you over until we get there.”
Twenty-Four
Madeline
“You okay?” Christina asked me as she bumped her hip into mine.
I was going through a drawer of panties, looking for my size. “Yeah. Why?”
“Because you seem kind of bummed.”
“No,” I lied. “Just forgot how exhausting shopping for this stuff is. Men have it so easy. Boxers, briefs, boxer briefs. Women have bikini, high cut, thong, boy cut, full cut, briefs, et cetera. And sexy is nice, but most days, I want something comfortable that’s not going to give me a wedgie at work.”
“I hear ya.”
“Don’t tell April, okay? I don’t want her to think I don’t appreciate my birthday present.”
Christina pretended to zip up her lips.
“Thank you.”
She nodded down at my hands. “I thought you’d decided on the white? Yet you’re still holding all three.”
“I know. But I still need to try them on, and what if I’m in there and I decide I don’t like the white? This way, I’ll already have the other colors.”
“Smart. Maybe I shouldn’t have put mine back.”
“Go get it, and we can go try our stuff on. I’m done with this store anyway. I want to use my other gift card now.”
“Good-bye, lingerie. Hello, books,” she said.
I chuckled. “Exactly. But take your time. It’s going to take me a few minutes to get myself in and out of these things,” I said, holding up the teddies. “And I don’t want to rip anything.”
“Let’s go find someone to get us rooms.”
The dressing rooms were in their own little hall. Unfortunately, it was a Saturday, so we had to take what was open. Christina ended up at the front, and I had to take the room in the back corner.
My phone rang. It was Christina.
“I guess we won’t be showing each other how the lingerie looks,” she said with disappointment. “I’m not walking down to your dressing room, half-naked.”
“I understand.” It would have been nice to be right across the hall from each other to limit our exposure. “I don’t want to walk up there either. We’ll have to stick to our own judgments, I guess.”
“Good luck,” she told me.
“Good luck to you too.”
I hit End and picked the white teddy first. I didn’t even need Christina to tell me that it was the wrong choice. I looked washed out, and I was glad I’d decided to try on stuff before I purchased anything.
But I did decide not to waste a good opportunity.
I picked up my phone and turned the camera on. I took zoomed-in pictures of my body. I did my hip with some lace showing. Next, I did a shoulder with a strap. Then, I sent the pictures to Griffin.
Me: Here are the pics you asked for.
I laughed as I hit Send. Sometimes, I thought I was really funny.
I set my cell aside and looked at my other two options. I wasn’t sure how red would look on me, so I opted for the black teddy next.
It occurred to me that maybe I should have brought in more styles in case I didn’t like any of them. I really hadn’t been thinking as ahead as I thought I had.
“Madeline?”
I paused mid-change. I thought I’d heard my name.
“Madeline?” It was closer this time.
I quickly pulled the straps up on the black teddy and opened the door a crack.
It was Griffin.
“Madeline?” he said again, his back to me.
I didn’t know if I wanted him to know where I was, but another woman stepped out of her dressing room and gave him a dirty look.
“Psst,” I said. “I’m over here.”
Griffin spun around and looked relieved to see me.
“What are you doing here?” I asked him when he reached my room.
“I came to help.”
“Your help is no longer needed.”
“Come on, Mads. Let me in.”
I narrowed my eyes. “I don’t think you deserve to be let in.”
He frowned. “Why do you say that?”
“Because you blew me off today.”
“I’m so—”
I held my hand up. “And you lied to me.”
He closed his mouth and swallowed.
“I know you asked Troy to hang out. Next time, ask a friend who’s not engaged to my friend.”
He took a deep breath. “Okay, so you have to let me in, so I can explain.” He put a hand over his eyes. “I promise not to look at you.”
I rolled my eyes, opened the door, and pulled him inside by his other hand. His elbow hit the doorjamb as he stepped inside.
“Ow.”
“Sorry,” I said as I closed the door behind him.
“You don’t sound sorry.”
“Eh. You get what you deserve.”
“Mads”—he dropped his