we’ll get it. While you were inside, Brooke helped me find these things.” During her brief time in the dressing room, Garrett and Brooke had developed a “comrades in retail” relationship. Now, the same attendant who’d been giving her questionable looks in the dressing room only moments ago beamed radiantly at her as she held out an armful of both casual and business clothes. Judging by the Cheshire cat smile on the woman’s face, Chloe suspected she was calculating her commission. And observing the covert glances Brooke kept sending in Garrett’s direction, Chloe presumed another woman had been swept away by the Garrett Nolan Express Train.
*~*
Seeing that her expression was full of reservation, Garrett quickly redirected her. “Hurry. There’s another stop we need to make. We need to get there before it closes.”
She gave him a dubious look. He shrugged it off.
“Are you coming?” Brooke asked, looking over her shoulder, already heading for the dressing room.
Chloe followed the clerk back to the dressing room, her thoughts in turmoil. She needed to put a stop to this, but the clothes were beautiful. It had been such a long time since she’d been able to indulge in shopping for anything that wasn’t for the wedding or for the condo. Maybe if she stuck to buying only a few essential items, it wouldn’t cost too much. Who was she kidding? She was in over her head.
He had guessed her size perfectly. While she was pulling on a pair of dark jeans, he asked, “What’s your shoe size?”
“Seven.” The next thing she knew, a pair of black boots, a pair of running shoes, and a pair of furry pink slippers appeared under the door.
She felt like Cinderella. It was going to take her a long time to pay him back.
“Garrett, this is too much.”
“Consider it an early Christmas present.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Okay, consider it an end-of-the-year bonus for all your hard work. Come on, Red. Let me do this for you.”
“I’m going to pay you back.”
“Have it your way.” He sounded disappointed.
*~*
Garrett was worried. He had only wanted to do something nice for Chloe to make her feel better. Instead, it had backfired. Anticipating that Chloe would let him pay for this extravagance, he had brought her to the exclusive retail store he had heard about. What he’d neglected to consider was how absolutely impossible, stubborn, and independent Chloe could be.
He now feared he had added to her worries by taking her to a store she would have a hard time resisting. He was going to have to make this up to her.
When she emerged from the dressing room, the saleswoman headed for the counter carrying the red dress; a gray pencil skirt; a fuchsia chiffon blouse; two plain, solid-colored T-shirts—one emerald green and one icy pink; a pair of jeans; and a cute gray sweat suit she hadn’t been able to resist as well as the running shoes and the furry pink slippers.
She would need the running shoes for moving day. She hated to put the boots back, but she was trying to be practical. She touched them one last time and released a sigh before she let the clerk take them.
It was already going to take her a long time to pay this much back.
Spotting Garrett sitting in one of the paisley-print armchairs, his long legs stretched out in front of him and his eyes closed, Chloe headed over to him. He should look out of place surrounded by all this femininity, but somehow he looked more masculine and surprisingly comfortable. She wondered if he had fallen asleep. The man was truly a glorious specimen of all that was fine with the male physique. “Garrett,” she said timidly.
*~*
Stretching, he opened his eyes and looked at her. “Oh, I forgot how long it takes women to shop. You’re finished? But you forgot something.”
“What else could I possibly need?” She looked flustered.
Garrett pointed at the selection of intimate apparel. “I think you’ll need something to wear underneath unless you’re