"These'll work," she murmured, holding up a pair of black denim shorts that were frayed.
Then she saw the price tag.
Her face fell so fast it almost made him laugh.
She put them back as if they were made of gold and moved on to a cheaper rack, picking up shirts, setting them down, then picking them up again.Every time she checked the price, her mouth tightened, and she'd put the item back like she wasn't allowed to want it.
He watched her do it for ten minutes.
Then he'd had enough.He wasn't going to spend his whole day waiting for her to choose her clothes.
"Grab what you need," he said.
She shook her head."These cost too much."
He didn't argue.He just waited until she drifted away from the rack, then scooped up everything she'd touched—shorts, shirts, a couple pairs of jeans, even a hoodie she'd stared at for a full thirty seconds before walking away.
By the time she noticed what he was doing, he already had an armful.
"Baddy, no," she whispered, horrified."That's too much.I don't need all that."
He ignored her and carried everything to the counter.
The cashier rang it up without blinking.Baddy handed over cash.Lydia stood beside him, pale and stiff, like she expected lightning to strike him dead for spending money on her.
When they walked out, she was still staring at the bags, as if they might explode.
He stuffed them into the duffel on his bike and handed her a helmet."Come on.I'll drop you at the diner."
She climbed on behind him, quiet the whole ride.By the time he pulled in front of the diner, Lydia was yawning so hard her eyes watered.
He killed the engine and retrieved her bags."Get some rest.Tomorrow's a big day."
She slid off the bike, took off the helmet, and rubbed her face."You'll bring my other bags?"
"Yeah."
"You promise?"
"I said I would."
She inhaled deeply."Thank you for the clothes."
He didn't want her to worry about the price or what she believed she owed him.So before she could say anything else, he fastened the helmet to the Harley and started the engine.
She stepped back, clutching her bags to her chest.
He gave her one last look.She appeared tired, small, but determined.He rode off, leaving her no time to overthink any of it.
