“But…” I look up at Cameron.
“You like shopping,” he says, like it’s obvious. He jerks his thumb at the shopping centre. “Shops.”
“Fancy ones, I’d say,” Fraser agrees cheerfully. “We figured you’d want to get a wee spree in before the end of your holiday.”
I tear up a little. “You brought me here to shop? That’s sonice. Shall I meet you back here in a couple of hours, or—” I fumble in my pockets. “I don’t have my phone.”
Fraser laughs, winding an arm around my shoulders. “No chance. We want to see you in action.”
I blink. “But the deliveries…”
“Can wait until this afternoon,” Alec says. “We have plenty of time to get our work done. We came here for you.”
“Not every day you get three big strong men carrying your shopping bags, is it?” Fraser asks. “It was Cam’s idea. He wasveryinsistent.”
I stare at Cameron in wonder. “Youwere?”
His cheeks colour. “All right,” he mutters and heads off towards the shopping centre.
The inside of the mall is a maze of shimmering glass and marble floors, packed with big label brands and boutique designers. I’m beside myself as I examine the floor plan.
Sure, I’m a nature girl now. I love petting sheep and feeding chickens and stuff. But there’s just something about clothes shopping that lights me up inside. I barely know where to begin. I spot a boutique for a Scottish designer I’ve never heard of. Mannequins dressed in slouchy knitwear pose in the window. I basically run inside.
The three men follow me patiently as I flit around the store,oohing andahhing as I go through the racks. I pick up a gorgeous pink cashmere scarf that would look great on my mum and a tartan skirt for Lulu. “She’lllovethis,” I inform the men. “It almost looks like Chanel. Hey, did you know how much traditional Scottish tailoring has impacted designer fashion?Coco Chanel dated a Scottish duke, and a ton of her clothes were inspired by what locals were wearing at the time, that’s why there’s so much tweed—” I cut myself off, running towards a rack of tailored coats in spring shades. “Oh myGod,” I whisper, pulling out one in a dusty-rose pink. It’s in a vintage thirties cut. My eyes turn into hearts.
Alec comes up behind me. “Is it just the colour you like?” he asks.
“The colour, yes, but also the shape of it. This is a bell skirt, and you never see that nowadays, and this button placement is so smart, and—” I run my fingers up the silky inside of the coat and shiver with pleasure. “God. Feel thelining, Cameron!” I grab his hand and force him to stroke it.
“Very nice,” he says gruffly.
“Is the lining important?” Fraser wonders, popping up on my other side. He’s wearing two scarves, a pair of sunglasses, and a beret he’s stolen from a mannequin.
“Yes, it does so much to preserve the shape of a garment. And, of course, it’s so important for people with sensory issues that you pick the right lining. When I was making heavy items in fashion school, I always lined them with?—”
“Careful,” Cameron interrupts, pulling me out of the way of a sales assistant pushing a rack of clothes. I blink as I’m jolted out of my stream of consciousness. I’ve been talking way too much.
Not everyone wants to hear about the history of polka dots, Summer,my mum’s voice chides in my ear. A bad feeling suddenly prickles at me.
“Oh no!” I cry. “I’m so sorry.”
“We forgive you,” Fraser says cheerfully.
“What did you do?” Cameron asks.
I think back to this morning in horror. “I think I forgot to take my meds this morning!”
God. I totally did. I remember the moment clearly. I was lying in bed with Fraser, about to take my pill, when Alec came in to remind me. But him reminding me distracted me, and then I forgot. My cheeks flame. “You reminded me, and I still forgot. I’m sorry.”
Alec is frowning. “Do you get withdrawal symptoms? I imagine you could pick up an emergency prescription at the pharmacy?—”
“Oh no, I mean, I’m fine. I take days off from them, if I’m not working or around people. But I’ll be a bit scatterbrained today. Just tell me to shut up if I start waffling on.”
All three men look at me as if I’m speaking gibberish.
“No,” Cameron says flatly.
“But—”
