Secret Designs(27)

She bit her lip in an effort to stop her wayward thoughts. Shut up, Ari. Just shut up.

"Hi," Dylan said, his intense blue eyes seeming to search for something in hers.

"Hi," she said with a gulp. Damn! She hated it that he had the ability to totally spin her out. She dragged her gaze away and found Henry staring at them in consternation.

"Uh, Henry, this is Dylan," she said with faked casualness. "Dylan, this is Henry."

The two men shook hands, both seeming to evaluate each other. The tension in the air made her palms sweat.

"Great!" she exclaimed with forced enthusiasm. "Now that we're all here we can start our search."

"How do we do this?" Dylan asked.

"Well, I was thinking that you guys can try on some suits I've selected, then take pictures and text them to the bride and groom. If you can get an answer from them today, you can talk to the assistant and schedule a fitting for everyone in your party."

"You're so organised," Henry said with admiration. "You know I'll take whatever you pick for me, Ari."

"Wouldn't your brother want to make that decision?"

"No. He doesn't know what to get either. He's leaving it up to me. That's why you're here," Henry said with a charming grin.

"Okay, well how about you try those on?" She nodded to the assistant who smiled at Henry and led him to a change room.

"Now as for you, Summers, I was thinking this one. It will be perfect for you guys." She glanced at Dylan and her heart stuttered. Damn him, he shouldn't be looking at her like that in public.

"Dylan …"

"Ari …"

"Don't," she whispered weakly. But, just like before, she was powerless to look away.

"Don't what?" he asked huskily.

"Don't...look at me like that," she said without conviction.

"I can't help it," he said with a lopsided smile.

Her lips tugged upwards reluctantly. Her attraction for him hadn't waned one iota. But her foolish heart was giving her problems. It wanted to be part of the action. She couldn't allow that... It was still too battered and bruised to survive the game Dylan wanted to play.

"That's not going to work this time, Dylan," she said softly.

"Ari?" the shop assistant called. "Your friend asked if you could go in the change room to check him out in his suit."

"Sure," she replied readily. "Could you help Dylan with his, please? He'll be trying that one out with this and this," she said to the assistant, pointing to the items in question. "Maybe you could take a picture of him with his phone, so he could show himself to the bride and groom."

"My pleasure," the assistant purred.





*******



Ari glanced at Dylan as they exited the shop, hyper-aware of his cheerless disposition. Henry on the other hand was being an annoying chatterbox, engaging her in topics that Dylan didn't know anything about, so that she was forced to exclude him from the conversation. That must have added to Dylan's gloom—a gloom she felt acutely.

"How about that coffee now, Ari?" Henry was asking her.

"Oh, um. . ." She pretended to check her watch to give herself a few precious seconds to decide.

"Well, I'll see you guys around," Dylan said to her sheer disappointment.

"Thanks for your help today, Ari. I really appreciate it," he continued in a quiet, dejected tone.

"No problem," she replied with a smile, hoping he'd return it and lose his downcast expression. But he didn't; he merely raised his hand as a gesture of goodbye and walked off.

She had an urge to run after him, hating that she cared too much, but Henry was already steering her to the nearest coffee shop with a hand on her back. She walked a few steps with him before she stopped and peered at him contritely.

"Henry, do you mind if I take a rain check? I still want to finalise a couple of details for Jasmine's wedding dress, and I need to order some materials online ASAP."

"Oh, okay, no problem," Henry answered with barely contained chagrin. "Some other time then."





*******



Ari pulled out a folder from the backseat of her car and stuffed the catalogues she picked up from the men's suit shop.

"Decided not to have that coffee?" a voice called out.

Her heartbeat went from normal to racing in no time flat, as Dylan shut the door of his car and sauntered toward her. Goodness, of all the parking spots in the multi-level car parks in Sydney, why did he have to get a space virtually opposite hers?

"I...I have to order something for the bridesmaid dresses online," she said breathlessly. "I want to do it straight away, in case there are delays with the delivery."