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Cindy comes out a few seconds later, her arms filled with new treasures and a secretive smile on her face. “All set?” I ask, guiding her to the front counter.
“Yep.” She places all of her purchases on the counter for me to ring up.
“And, the best part,” I start, scanning the barcode with the handheld device, “is you get the family discount.”
“Well, you don’t have to do that, but I definitely appreciate it,” she replies, handing me her credit card once I’ve finished ringing up her purchases. I carefully wrap them in tissue paper and place them in one of my large logoed bags.
“What did you find?” Lexi asks, coming up beside Cindy and placing her own items on the counter.
“Just a few things,” Cindy states, her cheeks tinged with pink.
“Wait, never mind. I don’t want to know,” Lexi implores, making a gagging face at the thought of her dad enjoying whatever Cindy has in the bag.
“Good, because I’m not telling anyway,” Cindy sasses, sticking her credit card back into her wallet and grabbing her bag.
“Did you find everything you were looking for?” I ask Abby’s twin sister, Lexi, instantly recalling what Aunt Emma just said about her being pregnant.
“Too much. It’s a good thing you’re not any closer or I’m liable to go broke in this place,” Lexi says, reaching down and sorting through the pieces on the counter. Instantly, I notice a theme. Lexi is definitely the more daring and bolder than her twin sister.
“Well, as I said earlier, anytime you guys want to stop by, just call me. Or if you need anything, I can ship.” I start to ring up her items, which consist of a few lace thongs in bold, vibrant colors, a corset in bright pink, and a few bras in equally daring colors. What I wasn’t expecting was the long, satin negligée, the same one Latham asked me to wear later. She picked out the soft ivory one with delicate little rosebuds stitched on the bodice. It’s stunning, definitely, but not something I’d expect Lexi to choose.
“What do you think?” she asks, her voice a bit uncertain.
“Of this? I think it’s beautiful,” I reassure.
“I hope Linkin likes it.” The nervousness in her voice catches me off guard.
Setting it aside, I reach for her hand. “He’s going to forget his own name when he sees you in this,” I insist with a gentle squeeze.
“He’s never really seen me in something so…simple. I’ve always worn corsets and little scraps of black lace. Crotchless panties are his favorite,” she whispers, and for the first time in the short time I’ve known my cousin, I watch her blush. “But I have something important to tell him and it’s going to be a pretty big surprise. I thought if I were wearing this he might be less shocked by my news. Of course, he’ll probably be more surprised I’m wearing this instead of what I normally have on when I’m seducing him into agreeing with me,” she says with a slight chuckle.
Suddenly, she stands up straight. “Forget it.” She reaches for the delicate nightie. “I can’t wear this. He’ll know something’s up.”
I pull the negligée out of her reach. “No way. You definitely need to wear this. Not because you’ll shock him or surprise him, but because it’s as beautiful as you are, and the thought of him not seeing you in it would be a travesty.” I squeeze her hand, much like I did Jaime’s a bit ago. “Seriously, Lexi, he’s going to be so happy when you share your news it won’t matter much what you’re wearing.”
She looks at me from across the counter, a look of shock on her face. Without calling me out, she glances back down at the nightie. “You think?”
“You could wear a burlap sack, and he’d be the happiest man in the world. That guy worships you, and is always talking about more kids.”
“But four? I mean, four kids, Harper. I don’t know if I can handle four.”
“You can, and you will. You’re already the best mom to the twins and Stella. What’s one more?” I ask with a big smile.
Lexi laughs. “Yeah, what’s one more?” With one more glance down, she hands me the ivory nightgown. “I want it. He’ll probably die of heart failure before I can even tell him my news when he sees me in this, but I think it’ll be a good shock.”
“I agree,” I tell her as I finish ringing up her purchases.
AJ, Meghan, Payton, Jaime, and Abby all follow. I ring up their new goodies, happy each one found a few new undergarments, pajamas, and some body products to take back to Virginia with them.
We’re all standing at the counter, visiting as Emma walks up and slams her hand down. “I’ll take these.”
I glance down and find a few tags cut off and sitting in a small pile. “Where are the items?” I ask, glancing down to see if she has them in her other hand.
“I’m wearing them!” Aunt Emma proclaims.
“You’re wearing them? But you haven’t washed them yet,” Payton gapes, her mouth hanging open in shock.
“No one has crotch cooties, Payters,” Grandma brushes her off.
