Chapter 14

Jordan and I stopped at another strip mall. It seemed odd there were so many, but I was still getting used to being in such a large city. "The Container Store should help you with designing a desk," she said as we got out. "I'll be over at Nicks N Picks, looking around. If you finish, look for me there. Otherwise, I'll come looking for you."

I nodded and we went to our respective stores. It didn't take me long to find the design-it-yourself desk section. A sales associate, Andrea, helped me get started with the design process. For a little while, I lost myself in all of the different possibilities. After looking at some of the standard designs, I found one I liked, but I wanted to make some changes. Once the changes were made, Andrea helped me gather the needed components on a heavy duty cart. The desk was going to be heavy. Good thing my apartment was on the ground floor.

After I paid for my new desk and an office chair to go with it, Andrea and I took it out to Jordan's car and loaded it in the trunk. The chair had to go in the back seat and I realized there wasn't much room left. I could only hope Jordan didn't go overboard in the other store.

I found my brunette near the back of Nicks N Picks. She had a cart full of different things that were both useful and decorative but I didn't think there would be any problems getting it all piled into her car. I also noticed the sales girl Jordan was talking to. I had talked to her the day before in English. It was Leanne.

I approached behind Jordan. Leanne spotted me, smiled wide, and waved. Jordan turned to see and gave me a smile that I knew all too well. What were they talking about? Did I want to know? Would it lead to something between me and Leanne?

Leanne was close to Jordan's height, though I knew my brunette was wearing three inch heels. Leanne's hair was darker, flowed straight, and hung off her bulging breasts. She was wearing an apron over the store shirt, something all of the employees wore, but it couldn't conceal her size. She also wore a skirt that flowed around her knees, and very comfortable looking shoes.

I stopped next to them and Leanne said, "Funny meeting you here."

I smiled but didn't know what to say. Jordan saved me again. "You two know each other?"

We looked at her. "We're in English together," Leanne said and then realized something. "You two know each other too?"

Before either of us could answer, a male voice called, "Leanne!"

We turned, though Leanne rolled her eyes beforehand. A short man with glasses and a tie rather than an apron strode our way. He stopped and smiled at me and Jordan, though I thought it was forced. "Would you excuse us? I need to speak with her for a minute."

I could tell by Leanne's expression that this wasn't a conversation she was looking forward to. According to the man's name tag, he was Daren Finnegan, Manager. He took Leanne by the elbow and led her only a few feet away. Daren wasn't merely short; his head barely cleared the top of Leanne's breasts. He spoke in a whisper, but Jordan and I could hear him clearly. "I have told you to let the more experienced employees help customers on the floor. You should return to the registers."

I glanced at Jordan and she grimaced. I didn't think it was as simple as Leanne helping a customer when she wasn't supposed to, but we both kept our mouths shut about it.

"I was returning from my break when she asked for help getting one of the pots from the top shelf," Leanne said.

I glanced at Jordan again. She was looking up at the pots Leanne was talking about, but something told me she decided to play along rather than add to the problem. I leaned over and whispered in her ear, "You two weren't talking about pots, were you?"

She shook her head, continuing to look up. She leaned into me and whispered just as softly, "Nope. I commented on her apron and we ended up talking about the problems our breasts cause." I caught her small smile and knew she was telling the truth.

Mr. Finnegan spoke again. "Then you should have gone and gotten someone from stocking to help her."

Leanne crossed her arms over her belly. It had the marvelous effect of making her breasts stand out even more. "I never had the chance. She no more than told me what she needed and you came around the corner."

He frowned up at her and then looked at us. Jordan and I were both looking at the items she had in the cart. "Fine," he said. "I'll get someone to help them. You get back to the registers."

Surprisingly, Leanne shook her head. "Ever since I started working here, you've done nothing but harass me about what I should and should not do. If a customer asks me for help in passing, I'm going to help them." He opened his mouth to say something but she cut him off. "I've talked to the other ladies at the registers and they've told me about the turnover rate here. I didn't want to believe them, because of the economy and crap, but now I don't have a choice. I've seen how you talk to everyone around here. You don't respect anyone. You accuse your own employees of wrongdoing without any proof, and I, like the others, will not put up with that." She pulled off the apron and shoved it at him. "I quit."

She walked over to us and said, "Give me a minute to go change and I'll join you." Jordan and I nodded.

Daren watched our short exchange and walked toward us with a frown. "You didn't ask for a pot, did you?"

Jordan arched an eyebrow. "Are you now accusing customers of deception?"

He scowled and walked off.

"What an idiot," Jordan said before he turned the corner. He stopped but then continued wherever he was going.

Jordan looked at me and a smile curled her lips. Just like that, the heat of Daren's accusation slid off her back and she was focused on a subject she was more interested in. "I saw the way Leanne looked at you. And the way you looked at her too. She would make a good Fonte."

I shook my head and told her how we met.

Jordan's smile never faded. In fact, it was joined by that familiar glint in her eyes. "A woman appreciates being noticed, but she can also tell when a man only has one thing in mind. She trusts you because you treat her with respect. She likes that."

"And I don't want to ruin that by taking advantage," I said.

Jordan shook her head. "I think she has more than just trust for you."

I shook my head in return. "I'm not wearing my Fetish."

She rolled her eyes. "Weren't you listening earlier? You don't need your Fetish for a woman to be attracted to you."

"Didn't you also say something about me having a blind spot?" I asked.

She nodded. "And I told you that the only reason you need the Fetish for seduction is because of your lack of self-confidence. With Leanne, like Milena, the interest is already there. More than Milena though, you've already talked to each other, you have something in common that isn't on a professional level. All you have to do is keep doing what you did before and the flames will get fanned in the process."

"Has it not crossed your mind that she might think you and I are together, thus I'm unavailable?" I asked. "Short of the effects of the bond, I seriously doubt she'd approve of my advances with that in mind."

Jordan sighed. "Don't you think she should decide that?"

I frowned. "I'm not going to lie to her."

"You don't have to lie," Jordan said. "We're not in that kind of relationship anyway."

"We are and we aren't," I said in turn. "To me it's more than boyfriend-girlfriend."

"I know. It's more than that to me too," she said and studied my face. "But you're scared that if you do come onto her, she'll turn you down."

I rolled my eyes. "That has nothing to do with it."

Her eyes narrowed. "Yes, it does. You really don't believe she would accept you."

I had a lot of things I could say about that, but I held my tongue. Jordan never understood my self-image problems, even though she knew I had them. For that matter, I didn't understand them.

Jordan's face softened. "She'll be back any minute now. Can I make a suggestion?"

I shrugged. "Sure."

"First, be yourself. Don't try anything you wouldn't normally do," she said in the most reasonable tone.

"You do realize that includes hanging out with her, right?" I asked.

"You've already talked to her," she said, exasperated. "Does she treat you like those kids in your home town?"

I shook my head. "That's only because she doesn't know me."

"No, that's because she doesn't have those rumors filling her head with nonsense," Jordan said. "They didn't try to get to know you. She apparently wants to."

Part of me wanted to believe her, but the other part, that old self-loathing side that constantly reminded me that I was going to mess everything up was certain Leanne would only see the freak everyone at home saw.

Leanne came around the corner then. She still wore the skirt and shoes, but she had changed out of the store shirt and into a dark blue blouse that looked about three sizes too big for her. It concealed her shape up top, and a very small, quiet part of me was disappointed.

She smiled and said, "If you two have any other shopping to do..."

Jordan caught up quick. "Oh, this is mostly for me. Seth came along to get a desk for his place."

Leanne looked at me and said, "Oh, so you two..."

I glanced at Jordan who was smiling. She said, "We're not."

Personally, I would have needed a more defining confirmation. I looked at Leanne and noticed how she tugged at the hem of her blouse, pulling it tight against her breasts.

Danielle and Jordan had told me how much everyone liked being noticed. I didn't fully understand the need, but I realized that whenever they commented on something I wore or did, I felt good. More recently, I commented when they put on something nice. For that matter, I even commented when I caught a certain expression or just the way the light caught their eyes. I liked the way they smiled. I thought to comment on Leanne's blouse, but held it back because I wasn't sure just how she'd react.

Jordan had found pretty much everything she wanted by the time I arrived, so the three of us went to check out. Leanne talked to the lady at the register, an older woman named Denise. The topic was Daren and his attitude. It seemed he was stressed due to the constant turnover. Rumor was, if he lost many more employees, he could face being transferred to another store with a demotion or lose his job all together. I thought the latter was a little harsh, but it wasn't my decision.

Out in the parking lot, Leanne followed us to Jordan's car. Jordan gave me a look when she spotted the chair in the back seat. She popped the trunk, found it full, and turned to face me with the same look. I was in trouble, but nothing that would earn me any real punishment. She made me load her purchases since I had left her so little room. The two of them talked about how guys could be so inconsiderate at times. Coming from Jordan, I thought it was just to make her point, but something in Leanne's tone told me there was more to it for her. Whenever I glanced their way, I noticed Leanne fidgeting and shooting furtive glances my way. I simply grinned and shook my head.