AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Tabitha flipped a page. “All right. That covers the extra people I’ll have to call in to cover the large order. So you need it for Friday early afternoon?”
I nodded. “It’s an evening party.”
“I’ll need every extra minute. I’ll work out a figure within your budget and email you with the details.” She pulled the dome off the cake plate. “Now for the best part.”
Bells groaned. “Good thing I wore a loose dress today.”
Tabitha laughed. “Let’s see exactly what you guys like, shall we?”
By the time we walked out of there, we were both riding a sugar high. Tabitha sent us on our way with bottled water to flush out some of the sugar and a bill that made us both a little queasy.
“You sure about the twenty percent?” Bells asked as we left the bakery.
“Not really, but I’ll make it work. Unfortunately, since the overbooking was technically our error, there will need to be some wiggle room there. I think Laverne will agree with me.”
“True. Want to walk off some of that cake?”
“Definitely.”
We both sipped our bottles of water as we meandered our way up Main Street. We stopped into a few of the shops, but mostly just window shopped our way across town as we got to know one another.
I found myself opening up to Bells far easier than I should have for someone I’d just met. But she was easy to talk to and her thoughtful approach to topics made it easy to relax.
She snagged a flyer for a new apartment complex being built a few streets away from the main bustle of businesses. Waterfront properties were definitely out of her budget, but the apartments were affordable from what I could tell.
“Want to try this place?” she asked.
The beachy driftwood sign said Vintage December. The window had a few dress forms wearing flowing summer dresses as well as a rack of funky, colorful halter tops. There was also a trunk full of long sweaters spilling out of the top as if someone had just dug through looking for something.
The window scene was charming and inviting yet I felt almost voyeuristic at the same time. As if I was looking into someone’s bedroom closet.
As soon as we opened the door, the scent of the beach enveloped us. I could almost smell the salt air. A sultry, crooning voice was piped in through the speakers to pair with the soft lights and creative zones for shopping.
Racks of jeans and fun shoes were closest to the door. Some were cutoff shorts, some were embroidered, and others were obviously vintage as the sign suggested.
Bells pushed me right to the shorts. “You definitely need a few pairs of shorts. I was checking the weather for this week, and we’re gonna melt.” The hangers snicked down the pole as she dug in for a pair of startlingly short ones as well as a few that were less heart attack worthy. “You’re what? A four? Possibly a two?”
“Usually a four or six.”
“Hiding some hips and ass under that skirt, huh? Good. You’re damn tiny.” She shoved five pairs at me as well as two pairs of jeans.
“I only need clothes for a week.”
“I have a feeling based on your outfit, that would be a lie. But we’ll fix you up.”
I frowned. “What’s wrong with my outfit?”
“Nothing if you are trying to blend into a beige wall.”
I was too gobsmacked to answer her. Good thing, I needed my strength for the pile of clothes she was tossing at me.
“Can I help you ladies?” An older woman in a caftan came around the desk.
“No—well, actually, yes. We’ll need a dressing room if you have one.”
“Of course.” The woman smiled and floated off with Chanel No. 5 in her wake if I was correct.
“Okay, I definitely don’t need all this.” My arms were shaking under the twenty pounds of material she’d thrown at me.
