Sun Catch Her (Book 1: Three Rivers Deep series) COMPLETE

Chapter Seven | A

"It doesn't fit."

I handed the garment bag off to a disgruntled Indy as I exited the dressing room, tugging my shirt down over my jeans. Glitter floated to the floor with the movement. The T-shirt's bottom was riddled with an intricate pattern of tiny silver stars. The floor of the changing stall was now shiny.

"Holy Hannah, you've got to be shitting me!" My aunt sent an irate look in the direction of the employee manning the counter. "I called well in advance to place the order for your uniforms."

I bent to readjust a shoelace, ignoring the hissy fit I knew she would throw. "I don't like the stockings. They're way too thin," I informed matter-of-factly. "They'll probably...snag easily." And show the scar on the bottom of my foot.

"By the mother-loving gods above, why is it nobody can take down simple body measurements over the phone?" Indy snagged me by the elbow to drag me to the back of the store.

I tried to block out the next few minutes while my owner-of- her-own-fashion-house aunt got into a heated argument with the lowly shop owner. Boy, did he pick the wrong order to screw up.

Blah, blah this, hiss and spit that, they argued on and on. I guess when it came down to it, the person at fault for misinterpreting Indy's order had been the shopkeeper's daughter-in-law-poor soul. They probably had a couple of uniforms that would fit me in the stockroom, but the remainder of a week's supply would have to be special ordered.

"Please sign and date here, and we'll have them for you by this coming Tuesday," the salesman instructed, waving a pen at the bottom of a sales receipt. Indy let him off the hook with a discreet sneer and grabbed for the ballpoint, scratching her name. Never let it be said that the big bad L.A. fashion house corporate was afraid of the small-town uniform peddler.

"Come on, Aurora," she said as she hooked my elbow to drag me away. Well, this had been pleasant. I wonder what fun there was to be had next at the cell phone store? I needed a new phone.

"Hey, wait a minute, lady. The message Lori took says you placed an order for a second set of uniforms."

Indy stopped dead in her tracks.

Stumbling to one side to avoid a collision, I looked at her in surprise. "I thought you said the winter uniforms wouldn't be in for another three weeks?"

"Yeah," she said hesitantly, then giving the shopkeeper an irate glare, she snapped at him, "You must be mistaken, sir."

"Nope," he insisted. "There is definitely a second order." He turned to go back into the stockroom, shaking his head. The curtain swung closed behind him, the screeching of hooks on a metal rod soon following. Indy spun me around and marched me to the front of the store.

"What are you doing?" I demanded. "I want to see the other uniform style."

"Aurora, stop being difficult," Indy grumbled, maneuvering me to stand in the store entrance. She looked out into the mall, gaze darting about.

"Holy cheese and crackers, Indy." I pried my arm from her grasp, inspecting her nail prints sunk in my skin. "What's wrong with you?"

Ignoring my question, Indy opened her purse. "Hold out your hand."

With a small huff, I did as she commanded. She pressed her American Express into my palm. "Why are you giving me your credit card?" I asked under my breath. My eyes narrowed with suspicion as Indy turned back toward the rustling stockroom curtain.

"Go to the Verizon store and purchase your phone," she said, placing a hand against my back to push me farther out the entrance.

"Without you? But it's at the other end of the mall."

"So," she countered, tapping an impatient foot.

A brief silence passed between us, except for the tapping. "But it's at the other end of the mall."

"You'll be fine." Indy turned to head back inside.

Flabbergasted at her erratic behavior, I reached out to catch Indy by the elbow, putting a halt to her retreat more with my next sentence than with the actual hold I had on her. "Aren't you worried that somebody might do something to me anymore, Aunt Indy?" I said, letting my gaze fall to a puddle on the mall floor. Apparently, the roof had leaked during last night's storm.

"Oh sweetheart," Indy murmured. Her expression softened as she turned and wrapped her arms around my shoulders, embracing me. My eyes went wide, and I fought the immediate urge to push away. What the heck was wrong with her? Why was she acting all...motherly?

"You're going to be okay," she soothed, using a calming tone I wasn't accustomed to hearing from her. "Nothing's going to happen to you. You don't need to worry. It's safe here. I promise."

It's safe here?

"Aunt Indy?" Stepping back, my gaze rose to her lavender eyes, taking the risk to connect with her soul and read her heart as I blinked in childlike innocence. "Please tell me, why is it safe here?"

Her eyes widened with alarm. Indy realized she'd let something slip. Jerking away, she broke the weak connection I had established. She knew I was on to her. That's right. Sweetheart's a lot smarter than you've bargained for.

I crossed my arms and waited. "Well?"

Clearly pissed, Indy cocked her head to one side and studied my unblinking stare, as if trying to read the thoughts fortified there. Yeah, good luck with that.

"Because it is," she finally said in a flat tone.

"Why?"

"Aurora! Just go buy a phone and have them transfer my contact list," she snapped, reaching into her purse to pull out her phone and toss it at me.

"Fine!" I caught the phone and spun to walk off. "No gum," she added.

"Whatever."

"Aurora, I mean it!"

I was definitely going to find some gum after I was done buying the most expensive phone they had. Avoiding yet another rain puddle, I marched toward the front of the mall.

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VOTE if Aurora should definitely stop along the way to buy gum. :)