I looked at myself in the mirror. If only Joey knew how much I liked him. I moved a blonde piece of hair away from my jade colored eyes remembering when Joey’s jaw dropped yesterday. I wrapped my waist long, blonde hair into a loosely put twist placing it with a large clip. I was just about to step into my warm whirlpool when I remembered I forgot something on my nightstand. I never get in the whirlpool with out it.
I sighed and wrapped my green towel around myself, hoping they wouldn’t notice. Yeah, right they’re guys. They just can’t notice a woman in nothing but a towel. Well, except if they’re gay. I opened the door having steam roll out they turned and stared. . Oh great this is going to be the highlight of their conversation for the next couple of weeks.I thought to myself.
I moved toward my nightstand at the other side of the room, “Sorry guys, forgot something. I’ll only be a second.”
“Don’t be sorry, take as long as you want, we don’t mind. Do we guys?” Chris said following me.
“Nope,” they all chorused looking at my towel. I held the jasmine shower gel next to me while holding the towel as I turned and looked at them. “You guys pick up your jaws from the floor before I step on them. Haven’t you ever seen a woman in a towel before.”
“Yeah just not you,” Lance said not looking up to my face.
“Ok see you in a couple of minutes.” I waved as I closed the door. I leaned on it recollecting my thoughts, “Well at least I didn’t drop my towel,” I told myself, smiling.
I opened the large metal door to the dining room from the hallway. All 5 guys looked up from their food, mouths full. I went in the kitchen. “What is for breakfast?” I asked our maid, Maria.
“Well, cereal and French toast, that Lance insisted on having.”
“Thanks, Maria, you make the best!” Lance yelled from the dining room.
“Stop sucking up, Lance!”
I smiled at her Asian face. Maria was the best maid I could ask for. She was funny and fun to be with, even at the age of 50 she still gave good advice. Her gray hair was pulled tightly in a bun.
“I see they already introduced themselves.”
“Yes… they are funny and charming young men.”
“Yeah, couldn’t agree with you more. Mom and dad taking their walk?”
“Yeah, they just left.”
I nodded and started pushing the door that would lead me to the dining room until Maria stopped me and asked what I wanted. “I’ll eat a couple apples,” I told her. She agreed.
“Hey, J.C. throw me an apple will you?” He reached over the table and threw me a green apple. I thanked him as I sat down between Justin and Lance. I sank my teeth into the sweet apple; juice ran down my chin and I wiped it off. Chris leaned over and whispered something in Joey’s ear. They talked silently, putting me on the edge. After a couple minutes Joey nods and looks at me.
“We’re going to go to the mall. Would you like to come with us?”
“Well I don’t know.”
“Oh come on, you need to get away from this house, anyway.”
“I never been to the mall,” I said taking another bite of my apple.
“I never thought I would live to hear a lady say that,” Justin said. We ignored him. “Well first time for everything,” Joey informed me.
I walked beside Joey watching in awe as people went in and out of stores. Looking up at Joey I smiled. His black ‘N Suck hat pulled down over his brown hair. He looked down at me and laughed.
“What?”
“You think this mall is the coolest, don’t you?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Thanks for bringing me. You didn’t have to,” I thanked him.
“Sure, we all like you. You are the only girl we know that accepts us for who we are.”
“Really?’
“Well besides our family.” We walked a little farther before we walked into Disc Jockey.
“Here let me show you something,” he gently grabbed my hand and lead me to the Pop/Rock section. “Hey, check it out,” Joey placed headphones on my ears and pushed the play button on the scanner. I jumped as music burst into my ears. After a while I started swaying to the music. He smiled and watched me. After the song was done, I took off the headphones and place them back on the rack.
“How did you like them?” he asked smiling.
“They were great. Who were they?”
“I’m not sure, but they look familiar. Don’t you think?” he held up the cd case. I looked at the familiar faces on the cover.
“That’s you.”
“Yeah, didn’t you believe us when we told you we were a band?”
“No, I thought you were joking around.”
I started looking around at the stores and stopped at one with lingerie in the window. My curiosity was getting the best of me, “Hey Joey, lets go in that store.”
“Which one?” he asked looking around.
“This one,” as I grabbed his hand and moved toward the store called ‘Victoria’s Secret’. He was still stumbling when we entered the store and I let go of his hand. Joey looked around at the bras and lingerie on hangers.
“What is this store called?” he asked following me deeper in the room.
“Victoria’s Secret.” I grabbed a bottle of perfume and smelled the top, “Wow, I like that smell. I’m going to put some on.” I squirted some on my neck, “Does it smell good?” I stepped forward waiting for Joey to say it was.
He leaned down toward my neck, slowly. My heartbeat pounded faster as he leaned in more closely, only inches from my neck. He leaned up again, “Perfect.”
I smiled as a red haired woman, who looked around her mid-thirties, walked up to Joey, “May I help you?” she asked him.
“No, we are just looking,” he told her.
“Are you two engaged?” she asked. “N-,” I started.
“Yeah, how did you guess?” Joey cut in.
“Just the way you were looking at each other, congratulations,” she said smiling wider. I flashed him a look of confusion. He smiled and put his left arm around my shoulder.
“You looking for something for the wedding night?” she asked.
“Yeah,” Joey answered for me.
“Well, come this way there is one room just for wedding night,” she proceeded to walk away from us. Joey pulled me with him, his arm still around me.
I looked at him and whispered, “What are you doing?”
“Just play along, here,” he took one of his silver rings off of his fingers and handed it over to me, “ put it on your left ring finger.”
“Why?”
“Because she will think it’s a engagement ring, just put it on.” The ring was large on my ring finger so I stopped walking and turned to face Joey.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“It doesn’t fit right on that finger, its too big,” I explained as I took it off. I raised my middle finger to him while putting the ring on, “It fits better on this one, see?” He tried not to crack a smile but after I did, he had to. Again, he put his arm around me still smiling.
We followed the lady until she stopped and pointed to a rack of lingerie, “This is the most famous for any occasion and today its 75 percent off. Now, there is a couple more over here and if you would follow me I’ll show you,” she again walked.
I looked at the clothing on the rack, “That’s because 75 percent of it isn’t there,” I whispered loud enough for Joey to hear. He chuckled as we were following the lady some more. The lady finally left us after showing us some more lingerie.
“I can’t believe you told her we are engaged.”
“What? She well never knows.”
“Yeah, but still, I can’t believe you,” I told him looking at a black lacey thong. “ Who would wear these things?” holding it up.
“Somebody with a got body. Well, that counts you out,” he joked. I hit him in the gut playfully.
“No, I’m just joking with you, you have a hot body.”
copyright © 2001 AngelH