Page 37 of Damaged Billionaire Daddy
I shook my head. “No, I really don’t. I guess I should have brought an overnight kit.”
“Remind me never to have to bug out with you,” Richard grinned. “Caleb, take us to Walmart so Kandis can get out of that ridiculously expensive dress. Then you can drop us off at the car rental while you take all those yards of silk and velvet back to the rental place along with my tux.”
Caleb quirked an eyebrow at Richard. “You sure about this, Boss?”
“More sure than I’ve been about anything for a long time,” Richard replied. “Kandis has been an amazingly good sport about helping me put one over on Ken and Kayla. I want to show her a part of this town she’s probably never seen, then take her sightseeing in the mountains.” He winked at me, the bastard. “What do you say, Kandy?”
“As long as there are no axes or shovels involved,” I said.
“Only in the line of making a campfire,” he assured me. “I’ve not been to the cabin for a while, and I’m not sure what we’ll find.”
At Walmart, Richard spun the clothing department salesclerk a tale about an impromptu after-wedding celebration and surprising me with a camping trip. “So my girlfriend needs a change of clothing so I can send the rental dress back with my friend, and we both need some warm stuff for the mountains,” he ended his taradiddle.
The clerk, an older woman, bought his fish tale, hook, line and sinker. She simpered and blushed, and trotted out the best Walmart had to offer — which admittedly wasn’t all that great. I wasn’t sure why he selected a department store, when no doubt he could have afforded a boutique.
Richard helped pick out a summer sundress, three pairs of jeans, t-shirts, sweaters, a frilly top, sandals, sensible underwear, frilly take-me-off-now underwear, sandals, tennis shoes, and walking boots. Then he insisted on thermal wear for both of us, and got a few things for himself.
He then had me guide that cart while we went back through the camping gear with a second cart. He picked up a folding saw, a small axe (he grinned at me when he got that), several of the expensive sort of dehydrated meals, and a cooler.
Then we went through the grocery department and bought fresh stuff and canned goods, as well as paper plates, toilet paper and paper towels.
At the end of this, we took the two carts to the checkout. When everything was paid for, I went to the ladies room and changed my clothes, putting on the sundress.
It seemed a shame to stuff that gorgeous dress into a shopping bag, but Richard had bought a big one for the purpose. And it was the best way to keep it clean.
By the time I came out, Caleb was waiting with Richard, impatiently tapping his toe.
“Good job on the shopping bag,” he said. “I’ll have just enough time to get you to the car rental. I went ahead and reserved a jeep for you.”
“Good call,” Richard praised him. “I’ll call the rental and tell them that you are bringing the gown and the tux.”
Caleb just nodded at that.
It was nearly 2:00 in the afternoon when Caleb pulled away from the car rental, and we got into a boxy sort of vehicle with butter soft leather seats, air conditioning, and plenty of room for all the stuff we had bought. By then my stomach was growling.
We ate lunch at a Pizza Inn, which wasn’t especially fancy, but it was nearby. We had their lunch buffet, and I pigged out on the dessert pizzas.
Richard probably had something fancy planned, but there was a mall carnival parked outside, and I wanted to ride the merry-go-round. Next, we rode the tilt-a-whirl, then Richie talked me into getting turned upside down in the Hammer. I really regretted all that dessert pizza. I nearly lost my lunch.
I must have looked a little green after that, because Richard said, “Maybe something a little quieter?”
“Yeah,” I replied. “I nearly redecorated your new outfit.”
He then took me to what looked like a beauty parlor. Shoot, I knew I looked rough, but really?
“Why are we here?” I asked.
The wicked man just grinned at me. “You’ll see,” he said.
Inside, Richard walked up to the counter and asked, “Can I get a mani-pedi for two?”
The woman didn’t even miss a beat. “Of course, Mr. Lane. Isobel and Tracy have openings. You want the double so you can talk?”
“Absolutely,” Richard replied. “We just came from awedding — someone else’s,” he said, raising a hand to forestall congratulations or questions, “I think we could both use some time to decompress.”
“You are getting one, too?” I asked, trying to figure this out.
“Oh, you bet,” he said. “Have you ever had one?”
