Page 37 of David

Clarissa shifts her eyes to me.

“I see.”

Smiling, she dips her gaze.

“Here. I found it in red and pink. I think pink fits you best,” she says, glancing at my hair. “This is for Thea’s wedding, isn’t it?”

I smile.

“Yes.”

“Everybody knows about her wedding,” she adds. “It’s a small town.”

I sigh.

“Indeed it is,” I murmur.

She flashes a grin.

“All right. Let me know if you need anything else. I’ll be at the counter.”

I inch closer to the wall mirror as Clarissa walks away.

Within seconds, I drop the red dress on a chair. It’s beautiful but not suitable for the occasion. The pink dress is like the one Thea delivered to my place––it’s the same color, I mean.

The fabric is soft and has some give, most likely jersey. I’m sure it molds nicely on my body without clinging awkwardly to my hips.

I don’t need to try it on to know that it fits.

Yet when I check the white mini skirt and colorful blouse, my heart sings a little. It’s such an eye-catching duo, and it would look great on me.

I might also need to file for bankruptcy. These things are expensive.

Even with the generous employee discount, it can still set me back two hundred dollars.

That’s a week’s worth of groceries for me.

I don’t need to try on the two pieces, either. I’ve been on so many shopping sprees with Chloe and spent so much time with her in fitting rooms trying on outfits that I know what works and what doesn’t for my body shape.

These all work for me.

Filled with guilt, I grab all of them and sit on the chair.

Chloe finds me there moments later. I’m still seated, still pondering.

“So?”

She holds five outfits in her arms.

“Are you buying all of them?”

“Of course I do. Do you think I’m wasting my time for nothing? They all look good on me. So, are we buying something today or not?”

She’s talking about me when she says we.

“We are thinking about it.”

“Stop overthinking everything. I like that set,” she says, looking at the skirt and the blouse. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

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