Four Of A Kind

Chapter 60: [2.33] The Summoning of the Shopping Demon

Isaiah:Emergency. I need your help.

The response came in less than thirty seconds.

Felix:OMG DID ONE OF THE VALENTINES FINALLY TRY TO EAT YOU?

Isaiah:Worse. I have to go clothes shopping.

Three dots appeared. Disappeared. Appeared again.

Felix:…

Felix:AND YOU’RE ASKING ME FOR HELP?

Felix:ISAIAH.

Felix:THIS IS THE GREATEST DAY OF MY LIFE.

Felix:WHERE ARE YOU? I’M ON MY WAY.

Isaiah:Student parking lot. Black Lexus.

Felix:DONT MOVE. IF YOU LEAVE WITHOUT ME I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU. I WILL HAUNT YOUR FUTURE CHILDREN. I WILL—

I stopped reading.

The message chain continued growing beneath my thumb.

I could make out fragments through the notifications—something about “finally embracing luxury” and “I’ve been preparing for this moment since freshman year” and what looked like several strings of incomprehensible capital letters.

I pocketed my phone and leaned against the Lexus. The metal was cold through my uniform shirt.

I tilted my head back against the roof and watched a few other students trickle out of the building, heading toward their own cars or the bus loop.

Four minutes passed before I heard the distinctive growl of an approaching engine that cost more than my annual salary.

A massive Range Rover—pearl white with chrome accents that caught the afternoon sun—pulled into the spot beside the Lexus.

The tires were probably worth more than everything I owned combined, and they announced Felix’s arrival with a dramatic screech against the asphalt.

The driver’s side door swung open before the vehicle had fully stopped rocking on its suspension.

Felix Beaumont practically fell out of the driver’s seat. His round face was flushed, his dark curls a mess. He looked like he’d sprinted the entire way here instead of driving.

His eyes were wide, practically vibrating with an energy that was halfway between a spiritual awakening and a lottery win.

He crossed the distance between us in three quick strides. His hands shot out and clamped down on both my shoulders with surprising force for someone who spent most of his time eating and commenting on attractive women.

“Isaiah.” His voice cracked slightly. “Do you understand what’s happening right now?”

I met his gaze with my usual half-lidded stare. “I need to buy some clothes.”

“No. No no no.” He shook his head vigorously enough to make his dark curls bounce. “You, Isaiah Angelo, master of the five-dollar finds. King of the clearance rack. The man who once told me that spending more than twenty dollars on a shirt was morally indefensible. You are asking ME for fashion advice.”

“I’m asking you to come with me so I don’t wander into a store and immediately get thrown out for looking poor.”

“Same thing.” Felix released my shoulders and stepped back, his eyes scanning me from head to toe with sudden intensity. “Where are we going? What’s the budget? What look are we aiming for? Business casual? Smart casual? Street fashion with luxury undertones? There’s this new designer who’s doing amazing things with—”

“Felix.”

He stopped.

“I have a credit card with no apparent limit.” I pulled the black card from my wallet and showed it to him. “I need clothes that make me look like I belong in meetings with executives. I have until six o’clock.”

Felix stared at the card.

Then he stared at me.

Then back at the card.

“That’s a Valentine household card.”

“Yes.”

“An unlimited Valentine household card.”

“Apparently.”

“And you’re giving it to me.”

“I’m not giving it to you. I’m using it to buy clothes while you provide guidance so I don’t accidentally purchase something that makes me look like I robbed a yacht club.”

Felix’s expression shifted. The manic energy faded, replaced by something more focused. More serious.

For just a moment, I caught a glimpse of the heir to the Beaumont Culinary Group. The guy who would someday run restaurants across three continents.

“Okay.” He nodded slowly. “Okay. Here’s what we’re going to do. Forget the mall. Forget department stores. We’re going to SoHo.”

“Is that going to take too long?”

“With my driving? Forty-five minutes to get there, maybe an hour to shop if we’re focused, another forty-five back to wherever you need to be.”

I considered the plan.

The logistics worked. The destination remained unknown to me, but Felix seemed confident.

“Fine. You drive. I’ll follow in the Lexus.”

“Perfect.” Felix was already moving back toward his Range Rover. “We’re going to make you look so good that those Valentine girls won’t know what hit them.”

“That’s not—”

“DON’T ARGUE WITH DESTINY, ISAIAH.”

He slammed his door before I could respond.

I stood alone in the parking lot, watching the Range Rover’s engine rumble to life with that distinctive purr of expensive machinery.

The afternoon sun beat down on the asphalt, turning the black surface into a shimmering heat trap that made the air above it waver and distort.

I looked down at the black credit card one more time, turning it over in my hand.

This is going to be a long afternoon.

The Lexus chirped twice as I unlocked it with the key fob.

My phone buzzed against my palm before I could open the door.

Another text from Felix.

Felix:ALSO WE’RE GETTING FOOD AFTER. YOU’RE BUYING. THE BEAUMONTS HAVE A FAVORITE RAMEN PLACE IN CHELSEA THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

I stared at the message for a few seconds, then typed my response.

Isaiah:Weren’t you the one complaining about gaining weight?

Felix:RAMEN CALORIES DON’T COUNT WHEN YOU’RE ON AN ADVENTURE.

Felix:THAT’S SCIENCE.

Isaiah:That’s definitely not science.

Felix:DRIVE FASTER. THE FATE OF YOUR WARDROBE HANGS IN THE BALANCE.

I slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine.

The air conditioning kicked on immediately, filling the cabin with cool air that smelled faintly of leather and new car. The dashboard display showed 12:47 PM.

Five hours and thirteen minutes until my deadline.

I pulled out of the parking spot and followed Felix’s Range Rover toward the school exit.

I merged onto the main road and watched the school disappear in my rearview mirror.

Here we go.