Rock Chick Renegade (Rock Chick #4)(73)

“Later, Princess,” he said.

Then he was gone.

No sooner had he vanished then the Rock Chicks descended.

“Let me see that bracelet,” Indy said, grabbing my wrist. “That’s gorgeous! I want one!”

“I see you didn’t break up with Vance last night,” Jet said, smiling at me.

“I did,” I told her, “he just kinda ignored me.”

She was still smiling.

Whatever.

“I have a problem,” I told them, “I need to go to work and I need to train with Luke at five thirty and then there’s the party and somewhere in between, I need to go to the mall and get a party outfit.”

“You have a lunch hour?” Indy asked immediately, dropping my wrist.

“You’re training with Luke?” Ally asked, eyes wide.

“Yeah, but it’s only an hour,” I told Indy, “and, yeah, but against my will,” I told Ally.

“Doesn’t matter,” Indy said, “meet us at Cherry Creek Mall. By Aveda. Noon. We’ll sort you out,” Indy said.

“But –” I started.

“Noon,” Indy repeated.

“I wanna train with Luke,” Ally put in.

“Everyone wants to train with Luke,” Jet replied.

We all looked at each other. Then we all started giggling.

Once we were done giggling, Indy and Ally went back to work but Jet walked me to the door checking out my bracelet.

I looked at her.

I wanted to ask but I didn’t want to ask. I wanted to know but I didn’t want to know.

Oh hell, I just went for it.

“Jet?”

Her head came around to look at me. I stopped and so did she.

“Yeah?”

“What’s it mean when I guy holds your hand?” I asked.

Her fingers were around my wrist, they moved to wrap around my hand. “It means he likes you,” she replied.

“What’s it mean when he’s a guy like Vance?” I went on.

Her hand squeezed mine. “It means he really likes you,” she repeated.

“What’s it mean when he’s a known player and a guy like Vance?” I kept at it.

She reached out and grabbed my other hand. “Jules, it means he really, really likes you,” she said softly.

I sighed. “I was afraid of that.”

She smiled at me. “I told Roxie and I’ll tell you, trust me on this, don’t fight it,” Jet said.

My voice got low. “I have to.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know, I just do,” I lied. I knew perfectly well, I just didn’t want to share.

She nodded. “I understand.”

I blinked at her. “You do?”

“I’ll tell you about Eddie and me sometime. Actually,” she said, her eyes getting bright, “I take that back. Fight it. It’s much more interesting that way.”

“For who?” I asked.

“All of us,” she grinned, “including you.”

Hmm.

That did not sound good.

* * * * *

The girls (and boys) and I swung into the doors at King’s only ten minutes late from my lunch hour.

We’d just conquered Cherry Creek Mall and in the trunk of Hazel I had a new party outfit (with shoes); a new nightie to take to Vance’s on my sleepover; two new sets of very sexy underwear; a cute pair of cords I didn’t really need; a couple of t-shirts I really didn’t need; a fantastic new blouse I really, really didn’t need; and a serious new pair of ass-kicking boots.

This was accomplished because it wasn’t just Indy, Jet and Ally who met me at the mall, Roxie, Daisy, Tod and Stevie had come with.

I stood in different fitting rooms in different stores and they threw clothes at me. In came clothes, out went clothes. Some would go scout other stores and whisk me away on the trot if they saw something I had to try on.

I didn’t need to train with Luke that evening. I’d had the workout to end all workouts at the mall.

But my party outfit was killer and the shoes were amazing.

We’d all just made it through the door when May came trotting up to us, hands moving around in circles at her side, highly agitated about something.

Oh crap.

The minute she made it to us I asked, “Where are Roam and Sniff?”

“What?” she asked, her eyes bright. “They’re in with a tutor, you gotta –”

“They’re okay?” I asked.

“Yeah, hon, you gotta –”

“You look like something’s wrong. What’s wrong?”

“I’m tellin’ you, you gotta –”

“Is it one of the other kids?” I cut in.

She put her hand to my mouth. “Hush, girl. You gotta come with me.” Then she grabbed my wrist but stopped and stared down. “Ooo, look at that pretty bracelet!” she exclaimed.

“May! What’s going on?” I clipped.

She snapped to and said, “Right.” Then she dragged me through the rec room, turning around towards my posse. “Hey ya’ll,” she said as if she wasn’t acting bizarre in the extreme.

“Hey May,” they said, almost in unison.