Worth It

Chapter Sixteen

Katarina

The bags in my hands weighed me down, but the coffee in my other hand gave me all the strength I needed to finish shopping. I had a list of things I needed. I headed to Target first, then the pharmacy, and kept the mall last.

I walked around at first, contemplating if I wanted to spend so much money on new clothes, but with one encouraging phone session with Opal, I ended up spoiling the hell out of myself.

I not only bought new clothes but an entirely new wardrobe for Paris, including shoes, purses, accessories, makeup, perfume, and lingerie.

Why not, right?

I had to make two trips back to my car, so I could shove the bags in the trunk before heading back in there to finish the list.

Two and a half hours later, I felt like a changed woman and was proud of myself when I placed the last bag in my trunk. I reached for my phone to check the time, and before I could message Gabriel, he was calling me.

"Hey, I was just about to message you," I said.

"Great minds think alike. So, how's your shopping trip going?"

"Good. I just finished putting the last bag in my car. I went crazy, and I'm pretty sure my bank account is crying." I chuckled as I leaned against my car. "How are you? How's work?"

"Fucking exhausting. Do you think I'll go to jail if I kill my boss?"

"I met your boss. Trust me. They'd thank you."

He laughed, and it made me smile harder. "You excited about dinner?"

"Yeah, I really am. I'm looking forward to it. I finished my errands early. Would it be a bother if you picked me up from the house? That way, I'm not here for another three hours."

"Yeah, that's fine. I don't mind."

"Are you sure? I don't want to be a bother. I thought I could shop until six. Turns out, my bank account disagrees."

"Kat, will you take a breath? It's fine. Go home. Rest. Shower. I'll pick you up at six."

"You're too nice to me sometimes," I whispered.

"Friends are supposed to be nice to each other."

Friends. "Yeah. I'll see you tonight. Bye."

"Drive safely. Text me when you're home, Kat."

"I will."

**

Xavier tugged up the zipper from the back, and I smoothed my hands down the front of my dress.

"Is this too much?"

His eyes skirted over my velvet maroon dress, and he shook his head. "Honey, it's not enough."

"It's not a date." I bit. "He's our friend. We're having a friendly dinner."

He scoffed. "He's taking you to freaking Nobu. If it was so friendly, why didn't you invite us?"

"I don't know. Didn't really come to mind."

I gave him my back, and he unzipped it.

"I'm going in jeans because the dress seems provocative."

I shrugged it down my body and lifted it with my foot before hanging it back again. I grabbed a nice but very sexy pair of jeans that would make my ass look fucking amazing and shimmied into them.

"Good?" I asked.

His nose wrinkled. "Do you have leather pants?"

"I do, but they don't like nice on me."