towel she’d laid out for me. “Didn’t want to embarrass my grandpa.
He’s a little old school.” I just hadn’t wanted him to suggest I bring it with
to Canada.
“Really? You don’t own one?” She propped herself up on her
elbows and looked at me over her sunglasses, a wide smile on her lips. “Wanna
go shopping? I’ll use any excuse to go.”
I hesitated. If I declined, we’d be starting out on a poor
note. If I said yes, we’d most likely have an issue with guys somewhere along
the way. But if I didn’t say yes, how could I hope to win her over as a
friend. Any normal girl probably wouldn’t even stop to think about this. I
really wanted to try for normal. “Sure, let me go change,” I agreed.
“Yay!” She jumped up, grabbing both towels and danced into
the house behind me.
Since she had the car, she drove us to the outlet mall
promising it was the best and cheapest place to shop. Stunning in a tank top,
short shorts and cute little sandals with a heel, she outshined my drab worn
t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. Twisting my fingers in my lap, I tried to quell
my worry.
“While we’re here, we should look for some clubbing clothes
for you.” She pulled into an open space, parking the car. “And don’t be
afraid to tell me if I’m being too pushy. I love shopping, but have too many
clothes already. By shopping for someone else, I get my shopping fix without
adding to the mayhem in my closet.”
“No, you’re not being pushy. I could use a swimsuit and a
few new tops. But, I have to be honest. I’m not really into the party scene.
Guys act too weird around me and it makes me uncomfortable.”
“Weird how?” she asked as she reached for the door.
“Wait,” I said to stop her from leaving the car. I’d rather
tell her where no one else would overhear.
She paused, turning to look at me.
I took a deep breath. Normal. I needed to sound normal.
“Every friendship I’ve ever had was ruined by competition over a guy. Only
problem was, I was never competing. I wasn’t interested in the guy, my friend
was. But the guy was interested in me.”
Behind her sunglasses, her eyes searched my face. I
struggled not to squirm or look away. Anxiety bloomed. I should have kept my
mouth shut.
Her lips curved into an amused smile and she laughed.
“You’re a serious one. I can see that already. Don’t worry Gabby. If a guy
doesn’t trip over himself to get to me, I’m not interested. I don’t want to
waste my time chasing what doesn’t want to be caught.” She opened the door to
the sunbaked parking lot and I followed.
We’d just crossed the black expanse, stepping onto the
sidewalk in front of the outlets, when Rachel whispered to me, “Gabby, check
out this hottie.”
The man she spotted exited the same door we headed for. As
I expected, he first looked at Rachel and then at me. I looked down keeping my
eyes on the sidewalk as we strolled past him through the door.
Rachel obviously didn’t know about the ‘wait for the door to
close’ rule because she started laughing before I’d even made it over the
threshold. “He kept his eyes on you the entire time,” she laughed. “I can’t
wait to see what happens the first time we go out.”
I wanted to groan.
The clerk at the register looked over at us just then,
because of her laughter. His double take at me caused her to start laughing
even harder. I pulled her toward the back of the store before he could decide
he wanted to talk to us.
Her carefree attitude about it did bring a smile to my
face. Maybe things would work out.
After helping me pick out a swimsuit, a rather daring bikini
that she insisted would not cause her the least bit of animosity no matter what
attention it brought me, she talked me into a few more stores. In three hours,
I purchased two “clubbing” tops and a black mini skirt. My careful spending slowed
the process
He’s a little old school.” I just hadn’t wanted him to suggest I bring it with
to Canada.
“Really? You don’t own one?” She propped herself up on her
elbows and looked at me over her sunglasses, a wide smile on her lips. “Wanna
go shopping? I’ll use any excuse to go.”
I hesitated. If I declined, we’d be starting out on a poor
note. If I said yes, we’d most likely have an issue with guys somewhere along
the way. But if I didn’t say yes, how could I hope to win her over as a
friend. Any normal girl probably wouldn’t even stop to think about this. I
really wanted to try for normal. “Sure, let me go change,” I agreed.
“Yay!” She jumped up, grabbing both towels and danced into
the house behind me.
Since she had the car, she drove us to the outlet mall
promising it was the best and cheapest place to shop. Stunning in a tank top,
short shorts and cute little sandals with a heel, she outshined my drab worn
t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. Twisting my fingers in my lap, I tried to quell
my worry.
“While we’re here, we should look for some clubbing clothes
for you.” She pulled into an open space, parking the car. “And don’t be
afraid to tell me if I’m being too pushy. I love shopping, but have too many
clothes already. By shopping for someone else, I get my shopping fix without
adding to the mayhem in my closet.”
“No, you’re not being pushy. I could use a swimsuit and a
few new tops. But, I have to be honest. I’m not really into the party scene.
Guys act too weird around me and it makes me uncomfortable.”
“Weird how?” she asked as she reached for the door.
“Wait,” I said to stop her from leaving the car. I’d rather
tell her where no one else would overhear.
She paused, turning to look at me.
I took a deep breath. Normal. I needed to sound normal.
“Every friendship I’ve ever had was ruined by competition over a guy. Only
problem was, I was never competing. I wasn’t interested in the guy, my friend
was. But the guy was interested in me.”
Behind her sunglasses, her eyes searched my face. I
struggled not to squirm or look away. Anxiety bloomed. I should have kept my
mouth shut.
Her lips curved into an amused smile and she laughed.
“You’re a serious one. I can see that already. Don’t worry Gabby. If a guy
doesn’t trip over himself to get to me, I’m not interested. I don’t want to
waste my time chasing what doesn’t want to be caught.” She opened the door to
the sunbaked parking lot and I followed.
We’d just crossed the black expanse, stepping onto the
sidewalk in front of the outlets, when Rachel whispered to me, “Gabby, check
out this hottie.”
The man she spotted exited the same door we headed for. As
I expected, he first looked at Rachel and then at me. I looked down keeping my
eyes on the sidewalk as we strolled past him through the door.
Rachel obviously didn’t know about the ‘wait for the door to
close’ rule because she started laughing before I’d even made it over the
threshold. “He kept his eyes on you the entire time,” she laughed. “I can’t
wait to see what happens the first time we go out.”
I wanted to groan.
The clerk at the register looked over at us just then,
because of her laughter. His double take at me caused her to start laughing
even harder. I pulled her toward the back of the store before he could decide
he wanted to talk to us.
Her carefree attitude about it did bring a smile to my
face. Maybe things would work out.
After helping me pick out a swimsuit, a rather daring bikini
that she insisted would not cause her the least bit of animosity no matter what
attention it brought me, she talked me into a few more stores. In three hours,
I purchased two “clubbing” tops and a black mini skirt. My careful spending slowed
the process
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