Page 57 of Pure Abandon

She waves me off. “Oh, hush! You’re so high-strung. When did you stop knowing how to have fun?” Gwen takes another sip.

Me? I’m a ton of fun! Aren’t I?

“You two have a great time at the mall. Besides, Kat needs to pick up something for the gala.” Gabriel takes a seat next to me, draping his arm around the back of my chair.

Shit! Ever since Malory told me I had to wear something formal, I’ve sort of been blocking it out. So not me. I can’t just wear any old thing. It may be a big production, but the concert is, indeed, a gala, and I’ll be representing Asher. I have to wear something spectacular.

I nod in agreement. “Let’s go to Bloomingdales.” Yes, they’ll have something there that will be perfect.

Gabriel whistles through his teeth. “Breaking out the big guns.”

Oh.

“No. I’m kidding.” He places his arm around my shoulder and kisses my hair. “You two have fun. You deserve it, baby. My working girl.” He can be so sweet sometimes. “Just don’t spend too much.”

And there it is.

Does the man realize he’s sending me shopping with Gwendolyn Grayson? The woman was born to shop.

Once at the mall, we valet in high fashion and saunter into Bloomingdales. Gwen is well ahead of me as I stroll Jackson through the racks of clothing. Gabriel wanted me to leave him home, but since being at work all week, I cherish as much time as I can get with my sweet angel on the weekends.

I find Gwen in the women’s section, looking at a table display of sweaters. She’s holding up a powder-blue crewneck sweater against her chest.

“Aren’t these gorgeous?”

“Mom, it’s the middle the summer. It’s a little warm for cashmere.”

“Honey, it’s never too warm for cashmere.” She admonishes. “I’m buying two!” she exclaims, picking up a blue and a green for herself and then grabbing another.

“Who’s the grey one for?”

“You, dear. You need a little luxury,” she says, tossing the grey piece of lux at me.

I spin Jackson’s stroller and meander through the racks.

Gwen stops at every rack, remarking on how gorgeous each outfit is, and “look at the cut on this,” and “isn’t this color just gorgeous?” When I said the woman was born to shop, I meant it. How she affords it all I’ll never understand. My dad had a lucrative career, but she shops like she’s a Rockefeller.

Grabbing one item after the next, Gwen takes her armful of clothes into the dressing room, and I take a seat on a bench, waiting for her to come out.

Gwen tries on a series of ensembles. If she tried on twenty, she didn’t try on enough. After forty minutes, Jackson gets antsy.

“Mom, I’m going to push Jackson around a little. He’s tired of sitting still.”

“Okay, dear,” she calls from inside the dressing room. Grabbing my purse, I stand and start to move.

“Just real quick.” She interrupts my departure. “What do you think of this one?” She’s standing in the doorway, wearing a black, short-sleeve, cowl-neck top and leopard-print pants. As wild as they are, the pants are tasteful. The gold belt, on the other hand, is a bit… much.

“It’s perfect. Definitely get that one.”

I push the stroller out of the women’s department and browse through the makeup section before stopping at one of the jewelry counters. I enjoy looking at the gemstones under the twinkling lights. As I admire a beautiful bangle bracelet, a scent permeates my senses.

Tobacco… and vanilla.

I freeze in place.

He’s here.

Hastily, I turn around and scan the room for Asher. Turning to the left and right, I look around the room but he is nowhere in sight. Like a bloodhound on the hunt, I follow the delicious scent to see where he went.