Shoot, get it together girl, she silently told herself.
“A wedding,” she fibbed putting the contracts and bids in their envelopes. “I’m going to take these to the post office, and I’ll be out of your hair.”
“Enjoy shopping,” he stated as she grabbed her bag and jacket. “Oh…Mel.”
“Yeah,” she said turning back towards him.
“You forgot your…” He stopped holding out the strapless bra she’d thought was securely inside her bag.
“Thanks,” she told him knowing her face was bright red. “Tate told me to remember it this time, so we didn’t have issues like the last one.”
“Issues?” Jordan asked forcing himself to ignore the voice inside his head telling him to kiss her. He loved that blush and he wanted to see how far it went.
“The dress I picked worked fine with my regular one, but this one is a bit higher in the front, and you could see it over the dress. We had to go back and pick out a new one and I can only get Tate out shopping so often.”
“A new bra?” he asked knowing it would send the red back into her cheeks.
“Dress…bye Jordan,” she stated heading for the door.
“Bye, Mel. Enjoy your weekend.”
“I will,” Mel told him with a short wave. She saw Tate pulling up and she hurried into the post office, thankful that it was just a few doors down. She slipped on her jacket and took the helmet he offered before getting on behind him.
They were at their third shop before she found anything she liked.
“What about this one?” he asked holding out a red sequined mini-dress.
“No, I look horrible in red,” she told him. She took a few to try on, the first was too something; she couldn’t put her finger on it and Tate gave her the thumbs down along with the next three she tried. The fifth dress she liked but there was no way she’d wear it to her prom, not even her senior prom. It was a dress made for a much older woman than her seventeen years and Tate’s expression left her laughing herself into tears.
“Good lord Mel, I thought the point was not to have the entire population after you. If you show up in that they’re likely to throw you down in the middle of the floor.”
“Okay, it’s definitely a no,” she agreed.
“You look stunning,” the salesclerk said coming up behind her and tightening the straps a bit helping to hold the top of thedress up more. “This dress is guaranteed to make a splash at any event.”
“Yeah, it’s a bit old for me, I think. I want something…”
“Younger? You know I think I have the perfect dress. It’s in the back,” she stated moving away quickly.
“Stop laughing Tate,” she said checking out her reflection again. “I look horrible.”
“No you look way too scrumptious,” Tate teased.
She laughed again but the jingle of the bell on the door caught her attention and she watched the customers coming into the store. The woman was beautiful, she guessed she was about twenty-four or so, but it was the man with her that made her heart stop beating.
“Mel?” Tate said noticing her stillness. “Ah Mel unless you want your boss looking right down that dress, I suggest you get off that podium and back into the…”
He didn’t have to finish his comment because she was already back in the dressing area and shutting the door to get out of the dress. She rather he saw her in her bra and underwear than in that dress. It was too mature for her, and she didn’t want Jordan looking at her that way. The salesclerk knocked on the door, and she opened it slightly knowing no one else could see them.
“Let me help, this zipper can be a bit tricky,” the woman said letting the material glide over her body. She crossed the strands and adjusted the way it fell before letting Mel look in the mirror inside the dressing stall. “Well?”
“It’s perfect,” she said.
“Would you like to show your friend?”
“Yeah,” she agreed stepping carefully out of the stall. She followed the salesclerk out and took a deep breath as she moved out of her shadow and stepped towards the little podium set up in front of the three–way mirror.
“Mel?” Tate said grinning as she looked at the dress before turning around to face him. “Wow, you look…I mean if I didn’t know you…”
