“A car?” I joke and Hayley laughs out loud, curling herself into my shoulder, giving me a side hug.
“Come on. I’ve got a better idea.” She smirks, directing me back to the indoor plants.
Two hours later, Hayley’s panicked gaze bounces between a pink, frilly dress and a white one, deciding which to add to the other million things she’s already bought for Juliet.
She occasionally glances my way while I smile and nod, essentially no help at all.
We’re nowhere near finished with our Christmas shopping, but… I. Am. Done. After she makes this decision and the item is in her bag, I’m taking her home.
It’s another couple of minutes before she finally selects the pink dress and scurries off toward the counter. I could let her go—we’d be done faster—but guilt hits me and I call out for her to stop. “Go with the white,” I tell her. “You wanted that first and then talked yourself out of it. Go with your gut.” I’m not sure her indecisiveness is even about the dress, so the least I can do is help.
She frowns, glancing down at the tiny piece of material in her hands. “But white will be impossible to keep clean. She’s crawling.”
“True, but it’s adorable and nothing you buy is going to stay clean. You said so yourself. She’s crawling.”
“Okay. Yes.” Her eyes blaze with happiness and it makes my chest light. “White it is.” She rushes back to get the white, flashing me a wide smile as she passes, and I feel significantly better. I don’t usually run out of patience so quickly, but the sheer number of shoppers is doing my head in. It’s like people can’t be civil anymore. No one’s saying thanks or usinganybasic manners. It’s time to exit the building.
“Everyone else is getting cash in a card,” I tell Hayley as we’re walking toward the parking lot. “How do people do this all the time?”
She giggles, and it’s obvious from her expression that she’s judging me. “Would you believe some people find shopping fun? Therapeutic even.”
“Well, they are welcome to their opinions, but it’s not for me. Let’s go.”
“Wait.” She grabs my bicep, pulling me to a stop. “We didn’t get anything for each other.”
“I’m good. I have an idea.”
“You have?” Her lips part in a gasp. “What is it?”
“It’s…a surprise.” I wave my hands around with exaggerated excitement and she pouts.
“I hate surprises.” She jokingly crosses her arms over her chest. At least I hope she’s joking. “I’m an in-the-moment kind of girl, remember?”
“Too bad. So sad.”
Her eyes bulge in disbelief but she can’t hide her smile. “Too bad? So sad?”
“Yep.”
“Wow. I’m learning a lot about you, Reedy boy. And it ain’t all as pretty as advertised.” She gestures from my head to my toes with a sweeping motion and I chuckle.
“Too late to back out now. We’ve already been outed.”
“I can deny it. Throw around the ‘just friends’ tag.”
Ouch.I’ve heard that before.“You could. But then you’d have to find yourself another ‘golden boy’ and let me tell you, we are rare.”
Hayley suppresses her smile while I chuckle. “You’ve been spendingwaytoo much time with Luke,” she tells me. “His cockiness is rubbing off on you.”
I glance away, pretending to be lost in thought before faking a gasp. “You’re right. What was I thinking? I’m sorry, Baby,” I joke. “Please tell me how I can make it up to you?”
“You could tell me your present idea.” She hits me with a pleading grin, and a little part of me hates that I’m about to refuse her, until I remember that’s the entire point of gift giving.
“Not a chance. Come on. Let’s blow this joint.”
“Only if you carry my bags.” She hands over theonebag she’s holding and laughs to herself. I’ve been holding her bags all day. “Thanks.” She glances up at me like I’m her hero. “Let’s go.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
