I glanced down at my plain, charcoal long-sleeve shirt, jeans, and sneakers. “I have a shift at The Grind in a few hours.”
She tsked. “That’s no excuse. You can do better. Let me look through the new items in the back while you two get started on your project.”
When she flounced off with another wave of her hand, I turned to Petra, my eyebrows raised. “That’s Nana?”
She smirked at me. “What did you expect?”
I lowered my voice to a whisper. “I don’t know. Someone slightly more...grandmotherly?”
Laughter spilled out of her. “Sorry to disappoint you, but Nana hasn’t baked an apple pie in her life. Or whatever grandmotherly types bake.”
“Huh.”
Petra latched onto my sleeve. “Come on. We need to get started if we’re going to figure this out before you go to work.” She led me to an area of the shop that housed rack after rack of tees and sweatshirts. “You know, this would have been a lot easier if you’d just asked Leo for one of his old jerseys.”
“Then, it wouldn’t be a surprise.”
Because of his busy training and practice schedule, I’d barely seen him since our bistro “date” Wednesday night. But he’d texted me often and had left a bouquet of bright pink roses in my bedroom for me to find when I got home yesterday afternoon.
So, I’d decided to surprise him by wearing a sweatshirt with his number on it to the game tonight. It was cheesy, but I hoped it would make him smile.
Thankfully, when I’d texted Petra last night to ask if there was somewhere in town where I could get one made last-minute, she’d assured me that she could handle it.
As she flipped through shirts in my size, she said, “If you remember, I predicted this whole front row cheering scenario weeks ago. But after you and Tristin hooked up, I assumed Leo was toast. You just can’t make up your mind, can you?”
“Tristin is the one who scorned me, as you well know.” She was the only person who knew every detail of what had happened between us.
“Yeah, but you haven’t even tried talking to him.”
I narrowed my eyes at my friend. “What’s up with you? Why are you suddenly Team Tristin?”
“I’m not team anyone.” She paused in her searching to glance at me. “I’m just worried you’re going to regret going all in with Leo before even talking to Tristin.”
“I don’t understand who I’m speaking to right now. Aren’t you the one who is anti-relationship because you’re all about living in the moment?”
“Yes, but that’s me. And you’re not me.” She held up a neon yellow sweatshirt. “How about this one? There’s no way he’ll miss seeing you.”
I scrunched up my nose. “Absolutely not. Why can’t I just wear black?”
“Because you’re going to a football game, not a wake.” After a few more minutes of combing through the rack, she practically shouted, “Aha! This one is perfect.”
The fitted hoodie was a deep maroon, almost the exact color of the team’s uniforms, and the sleeves and hood were a light gray. “Much better.”
Petra huffed. “I guess I can accept better.” The bell above the door sounded, and several women entered the store. “That’s our cue to get to work in the back.”
We passed Nana on the way, and she said, “I laid out a few choices for you. Try them on.”
I wanted to insist that my simple charcoal shirt was fine, but her expression left no room argument. “Okay, thanks.” Once Petra and I were on the other side of the door that led to the storage area, I asked, “Is she always so bossy?”
“Always.”
She pushed a cart holding a long, skinny printer-looking machine up to the large computer desk in the corner. “What is that thing?”
“It’s a die cutting machine.”
“Am I supposed to know what that means?”
“Just watch and learn.” She opened an app on the computer before turning to me. “Okay, what do you want on the shirt?”
“I was just thinking his number?”
Petra blinked at me. “Just. His. Number.”
“Yes,” I answered almost timidly. “Unless you have a better idea?”
“Of course, I do.”
She turned back to the computer, and since I had no idea how to help, I found the clothes Nana had laid out for me. The first hanger held a lightweight chambray button-down shirt over a plum-colored tank.
I pulled both on, then checked out my reflection in a full-length mirror affixed to the wall. “I guess I know why Nana has her own clothing shop. She’s pretty good at