Page 19 of Stuck with my Frenemy
Groaning, Ebony started moving faster. “Follow me.”
So, I did. For five whole blocks, and in six-inch heels, my feet sure didn’t feel too great chasing after her. But finally, we stood before a storefront with a brown and red vintage sign that read: “B&A Antiques.”
“Who the heck needs GPS when you’ve got Ebony-PS.” Snickering at my joke, I glanced at good old Ebs to see her glowering at me. “You do know if you keep making that face all the time, you’ll get wrinkles, right?”
A storm brewed all over her features, and she faced forward as if she didn’t quite know what to say. Several seconds passed before she let out through her teeth, “Let’s go inside.”
“Okay, but just so you know, those other expressions you’re going for aren’t going to help those wrinkles either. We are going to need to get you a powerful wrinkle cream to combat that.”
All the short hairs on my body prickled when Ebony opened the door, the jingle of the bell preceding our entrance. She couldn’t be that angry, could she?
The first thing I noticed was the dusty smell of old things.Like Ebony,my mind supplied, and I chuckled silently. Ebony speared me with a look, and I schooled my features instantly, my gaze roaming the many racks of antiques, the shelves on the back walls, and the glass case on the side. A doorway piqued my curiosity straight in the back, but the only customer walking around the store pulled my attention from it.
After only a couple steps into the place, Ash rushed to greet us. “The two of you made it.”
Nodding and smiling like she didn’t hate the world, Ebony stretched her hand out as if to shake his and jerked it back when she realized what she was doing. “We did. Umm … look at us. Here … in this store … both of us.”
Wow. That was awkward.
I was going to have to teach my girl how to flirt one day, but that would have to wait until after Karma was done with us. For now, I’d just take the attention off her.
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon style, I ninja kicked, barely keeping my peep-toe on my foot, then I dropped into cartwheels that I rounded off with a back handspring. The whole time, I made high-pitched screaming noises, which I personally thought sounded like a ninja from the human movies I’d seen. When I came up from my back handspring, the customer in the store was staring at me as if I’d lost my mind. He hadn’t seen anything yet. I decided I would do some more ninja flips I’d learned over the years, but just as I jumped for momentum and pushed myself forward, someone came out from the doorway I’d seen when I entered, and I lost my balance, face-planting on the floor like a champion.
Holy Cupid balls. I had no idea who that dreamy, tall, and golden-haired god was, but he definitely looked like he fit right in with Norse times. I prayed that it was the brother.
Because that man was hot. My heart flipped in my chest, and nervous energy threatened to make me run out the door.
Why the heck was I acting like this? I knew my way around any man with my eyes closed. But this one, who was now smiling at me with pearl-white teeth that should be flashing from a Dentist’s commercial, had my knees shaking.
“Hey. You must be one of the ladies my brother told me about.” He glanced over my head at Ebony, and a frown pulled on his forehead. When his eyes landed back on me, they rolled up and down from my feet to the top of my head. A lopsided grin spread across his lips, but his eyes looked dazed and utterly confused.
“Excuse me sir, but do you have—”
“Waaaaaaaaaaaah!” I shouted when I heard that customer trying to interrupt Ash and Ebony. They needed their alone time, and no way I’d let him interrupt them. Punching each of my arms in front of me one at a time and bending my knees in squats, I walked like a duck toward them threateningly. The customer jerked his head my way, his eyes widened, and he bolted out of the store like his butt was on fire.
With a satisfied grin, I clapped my hands. “Now you guys cantalk.” I winked and turned back to the hottie.
Ebony growled out, “You really are crazy; it’s not just to piss me off.”
I just winked again over my shoulder, a knowing smirk on my face.
When I locked gazes with the brother, I decided it was time to introduce myself so he didn’t feel like I was ignoring him because he intimidated me. Cherry did not back away from a man. Ever.
Marching over until we were almost nose to nose, I reached my hand out. “Cherry, at your service.”
“Bernie,” he frowned, but the minute his hands touched mine, my knees gave out. He wrapped both arms around me to steady me. “Are you okay?”
Nodding even though I had no clue if I actually was okay, I stared up at him. “Did you say your name was Bernie?”
“Yes?” Poor thing sounded like he wasn’t sure.
I gave him my best “that boy stole my puppy” look and petted the top of his head, realizing he hadn’t actually let me go or moved away from me. “Oh, your parents must have hated you, huh?”
“What are you talking about?” he asked, his features twisting in confusion.
Leaning even closer, I whispered, “Your name.”
Letting me go and moving back, he angled his head at me. “Still not following.”
