Page 46 of You Were Invited
“If you hate all the coats, I’ll give you your money back.”
“Is that a guarantee?” Annie replied as she put her phone away. She’d reply to Peter when they were done shopping.
“As a former employee, I’d want you to be a happy customer.”
She smiled and put the car into drive. “You’re not just talking this up again, are you? You tend to do that. You’re going to raise my low expectations.”
He shook his head. “I promise. I’ll find you a coat.”
What Rich didn’t peddle at Buckeye's was likely sold at Greg’s, and thankfully more variety had been added since Julian had quit. Most things hadn’t changed, though. Mr. Murray owned the store, but just like back then, he was nowhere to be seen. The building’s open interior spread out widely like a warehouse with mottled, white floors and tan metallic displays that had known better days, even decades ago. It felt like one was walking into the early nineties.
Julian led Annie through the aisles, meandering a few minutes before they found the women’s coats.
Annie squeezed the fabric of a few coat arms. Her head was on a swivel as she took inventory. Julian’s determination sparked. Shewouldhave a coat that she loved by the time they left, so help him, but after five minutes, without so much as a double-take, his confidence began to slip.
“Whatchu thinking?”
She shrugged and looked back at him apologetically. “Umm... these aren’t my style... They’re a little... too old for me?”
“How so?”
“My mom would love ‘em.”
A coat was a coat was a coat. It kept you warm. The round displays bulged with ladies’ coats. “Wasn’t the one I ruined a Northface? Here’s one just like it.” He plucked it off the rack.
Annie puckered her lips into a bashful smile, glancing sidelong. “It was a hand-me-down. From my mom.”
He blinked. No other coat departments were in the store, and he didn’t know any other places in town to get one — other than the biker shop.
“I’m sorry...” Annie sighed.
“Sorry?”
“I don’t mean to be picky.” Annie gently touched a coat sleeve and thumbed the light purple fabric. “I don’t want you to spend money on something that’s gonna rot in the back of my closet.”
Fair enough.“What colors do you like?”
“Anything that’s not a color? And I’d like something form-fitting?”
“You wore pink the other day?”
“I borrowed that from Molly.”
Julian frowned. He’d worked in tools, not apparel. And, clearly, the apparel associates hadn’t adjusted their hands-off approach to customer service. But he’d tasked himself with finding Annie a coat, dammit.
He more scrupulously studied the coats.
Spending time with Annie versus getting her something to wear were two completely different animals. He had no sisters, and all he could think of were all the unhappy looks his past girlfriends had given him when he’d presented them with clothing they wore a couple times then never wore again. Even his own mother had congenially accepted his gifts, while asking him for the gift receipt in the nicest way possible.
“Er, what about this one?”
“Hmm?”
He showed her a black coat. It had stitched details that reminded him of a nice quilt his mom had given him as a boy.
Annie smiled and shook her head. “I’d like it to be longer.”
Julian put the coat back, then scratched his head. He found another coat rack. He plucked another and he held it up to Annie. It went to her knees. The gray coat was padded with stuffing and had a hood that was lined with fur.
