Better? I wasn’t sure I could survive “better.”
For the next fifteen minutes, Alec modeled suit after suit. Some were formal, some were playful, and some were downright sexy. In the end, we opted for a suit in a gorgeous shade of blue that reminded me of a tropical beach. I thought it was fitting for the occasion.
While Alec changed back into his original outfit, the sales assistant turned to me and smiled. “You’re a lucky woman. That is one delicious man.”
“Oh.” I blinked at her, surprised by her assumption that we were together, although perhaps I shouldn’t have been considering the way Alec had phrased his request at the start. “He’s not actually mine.”
Scoffing, she arched an eyebrow. “Uh-huh. I see how he looks at you.”
How?
How did he look at me?
We were just friends. Friends didn’t look at each other any particular way. She must be imagining it.
My stomach fluttered.
But what if she isn’t? What if he finds you as attractive as you find him?
Yeah, right. There was no point in wasting time or hope on silly fantasies.
Alec came out and I turned toward the counter, but before I could take a step, he said, “Do you have a dress for the wedding yet?”
I shrugged. “I’ve got plenty in my closet to choose from.”
He shifted from one foot to the other, glancing at the sales assistant and then back at me. “You should have something new to wear. Something beautiful. I don’t want you to have any reason to feel self-conscious. Let me buy it for you.”
Suddenly, understanding dawned. Now I knew why he’d insisted on this uncharacteristic shopping trip. It had never been to get him a suit, although that was a bonus; the real motivation had been to find a dress for me.
“Alec…” I drew out his name, holding his gaze with a warning in my eyes. “That’s sweet, but there really is no need for it.”
I couldn’t afford to buy a dress from here, and between the plane tickets and this suit, he was already out of pocket enough because of this wedding. I wasn’t going to add to his expenses.
“You should at least look.” He jerked his head toward the elevator that led up to the women's wear department. “There’s no harm in that, right?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. I knew how he worked. If I let on that I saw anything I liked, he’d purchase it within two seconds flat. “No, Alec.”
“Please, cocobug.” He moved closer and took my hand. “Let me do this for you. You know I have the money. I won’t even notice it’s been spent.”
I hesitated, knowing that was true. Not only had Alec’s father set up a healthy trust fund for him when he was young, but he himself earned several million dollars a year. A few thousand was nothing to him.
But it was something to me. I didn’t want to take advantage of my friend.
“Come on,” he cajoled, obviously sensing the fact I was weakening. “If you won’t do it for you then do it for me. I want to watch Thad swallow his tongue. I want him to see what a catch you are and know he’s lost you forever.”
The assistant’s eyes lit up, clearly spotting the potential for a big sale. “Aww, isn’t that so sweet?”
Alec turned to her. “Would you be able to find some dresses for me please? Or steer me to someone who can? I think something in a shade of blue, green, pink, or purple would be best. Perhaps blue, because that would go well with her eyes?”
“Absolutely!” The saleswoman patted the suit that was laid out over her arm. “Usually, there would be someone else in that department better suited to helping you, but since we’ve already got your friend’s suit sorted, I’d like to stick with you and see it through. I’ll just put this on the counter and then I’ll take you up and we can look at some dresses.”
She hurried away, perhaps worried that I’d protest if she gave me the opportunity.
“Just try them on.” Alec bumped my shoulder affectionately. “It won’t hurt.”
I sighed. “Fine.”
The sales assistant returned and led us up the elevator and into a department occupied by a dazzling array of dresses in different colors, made from different fabrics, some of them long and elegant, others short and flirty.
