Malibu Love Story: A Novella

Chapter 8: Moving Forward

"Come on, love, let's do this! I've been looking forward to it all day," Duncan called.

Reed smiled. She could get used to being called "love," she believed. "What? Why?" She came down the hall wearing a pair of her new shorts and a borrowed T-shirt of Duncan's that said,"Fuck the Monarchy."

Duncan saw her and patted the spot next to him on the sofa. "Dunno. Maybe because I miss my sisters?"

"What are their names, again?" Reed asked as she sat next to him.

"Aster and Gloria. They're both at Uni still." Duncan patted Reed's leg. "You're here at last." He opened his laptop. "Ace. So, I've found these shops that have perfectly lovely clothes that would look smashing on you, I think. Where would you like to start?"

Reed looked at the sites. "These are—these are too expensive, though. I told you, I buy my clothes at Target and H&M, or at thrift stores."

Duncan looked at her. "Well, today you're shopping with me, and I was hoping you'd expand your horizons a little. Aster's about your size, and when I asked her, she told me that these are some of her favorites, so what do you say? Are you honestly saying that, in a money no object situation you wouldn't shop anywhere else?"

Reed looked at the screen for a few beats, then looked at Duncan. "I—look, Duncan, this is so nice of you, but I can't do this. I'm embarrassed by my size, and I just can't shop for plus-size clothes with a man I hardly know, a totally hot rock star who's going to pay for all of it. It's just a little too weird, like some kind of twisted version of 'Pretty Woman,' you know?"

Duncan swallowed and continued to look at the screen. "I fail to see the similarities. Such a scenario would make you some sort of call girl, which you are not, and me some sort of John, which I am not. I don't understand why you continue to make this so difficult."

He finally turned to look at her, his face almost unbearably close. At this proximity, Reed could see his beautiful eyes, his long lashes, and his slight dimple. She wondered what she looked like to him this close up, and knew that she couldn't possibly look as good. She had to fight the urge to back up.

"Why are you embarrassed by your size?" Duncan asked. "You're very pretty. You're completely in proportion, you have normal sized hips and breasts, a perfectly lovely bum, very nice legs—"

"Oh my god, Duncan, stop, please!" Reed slapped at his shoulder and tried to cover his mouth with her hands, nearly upsetting his laptop in the process. "If you're trying to make me feel more comfortable, it's not working! At all!"

Duncan laughed as he held on to his laptop and tried to fend her off. "I'm just trying to compliment you. You're just not very good at accepting them."

He turned to face forward. "Now then. Ahem. Please look at this sleeveless jumper. Or sweater, I guess you'd call it. It's 100% cotton, very light, perfect for summer, I think, and it would look smashing on you, don't you think?" He looked at Reed to see her response. "D'you like it?"

Reed nodded in spite of herself. It was gorgeous. She made herself not think about the price. It was about a quarter of what she'd spent in Target the previous day.

"Do you prefer it in Poppy Pink, or Sunshine Yellow?" Duncan's finger hovered over the photos.

"Pink."

"And what size are you?"

Reed swallowed. "16," she said in a small voice.

Duncan clicked. "There," he said, turning to press a kiss to her temple. "That wasn't so difficult, was it?"