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“Must be important.”
She lifted her face and angled a brow—I loved that brow—then, without any warning, snapped a picture of me. She sent the picture to her text thread, her thumbs racing over the letters in some message I couldn’t make out.
“What’s that about?”
“My friend Sam is having a stressful day, so we’re trying to make her feel better.”
“And you thought a picture of me would help?” I didn’t know whether to be proud or embarrassed.
She dropped her phone into her purse and smiled at the young man headed our way, speaking out of the corner of her mouth to me. “In that getup, yeah.”
So, in that case, definitely embarrassed.
“Hi, my name is Remy,” the kid said, pointing at his name tag. “What can I help you with today?”
“I’m Gem,” she said then motioned to Frank. “And this is my future stepfather, Frank. We need a classic dinner jacket, no satin. Let’s stick with one or two buttons.”
Remy laced his hands together and nodded. “I like a girl who knows what she wants. You must’ve done this before.”
She shrugged. “I’ve picked out a few tuxedos, yes. My personal marriage, no.”
He inched closer to her. “That’s good news for all us out there. We still have a chance.”
I flung my top hat onto the head of a mannequin and set the cane in its hand, not bothering to tamp down my audible guffaw at the lines this kid was throwing down. He looked barely legal, a few hairs on his chin in a poor attempt at a beard. I didn’t think Gemma would actually go for Remy, but she smiled sweetly at him as he led her to the back of the store, his hands gesticulating in the air as he spoke to her…about what, I didn’t know. Maybe the white suit Gemma pointed to, or the fact that Remy could pass for the guy who played Harry Potter in the movies, glasses, bowl haircut, and all.
After a few minutes, the two returned with a tux. Frank nodded in appreciation and took it to the dressing room.
I held my hands up, waiting for one as well. “Do I get one too or…?”
Gemma seemed less than pleased to also have to help me, and she tossed her thumb back in my direction, saying to Remy, “Could you find one for him? He’s the best man.”
I expected her to have some sort of direction, like she had with Frank. Buttons and colors and whatever, but she just perched herself on a chair next to the dressing rooms and pulled her cell phone back out of her purse.
Remy wasted no time in picking out a few pieces for me to try on then led me back to the dressing room, where Gemma continued to ignore me.
Though, she had a pleasant discussion with Remy when he complimented her sweater.
Christ. This guy was like a puppy jumping at her feet for attention. He needed to cool it. Go lie down in the corner.
Frank sauntered out of the changing room in his tuxedo and spun around in front of Gemma, who rose to her feet. “You look fantastic. Really, really handsome.”
“Yeah?” He grabbed her hand and twirled her under his arm. “I haven’t worn a tux in years, not since…” He pointed to his gut with a chuckle. “I feel like James Bond, though, eh? What do you think?” He tugged on the lapels of the jacket.
“I guess you could pass for Sean Connery, if I squint.”
He ruffled her hair. “Sean Connery wishes he was as handsome as me. Okay,” he said with a clap of his hands. “You’re up, Jay.”
The latch on the dressing room door was broken, and I tried my best to close it before hanging the suit on the rack. Outside, I could hear Frank, Remy, and Gemma chatting about the wedding, and how soon alterations could be done. I stripped down to my black boxer-briefs and socks, and turned, reaching for the white shirt. That was when I noticed the door ajar.
And Gemma staring.
How ironic.
She dragged her eyes up from where they were settled somewhere below my hips. Frank’s and Remy’s voices had faded as if they’d walked away, so I pushed the door all the way open. “Fair is fair, I guess.”
I gestured to my nearly naked body, allowing her a better view. She cleared her throat, stood up, and casually scanned me up and down as if she were window-shopping. I smiled gamely. She did not return it. Only walked away.
“It seems like you have everything under control here,” I heard Gemma say as I stepped into the pants. “I’m going to head out.” I rushed to get dressed, stumbling into the wall during the process.
