Page 61 of Wells

"Fine is what people say when you've already lost. You know I don't do fine."

He disappears back inside, and I lean against the mirror, bags from the last two stores clustered at my feet. We've been at this for hours. Locke has a day-trader conference in Vegas coming up, and apparently his entire wardrobe has personally offended him.

The door swings open again, and he steps out in charcoal slacks and a white button-down, no tie this time.

"Better?"

"Much. This is more you, hands down."

He turns to the mirror, tugging at the cuffs.

"I need night clothes too. It's Vegas. I fully intend to be on the prowl."

"You say that every time."

"And every time I'm correct. I'm a tiger, I prowl, Cera."

He grins at me in the reflection, then heads back inside to change.

I move to the rack near the window, fingers brushing over fabrics I'm not here to buy. Sunlight pours through the glass, loud after the quiet of my apartment this morning.

Locke emerges in his own clothes, arms full of hangers.

"Okay, verdict time. Keep or return?"

I point to the charcoal slacks and two of the shirts.

"Those. Lose the rest."

"Even the blue one?"

"Especially the blue one."

He sighs, dramatic and wounded, then dumps the rejects on the counter.

We move to the next store, and Locke picks up a tie covered in tiny geometric shapes.

"Thoughts?"

"Are you going to a conference or a middle school dance? Big fat no."

He puts it back. At the register, while the clerk rings him up, Locke turns to me.

"So. You've been suspiciously quiet all afternoon. I was trying not to ask, but it's clear you're not going to volunteer, sooooo….." He drags out the o's in so, as if that somehow negates his prying.

"I've been giving fashion advice for two hours. How is that quiet?"

"You know what I mean. Quiet about the work trip." He squints his eyes when he says the last part, as if it's code for something else.

I lean on the other end of the counter as the associate rings him up.

"You want me to tell you you were right?"

Locke hands over his card, eyes still on me, now with a giant smile across his face.

"I knew it."

I smile despite myself.