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Gemma sticks out her bottom lip. “It’s not for me. It’s for Scarlett! She needs some cousins. So, have babies for her.”
“…to babysit!” I continue her sentence.
“You better not wait that long!” Gemma scolds.
“Gives me a good what? Sixteen years? Also, I can’t believe you’re begging me to get knocked up. I’m not thesettling down type.” I use air quotes.
She lets out a sigh. “You’re right. I swear you think more like a man than an actual man.”
I waggle my brows at her. “I’m amaneater.”
Archer snorts but doesn’t say anything. He probably thinks I’m crazy.
As soon as I open the door to the boutique, several of my regulars greet me as we make our way through the crowd. Now that the church services are over, the place is packed. When we pass the singing Santa display, he immediately starts his ho ho ho’s as Christmas carols blast through the speakers. Now, I realize adding five gigantic Christmas trees full of ornaments throughout the shop might not have been the best idea. But they’re gorgeous nevertheless.
“Oh, sorry, dear,” Mrs. Jefferson says as she bumps into me. “Also, I heard from a little birdie that you might launch something new this week.”
“You know I like to keep it secret.”
“As long as it involves him, I don’t think it matters.”
She’s obviously flirting with Archer even though she’s twice his age. Her husband passed away last year, and now she’s single and ready to mingle—her words, not mine. She even told me about how I should use dating apps like her to find a nice young man.
Gemma leans in closer. “Could probably dress him in women’s clothes at this point, and they’d sell.”
“Right!”
“I heard that,” he mumbles.
We continue to the storage room in the back. Dana and Heidi pop in to say hello but then immediately go back to helping customers. They’re my part-time employees and have been working for me for over a year now.
I place clothes in their sizes on two separate racks. “I want you in this first,” I tell Gemma, pointing at the outfit.
“Yeah, yeah. I know the drill,” she says. Considering I’ve asked her to help with nearly every launch I’ve done, she’s a pro.
“This is your first one,” I tell Archer, directing him to the employee bathrooms.
While they’re changing, I put fresh batteries and a memory card in my camera. As soon as I’m set, they return.
“Wow! Absolutely perfect.” I can’t stop smiling at how good they look. Archer looks better than I imagined. “Outside we go.”
I want to take full advantage of the sunlight splashing against the brick wall so I lead them to the back of the building. Gemma moves into place, wearing a baggy maroon sweater and winter leggings. She accessorized the scarf with her hooped earrings flawlessly.
“Gorgeous.”
Since she doesn’t need much guidance, I move around her, getting different angles. “Make love to the camera.”
Her head falls back with laughter, and I snap the shot. After I’ve gotten plenty of that outfit, she changes into the next one.
“Yes, girl! That turtleneck dress is so going home with you today. Lord!” I adjust the long gold necklace making sure the layers are seen, and then we get started again.
I make Archer pose with Gemma some too. Eventually, she makes it through all her outfits.
“Ready for your solo debut?” I ask Archer, nodding my head toward the brick wall.
“I dunno. Gemma’s a hard act to follow.” He grins.
She shrugs. “I think I was a model in my past life.”
