Hunting Human - Amanda E. Alvarez [78]
“Ready?” He asked.
“Sure.” Beth skirted around him as he held the door for them.
***
Beth rolled her eyes and sighed as Lucy dragged her into another store. Her endless energy was exhausting. She’d kept up a running dialogue, most of it one-sided, throughout the day. Whether or not she noticed that Beth was largely silent, she didn’t seem to care. Either way, the day had been exactly what Beth needed.
“That would look great on you!” Lucy pulled a forest green cable-knit sweater from a rack and handed it to Beth. “You have to try it on.”
“Only if you try on that dress you keep eyeing,” Beth pointed at the sundress in the store window.
“Nah. I don’t really need it.” She flushed. “I wouldn’t have anywhere to wear it.”
Beth pulled her over to the display. “I don’t need a sweater, but you’ll make me try it on. What size?” Beth flipped through the hangers and pulled out the right one. “And I don’t believe for a moment you couldn’t find somewhere to wear it if you wanted to.” Beth gave her a knowing look as she handed over the dress. “You’ve chattered all day long about nearly everything. Except you…” Beth let her mouth curl into a knowing grin. “Anything you aren’t sharing?”
Lucy blushed and looked away. “Nah. Nothing important anyway.”
“Uh-huh.” Beth pulled another couple of dresses in the same size from surrounding racks. “A good dress could come in handy. You know, just in case.”
The smile Lucy answered with was so bright Beth didn’t mind the extra twenty minutes she’d just bought in the dressing room. “Let’s go try these on.” She glanced at her watch. “We’re supposed to meet your brother in a half hour.”
“Can I start you a room?” a store clerk asked, gesturing toward the fitting rooms.
“I think we’re ready.” Beth handed over the forest green sweater while Lucy juggled the dozen or so hangers she had slung over her arm.
“You’ve only got one thing,” Lucy protested. “We can look a little longer.”
“Nah, we’re running low on time and, this way, I can give you a second opinion if you need it.” They followed the clerk into fitting rooms next to each other.
“Let me know if I can get you another size.” The woman drew the curtain shut before she left.
Beth pulled the shirt she was wearing over head and tugged the sweater on. Lucy was right, it suited her. Beth sighed, turning right and left in the mirror. She liked it, but she couldn’t get it. She didn’t have her purse with her, no money, no credit cards. Nothing. She wasn’t even really sure where her purse was.
Probably still scattered across my living room floor.
It was hard to believe Markko had attacked her just two days ago. So much had happened since then. It felt like weeks had passed. Part of her worried she was taking the situation too calmly, allowing herself to fall into the illusion of security that Braden’s family provided.
And when that’s gone? What then?
“Hey, can you take a look?” Lucy’s voice cut through her thoughts.
“Sure. Come on out.”
Beth pulled the curtain of her fitting room open. Lucy stepped out wearing a strapless white dress, cut close through her middle and flaring in the skirt.
“What do you think?” She asked as she did a graceful twirl.
“Very pretty.” Beth considered Lucy carefully. She seemed so young, though less than three years separated them. She didn’t seem to carry the same sort of weariness that dogged Beth after the full moon. Why didn’t the shift wear on her the same way?
“But?”
“It depends on what you’re after. It’s pretty, but it’s very…sweet.” Beth got the impression that wasn’t what Lucy wanted.
“It might help if you told me a little more about who it is you’re trying to impress.”
Lucy scowled and stalked back into the dressing room. “It doesn’t matter. He wouldn’t notice if I walked into a room stark naked.”
“I doubt that. You know, sometimes guys are a little thick. They only see one thing until something else steps in front of them. Try the black one.”
“You think?”
“Go ahead, I’ll wait.” Beth heard the rustle of hangers as Lucy pulled