“GOOD AFTERNOON, GENTLEMEN,” two young sales assistants, dressed in all black, greet us at the front of the store. “What brings you in today?”
“I’m looking for the workout stuff,” I speak up first. I’d already bought Jay a Fitbit, but she could always use more yoga pants. And the sports bras are just an added bonus for me.
“Our sportswear is in the far left corner. If you need anything, my name is Cassandra.” She smiles and turns to Cole, Evan, and Brad. “Now what can I help you gentlemen with?”
“I’m going with him,” Evan says, following me. “I think Lexi would prefer yoga pants over a sexy nightie.”
“Really?”
“I said Lexi, not me.”
I chuckle as a female voice says from behind us, “Can I help you guys find something?” I look over my shoulder to decline her offer and see her checking out my ass. I clear my throat and her eyes slowly move up to my face as she bites down on her bottom lip. The fuck? I look over at Evan and, by the expression on his face, he noticed.
“I think we’re okay,” I reply.
“You’re Zach, right? From Heritage Bay Academy. You know my friend Lindsay Miller.”
Lindsay has a lot of friends. “Oh, yeah. Tell her I said hi.” I lift a pair of yoga pants from the rack and hold them out to inspect them.
“Those look too big for her,” Evan says. “They look too big for Lexi and she’s got an ass.”
“Shut up.” I laugh. “Jay’s ass is perfect.”
“For you.” He chuckles.
“Those run bigger,” she states, reaching around me to grab another pair that are almost identical. “These are true to size.” She lifts her shirt and turns to show us her ass. “I’m a small and these are a small.” She turns back around to face Evan and me with a knowing smile. “What size do you need?”
“Extra-extra small,” Evan quips, and I jab him in the arm.
“Are you shopping for your little sister?” She does that flirty pose, twirling her hair around her finger.
“Girlfriend,” a familiar voice says and I turn to see Eva and Alex. “And since she’s my best friend, I’ll help him pick something. Thanks.”
The poor girl just stands there in a mixture of shock and awe, unsure of whether she should ask for an autograph or walk away. She chooses the latter. And I agree; it’s a wise choice. Eva is, without a doubt, a bitch. Luckily, she likes me.
Alex stands back holding a shopping bag in one hand, the other hand shoved in his front pocket, laughing under his breath and shaking his head. “Babe, you didn’t have to be so rude. She was just doing her job.”
“She was showing them her ass.” She gestures to Evan and me. “Who does that?”
“No, she wasn’t,” I argue. She was showing off her ass, but I prefer to play ignorant because there is only one ass I’m interested in.
“She was flirting with you,” Evan admits.
“I know, right?” Eva exclaims. “I was watching her.”
“Why aren’t you at the salon with the girls getting ready for the Winter Ball?” I ask, changing the subject.
Eva points to the bags in Alex’s hand. “We had some shopping to do.”
“Well, since you’re here, can you help me pick out some stuff for Jay?”
“Me, too,” Evan adds. He’s as clueless as I am in the gift department. All I’ve ever seen Evan buy for Lexi in the past few years is a Kindle and Amazon gift cards. Sure, he buys her the things she likes, but sometimes our girls like it when we get creative.
“Alex, go over there and pick out something lacy and skimpy for later.” She winks.
See?
Alex grins and jerks his eyebrows up and down before heading to the lingerie section, calling over his shoulder, “You don’t have to threaten me with a good time.”
“It’s not a threat, baby. It’s a promise,” she calls out to his retreating back.
It’s a good thing Eva is here because there is entirely too much stuff to choose from. I don’t even know Jay’s bra size—unless “more than enough” is considered a size. Evan follows my lead, only Lexi is about two inches shorter and a little curvier in the hips. And as far as her rack goes, I’m not touching that. I settle on two pairs of yoga pants, two pairs of running shorts, two T-shirts, and three sports bras.
“Thanks for helping, Eva.” I pull her in for a side hug.
“ALEX SAID THE sales girl was hitting on you,” Cole says from the driver’s seat.
“No, she wasn’t,” I deny.
“She was checking out his ass,” Evan adds from the backseat.
“She was a friend of Lindsay’s.”
“What’d she look like?” Brad asks.
“Short with reddish-blonde hair.”
“Heidi.” Cole nods knowingly.
We all stare at him.
“And, no, I never tapped that,” he says, keeping his eyes on the road. “I recognized her in the store. She is a flirt, and believe me, Eva will tell Jay.”
Right on cue my cell starts ringing, Jay’s beautiful face gracing my screen. I hold up my phone to show the guys. “She knows. Be quiet and I’ll put it on speaker.” I set the phone in my lap as I answer on speakerphone. “Hey, babe.”
“Zach, did some girl really show you her ass to try to sell you yoga pants, or is Weenie fucking with me?”
Brad snickers and brings his fist to his mouth. I put my finger to my lips, gesturing them to be quiet.
I chuckle. “Babe, she was just showing us how they fit.”
“I’m calling bullshit. Weenie said she was checking out your ass and flirting with you. That bitch is lucky I just got my nails done or I would go in there and kick her ass. Who the hell does that? That’s what the fucking mannequins are for.”
“Chill out, babe. You just got your cast off. No more fighting.”
“I hope you didn’t buy anything from her.”
“Nope. I didn’t buy anything from her.”
Lowering her voice, she growls into the phone. “That ass is mine, Z.” Cole makes a gagging noise and Jay laughs. “Hi, Cole.”
“I’ll see you later. I love you.”
“I love you, too. Bye.”
“She took it better than I expected,” Cole says.
Evan’s phone buzzes next and Cole glances in his rearview mirror. “You know you’re not getting off as easy as he did, right?”
Evan rolls his eyes. “Thanks a lot, Zach.”