“It couldn’t hurt to bling up your look a little,” said Tara.
“If you don’t want to buy something new, come over to my house,” Krissy said. “I’ve got tons of that stuff. Blouses, hats, jewelry. Lots of turquoise. How about tomorrow night? We’ll have a girls’ night. You too, Tara.”
Merry Anna did not want to make a big deal out of this. “Y’all are killing me.”
“I’m in,” said Tara. “I could use a night off from swinging a hammer. I’m sore.” She rubbed her shoulder. “I’m not as young as I once was.”
“See. It’s the neighborly thing to do. We need to make Tara take a break.” Krissy smiled. “You’re outnumbered.”
It did sound fun to have a girls’ night. She didn’t like beingoutvoted, but this time, what could it hurt? “Next time, we need more voters, but count me in.”
—
Friday rolled around, and the outfit Krissy and Tara had voted as “Most Likely To” was lying on top of the white comforter of her new bed.
Merry Anna lifted the blouse. It was pretty, but there was a lot going on with it.What exactly are you ‘most likely to’ do?The shirt had attitude. It was way louder than she’d ever been.
“Okay, here we go.” She’d seen Adam drive down the lane a little earlier. She wondered if his friends were pushing him to wear a special shirt tonight.
She washed off her daytime makeup and then got in the shower. As she let the water run over her, she thought of Adam. The bruises and scars on his body. A man with no fear. She lifted the scented soap to her nose. It smelled of flowers, fruits, and herbs. She swept the bubbles, as smooth as lotion on her skin, across her body. These little niceties were about the only thing she missed from her old life.
She let the water run until it ran cool. She stepped out and wrapped her hair in a towel, then put her bathrobe on. In her bedroom, she blew her hair dry, letting the waves curl the way they liked. She wasn’t sure if she could pull off the cowboy hat that Krissy had lent her, but Krissy had taught her how to sweep her bangs back before she put it on so her hair would still fall nice when she took it off.
Her heart pounded, sending her nerves into so much of a tizzy about this “not a date” that she was sweating. She turned on the little USB fan that sat on her desk, but it wasn’t very helpful. She went back into the bathroom and turned onher blow-dryer, pressing the little blue button to cool the air. She aimed at the dampness at her hairline, being careful to just blow underneath her hair so it didn’t get too big and puffy.
The alarm on her phone went off.It’s go time.She needed to finish getting ready.
She put on her makeup first, then got dressed, stepping into the boots last. The Dan Post Bluebird boots were well broken in. Krissy said they were her favorites, and Merry Anna could see why. The leather was so soft that it was like butter from years of wear.
Tiptoeing in front of the bathroom mirror, she checked herself, then clasped the necklace around her neck and slipped the two bracelets Krissy had picked out over her wrist.
Her phone dinged.
She picked it up and laughed when she read Krissy’s text. It simply read,
Wear the hat! Embrace the rodeo!
Merry Anna picked up the cowboy hat from the bed and twirled it between her fingers. It was pretty, but she’d never been the type to really call attention to herself.Quit being safe.She walked back into the bathroom to put it on just the way Krissy had showed her. Talking to herself in the mirror, she said, “Adam, I hope you don’t think I’m crazy.”
She heard his diesel truck rumble up the drive.
Her hands tingled.Breathe!She walked out the front door and down the steps to meet him in the driveway.
He pulled to a stop right next to her.
Feeling like the only one in costume at a formal party, shebegan second-guessing the advice Tara and Krissy had given her.
The door on the Ford truck swung open, and Adam hopped out, his eyes wide and his mouth quirked to one side. At first she thought he was laughing at her.
“You look amazing!” His smile widened. “I mean, you always look beautiful—ya know, good—but wow!”
It took a second for his words to sink in. “Are you making fun of me?”
“No.” He tugged the cowboy hat from his head. “Absolutely not. You always look very nice, in the dresses and conservative stuff, but this is an unexpected surprise. The bright colors make your eyes sparkle.” He kicked his foot forward awkwardly. “That sounded better in my head.”
And she thought she was the one making a fool of herself. “I’m glad you like it. It’s kind of a new look for me.”
“It’s appealing.” He walked around to the passenger side and opened the door for her. “Let’s go.”
