Still pouting, Roxie glanced out her windowand gave a short grunt that might have been her attempt at a laugh.“That’s Korean, dumbass.”
Matt frowned as he looked for a parking spot.“How can you tell?”
“Just stop the car.” Before he could reply,she was hitting his arm again. “Right there. See? Matt, rightthere.”
The spot she referred to was directly infront of the jewelry store and a short walk from the restaurant.But it was currently occupied by an SUV. Though the vehicle’staillights were lit, it showed no sign of moving. “Roxie,” hebegan. “I don’t think…”
Then the backup lights flashed white and Mattclamped his mouth shut. Why did she always have to be right, damnit? As the SUV drove away, allowing Matt to claim the parking spot,Roxie gloated beside him. “Told you. But do you ever listen to me?No.”
“Do you ever stop talking? No,” he counteredunder his breath. Luckily the moment he stopped the car, sheclimbed out, so she didn’t hear him. If she had, the rest of theirlunch break would’ve been hell.
Or rather, more hellish than it was alreadyshaping up to be.
* * * *
After a strained lunch of some chicken andrice dish Matt couldn’t pronounce, he let Roxie lead the way backto the jewelry store in front of which they had parked. She flungthe door open wide and entered the store without waiting to see ifhe was close enough to catch the door. “Roxie,” he growled, doinghis best Vic imitation and failing miserably.
Ignoring him, she zeroed in on the salesmanbehind the counter who smiled their way. “Where are your weddingrings?” she asked.
The salesman’s simpering grin widened. “Rightthis way, miss! We have a wonderful selection…”
Matt tuned him out as he glanced around thestore. A young man in his twenties leafed through a booklet ofclass rings, while two women chatted casually near a display ofnecklaces, trying on the wares and pausing every now and then toadmire themselves in a nearby mirror. Unfortunately, that seemed tobe the extent of the customers in the shop. Matt suspected he andRoxie would have the salesman’s undivided attention, and he alreadydreaded it. He didn’t want an audience—he wanted to look over therings by himself, alone, and decide on one if he likedsomething or, if he didn’t, leave without feeling pressured to buy.Already he felt Roxie getting in the way. Why had he ever said shecould come along with him for the ride?
With leaden feet, he moved toward the counterwhere she exclaimed over a variety of wedding bands. As heapproached, the salesman looked up to include him in theconversation. “Shouldn’t we start with engagement rings?” he asked,his voice achingly polite. With a twinkle in his eye, he teasedRoxie, “I don’t see a rock on your finger, little lady.”
Matt gave him a strange look and the guysmiled. He had to be twice Vic’s age, easily, his white hairslicked back so severely, Matt could see the comb marks across hisscalp. He wore tiny, frameless glasses that looked almost invisibleon his face. Despite his age, his skin had a luminescent quality,its surface smooth and ironed out. Probably Botox, Mattthought. He smiled during the injection and now can’tunsmile to save his life.
“We’re looking for wedding bands,” Matt said.He pushed Roxie aside as she cooed over a particularly expensivediamond and peered down at the display case. “Where are your men’srings? These are all ladies.”
“Well, we must make her happy first.”The salesman beamed at Roxie, who ate up the attention. “Tell me,what are we looking for today?”
Matt cleared his throat, perturbed.“I’m looking for a wedding band. She’s not buying squat. Soif you want to make a sale, mister, I’d concentrate on me.”
With an ingratiating laugh, the salesmanswiveled his head to include Matt in his smile. “I understand. Whatsize are you looking for? I’d say you, sir, are probably a ten,easily, and you…” He took one of Roxie’s hands and strokedher ring finger thoughtfully.
Matt brushed Roxie’s arm aside. “I need a tenand a thirteen. Something in white gold, please.”
“Thirteen?” For the first time since they’dentered the store, the salesman’s smile dimmed. A tiny creaseacross his brow was the only suggestion that the man was caughtoff-guard. “No, I assure you, the lady is no more than a seven atthe most.”
“Probably,” Matt replied. “Who cares? I’m notmarrying her.”
That crease deepened in consternation. “I’msorry, what?”
Roxie, finally catching on, laughed soloudly, the women with the necklaces stopped in mid-sentence andeven the kid with the class rings looked their way. “Oh,hell no! He’s so not my type, I’m telling you. I like myguys a little straighter, if you please.” She shook her head,adamant, then turned back to the ring she’d been admiring. “No, I’mnot the bride. I’m the best man.”
Matt sighed. “You are not! I never said—”
“Who else is going to do it?” Roxie whirledto face him, the salesman forgotten. He looked from her to Matt andback again, completely flummoxed. “I’m the logical choice, Matthew,and you know it. It’s got to be someone super close to you and whoknows you better than me? Don’t say Vic, he doesn’t count.”
“We haven’t thought that far ahead yet,” Mattpointed out. “And you can’t be the best man. You’re not a guy.”
“And your bride’s not a woman,” she shotback. “So? Who’s Vic’s best man going to be? Some ex-boyfriend ofhis you’ve never met?”
Matt shook his head. “We haven’t discussedthose details yet. No. God, no. I can’t begin to imagine there’sanyone Vic might want to ask…”
He trailed off, wondering. The only guy Vicreally knew was a coworker of his named Kyle, who Matt had datedbriefly before they met. But Vic couldn’t stand the man, no matterhow fun Matt thought him to be. He couldn’t imagine Vic invitingKyle to the wedding. If he had to have anyone up on the altarbeside him, it’d probably be Kendra, a policewoman with the citywho knew of Vic’s powers and the strange
