Making the Cut (Sons of Templar MC 1)

“Well?” She did a little turn.

“I think I may just turn lesbian for you. Lady, you look smoking,” I said with a smirk on my face. “Nice shoes by the way,” I continued sarcastically.

“Thanks.” She flicked her hair, strutting towards me, straightening clothes now and then. “I got them at the best little store, right across from my bedroom, and they didn’t cost me a dime,” she said with mock shock.

I laughed. “Probably similar to the store I got these bracelets from then.” I held my arm up in front of her and jingled the borrowed jewelry.

“Good thing we both have such great taste,” she exclaimed, not batting an eyelash at me wearing her seriously pricey accessories.

We spent the rest of our time before the girls arrived making and drinking cocktails to loosen up a bit. I switched on my chill playlist, giving a soft melody in the background. Amy and I were sitting in my kick ass antique patterned couch, which was by the fitting rooms, sipping our cosmos when the door jingled and Rosie and the girls walked in.

Rosie was wearing an amazing long sleeved, fitted little black dress with black and gold sandals. Lucy was wearing skintight black, high waisted pants with a silver cropped top showing off her toned midsection, pairing it with silver sandals. Ashley had on another 1950s style dress with capped sleeves, a flower print that finished at her waist and had a powder blue full skirt. It was awesome.

“Holy shit!” Rosie yelled. “This place looks incredible!” She rushed towards me and engulfed me in a huge hug. She released me, looking me up and down and letting out a whistle. “Scratch that, you look amazing, way to make us mere mortals look like shit.” She glanced at Amy, who was busy chatting to Lucy and Ashley and making them drinks.

“Wowza, and Amy is making white look far from virginal,” she declared, impressed.

I laughed lightly. “You look killer Rosie, where did you get that dress?” I asked, genuinely wanting to know.

Up close the dress was embroidered with hundreds of little beads that sparkled in the light. I needed something like that in my wardrobe, not counting my hundreds of other little black dresses.

“Oh some thrift store.” She waved her hand. “It was way longer, but I gave it the chop and voilà! New dress! Enough about that. My brother is going to die when he sees you looking like that, seriously I wouldn’t put it past him to carry you out, caveman style,” she giggled.

I blinked, shocked at the casual way she was talking about Cade in relation to me, as if we were a couple, not two people who barely knew each other apart from making out at her party. And he was coming here, what? I definitely didn’t remember inviting him to come here, I wasn’t insane. I started with the obvious question. “Cade’s coming?” I asked, my voice sounding squeaky.

“Well yeah,” she said like it was the obvious answer. “I told him about the opening today and he said him and the boys would definitely stop by, you’re here, free booze and hot bitches? Just try and keep them away.”

I barely restrained a snort, hard ass bikers at a clothing store opening? Yeah right! I began to ask her if she was actually serious when Amy and the girls came over, arms full of cocktails. Amy thrust a full glass into Rosie’s waiting hand and replaced my empty one.

“Right bitches,” she interrupted. “I think it is time for a toast.” She thought for a second. “To new friends, new beginnings and new clothes!”

The women laughed, we clinked our glasses and downed a mouthful of the delicious brew.

“So Gwen,” Lucy started after finishing her sip. “Are you selling that smoking dress somewhere in this lovely place or am I going to have to rip it off your back? Because that is gor – geous.”

“Of course we have it, just in different colors, right over here.” I directed her to a rack full of dresses as Ashley and Rosie began to look through racks. Within the first five minutes, the three ladies had armfuls of clothes ready to try.

“Just to inform you ladies,” I called over the doors of the fitting rooms as they were getting changed. “In New Zealand we have a thing called ‘mates rates’ which I assure you all you will be getting.”

“Rock on!” I heard Rosie exclaim from the middle stall and I laughed. I had lost track of the amount of times I had genuinely laughed since being around these women, not just the fake ones I had forced back in New York. Amy must have been thinking something along the same lines as she glanced at me with a proud smile, and I saw a tiny glisten in her eyes. Before I was able to say something, Lucy came out of the fitting room, looking stunning in the black, shorter version of my dress and exclaimed, “I have to have this, seriously have to!”

“Yes you so do,” I agreed.

After almost an hour of trying on, the girls decided on multiple items, I informed them of their totals.

Rosie blinked at me. “No Gwen, that’s not right, that isn’t even the price of two dresses let alone three.”

“Opening night special,” I shrugged.

“No, we’ll pay full price,” Lucy put in. “We have to support our new favorite store.”

“And I have to support my new best customers,” I said back with a smile, the girls started to argue but Amy butted in.

“Ladies take the fucking discount, you’re awesome, and Gwen and I are just grateful to meet such kick ass chicks on coming here, this is our thank you. No arguing,” she ordered.

It was then that the girls conceded, thanks to Amy’s no nonsense tone.

“But next time we are paying full price,” Rosie decided.

I just smiled back at her, not saying a thing. At that point, the bell chimed and some women from Rosie’s party piled in. I greeted them warmly, hoping I remembered everyone’s name. After that people continuously trickled in, some I recognized, some I didn’t. World travelled fast in this small town, which was something I had banked on.