“I asked him once why he didn’t date, and he said he just wanted to focus on us kids. I told him he was going to be lonely when we all left home, and he said he had yet to meet anyone he was interested in getting to know better. I thought maybe he was still in love with my mom, but he let me know that wasn’t the case.”
Cheyenne was certainly a beautiful woman, but if their relationship had been as tumultuous as he’d described in the pantry, their love had probably faded long before she left. Debbie and Austin weren’t exactly dating, and he’d been forced into proximity with her because of the job she hired Savannah to do, but was she the kind of woman he’d like to get to know better? Did finding her attractive equate to wanting to get to know her better?
Or did her wealth negate any attraction he might feel?
She handed Savannah her phone. “Here, find us some music to listen to.”
* * *
“How about this one?”Cheyenne held up a form-fitted burgundy sheath with a slit clear up to the hip and a plunging neckline.
Debbie fought the urge to roll her eyes. She’d worn her share of skin tight clothing with low necklines, but she’d never worn anything that provocative. She couldn’t believe Cheyenne suggested it for her sixteen-year-old daughter.
“Um…that’s not really my style,” Savannah said before turning and slowly wandering around Debbie’s favorite dress shop.
A few minutes later, Cheyenne held up another dress that had no back. “Look at this gorgeous green one.”
The emerald-colored satin was pretty, but Austin would kill Debbie if she bought his daughter a dress like that. She breathed a sigh of relief when Savannah shook her head.
“Oh, I’ve got one.” This time Cheyenne held up a sparkling white dress that was even lower cut than the first one and possibly see-through.
“Seriously?” Debbie couldn’t hold her tongue any longer. “That’s not an appropriate dress for Savannah.”
Cheyenne surveyed the dress then looked back at her daughter. “I suppose you’re right. She’s not busty enough. Too bad you’re not as endowed as Debbie and I are.” Then she headed to the dressing room with the white dress.
Debbie stepped close to Savannah. “Don’t listen to her. You’re perfect the way you are. Besides, her boobs are just as fake as mine.”
Savannah snorted as she tried to smother a laugh.
Debbie put her hands on her hips and stuck her chest out. “If my boobs were real, I’d have the curvy hips to match them, like my sisters.” She tilted her head toward the dressing room. “Trust me, I know implants when I see them. I suspect your mother had a tummy tuck as well.”
Savannah laughed again.
They’d ended up doing a lot of that on the drive here. Their discussion of music, friends, and boyfriends had morphed into sharing their daydreams and most embarrassing moments. Austin had tried to deter Cheyenne by telling her this shopping trip was meant to be a bonding opportunity for Debbie and Savannah, but she hadn’t expected the bonding to happen so easily.
She felt a closeness with this girl that surprised her. Even more so than she did with her own nieces. Savannah reminded her so much of herself when she was a teenager full of hopes and dreams that were often overshadowed by insecurities. Trying to find her place in the world while being responsible for younger siblings wasn’t easy.
Even though the conversation circled around to Austin occasionally, Debbie was careful not to let it linger on him for too long. Otherwise she might admit to Savannah that she was in love with her father.
Savannah finally found a dress to try on but decided she didn’t like the way it looked on her, so she returned to the floor to look some more.
Cheyenne continued to suggest dresses that weren’t appropriate for a teenage girl, including a little black dress that was so short it hardly left anything to the imagination.
Debbie looked around in frustration. There were plenty of pretty dresses here that could be considered modest, but Savannah didn’t seem interested in any of them. Not that she was interested in any of the ones her mom was picking out either. Thank goodness.
It didn’t dawn on Debbie until now that although this shop had all kinds of formal dresses, it catered to the more mature woman. There was nothing here that fit the fairytale type dream of a young girl going to her first prom.
She pulled out her phone and did a quick search for dress shops.
A few minutes later, Debbie had to intervene as Cheyenne tried to insist Savannah try on a purple, satin, strapless dress.
“It reminds me of the dress I wore to senior prom.” Cheyenne guided Savannah over to one of the floor-length mirrors and held the dress up in front of her. “Your dad couldn’t keep his hands off me that night. Of course, I couldn’t keep my hands off him either. Have you ever seen him in a tux?”
“That’s enough,” Debbie said. “We’re done here.” She took Savannah by the arm and headed for the door, trying desperately not to picture Cheyenne in Austin’s arms. “There’s another shop I think we should check out.”
“Wait!” Cheyenne called. “I want to buy this white dress before we leave.”
Fifteen minutes later, Debbie knew she’d made the right choice in bringing Savannah to a different store when the girl’s eyes practically lit up as they walked through the door. The racks were full of gorgeous floor-length satin and chiffon dresses in bright jewel-toned and pastel colors. It was every young girl’s dream. Any girl who ever dreamed of being a princess, that is.
