MADISON
One thing I haven’t done since inheriting Great-Aunt Vivienne’s wealth, is gone on a shopping spree. I’ve never been well-off, and any kind of “spree” was always out of the question.
But today, it’s time to change that. So far, I’ve only browsed in the boutiques of Dorado Heights. The prices on handbags in one store nearly made my eyes pop out of my head. I understand the idea of treating oneself, but the first thing I do when I get home is drop my purse on the floor. I wouldn’t treat one of those bags with the kind of care their price requires.
I do find a nice, casual dress in Carol’s Closet. I try it on and love the fit. Even though it costs more than I would usually spend on any item of clothing, I know I can afford it. Not only that, I deserve to treat myself. That’s the whole point of this excursion.
I leave Carol’s Closet and make my way down the sidewalk, looking for my next boutique.
“Madison! Hey!” My cousin waves at me from outside a burger joint.
A man stands next to him. He has buzzed, dark hair and he’s wearing sunglasses. As I start toward them, the other guy starts to walk away, but Ford grabs his arm.
“Just say hi,” Ford says to his friend. I don’t think he intended me to hear.
I wonder why the guy wouldn’t want to say hi to me, but I’m not all that fazed. Seth’s mom hates me, so this stranger can too. In fact, this is easier, because I don’t need to impress this asshole.
“Hey, Ford.” I give my cousin an awkward hug. “What’s going on?”
“Just here for lunch with my buddy Cormac. Cormac, this is my cousin, Madison.”
“Nice to meet you.” Cormac slides his sunglasses to the top of his head, revealing intense, gray eyes. He shakes my hand.
“Do you want to grab a burger with us?” Ford asks.
I don’t miss the subtle elbow Cormac jabs against Ford’s side, but I ignore it. After rudely sending Ford away from my house and his beloved trees, it wouldn’t hurt to make nice again. Besides, maybe if I hang out with Ford here, he’ll stop coming by the house uninvited.
Smiling at them both, I say, “I already ate, but I’ll have a quick drink and catch up for a minute.”
We all go inside and get a table. I order a peach lemonade and the guys order meals. Ford goes on for several minutes about an upcoming botany convention. I try not to let my eyes glaze over. Cormac, at least, seems interested, although he keeps sending me sidelong glances.
I talk a little bit about zombie shows. It turns out Ford likes Shamblers, so he and I share some theories about the final season. Cormac looks between us as we talk, but he doesn’t say anything. I try including him in the conversation, but he either shakes his head or takes a big bite of their onion ring appetizers.
Ford and Cormac’s burgers arrive. I take another sip of lemonade and stand. “I should get going. It was really nice to chat with you guys.”
My cousin jumps up and gives me a hug goodbye. Cormac gives me a hug, too. I back away quickly. That’s too familiar. If he notices my discomfort, he doesn’t show it.
“It’s nice to meet you,” he says warmly. “We’ll see each other again.”
I kind of hope not. He didn’t say two words to me while I sat with them—he only stared at me.
As I leave Ford and Cormac, my phone buzzes in my purse. I don’t pull it out to see who’s calling. It’s probably Seth, and it’s better not to know. Maybe this is childish of me, but I’ve been ignoring Seth’s calls and texts since yesterday. I texted him back once, saying I need time to cool off. He wrote back one word: Understood. But given the number of texts he’s sent since, I don’t think he truly understands.
He shared our relationship with his parents, without talking to me first. Me being blindsided by an angry call from his mom wasn’t his intention, but didn’t he consider how his revelation might affect me?
It doesn’t help that I have a feeling he only shared about me in order to get under her skin. His relationship with his parents is complicated—Kyle’s was, too. I have no doubt that Seth wielded me against them like a weapon, and that hurts.
I hike my purse strap higher onto my shoulder and step into a lingerie store. Oh. Yes. This is where I’m meant to be. The displays are full of bra and panty sets, in styles ranging from sweet and innocent to downright wicked. They come in a variety of fabrics—satin, lace, something that looks like leather. At the back of the store, I see racks of teddies and nightgowns. A mannequin next to me has on the cutest bra and underwear. The satin fabric is white with a print of tiny red cherries, and red lace trim.
While I stare, transfixed by the gorgeous lingerie displays around me, an auburn-haired sales assistant approaches. With a professional smile on his face, he says, “Welcome to Angeli’s. Can I help you find anything?”
“No, it’s all right here. Can I buy one of everything?”
He laughs. “Sure, if you want. I could bring a few selections to a fitting room to get you started.”
“Thanks, that would be great.” I tell him my sizes and point to a few styles I prefer.
He gets to work collecting things, while a second employee approaches me. She asks if I’d like any refreshments. “We have sparkling water, coffee, tea, and orange juice.”
