“Okay sweetheart” I choked out “let’s go shopping, where do you want to go?” I asked, praying it wasn’t several boutiques.
I knew how much she liked to shop and I was not enjoying the thought of spending the day trudging from store to store.
Charlotte gave a squeal of excitement. “Oh, I’ve been dying to check out this new place” she squealed, while her mother looked up with a bright smile “It’s this new boutique or upper fashion store called Sin City. It’s supposed to be really hip and they are all about the environment or some such thing” she muttered looking at me “so that should make you happy as well. I don’t really care so long as they have nice clothes.”
Great. I heaved a sigh and got to my feet, offering my arm to Charlotte. “Mother are you coming?” she asked.
Karen smiled “Actually, you know what, I might,” she said agreeably as my spirits plummeted “I could use a nice outfit to wear to the engagement party and even the night of the wedding. Besides, I never turn down the opportunity to go shopping” she added mischievously as she stood up.
As we began to make our way outside, I remembered Charlotte mentioning the store had something to do with the environment. Flair would like that, I thought as I helped the women into the waiting limo, it sounded like it was her kind of store. It was a shame that my ex-wife could never afford to go to such an upper-class store, but that just meant I would never have to worry about running into her, I thought with optimism. It turns out that optimism was short-lived.
Flair POV
I don’t know why I let Rachel talk me into this. She had a smug expression on her face, like a cat that got the cream as we stepped out of the car, the boutique was luxurious with huge windows and beautiful displays as we stood in front of it. The entrance was a thing of beauty and the moment you walked in you could tell that it was highly fashionable, with sales assistants floating around everywhere and high price tags to accompany the sought-after garments.
“Sin City,” I said, a little amused by the name “I suppose the prices could be considered sinful,” I said a little jokingly.
Rachel grinned and dragged me to some dresses. I looked them over with a critical eye but was pleasantly surprised to see that they were made of high-quality fabric and none of the seams were imperfect. There were no flaws to be seen. Rachel oohed over the dresses, looking at me with a sidelong glance. “You need to find something sexy for your date tonight” she teased.
“It doesn’t have to be sexy,” I said with my nose in the air “Just classy.”
Still, my fingers lingered on a beautiful champagne-colored dress that had a modest-looking bodice and sleeves but was also backless. It was sexy and different from anything I would ever have attempted to wear when I was with Johnathon.
“Flair, that’s perfect” Rachel gushed “Grayson will lose his mind when he sees you in that” she added, admiring it “You have to get it” she added in an undertone “I insist. Do not leave this boutique without that dress.”
I hesitated, and then Rachel chose for me, grabbing the dress and laying it carefully over her arms. “I’m not letting you change your mind,” she said shaking her head.
I laughed and gave up. We perused more dresses and Rachel grabbed a good half a dozen or more, while I tentatively grabbed three more before we headed over to the shoe section which had both of us entranced.
“I can’t believe that everything is sustainably sourced,” I said in awe, as Rachel tried on a pair of gold heels with a strap around the ankle, giggling as she did a catwalk in front of me “This stuff is beautiful Rachel.”
“I knew you would like it,” she told me triumphantly, taking the shoes off one at a time and raising an eyebrow at me “See I know you best” she added.
She should. We had known each other for years, I thought to myself with a shake of my head. “Let’s go check out the jewelry,” she said excitedly.
I glanced at the pile we had made. “I’ll take this up to the register for you,” a saleswoman said kindly as we thanked her.
The jewelry was carefully tucked away in the back, diamond rings shimmering beneath the lights. Rachel gasped and looked at me, almost wriggling with excitement. “Flair, how do I choose?” she begged me.
“I thought we were here for me” I mumbled making Rachel look sheepish.
“Well yes, but since I’m already here” she protested while I laughed at the expression on her face.
We both stiffened when we heard a voice behind us. “Maybe you could get my engagement ring from here Johnathon? They have a gorgeous jewelry selection.”
No way I thought, feeling my body tense, it couldn’t be. Why would a woman such as she, deign to visit a place like this? Another woman’s voice, older, more mature chimed in “What a great idea Charlotte, but remember, you don’t want to grab an engagement ring for the sake of it. It has to be on your finger and look good for photos.”
Shit. It was her. Rachel shot me a look. “Want me to punch her in the nose?” she whispered.
It was tempting but I shook my head. I gestured for her to move, both of us turning to walk away, but it was too late as we came face to face with Charlotte, Johnathon, and another woman that I presumed had to be her mother.
Johnathon looked surprised. Charlotte’s face turned vicious as she spotted me. “What is a peasant woman like you doing here?” she demanded loudly as I stood there motionless “It’s not as though you can afford to shop here anyway. Do they know that? The prices in here are way above your pay grade” she sniffed.
“Charlotte,” the older woman said in a scandalized tone “it’s not like you to be so rude. Do you know this woman?” she asked, raking her gaze over me.
Charlotte sneered at me “Mother this would be the infamous Flair, Johnathon’s soon-to-be ex-wife” she spat out with venom.
As usual, Johnathon remained silent, the coward that he was. Rachel’s hands clenched into fists. I put a hand on her shoulder, silently telling her not to do anything rash.
Charlotte’s mother studied me. Her lips curled into a small smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Well, I can certainly see why Johnathon is so eager to divorce you,” she told me coldly “Charlotte is certainly an upgrade for him in the looks department.”
“You bitch” Rachel murmured under her breath as I looked at my friend sharply. “As if you can talk, you look like a toad.”
“I have no desire to start a fight,” I said evenly and with as much patience as I could muster “Enjoy your shopping Charlotte, Rachel, please, let us continue what we were doing in peace.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.