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“Which we hope isn’t anytime soon,” Rose cut in. “Those babies need a lot more cooking, which means a lot more clothes for me.”
I giggled as Chelsea flipped Rose off, the rest of the girls joining in.
Today would be opening day for my store. The girls had come in early to help me organize, but in a few minutes, I’d be opening the doors to the public. I was scared and nervous, but having them there with me eased my fears just slightly. If no one came through the doors in the next few hours, at least I knew I had these wonderful women around me.
Some of the clothes on the shelves were my own designs. Others, I’d picked through carefully and thoroughly to find the perfect outfits that would complement my own. Inexpensive but beautiful, and clothes that any woman could feel gorgeous and empowered in.
“Sugar?” A light touch on my shoulder made me jump. I spun around to find Harmony staring at me with her head tilted slightly to the side. “You okay?”
I forced a laugh and took a sip of the wine I had in my hand. “Yeah, sorry. Just so much to think about. Never ending, you know?”
She reached out and patted me on the arm. “You’ll get there. This place looks amazing and I’m about to drag like ten outfits into the dressing room.” She held up an arm full of clothes. “These leathers feel and look damn amazing.”
I grinned, knowing those would be a hit for these girls. “I have a girl across the country who makes them by hand. If those don’t fit, I can actually have your measurements sent to her and she can make you a custom pair.”
Her mouth dropped open. “No way! That sounds amazing. I sometimes have trouble fitting into pants.”
“Because you have a round amazing booty and slim hips and waist,” Chelsea said, placing an arm around Harmony’s shoulders.
Harmony looked over her shoulder. “It’s really not that big.”
“It’s really not. But a lot of mass produced products are very set in their measurements and sizing. So even if your booty is an inch or two bigger, but your waist is the right size, you get that big gap at the back of your pants,” I explained, spinning her around and pulling at the waistband of the jeans she had on and showing her where it sagged a little.
“Huh…” She laughed. “I never really thought of it like that before.”
“Probably because they look amazing on you anyway.” I laughed, directing her toward the back of the store where there were two dressing rooms.
Kat shot past me, waving a piece of lingerie in her hands. “Girl, you didn’t tell me you were going to have stripper chic here.”
Chelsea snorted as Kat ducked into the dressing room. “That’s underwear!”
Her head peeked out from behind the curtain with a cheeky smirk. “Same thing.”
I took a deep breath as I walked toward the front of the store, clutching the sign in my fingers and turning it so it read ‘Open.’ Then I flicked the lock and pulled the door open, welcoming new customers inside.
Everyone clapped and hooted, raising their glasses in celebration. My stomach turned in a mixture of nerves and elation. I’d finally done it. I had a store, one to call my own, to do with what I wanted.
Dreams were coming true.
“Has Harlyn seen it yet?” Skylar asked as I moved back to the front desk and settled in behind it.
I nodded. “Yesterday. She got her own private viewing. She keeps telling me she’s gonna work here when she gets older. It was adorable.”
Skylar smiled. “No doubt. She really does look up to you. We all do in some way, I think. You’re working hard for what you want and making it a reality.”
I shied away for a second but nodded accepting the compliment, but in all truth, it didn’t make me feel better at all. These girls didn’t know the real fight I was battling, the sinking feeling I had every day knowing that soon, shit would hit the fan and they may all look at me like I’m scum. And I’d deserve it too.
That’s exactly what I felt like, the lies and deception filling my body with regret and self-loathing. I just hoped that it would all be over soon, then I could move on, with Harlyn and our lives.
“I hope she sees this and it makes her realize that anything is possible. We’ve talked about it for so long now, I really just want her to know that dreams are possible,” I told Skylar as I wiped my hand across the counter.
She leaned against it with a wide smile. “I have little sisters that are around her age you know,” she said, keeping her voice quiet but I could hear it swell with pride. I was surprised by her admission, Skylar didn’t share a lot.
I leaned forward, hoping she would continue. “It must have been hard leaving them behind.”
She took in a shaky breath, but held her smile and nodded. “It was. I think about them every day. Life with my parents wasn’t exactly sunshine and rainbows, they were strict, and the penalties for disobedience were harsh.” Her body went rigid and her eyes moved off into the distance. “I just hope they’re staying strong and standing together.”
I placed my hand over hers, feeling some of her pain. I knew what it was like to grow up with overbearing parents who expected you to follow every rule. It can’t have been easy for her to walk away and leave siblings, knowing that they would have to suffer the same lessons she did, and hope they were just as strong as she was and could make it out the other side.
