Our next stop is a shopping centre but with high end fashion, compared to the likes of Kmart and Target back in Australia, which are both stores that I love. You go in to buy thongs and come out with throw pillows, flowers, nicknacks, and a whole bunch of things that you didn’t know you needed but had to have.
Small things like that make me miss Australia, besides my family. I can’t wait to see my dad, even though it hasn’t really been that long. It’s super hard when you go from seeing someone every day for your entire life to only a handful of times in a year. Even phone calls are hard. I usually set my alarm to get up early so I can call them after work. I still text Smalls, but I’ve backed off now that he’s seeing Katie. I have to give him a chance to make it work with her. She says she’s cool with our friendship, and I hope that’s true because I would hate to lose him. He’ll always be my family.
I know my guys are still bothered by it considering I loved him for so long. But I’ve tried to convince them that, while I will always have love for him, I can see now that I’m notin lovewith him. Kalen was easier to persuade, but he’s easily convinced with sexual favours. Sawyer is reasonable and can understand myattachment, but the twins…not so much. I hope one day they can spend some time with him and see how amazing he is.
Frost finds a place to park, and we all trail behind Elsie who keeps describing her perfect dress. She wants to look like a princess.
“Oh my god!” she screams, causing Frost to pull out his gun. Every shopper around us turns and stares. We chase after her as she runs towards a shop.
“It’s perfect,” she whispers as she comes to a complete stop in front of a store window. How she could even see it from where we started is beyond me.
The dress Elsie has fallen in love with is absolutely perfect for her. With her pale colouring and blonde hair, I know she’ll look like a princess in it, just like she wanted. The strapless gown has a sweetheart neckline and a fitted bodice that’ll show a little cleavage, while still being modest. The skirt trails all the way to the ground and is made up of layers and layers of baby-soft tulle without being poofy. There’s a split up one side that would come to mid-thigh, but again, it doesn’t look trashy. The skirt looks as soft as a cloud, and the overall effect is elegant and classy, but still stunning and understatedly sexy. She’ll look a million dollars in it; it seems as if it was made for her.
“We need to go in,” she says to me, taking my arm and dragging me into the store straight to the front counter.
“Hi, welcome to Luxua.”
“I need that dress,” Elsie announces, and the lady quirks a brow. Not in an amused sort of way, more like in a condescending, disdainful manner. It gets my back up immediately.
“What she means is, we would like to try on the dress in the window,” I clarify with a falsely sweet smile.
“I’m sorry,” she states with a tight smile that’s anythingbutapologetic. “But that dress is not for sale right now.”
“Then why is it in the window? That seems ridiculous,” Elsie snaps.
Adrianne snorts at how rude Elsie is being, already knowing her well enough to realise this is completely out of character for her.
“Adrianne, take Elsie to look around the store while I talk to…” I look at her name tag that reads Eliza. “Eliza.”
Elsie reluctantly walks away and I turn my attention back to the clerk. If Elsie wants this dress then she will damn well have this dress. She didn’t overcome her fears to be told her dream dress is not for sale.
“I can appreciate that you are only doing your job, but I would like to talk to the store manager, owner, or even the designer.”
“It’s just not for sale. The designer would like a celebrity to wear it to a red carpet, widely publicised event, not for some Daddy’s princess to show off.”
Well, her attitude changed quickly, as does mine.
“I wouldn’t be so quick to judge. We may not be movie stars but I can promise you that I hold more damn power in this country than any of them.” Frost clears his throat and I pull back. “Now, I would like to talk to someone else who can sell me that dress. Everybody has a price, and I’m willing to pay.”
“I think you should listen to the lady, I would hate to have to cause a scene.” I turn at the sound of Baxter’s voice and see that he’s pulled out his knife. With my hands on my hips, I glare at him.
“Put the knife away, we don’t need to resort to violence,” I warn.
“Violence is always the answer, and look, the snotty bitch has run off.”
“Probably to call security.”
“Frost and I can take them, don’t worry about it.”
“Baxter—”
I’m cut off by Adrianne and Elsie coming back to stand with us.
“Do I get the dress?” Elsie asks.
“Thanks to Baxter, probably not. He pulled his knife.”
Baxter smirks and Elsie’s eyes go wide and her nostrils flare. “So help me god, Baxter, you might be scary as fuck but I will gut you like a fish if you ruined my chances of getting the perfect dress.”
