivie snorted.
I bristled as Vivie turned a knowing gaze on me.
“You know too much about this Oakley. If you were that worried, you’d have taken her to a Rebirth Trust. Instead, you’re out buying clothes for her. There is more to your story. Where is she staying, this mystery woman of yours? Not at Reading Hall because we would have known,” Vivie pushed.
I looked to the heavens and sighed. Lowering my head, I steeled myself to tell them about Oakley’s circumstances. The three pecking hens listened closely as I explained what had happened.
“Oh, that poor girl. Barefoot and in a wedding gown in December. She must have been freezing. And her feet… Doc Paul has checked her out?” Rosie asked.
“Yes. And that’s why I’m here buying her clothes and everything else,” I replied.
“Give us her sizes. We’ll be back,” Summer demanded, rummaging in the cart. “Right, girls, let’s go.”
I stood there, bemused, as the three women rushed away.
Taking a seat, I waited, and minutes later, Summer returned with armfuls of sleepwear. She dumped them in the trolley and dashed off again. Vivie brought some cute winter dresses with leggings or tights, while Rosie had jeans and sweaters. Summeremerged with tees, and Vivie made a mad dash and collected thick, fluffy socks and some wonderfully soft slippers for Oakley.
An hour later, Summer and Rosie stopped and sat down next to me, looking pleased with themselves. We were missing Vivie, but she appeared ten minutes later, pushing a cart full of toiletries. Vivie was beaming all over her face and waving madly. I groaned when I saw Marsha.
There would be no keeping this from Mom.
