Three Rules I’d Never Break by Remi Carrington

Chapter 22

I’d stopped at my nearly finished house after leaving Eli’s this morning and gotten good news. The final details were going to be taken care of this weekend, and after a walkthrough on Tuesday, my house would be finished.

Excited barely described how I felt.

Maybe I’d see if I could snag a reservation at Jeffrey’s and take Eli out for a celebratory dinner.

The store stayed busy all day—even busier than normal for a Friday—and I didn’t get a chance to call.

That afternoon, Tandy wandered through the racks, humming to herself. I’d started to think she came in for book research and inspiration more than to actually shop. But I liked seeing her.

She stopped near a rack of bralettes. “Have any more trouble with creeps?”

“Occasionally. There was a man in here this morning who bought a corset and garter and thought he was being clever by saying that he was shopping for his mom.” I rolled my eyes.

“It’s never for their mom.” Tandy laughed. “That must be code for ‘I’m telling a fib.’ Don’t you think?”

“I guess. I can’t imagine anyone would actually believe it.” The door opened, and I gasped. “Eli! You never come here when my shop is open.”

The man rarely walked in further than the back hall even when I was closed.

He nodded toward the racks. “I came here to shop. Today, I’m a customer.”

“What are you looking for? I’ll have to see if I have it in your size.” I gave him the once over. While I carried a limited selection of items for men, I knew better than to think Eli was shopping for himself. That begged the question. Who was he shopping for?

He grinned. “Not for me, but I’ll definitely need your help.”

“What did you have in mind?” I kept my voice low because Tandy did not need to hear me flirting with Eli.

“A robe maybe?”

I laced my fingers with his and led him to a rack. “Something like this?”

He smiled at the terrycloth robes. “These are nice.”

“They come in several different patterns. I’m partial to the wildflowers.” I took a brightly colored robe off the hanger and slipped it on. “It’s a nice length. Below the knee, but not so close to the floor that you trip. And it has pockets.”

“Pockets in a robe are important.” He leaned in closer. “Where else would you put your keys when you go take a shower?”

My cheeks felt like lava, and that was before he trailed a finger along my jawline.

“What size do you need?” I leaned into his hand on my cheek.

“I’ll take that one.”

Tandy walked over and flashed a wide grin, completely interrupting our moment. “Well, don’t you look cute modeling that robe!”

Her words sent an icy chill racing down every nerve. Modeling the merchandise. I’d broken another rule. He hadn’t even asked me to do it. My panic tasted sour. I’d have to think about this when Eli wasn’t around.

Breaking rules wasn’t right. I had rules for a reason.

Now Eli was here shopping, and that made him a customer, which meant I’d broken all three rules.

Eli’s brow furrowed as he stared at me. He could probably read my inner turmoil.

Tandy patted him on the arm. “You tell your mama hello for me.”

“Yes, ma’am. I will.” He barely glanced in her direction.

“If you change your mind about posing without a shirt for one of my book covers, you call me.”

“No, ma’am. I won’t.” He waved as she walked out.

“Is this all? Just the robe?” I focused on keeping my breaths steady and even.

It wasn’t Eli’s fault that he’d made me break the rules. He hadn’t suggested I put on the robe. But thoughts of all the men who had asked in the past flooded my thoughts.

Avoiding his gaze, I walked to the counter. “I can ring you up over here.”

He followed me to the register. “I’m picking up another item. It should be paid for already.”

We received very few phone orders, and I hadn’t taken a call from Eli, so Issa must’ve handled it on Saturday. I picked up the bag with his name on the little yellow slip attached. How had I not noticed his name on an order?

I opened the bag to check for the receipt. “Would you like to see the . . .”

Inside the bag was a black lace negligee . . . in a medium.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and continued my question after too long a pause. “Um, the item. Would you like to look at it?” I forced myself to meet his gaze.

He looked at the counter. “No. I don’t. I’m sure it’s fine.”

Was that guilt?

There were two possibilities, and neither made me happy. Either he’d bought it for me—I wore a medium—or he’d bought that black lacy thing for someone else. Both ideas made me mad, and I could feel hot tears burning my eyes.

“Do you need these wrapped?” I went through the motions, treating him like any other customer. Like a customer I wasn’t dating.

When he didn’t answer, I looked up.

He shook his head and laid a gift certificate on the counter. “Delaney, it’s for my mom.”

That was the final blow . . . or the last straw. Whatever. Eli had the nerve to come into my shop and lie to me about buying lingerie for another woman. How could he?

I shoved the receipt into the bag with the robe and handed him both bags. “Have a nice day.”

“Delaney?” He leaned down, trying to catch my eye.

This was a horribly inconvenient time for him to be able to read me. “Is there anything else I can help you with?” I used my best customer service voice.

“Nope.” He turned and walked out the door.

I waited until he was in the truck, then I turned the sign around and locked the door. I didn’t even bother to put up a note about why I’d closed early.

Tears were sliding down my face before I made it back to my room. I threw myself on the bed. For his mom. Did he think I was an idiot?

My phone buzzed and I picked it up, even though I knew it was probably Eli.

Not sure what I said that made you mad, but message me when you’re ready to discuss it.

Eventually I’d have to talk to him. Some of my stuff was at his house. And Sherlock.

This was awful. My happily ever after disintegrated, leaving me with nothing but heartache and ashes.

I cried for a while, and then I must’ve fallen asleep. The next thing I remember was Eli’s knock at the back door. I ignored it for two minutes, but it became abundantly clear that he wasn’t going to stop.

“What?” I yanked the door open.

Tessa glared at me. “I should ask you the same thing.”

I leaned out the door, wondering where Eli was. Not that I wanted to see him, but I’d heard the knock.

“He’s not here, Delaney. He’s not coming.”

“But the knock?” I sounded as dull as I felt.

She rolled her eyes. “The knock code for E. You’d mentioned he used a super-secret knock. So, I asked him what it was.”

“Some secret.”

“He warned me that you might not answer if you thought it was him.” She propped her hands on her hips and inhaled, looking more than ready to lecture me. “But you did answer, and that makes me think—”

I put my hand up. “I don’t want to talk about it. Eli isn’t who I thought he was, and I have to work through that.”

Tessa wiped at tears. “I’m your best friend, right?”

“You know you are, and I hope breaking up with Eli won’t change that.”

She stepped closer and stuck her finger in my face. “You’re wrong.”

“He bought a black lace negligee and then had the audacity to tell me it was for his mom. It was a medium! She doesn’t wear a medium. I’ve met her.” I pulled my hair into a ponytail but let it fall without putting a hair tie on it. “And I modeled a robe for him.”

“You are letting those stupid rules blind you.” She spun around and stormed out.

Now I didn’t have a boyfriend or a puppy. And I wasn’t even sure I had a best friend.

I no longer felt like I belonged. Having a finished house didn’t seem quite as exciting without anyone to celebrate with.

Home was about more than a structure.