An Ex Taking You Designer Shopping? Save Your Flirting For The Next
Day 143 of The Andie Chronicles
“Ahh, you’re here. Let’s go”
Douglas had called me into a meeting at 1.54 pm. No, not 2 pm. Or ten to two, or a more conventional meeting. 1.54 pm.
I hate that anyone in the office could put a meeting in your diary without asking and, no matter what, you were expected to be there.
Especially when you would rather do anything else than take a meeting with your ex.
“Where are we going?” Douglas stood from behind his desk, snatched his wallet and phone and made his way towards the door, where I stood, blocking it. “Don’t think you’re moving past me until you tell me where we are going.”
“If I tell you, it will ruin the surprise.” He stood over me, stroking my hair. I flicked his hand away. The flirting was not helping either of us. And I felt my body retract as he touched me.
I caught myself. I didn't want this anymore. I repeated it in my head with equal certainty.
“I don’t want a surprise. I don’t want to go anywhere with you. I need you to tell me where you want to go.”
“Can’t you trust me?” This was the thing; I used to trust Douglas. I used to think he was someone I could spend my whole life trusting. He was someone who seemed to have the world figured out. Not only could he keep me safe, but he could protect me from the big bad world that wanted to screw me.
Now he was the big bad world, trying to screw me. Couldn’t he just be my ex?
“I want to know where we’re going, that’s all. Do I need a jacket?” He nodded. “Yes, we’re going shopping. I want my fashion designer to look the part.” Ahh, I thought. GG was trying to tell me my ex was talking about me. I got it. I got what this was all about.
“If you give me two hours, I won’t waste your time. Or your money. I just haven’t had time to go shopping. Ok?”
It was a lie but anything to avoid time alone with him.
Stepping into Dior on Collins St, I wondered why I agreed to this shopping trip. Sure, I had gotten rid of Douglas and I managed to snag two hours away from the office. But now I was having to pay for designer threads I couldn’t afford.
At all.
What was I thinking?
Thumbing through the dresses and long coats, I found so many things I thought were beautiful. One dress, a black slip dress with sheer sleeves, would be the perfect capsule piece.
I couldn’t find a price on it, but the assistant following me quickly interjected, saying it was nearly four thousand dollars.
I knew this before coming in, but the confronting reality of how much my expected new fashions were going to cost was inducing an all-encompassing panic attack.
Everyone watching me, even though the store was empty.
Everyone judging me.
Everyone hearing every doubt surging through my mind.
Alas, I wasn’t the only one. Someone else was shopping. “You would look beautiful in that dress,” declared Taylor, who was wearing the suit from the front rack. He had no shoes on. The opposite of GG, I mused.
“Not as good as you look in this suit.”
“Do you think I should buy it?” I nodded. “Yes, you should.”
I felt my fingers let my grasp on the dress go.
“But I won’t be around to see you do that. I need to go find somewhere I can afford that will still look like I’ve been shopping here. And somewhere that will shut your brother up.”
Taylor signalled the assistant who was meant to be looking after me, but had given up once she saw my deflated expression at the prices.
“Can you please help my friend with what she wants? And add them to my account, please.”
You’re reading The Andie Chronicles, the 2023 romance-fiction series from the 1 Lovelock Drive (1LD) universe.
By the way, this all started when Andie turned thirty-five, and her then-boyfriend didn’t call her.
Or the day after that.
Or the day after that, too.
Everything started to unravel when her BFFs got into bed with her ex, too… ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️
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A little lost on what’s happening at 1 Lovelock Drive?
Well, you see, Andie’s break-up started back in February and so much has happened since then. These stories will help you catch right up! xx