Alan Price and the Colossus of Rhodes (The Nephilim Chronicles) Read Free Page B

reason we’re so low on inventory. If you’d like I can call
around to see if any of our stores in the surrounding area have anything.”
    Alan shook his head. He knew going
to another location now would mean he would be late for the dance. “No, no it’s
okay.” Alan forced out the words through a clenched jaw. The tuxedo would
almost deplete his savings from his summer job. Still he had come this far. The
words, “I’ll take it” came out slow and painful.
    “Oh, well, you are making a great choice,
sir. I know it seems a bit expensive but the quality is superb and you can be
sure that everyone else will be looking at you.”
    “Great.”
    “If you have your card, I’ll ring
you up. Did you want to put it on now? You are more than welcome to use our changing
room.”
    Alan looked up at a large clock on
the store’s wall. “Yeah, I better.”
    Alan dug into his pocket. He handed
his bankcard to Enrique making himself think about anything besides the amount
of days he had had to work to earn this piece of clothing he would wear for a
few hours.
    Enrique directed him to a dressing
room before he left to ring up Alan’s order.
    Alan had no idea that a tuxedo had
so many parts. It seemed like there were more items to figure out where to put
by the minute. Socks and shoes were simple. Things like trying to tie the
bowtie and how exactly to place the cummerbund were more of a
challenge.  
    “All rung up, sir,” Enrique’s voice
sounded through the thin dressing room curtain. “Do you need any help?”
    Panic rose in Alan’s chest. “No, no,
I’m fine just trying to figure out this bowtie. It’s like trying to solve a
Rubik’s Cube.”
    “Here, let me help,” Enrique pulled
back the curtain without showing the slightest pause. Before Alan could
protest, the tuxedo shop worker’s fingers were flying around Alan’s bowtie like
a trained professional.
    “There,” Enrique said taking a step
back, “Very secret agent, sir. If I do say so myself.”
    Alan, still recovering from the
curtains being drawn back, took a look at himself in the mirror. It was true.
His usual tall and lanky build had been totally transformed by the tuxedo. The
material made him look suave and important. It complimented his height while at
the same time masking his lack of muscle. Alan stood back stunned. Maybe he had
made the right decision this night after all.
    “Well, better hurry,” Enrique said
handing Alan the receipt that held far too many digits. “You don’t want to miss
your hair appointment.”
    “Hair appointment?”
    “Ummmm… yeah, you can’t go to the
dance looking like that.”
    Alan examined his hair in the
mirror. His straight dark blond locks fell to his shoulders. He hadn’t even
thought about getting a haircut.
    Enrique took Alan’s silence in
stride. “Trust me, a tuxedo like that deserves a haircut to match. My cousin
Hector works right next door. Tell him cousin Estar sent you and he’ll hook you
up.”

 
    Chapter 9
     
    “Oh, child, you came to the right
place. I just got off the phone with Enrique and don’t worry, the haircut won’t
cost as much as the tux.”
    Alan nodded doing the math in his
head trying to figure out how much money he had left. Hector was the spitting
image of Enrique, the two looked like they could be twins. “Okay, how much is
it?”
    “I’ll do you right since my cousin
sent you over. Let’s say forty dollars but you have to promise not to go around
and tell people that. Why, if my other clients knew I was handing out haircuts
for that price– ” Hector waived a dismissive hand at the thought, “Well,
I’d be out of business in a week.”
    Alan nodded doing the math in his
head again. He would be out of money almost to the dollar.
    It’s going to be worth it: it’s
all going to be worth it.
    “Come now, I understand you’re in a
hurry for a dance. But don’t worry. Being fashionably late is still in style.
And by the time I’m done with you, people