Page 194 of The Chosen One Universe: Volume One

Henry

Having grown up with a fashionista for a sister, Henry was well aware of the pros and cons of a personal shopper. Not that he’d ever actually had one. Unless you counted his Nana, who’d show up every once in a while with a bag of clothes for him. He was pretty sure Nana didn’t count, though.

According to his sister, Natasha, personal shoppers were pros, insiders in the fashion world who knew what was hot before it was actually hot. Or something like that. They were all the rage in Hollywood, with everyone who was anyone having one. Henry couldn’t say that he disagreed with the idea of one.

If someone else could pick things out that looked good, fit, and didn’t cost a fortune, he was all in. He had a sneaking suspicion the last of those didn’t matter to Eduard, or to most other people who could actually afford a personal shopper.

Bentley Baxter, or Bebe as Eduard called him, swirled into the room in a riot of color and cologne. Henry’s shifter brothers would be gagging at the overwhelming scent, especially since it was strong enough to make Henry’s human nose twitch.

Draco blinked once and his hand tightened into a fist, the only sign that the dragon wasn’t appreciating the smell either. Henry grabbed Draco’s hand and gave it a squeeze as Eduard rose to receive double cheek air kisses from Bebe.

They’d arrived at his studio before him, but Eduard hadn’t seemed to mind waiting. Now, seeing Bebe’s entrance, Henry understood it for the show that it was. Henry had an impression that the shopper would be more like one of the personal assistants he’d seen on reality TV shows. Plainly dressed, probably a little sweaty, carrying too many bags from exclusive stores while trying to balance a takeout tray full of cups of coffee. Again, his sisters were to blame.

Well, technically, Natasha and Jack were to blame. Emily didn’t like reality TV much either. She had a thing for Korean dramas that he didn’t quite understand, even though he might possibly have watched a few of them with her.

Lines of racks filled with clothes were on the opposite side of the room, and Bebe’s harried assistant had managed to make them all the required coffee and get them seated before his arrival. Bebe’s office was in an old warehouse that had been refurbished, and the colors around the room were bold but classy. Henry took a sneaky picture of the clothes on his phone and texted it to Natasha. Undisclosed location. My future wardrobe. Be jealous.

Within seconds, his phone buzzed with her reply, which mostly consisted of question marks and exclamation points. Will tell you later, he replied. His phone continued to buzz repeatedly, but he stuck it in his pants with a chuckle. She was gonna kill him.

“Thank you so much for helping us, Bebe,” Eduard practically purred. “I don’t know what I would have done without your help.”

“Darling!” Bebe actually grabbed Eduard’s cheeks in his hands and pressed a kiss to his lips. “You divine creature. Of course I have to help these poor souls. Your cousins would eviscerate the poor boys if they showed up looking like this bedraggled mess.”

Draco squeezed Henry’s hand. It hurt a little.

Henry squeezed back. But at least Henry had figured out that Bebe knew exactly what he was dealing with, at least in society’s terms. He had to wonder if Bebe weren’t some sort of mystical creature himself. It was tempting to open his magic and poke around, but he refrained. He’d ask Eduard once they were back on the bus. It would be soon enough. Besides, he really didn’t want to miss a minute of this.

Eduard pulled Sawyer to his feet and presented him to Bebe. It took every ounce of willpower Henry possessed not to die laughing. Sawyer had worn jeans and a random T-shirt he’d gotten at an event at his university. It was worn and faded, but really soft. Sawyer had a thing for soft T-shirts. Bebe whimpered and put his hand over his mouth. “Oh, sweetheart. It’s tragic. You’re too beautiful to be this depressing.”

Draco growled and Henry squeezed his hand again.

“Work your magic,” Eduard said. He wrapped an arm around Sawyer’s shoulders and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

Bebe then turned to the rest of them. “This is going to be fun. You, with us,” Bebe demanded.

He’d pointed at Andvari, gesturing impatiently. Andvari scowled but stood and followed them to the other side of the room where a small area was cordoned off with privacy screens behind the racks of clothes. A small platform stood in front of a bay of mirrors. Natasha would be in freaking heaven.

Draco, on the other hand, looked like he was about to crawl out of his skin. “What’s wrong?” Henry asked.

“Nothing.”

Since the others were distracted, Henry climbed onto Draco’s lap, still holding one of his hands. He cupped Draco’s cheek with the other. “I thought we didn’t lie to each other?”

Draco sucked in a breath and his eyes darted up to meet Henry’s. “We don’t.”

“Then tell me what’s going on in that beautiful brain of yours.”

“Too many people. Strangers,” Draco confessed.

“You’re not a city boy, are you?”

Draco scowled. “No.”

“Yeah, didn’t think so. What can I do to help?” Henry wiggled his hips even as he leered suggestively.

It got him the smirk he’d been looking for. “Keep doing that.”

“Yeah? Daddy wanna play?”