Golden Days︱𝐉𝐎𝐄𝐘 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐁𝐁𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐈

17│THE SHOPPING TRIP

"Yeah, uh, it's actually not that big a deal," Monica brushed it off, already planning to ask Veronica to help her come up with a lie to cancel.

"It's a big deal to me," Ross unknowingly guilt-tripped her out of that plan, "This is great, Monica. I really appreciate this."

Monica smiled weakly. "You're welcome."

"Woof, woof," Phoebe barked as Ross walked away from them.

"Even though you're cheating on my best friend I'll still plan an amazing funeral for you," Veronica promised her.

"Thank you," Monica threw her head onto Veronica's shoulder, "Don't let Joey eat all the food."

"Don't worry, we'll finish the food together," She stroked her hair comfortingly.

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"Bijan for men? Bijan for men? Bijan for men?" Joey sighed when no one would try the perfume. He smiled when he saw one of the sales reps from the women's section. "Hey, Annabelle.

"Hey, Joey," She smiled as she looked around the floor, "So did you hear about the new guy?"

"Who?"

"Nobody knows his name," She shrugged, "Me and the girls just call him the Hombre man."

They were cut off by a Clint Eastwood-esque voice. "Hombre?"

Joey frowned when he saw the tall man dressed as a cowboy spraying customers left and right. "What's he doin' in my section?"

"I guess he doesn't know," Annabelle shrugged.

"Well, he's gonna. I'll see you a little later, okay?" With that, he turned and made his way over to the Hombre man, "Hey, how ya doin'?"

He smiled. "Mornin'."

"Listen, I know you're new, but it's kinda understood that everything from Young Men's to the escalator is my territory."

"Your territory, huh?"

"Yeah," Joey nodded as a customer walked past them, "Bijan for men?"

"No thanks."

"Hombre?"

"Yeah. All right."

The Hombre man smirked at Joey. "You were saying?"

"Oh, hey Joey," Veronica smiled when she saw him. She'd been all but running through the aisles and pulling clothes and shoes off the racks left and right. Mario, her go-to personal shopper at Bloomingdale's, was sure he'd gotten whiplash from how fast she was going.

"Ronnie? Hey," He pulled her into a hug, "What're you doing here? I thought you weren't going to go shopping with Julie."

"Oh, I'm not," She shook her head, "But Mario called me about a new Dior collection arriving today. So, how's the sales rep thing going?"

Joey shrugged with a frown. "It wasn't bad but then they brought this new guy in; the Hombre man. He's going through the bottle like no tomorrow."

Veronica patted his shoulder with a smile. "Don't let him get to you. You're the most good looking sales rep I've seen working here."

"Really?" He grinned.

"Mhm," Veronica nodded enthusiastically before her jaw dropped, "Who is that?"

Joey pouted when he followed her gaze to see her gaping at the Hombre man. "C'mon Ronnie! Not you too."

"Oh, that's him, isn't it?" She shook her head as she tried to keep from staring at him, "I'm sorry."