Page 38 of Mates: Posy

"But I have nothing for you."

"Sweetness, we’re going to spoil you, so get used to it." Jayden pointed to the box. "Now open it."

Feeling uncomfortable, I unwrapped it and discovered a brand-new phone.

"Ours and your brothers’ numbers are already saved in your contacts," he said. "We’ll put in our betas and the rest of the family after you meet them."

"Thank you," I whispered.

I wondered if I should tell them I had no clue how to use a phone, but Mason seemed to read my mind.

"Have you had one before?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"Then we’ll show you how to use it."

"Hey, you guys," Wyatt poked his head around the corner. "Cole’s going to meet us there because Peri’s running late. Ash and I are ready to leave. Are you?"

"Yes."

When Jayden’s knuckles knocked against the back of my hand, I laced my fingers in his without thinking about it and let him lead me out of the house.

We piled into their big, black SUV with Mason in the driver's seat and Jayden riding shotgun. Wyatt and Ash pulled me to the back row. Their reason was that they wanted to show me how to use my phone, but I think that they really just wanted to squish me between them.

#

Cole was right: Peri was super nice and a lot of fun. I hoped we’d become good friends.

Without making me feel like an idiot, she helped me pick out clothes and shoes and, praise the Goddess, knew how to buy bras. She wanted me to get some fancy ones "for the boys," but that made me squirm with embarrassment. I ended up running away from her when she held up some sheer black lingerie, which made her burst out into giggles.

Soon, I had a good number of outfits and told the boys they didn’t need to spend any more money on me. They laughed and told me to stop looking at price tags and keep getting anything I wanted. I twisted my fingers, but Peri encouraged me to spend their money.

"They’re loaded," she laughed. "How many guitars and game consoles and cars do they need, anyway?"

I still wasn’t comfortable with it, but went through the next three stores and let Peri and the boys talk me into even more clothes, shoes, and accessories.

By then, we’d accumulated a lot of bags, and Mason and Jayden offered to take them to the car while Ash led us into a beauty supply store.

Wyatt and Cole hung out with us for a few minutes, then wandered off on their own. Ash and Peri dragged me to the hair section, but it was soon clear I didn’t have a clue about the products they were discussing. They didn’t ask my opinion, which was okay since I didn’t have one, but I felt a little left out.

I was following them down the aisle like a lost pup when a card of barrettes caught my eye. I stopped and took a closer look. They were simple gold bobby pins, but each one had a realistic flower on the end. There was a pink rose, a red rose, a daisy, a dahlia, a sunflower, and a pansy, my favorite.

Oh, they’re precious. So delicate and adorable.

"Hey, Ash, I really like these. What do you think, Peri?"

I looked up to show them, but neither turned around. My shoulders slumping, I replaced the card on the hanger.

They not hear you, Lark suggested, but I just shrugged.

I don’t need them, and they’ve spent too much on me as it is.

Feeling a bit unsettled, I decided to find the others. I didn’t smell Jayden or Mason and figured they hadn’t returned from the parking lot yet, but my nose picked out vanilla and pine from the hundreds of fragrances cluttering the air in this store.

Glancing at Ash and Peri one more time, I saw they were chirping like birds at dawn, so I left them to it.

When I found Cole and Wyatt, though, I wished I’d stayed and remained ignored. It would have been better than the sickening sight before me now.

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