Page 52 of Something About September

At the mall, they went to the food court first, the way they had as teens, for New York Fries and gravy, because shopping hungry was always a bad idea. Then they hit the stores. Rebecca picked a navy sheath dress off a rack out of habit, and since Sabrina was not there to tell her to put the boring dress back, she tried it on.

Sabrina emerged from the next cubicle in a sky-blue gown with a plunging neckline that looked fabulous on her just as Rebecca emerged in her demure sheath.

“You look great,” Rebecca said reverently.

Sabrina spun once, admired herself, then focused on Rebecca’s navy. “Absolutely not. Your grandmother had sexier clothes on when she baked cookies.”

“Rude. Also true.”

Sabrina hunted the racks with purpose, still wearing her gown, and came up with an apple-red dress with a corset top and full skirt. “Don’t argue. What is the harm in at least trying it on?”

“It’s completely impractical,” Rebecca said, but she was reaching for it because it was also beautiful.

“Try it on before your brain talks you out of it.”

In the changing room, the dress fit like it had been custom-made for her. When she stepped out, Sabrina’s face lit up.

“Twirl.”

Rebecca twirled. The skirt swirled around her like it was made of water.

“I bet your mom would have loved that on you,” Sabrina said. “Sorry. Emotional manipulation.”

“It’s okay.” Rebecca looked at herself in the mirror. “I think you’re right. She would have loved it. She loved red.” She cleared her throat. “I’ve never owned anything red.”

“A crime. Buy it now.”

“But I might not even—”

“I know, I know. But look at me. This is a great dress. And there are no likely prospects for me currently living in Bramley Hollow. Unless I want to go with Eli Walsh. I need you to be my date. Meaning, you can’t stand me up for the Autumn Gala. I won’t make you stay too late and I promise, we’ll have fun.”

Rebecca wasn’t so sure, but she still bought the dress, and Sabrina bought hers. They looked for shoes next. Rebecca found strappy gold flats that Sabrina called “Lenore core” and Rebecca called “the only way I’m not breaking an ankle,” while Sabrina bought silver stilettos she insisted she could walk in with ease.

They drove home with the windows open and the music up just enough to drown out any of her less welcome thoughts. By the time they pulled into the diner lot, the sun had shifted low and honey-colored. Rebecca had expected him to be gone by now, but Cort’s pickup still sat in its usual spot.

She turned to her friend, but she didn’t have to speak. “Of course I’ll come in with you,” Sabrina said. “You don’t have to face him, and your feelings, alone. And I’ll stay. We’ll order in, try on our dresses, have the most fun it’s possible to have on a Tuesday night in Bramley Hollow.”

“But you have so much work—it’s the Autumn Festival this weekend.”

“Exactly. This weekend. It’s only Tuesday, and I’ve been working hard these past few weeks precisely so there wouldn’t be a stressful rush in the lead-up. I have time. Let me spend it with you.”

“As long as you’re sure,” Rebecca said.

Sabrina bit her lip. “Actually, I was going to ask if I could come in, anyway. There’s something I’ve been wanting to talk to you about, something that’s going on with me.”

Chapter 33

The bell over the diner door chimed as they stepped inside, the sound too bright for how Rebecca suddenly felt at the sight of Cort in his work clothes—a white T-shirt and faded cargo pants, covered in sawdust—gathering up his tools. When he saw them walk in, his expression stayed blank.

“Hey, you two,” he said, lifting his toolbox.

Rebecca couldn’t help but notice the floors. They were done, gleaming from one end of the room to the other with new wood. She noticed Cort had cleared most of his tools and supplies away, that just a few were left.

He was finished.

“The floors look great,” she said weakly.

“Yep. All done. Glad you’re happy.”