My Mystic Mess

Part 11

      "Too cute," Matthew said as he held out his hand for me. I took it as I stood up from the chair. "What were you talking about?"

     "Sorry," I answered. "Everything in the chatroom is confidential."

     "Not even the smallest hint?" Matthew asked.

     "No can do," I replied.

     "Fine!" Matthew said in a fake huff and stomped off to pay for the suit. I laughed as I followed.

     After giving the store his address to have the suit delivery, we walked out into the mall. As we blindly wandered around, I kept thinking of Seven's Rent-A-Friend and paying him to join me at the mall. I quickly dismissed the thought. I would want Seven to join me cause he wanted to, not because I paid him.

     We walked into a bookstore, and I quickly lost Matthew. I ran my finger down different book spines, pausing to pull a few out for a closer look. With a smile I pulled out 'The Hobbit'. My copy of the book was worn and falling apart. It was time for a new book. I had bought the book for my e-reader, but I preferred the feel of books.

     "Find something?" Matthew asked as he walked over with a couple books. He laughed when he saw what book I was holding. "Don't you have that memorized yet?"

     "Only the first two chapters," I retorted.

     He grabbed the book from me and walked off to pay for them. I wanted to stop him, to insist I could pay for my own stuff, but I knew he would never listen to me. I walked to the entrance and waited for him. When he walked over with two bags, I tried to take mine from him, but he insisted on carrying it. He ruffled my hair as we left the store.

     "Now where to?" Matthew asked.

     "Beyond Bathworks?" I suggested.

     In moments, we were surrounded by bottle after bottle of foaming body washes in a hundred different scents. Matthew walked off, looking for exotic scents, while I stayed with classical ones. My favorite was Cherry Blossom, but I also grabbed French Lavender and Dutch Apple. Matthew walked up to me holding Tropical Island Breeze and Summer Day. How was anyone to know what they smelled like without trying them first?

     "Need any lotions?" he asked.

     "We sell goat milk lotion at work," I answered. "I have a ton of it."

     "Goat milk lotion?" Matthew questioned me.

     "You should try it." I smiled at him.

     Once again, Matthew took my body wash bottles and paid for them.

     "You don't need to pay for my stuff," I said as he came over to me, now holding four bags.

     "I know," Matthew replied as he led me out of the store. "Where to now?"

     We visited a few more stores, but I didn't bother to buy anything else, since I was beginning to feel uncomfortable with Matthew buying things for me. I tried to make mental notes on anything I liked, to go and check out the next time I went to the mall. As we left the mall, Matthew began to talk about a little restaurant me was told about after his meeting. Reaching the car, he placed the bags in the truck before opening the passenger door for me. If only he was straight, I thought bitterly.

     The restaurant was nestled between two office buildings, and was easy to overlook since there was no sign out-front. We walked up a flight of steps to a small dining room. There were a dozen small tables scattered around with couples sitting at half of them.