All I've Never Wanted(42)
I stared at him warily. “So where are we going?”
“Relax.” He ruffled my hair. “We’re just taking a short trip to New York.”
CHAPTER 11
“You look like a pumpkin.”
This came from Zack, who was lying on the velvet bench with his head hanging off the side, and who had managed to stop playing Clash of Clans on his phone long enough to throw his ever-so-astute observation at his sister.
Adriana rolled her eyes. “Thanks, it’s nice to know I have such a supportive brother,” she replied sarcastically.
She frowned in the mirror. The pale orange Lanvin dress did make her look a bit like a pumpkin. Albeit a skinny one.
“Well, I happen to think you look like a beautiful pumpkin,” Parker told her, stifling a smile.
Adriana sighed in annoyance. “How sweet of you, Parker, really, but you should save those kind words for your girlfriend.”
“Are you saying I look like a pumpkin?” Maya asked, raising her eyebrows as she turned to examine her backside in the Givenchy dress she was currently clad in.
“Of course not, honeybee, you look like a work of art,” Parker assured her.
“Literally.” This time, it was from a cranky-looking Roman, who looked more than a little pissed that he’d just spent the last two hours following Adriana and Maya from Bergdorf’s to Bendel’s and then finally to Barneys. His gaze swept over Maya’s black-and-white frock. “You look like that modern art shit my father hangs up in his office.”
“Roman!” Adriana snapped. God, what was she going to do with him?
“What?” Roman shrugged. “It’s true.”
Luckily, Maya didn’t seem at all fazed. “Well, at least I’m not in a yellow Mickey Mouse shirt that makes me look like a demented banana who just escaped from Disney World,” she replied sweetly.
Roman immediately turned a bright red and slumped sulkily down in his chair, but he didn’t say anything else--a fact that didn’t escape Adriana’s notice.
“Huh?” Zack looked confused. He glanced at Roman’s shirt. “But he’s not wearing a yellow shirt.”
“Oh, you know, I was just being hypothetical,” Maya said blithely.
“Oh.” Zack’s brow creased. “Girls are weird,” he muttered.
“Excuse me, Miss Perry, but here are the dresses you requested.” Tracy, one of Adriana’s favorite saleswomen at Barneys, walked in, carrying an armful of designer silk.
“Thank you, Tracy. You can just hang it up right there.”
Tracy nodded, hanging the dresses on the rolling rack she’d brought in specifically for Adriana and Maya before discreetly exiting.
Adriana flipped through the dresses, until she found the one she was looking for. “Aha!” She pulled out the Fendi piece triumphantly. “You should try this on,” she encouraged Maya. “It’ll look amazing with your coloring.”
“Really?” Maya took the dress doubtfully. “I guess…what are you going to wear?”
“Oh, I already know which dress I’m going to wear to homecoming,” Adriana said airily, holding up the purple satin Proenza Schouler in question. “I was just shopping for some other clothes to add to my collection. Go ahead, though, try yours on!”
Maya fiddled with the price tag of the beautiful silk chiffon dress. Suddenly her eyes widened. “Adriana! This is…this is almost three thousand dollars,” she exclaimed hoarsely.
Adriana was a bit confused. “Yeah. It’s Fendi.”
“It’s three thousand dollars? That’s kinda cheap,” Zack commented, going back to his game. “Adriana’s dresses usually run in the five thousand range.”
Maya shook her head frantically. “I can’t afford this,” she protested. “The most I can spend today is five hundred, and that’s already stretching it.” She bit her lip, looking embarrassed.
Adriana was appalled. “Five hundred dollars? Sweetie, that’s for a pair of sunglasses, not a homecoming dress!” She guided Maya to a dressing room. “Look, just consider it a gift from me.”
“I can’t take such an extravagant gift!” Maya sounded horrified.
“It’s not extravagant at all,” Adriana insisted. She lowered her voice. “Trust me, watching you rip Roman a new one was worth at least what this dress costs.”
Maya snickered a bit. “Well…I don’t know…”
“Just take it or I’m going to be personally offended.” Adriana crossed her arms over her chest.
“Gee, how can I say no now? You’re so persuasive,” Maya joked as she reluctantly entered the dressing room. "I'm only trying this on though. I probably won't get it."
Adriana smiled. If her instinct was right—and it usually was—Maya was going to kill in that dress, so much so that she would have to get it.
“Good. Now my eyes can stop bleeding.” Roman’s tone was caustic.
Adriana was about to scold him again but Carlo beat her to the punch. “Rome, give it a rest,” the Colombian warned.
“Yeah, you need to lay off my girlfriend,” Parker added, a bit belatedly in Adriana’s opinion.
Roman glared at them. “Oh, so now you’re choosing that girl over me?”