Crown of Lies

My eyes widened. “But that will end up being an entirely new suit. There is no way a tailor can turn a man’s thirty-eight into a boy’s twelve.”

“But isn’t that what I’m paying for?” a cool, svelte voice murmured behind me. It throbbed with glamour while somehow bordered curt impatience. “Isn’t that what Belle Elle prides itself on? Providing what other stores cannot? Because if it isn’t...then my apologies; we’ll go somewhere else.”

I spun in place, my heart already leaping into a churning sea at his tone.

The moment my eyes locked onto the newcomer’s dark brown ones, the past three sleepless nights and long hours caught up with me. Shaking hijacked my arms and not because I’d upset a customer and tarnished a little of what he rightfully said was our motto but because it was him.

Him!

“You.”

“Yes, me.” Mr. Everett smirked. “Nice to see you again.”

“What are you doing here?”

He rolled his shoulders, his fingers tightening around his phone. “Same thing as everyone else, I suspect. Putting our money into your pockets.”

I crossed my arms. “Yet you leave your son for my staff to babysit. That isn’t part of their job description.”

“I apologize. It was an urgent call and only lasted a few minutes.” He looked past me to the boy swimming in wool and hand stitching. “You okay, Stew? Find something you like?”

Stewie turned and headed toward us, his feet dragging the trouser lengths like clown socks behind him. “Yep. I like this one.”

Mr. Everett eyed the soft gray with navy blue pin striping. “Me too. Good choice.”

Stewie shrugged out of the blazer and passed it to Markus who stood ever professional, minding his own business.

I couldn’t decide if I wanted to run away or shove this miscreant out of my store. Son or no son.

Wait...he has a son.

He’s married to a man named Larry and has a son.

Not only had my father got the story completely wrong at the bar, but Mr. Everett had also fibbed about being interested in me and having a ‘knack’ with women.

My temper steamed, and before I could censor, I said, “Turns out you’re full of lies, Mr. Everett.”

His eyes narrowed as a dark cloud settled over his face. “Excuse me?” He opened his arm as Stewie slotted himself against his side, reaching for his phone and swiping in the passcode to pull up Angry Birds.

I stepped back as Sage sank her claws into my neck in warning.

Good call, kitty.

I let my arms fall, and tension disperse. It meant nothing that he’d lied or that he was gay. Why hadn’t I seen it? Of course, he was gay. He was far too well dressed and manicured in every way—trim nails, groomed eyebrows, and thick sorrel hair with the occasional honey highlight. That couldn’t be natural.

He wasn’t natural.

He was fake.

And I was done.

“I apologize for interrupting your shopping experience. I hope you enjoy the rest of your visit to Belle Elle.” Stepping forward, I did my best to avoid his bulk in the narrow hallway with changing rooms on either side.

He wasn’t courteous and didn’t step aside to let me pass. He just stood there, giving me the choice to squeeze past the small gap or wait and glare into his eyes.

The same eyes that had molten heat and a perpetually pissed expression. He was like sugar and salt, pollen and poison—someone dangerous. Prickles of self-preservation urged me to leave while frissons of curiosity whispered for me to stay.

I didn’t like either.

I didn’t like him.

Needing to gain control, I looked at Markus. “Please ensure this department is tidy as soon as possible. And ask the tailor to triple check Stewie’s measurements so the alterations are perfect first time.”

“Yes, Ms. Charlston.”

“His name is Master Steel. Not Stewie,” Mr. Everett clipped. “Just like I’m Mr. Everett to you and Penn to him and you’re Ms. Charlston to everyone and never Noelle.”

What the hell does that mean?

I stiffened. “Let me pass.”

“No.”

I sucked in a breath. “Don’t ruin a nice afternoon out for your son, Mr. Everett. Your husband would be very sad to receive a phone call saying you’d been arrested for disrupting the peace in my department store.”

His body shifted from tense to downright nasty. His hands opened and closed as if he’d like nothing more than to strangle me. His gaze flickered to Sage around my nape then back to my face. He didn’t seem surprised I wore a silver cat as an accessory. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” His lips quirked at the corners. “For your information, I’m not married. And I prefer my dates with tits rather than balls.”

I flinched. “Hardly suitable conversation with a child present.”

Stewie mumbled with his eyes glued to Angry Birds. “I’ve heard worse. Believe me.”

“Worse?”

What sort of environment did Mr. Everett expose this kid to? Why was he so skinny? Should I get child services to do a ‘random’ house call?

“If you recall, Ms. Charlston, I asked you to go to dinner with me the other night. Why would I do that if I wasn’t interested in women?”

I ignored his question. It didn’t matter what his sexual orientation was or his reason for asking me out.

I wasn’t interested in either answer. “I’m not sure why you had the need to inform an impartial stranger of your relationship preferences, Mr. Everett, but I can assure you, I don’t care in the slightest.”