Page 21 of Buckle Up, Buttercup

He takes a little bow.

The Bodice emits a series of squeaks and rumbles, which we all take as an affirmation of her agreement about the glasses. Heading into the store room where this morning’s shipment is still waiting to be fully unpacked, I grab Oz a pair of purple boots with a giant inlaid turquoise buckle. They’re hella impractical but absolutely stunning.

When I emerge with both boot boxes beneath my arms, I’m surprised to find Hadrian standing there with his hands in his front pockets. Lemon and Oz are both silent, staring at him.

“Alk, hey,” I say, nearly breathless at seeing him again this afternoon. We just said goodbye yesterday, but I half didn’t want to leave. There was something so nice about hanging with him away from PG and my family and all the trappings us Tuckers come with.

He smiles at Oz and Lemon. “I’m in no rush, Bluebell, but I was hoping you could fit me for some new clothing when you have a sec?”

Heat rushes to my cheeks, and I’m thankful to be so tan right now because hopefully I don’t look like I’m blushing.

“We’ll just pay and get outta here,” Lemon says, barely masking a huge smile. Next to her, Oz is smiling politely at Hadrian, his hands clasped at his waist where he still holds his apple.

“Erm…nice game in Santa Alaya. I heard you scored, like, a buncha goals.”

Oh my gods. I’m gonna slap Oz. He doesn’t know the first thing about skyball despite having gone to a half dozen games with me.

“Thanks, Oz,” Hadrian says. “Appreciate that. It was a fun game.”

“You know my name?!” Oz shrieks, looking between us all in apparent shock. “I had no idea!”

Hadrian laughs, and it’s so deep and sexy, I bite my lip and cross my legs at the ankle as I ring Lemon up.

“Yeah,” he says to Oz. “You’ve probably served me two dozen times since I moved home. Sorry if I haven’t actually introduced myself. I forget to, and I’ve got my nose buried in books more often than not.”

“Well, that’s adorable,” Oz says. “Gotta love a bookish man, don’t we?”

“Wait,” Hadrian says, cocking his head to the side. “Are the glasses new, though?”

“Yeah!” Oz chirps, shuffling his big leathery wings. “I mean I don’t actually need them, they’re just cute, you know?”

Of course we fucking do, I’m about to hiss. Stop talking!

We all fall silent, and I resist the urge to kick Oz or slap him or just generally tell him to stop being weird.

I ring him and Lemon up faster than I’ve ever rung up anyone, begging them with my eyeballs to leave without saying anything else random. Lemon grabs Oz by the elbow and directs him toward the door, thanking both me and the Bodice. The building quakes and squeaks happily as they leave.

Hadrian winks at me. “Long time no see.”

I wave him toward the back as I grab my measuring tape. Rebekah, the vampire I bought the Bodice from, gave me a primer on measuring for custom clothing just before she left. Hadrian’s going to be my first customer, though, so hopefully I get it right. I’m unexpectedly nervous, but it’s hard to tell if that’s because I’ll have to touch him or what.

“Stand in front of the mirror, please.” I head to the storeroom and grab a small step stool because there’s no way I can reach his neck and shoulders on my own. When I emerge, he’s standing on the small platform eyeing himself in the mirror with a frown.

I open up the step stool next to him and climb up it, resting my forearm on his shoulder as I meet his gaze in the mirror.

Play it cool, Bluebell. Friends. Friends. Friends.

“Why are you glaring at yourself, Alk?”

He cocks his head to the side, which brings his gorgeous long horns close to my face. “Irritated that none of my shit fits anymore and wondering if I’m gonna have to do this again in a few months. Coach wants me to bulk, though, so here we are. All of that to say, maybe I can get some clothing with a little stretch to it like Furyon has?”

I eye Hadrian’s broad shoulders. He’s right that he’s pushing his current clothing to its absolute limits. The fabric over his chest is pulled tight, the buttons barely holding back his pecs.

“Furyon’s fabric’s hella expensive because it has to stretch to accommodate his large form, like three times his normal size. I don’t think we need to do that for you, but we can if you think you’ll grow that much.”

He glances over at me. “You’re the expert. What do you think?”

This is actually a great chance for me to include the Bodice, so I look upward.