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“Not if the scent is roses and…” She leans in and sniffs me.
“Hey!” I jump back.
“Let me smell you.” Her voice is full of complaint.
“No.” I bring up my shoulders and lean away from her. “I didn’t even put on perfume today.”
“Then it’s your shampoo or body wash or something. You always smell good.”
“I don’t know if to be flattered or creeped out.”
“Definitely flattered.” She taps her lips. “It’s like a combination of roses and…” she snaps her fingers as she tries to recall. “Mint,” she calls out in excitement.
“Uh, yeah.” My eyebrows lift.
“Make him a custom candle with those scents.”
“That’s weird. Here, smell me whenever you want.” I throw my hand in the air. I don’t even know if he likes my smell.
“I think it’s great. Toby always comments on how good I smell. It’s a guy thing. Besides, I think it’s a great option for long-distance relationships.”
I frown. Hudson and I are still dancing around in square one. As much as I want to jump onto square two, it disappears like it’s taunting me. I don’t know when we’ll move to square two or three or fifty. He’s hinted that he’s making changes in his lives, but I don’t know what those are and what they mean for us.
“Honestly, Hudson has money. We all know that. But what he can’t buy is personal and intimate gifts like this. What’s a shirt to a man who owns a closet full? But your scent…he can’t get that anywhere.” She points at me with raised eyebrows.
“Stop saying my scent. It weirds me out.” I shiver and scrunch up my face.
“Don’t you think a custom candle with the smell of her body wash or perfume, whatever she puts on, would be a great idea for a gift?” Hope stares at Ellie, who has returned from the fitting room.
“Oh, that is cool.” She nods and looks at me with a wide smile. “It’s sweet and personal.”
I stare between my two best friends and shake my head. “I’ll figure it out. How did the dress fit?”
“Great, but not sure why I need it.”
“Sometimes, the best excuse is that we simply want it hanging in our closet.” Hope smiles.
“You may be right.” Ellie nods, staring at it. “Okay, I’m getting it.”
After we pay, we walk down the sidewalk.
“Let’s go into the antique store.” I open the door, not waiting for them to respond. They know how much I love antique shopping. I look through the store, my eyes scanning like a hawk for any treasures I may find.
“Oh, I love this beaded purse.” Hope holds the small purse.
“It’s gorgeous.” I smile.
“There are always so many treasures here,” Ellie looks around. “Maybe I can find a gift for my mom here.”
We each take our time. I scan the shelves and tables. Something about facing history makes me happy. So many amazing things are hidden in front of us, and if we pause to look, we’ll find them.
“Oh, my goodness,” Ellie shrieks.
“What?” I jump out of my aisle and look for her. Hope is already beside her with wide eyes.
“My mom is going to love this. I knew you were a genius shopping at antiques,” Ellie stares at me with a huge grin. “It’s an old edition of The Secret Garden. I doubt it’s a first edition, but that’s okay. This is my mom’s favorite book.”
“That’s amazing.” The green cover is in decent condition, and the artwork on the front is faded but not to the point where you can’t make it out.
