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She was a thin girl and that probably helped some since she had about ten items in her hand when she went into the changing room.

Damn, she was going to spend her money and his in one shop. They’d be out of here fast. Then they’d get her sneakers and some food. Might be able to hit the food court by noon.

Ten minutes later, Colson watching all the other guys standing around looking just as helpless as him, Bella came out and only had three items in her arms.

“Not much fit?”

“Not that I liked, but I’m going to get these. I’ll use my money first.”

“No,” he said. “We’ll use mine.” Because maybe with any luck she’d be done by the time they hit his limit.

Until he saw those three items were only thirty dollars total.

He couldn’t even buy a T-shirt for thirty dollars unless it was in a package of Hanes, which he only wore under other shirts.

They went into four more stores, the same results. Multiple items, not a lot of money.

“See,” Bella said when he reached for her bags in the fifth store so she could go try on another armful of clothing. “I’m getting good deals.”

“You are,” he said, pride mixing in with frustration.

“Teenage daughters are the worst,” some dude said to him a minute later. “I’ve got three daughters. I want to kill myself when they ask to go shopping. My wife has the other two, and I’ve got the fifteen-year-old. She’s the worst. Guess it’s only fair I get one kid and the worst, but it’s how we get out of here faster. Do you just have the one daughter?”

“Just the one,” he said, friendly enough. It was in his nature, but not enough to correct some stranger either.

“Colson,” Bella said, coming out. “I’m getting it all. My biggest haul.”

The guy looked at him, frowned and then turned away.

He didn’t know the guy’s problem. For all that stranger knew, Colson was Bella’s stepfather. Or, better yet, the truth. Her brother.

“Let’s get to the register,” he said. “My arms are going to give out.”

“I’m going to go over your money,” she said when they were in line. “I did the math, so I’ll give you the cash if that is okay?”

“Keep it,” he said. “I’m sure it’s fine.”

Worst case, she went over a hundred as she’d been so damn good about it all.

And the happiness and excitement in not only her voice but her movements had been well worth it.

They got to the counter, she put it all down. Had to be over ten items easily and it still only came to just over a hundred dollars. She’d only gone over by thirty.

“Looks like you got the deals today,” the cashier said, looking at all the bags.

“Yeah. It’s been awesome.”

He tapped his credit card down, Bella grabbed the last bag, and he said, “All this is going into the car. Then we’ll come back and get your sneakers and some food and then groceries.”

He decided to not even give her a chance to say she had her money left to spend.

She readily agreed, then came back in and found a restaurant and sat.

“Thanks for everything,” Bella said. “That was great.”

“I’m glad.” It pained him to ask this, but they were here. “Did you get everything you wanted other than sneakers?”

“I did. We can go to a discount store. A place I can pick out the sizes myself and not wait.”