It's a Wonderful Cover Life (Chuck Fan Fiction)

Chapter 4

13.  Time to measure up

It served him right, Chuck thought as he shifted from one foot to the other and back again.  The redhead, who Sarah had introduced as Carina, circled a little too closely, studying him from his mop of curls down to his worn chucks.  He flashed back to a few days before, when Sarah had first entered the Buy More, and felt guilty for the umpteenth time for eyeing her like a predator.  Of course he’d been more subtle about it, but that was beside the point.  He wanted to apologize, but couldn’t do that without admitting his wrongdoing, so instead he vowed to do his best to help her with this deal.  Sure, she was paying him, but he figured racking up a few good Karma points couldn’t hurt.  That was the only reason he was trying his best not to squirm under the judging gazes he was now enduring.  

“Can you work with this?”  Technically Carina was talking to the Wookie on his shirt, but Chuck assumed the question had not been directed at him.

“Sí,” the tailor, Signore Anthony, replied.  Then the gray-haired man crossed the room to stand in front of Chuck, inserted two fingers into the waistband of his jeans and tugged.  “Slim waist,” he remarked with a heavy Italian accent.  “Many la donna would kill for that.”

Carina gave an amused snort which Chuck ignored.  He rather kept his focus on Signore Anthony kneeling down in front of him, or more specifically, the measuring tape he’d whipped out of his pocket.  He eyed the wrinkly fingers with growing unease as they traced a path up his leg and when they brushed over his mid-thigh, showing no sign of stopping, Chuck flinched into a half-Morgan and squeaked a pitchy “hi-oh”.

“Is this really necessary?  I brought a suit.” 

Carina made an annoyed noise in the back of her throat.  “Is it Armani?”

“No, it’s my dad’s,” Chuck replied without missing a beat.  Carina opened her mouth only to close it again without uttering a sound.  Twice.  Chuck had to bite the inside of his cheek to refrain from grinning, but Carina noticed and shot him a threatening glare before storming out of the room.

“Well played, Signore,” the older man nodded solemnly. 

“Yeah, but she’s going to make me pay for that, isn’t she?”      

“Sí,” Signore Anthony confirmed needlessly while rummaging through the clothing articles hanging on a portable rail.  He unhooked a pair of pants, ran his fingers along the material as he measured it with his eyes and then he turned back to face Chuck.  “Now business.  Drop your pants please.”

14.  Stepping on designer toes

Sarah barely looked up from the papers she’d been studying when Carina tore into the kitchen and threw open the fridge door. 

“Don’t you have anything stronger than sissy beer and milk?”

“Chuck likes Corona,” Sarah shrugged.  “Besides, it’s a little early to start hitting the booze.  Ask Lou to make you some tea.”

“I don’t want tea.”  Carina slammed the door shut and spun around. 

“Hey,” Sarah complained when Carina yanked the papers out of her hands.

“If you’re such an expert on Chuck,” Carina hissed, “you go deal with him.  He’s being impossible.”

“Takes one to know one,” Sarah mumbled under her breath.  She slid her pen across to Carina.  “The menu’s almost done.  Let Casey know which wines to get from the cellar and pick a dessert.  No nuts, Beckman’s allergic.”  She pushed away from the table and rose.  “The seating plan needs to be finalized too.”